Michael Keaton’s Batman has made four key upgrades to his Batsuit and tech in The Flash. Over three decades after his previous performance as the Dark Knight in Batman Returns, Keaton will finally don the cowl again in The Flash alongside Ben Affleck’s Batman and other major DC heroes. With The Flash opening the doors of the DC’s multiverse, Keaton’s return as Batman is also a central component of the movie’s story.
In The Flash’s multiverse story, Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) travels back in time to prevent the murder of his mother, only for his actions to cause massive ramifications for the timeline. This leads Barry to team up with a younger version of himself, the Kryptonian refugee Kara Zor-El (Sasha Calle), and Michael Keaton’s Batman. Being the Caped Crusader, Keaton’s Batman brings a vast arsenal of Bat-tech to their mission, with much of it considerably more advanced than when it was last seen in Batman Returns. Here are all the upgrades Keaton’s Batman has made that have been revealed in The Flash.
4 Michael Keaton’s Batman Has Remodeled The Batcave
The first upgrade that stands out in The Flash trailer is Keaton’s Batcave itself, which looks to have expanded considerably since it was last seen in Batman Returns. The most standout addition to Keaton’s Batcave is the inclusion of a waterfall, which was not featured previously in Tim Burton’s Batman universe. Similar to the waterfall of the Batcave in The Dark Knight trilogy, Keaton’s waterfall seems to serve as an exit for a specific Bat-vehicle, though in Keaton’s case, it looks to be primarily intended as the Batcave’s exit and entrance for the Batwing.
Additionally, Keaton’s Batman has a new storage area for his multiple Batsuits, each fitted on a mannequin. Batman and Batman Returns showed Keaton’s Bruce Wayne storing his cape and cowl in a sealed chamber and keeping them hung up in a closet similar to regular clothing. Tim Burton’s Batman films admittedly did not provide that extensive a look at Keaton’s Batcave, possibly to budgetary and technological restrictions at the time. With The Flash, it seems that Keaton’s Batcave will get its most extensive showcase ever.
3 Michael Keaton’s Batman Has Multiple New Batsuits
In addition to the alterations made to his Batcave, Keaton’s Batman has 7 Batsuits in The Flash, arranged in a semi-circle and most with some kind of tweak to the original design. The Batsuit in the center seems to be the closest to the original suit worn by Keaton’s Batman, with some adjustments made to the cowl, torso, and utility belt. This also appears to be the primary Batsuit that Keaton’s Bruce Wayne wears in The Flash. The other Batsuits include two that look like the original ones seen in Batman and Batman Returns situated in the back, while one has what appears to be a blue cowl.
Another of the Batsuits (to the right of the one in the center) has a holster with two handguns and a bat emblem similar to that of Adam West’s Batman. Additionally, another Batsuit seems to be one designed for aquatic missions, complete with a breathing mask. Meanwhile, the one to the left of the center suit has a hood and goggles, somewhat similar to Ben Affleck’s Knightmare Batman in Zack Snyder’s Justice League. It is unclear what roles these Batsuits will play in The Flash, but they indicate how many off-screen adventures Keaton’s Batman has had between Batman Returns and The Flash.
2 Keaton’s Batman Has Upgraded His Cape in The Flash Movie
As an offshoot of the different Batsuit variants on display, Keaton’s Batman has also made some significant adjustments to his cape, making him a more airborne Caped Crusader. As seen in The Flash trailer, Keaton’s Batman swoops down from a high-rise platform with his cape opening like bat wings to attack a group of intruders in the Batcave far below feet below. This is a huge upgrade from the method of flight Keaton’s Dark Knight utilized previously.
In Tim Burton’s Batman Returns, Keaton’s Batman has what appears to be a hang glider either built into his suit or a part of his cape that allows him to glide over the streets of Gotham. The design of the Bat-glider is fairly cumbersome in terms of how it opens up. However, decades later, in The Flash, Keaton’s Batman seems to have outdone even Christian Bale’s Caped Crusader with a cape that opens into an agile wingsuit with a simple spread of both arms. The upgraded cape of Keaton’s Batman will likely come in quite handy in The Flash‘s multiverse battle.
1 Keaton’s Batman Has An Upgraded Batwing In The Flash Movie
Michael Keaton’s version of Batman will not just take to the skies with the help of his cape in The Flash but also with a completely redesigned Batwing. The last time Keaton’s Batwing was seen was in his first Batman movie, with the Batwing being shot down by the Joker (Jack Nicholson), while the new Batwing design was initially revealed through The Flash‘s toy line. The big change is in the wings, which have a new design compared to the circular design seen in Batman.
The Batwing itself also seems noticeably larger than it was in Batman, particularly in the cockpit, which can now seat both Batman himself and at least two passengers (with The Flash trailer showing both Barrys as passengers in the Batwing in one scene.) There also appear to have been fire-propelling thrusters added to the Batwing’s rear, similar to the one included on the Batmobile. Furthermore, one shot in the trailer also suggests the Batwing might be put to use in helping Barry recreate his original accident to get his super-speed back.
Every version of Batman in movies and comics alike is a meticulous planner who adjusts his equipment for new missions, so it is not surprising that Keaton’s Batman has done that. While Keaton’s Batman has never encountered metahumans before, the Dark Knight has always been a quick study and swift to adapt to new situations, as he seems to readily be doing in meeting two Speedsters and a Kryptonian. With the fate of the multiverse at stake, Keaton’s Batman could have even more tricks up his sleeves than he seems to in The Flash.
