Michael Keaton in talks to return as Batman

The actor who famously declared "I'm Batman" might reprise the role once again.

Michael Keaton is in talks to return as the caped crusader, sources told EW on Monday.

As first reported by The Wrap, Keaton is in talks to play Bruce Wayne in Warner Bros.' upcoming movie The Flash, which has Ezra Miller reprising his Justice League role.

It's also possible that Keaton could appear in other DC titles playing the character as well. Warner Bros. had no comment.

It's an interesting move as there's a new Batman in upcoming DC films, with Robert Pattinson taking over the role for Matt Reeves' The Batman, which is expected in Oct. 2021. Typically the studio doesn't have two actors playing the same comic book character at the same time. But The Flash will explore the concept of a multiverse where different versions of the same comic book character can coexist at the same time, and even interact (see Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse). So Pattinson is still "the new Batman" as far as Warner Bros. is concerned.

Keaton first played the role in director Tim Burton's groundbreaking 1989 blockbuster Batman, as well as in its less successful 1992 sequel, Batman Returns. Keaton than was replaced by Val Kilmer in the role for director Joel Schumacher's 1995 film Batman Forever (coincidentally, Schumacher passed away Monday at the age of 80). Keaton also took a dip into the Marvel universe, playing the heavy in 2017's Spider-Man: Homecoming.

As for The Flash, the film has had a long and rocky road in recent years to the big screen, with a revolving door of writers and directors being attached to the project. The most recent official update had The Flash starting production this year with Andy Muschietti (IT) directing, but that was before the pandemic hit. The film is supposed to be released on July 1, 2022.

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