Warner Bros. and DC recently set the internet ablaze when it announced that it would be bringing back Michael Keaton for The Flash film. Keaton, who is known for his portrayal of Batman in Tim Burton's Batman (1989) and the Batman Returns (1992) sequel, is set to reprise his role as The Dark Knight alongside Ezra Miller's The Flash, and the latest set photos tease the return of a familiar location from the original films.
While many fans are excited to see how Keaton's Batman will tie into The Flash's story, updates on the project have been relatively scarce. However, new set photos that were leaked this month could hint at the film's return to Burton's original Wayne Manor, as well as the revival of Keaton's classic Batmobile.
According to The Daily Record in the UK, the cast and crew for The Flash will be arriving in Scotland this June to start filming, and parts of Glasgow and Edinburgh will be featured. The production is reportedly looking to recreate these areas into "gothic scenes" that resemble Burton's Gotham City in 1989's Batman to use them for flashback scenes. Keaton's return to the DC universe is made possible due to the multiverse concept of the film. Plot details reveal that Miller's Barry Allen will travel back in time to prevent his mother's murder, which will unintentionally cause chaos in his own timeline.
Since the story is likely to involve multiple branched realities, there are rumors that versions of Batman from other films will be making cameo appearances, including Ben Affleck's Caped Crusader. Whether or not Keaton and Affleck's Batman will end up joining forces in the film is still yet to be determined. Fans have also put forth the theory that other iconic characters from Burton's Batman could appear in the film, such as Danny DeVito's Penguin and Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman.
Should DC Films actually go through with these crossovers, The Flash could be the most ambitious film for the franchise yet. It could potentially put the film up to par with Marvel's Spider-Man: No Way Home and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which are expected to have multiverse concepts as well.
In addition to Keaton's Batman, The Flash will also include Sasha Calle's Supergirl, Kiersey Clemons' Iris West, with Ron Livingston (The Conjuring) and Maribel Verdu (Pan's Labyrinth) as Barry Allen's parents. Saoirse-Monica Jackson (Derry Girls) and Rudy Mancuso (Rim of the World) have also been tapped for undisclosed roles.
The Flash is currently in production.
Source: The Daily Record