Back in June, word broke that Michael Keaton’s Batman will be appearing in The Flash movie. However, Keaton won’t be the only Dark Knight in the adaptation of DC’s Flashpoint event. Vanity Fair broke the story that Ben Affleck is set to reprise his role as Bruce Wayne/Batman for the first time since Justice League. Director Andy Muschietti also explained to Vanity Fair why getting Affleck back was so important to Ezra Miller’s Flash.
“He’s a very substantial part of the emotional impact of the movie,” said Muschietti. “The interaction and relationship between Barry and Affleck’s Wayne will bring an emotional level that we haven’t seen before. It’s Barry’s movie, it’s Barry’s story, but their characters are more related than we think. They both lost their mothers to murder, and that’s one of the emotional vessels of the movie. That’s where the Affleck Batman kicks in.”
Muschietti confirmed that Keaton’s Batman will have a “substantial” part as well. Regardless, Muschietti noted that bringing in alternate Batmen wouldn’t work without Affleck’s Dark Knight.
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“He’s the baseline. He’s part of that unaltered state before we jump into Barry’s adventure. There’s a familiarity there,” said Muschietti. “His Batman has a dichotomy that is very strong which is his masculinity—because of the way he looks, and the imposing figure that he has, and his jawline —but he’s also very vulnerable. He knows how to deliver from the inside out, that vulnerability. He just needs a story that allows him to bring that contrast, that balance…I’m glad to be collaborating with someone who has been on both sides of the camera, too,”
Barbara Muschietti, Andy’s sister and a producer on The Flash, also weighed in on Affleck’s Batman comeback.
“There have been some all sorts of stories and things he said himself about having a very hard time playing Batman, and it had been difficult for him,” said Barbara Muschietti. “I think it was more about a difficult time in his life. When we approached him, he’s now in a very different time in his life. He was very open to it, which was a bit of a surprise to us. It was a question mark. We are all human and go through great times in our lives and terrible times in our lives. Right now he’s in a place where he can actually enjoy being Batman…It’s a pivotal role, but at the same time it’s a fun part.”
The Flash is scheduled to be released in 2022.
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