Batman: Michael Keaton to return as the Dark Knight in new Batgirl film

Michael Keaton is set to return to television screens as Batman in HBO Max’s forthcoming Batgirl film.

On Wednesday (22 December), Deadline reported that the 70-year-old actor will star in the new DC and Marvel movie with Leslie Grace, JK Simmons and Brendan Fraser.

While Grace will star as the titular lead Barbara Gordon/Batgirl, Fraser has been cast as the villainous, pyromaniac Firefly. Simmons portrays Commissioner Gordon, a role he first played in the 2017 film Justice League.

Bad Boys for Life makers Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah will direct Batgirl, which has been written by Christina Hodson. Additional details about the plot of the film – which was supposed to be a standalone – have not yet been revealed.

Keaton’s legacy as Bruce Wayne/Batman began with Tim Burton’s 1989 film, before the actor reprised his role as Gotham City’s Dark Knight six years later in Batman Returns.

Ahead of Batgirl, the Oscar-nominated actor will appear as Gotham City’s caped crusader in Andrés Muschietti’sThe Flash, starring Ezra Miller. The film is scheduled for release on 4 November 2022.

When asked to comment on his mysterious return as Batman in The Flash during an interview earlier this year, the actor responded: “I’ll be frank, I don’t want to talk about it because it takes the fun away.”

However, he added that it took “a fair amount” of persuading to reprise the role for the first time in 25 years as it “wasn’t in my consciousness”.