Michael Keaton Turned Down ‘Batman Forever’ For 1 Dark Reason
Most Michael Keaton fans probably remember him most as the star of 1989’s Batman. The actor played the Dark Knight and his alter-ego, Bruce Wayne, in that Tim Burton film and its 1992 sequel, Batman Returns. But by the time the Caped Crusader made his way to movie theaters for a third time, Val Kilmer was in the lead role. Now Keaton has explained in a bit more detail why he walked away from Batman Forever.
Michael Keaton wasn’t a fan favorite choice for ‘Batman’
Ironically, most fans were not supportive of Burton’s decision to cast Keaton in that original film. Of course, the actor was then more known for his comedy movie roles than anything else at the time. Keaton was the breakout star of 1982’s Night Shift and had headlined comedies such as Mr. Mom and Gung Ho.
There was little precedent for him to brood onscreen as the traumatized young boy who grows up to dress as a giant bat and fight crime. But Keaton pulled it off by delving into Bruce Wayne’s psychology. Rather than leaning into campiness or playing the action hero, the actor considered Bruce Wayne as the foundation for the iconic DC hero.
The actor exited the franchise after ‘Batman Returns’
Keaton’s approach to the material certainly helps him stand out from other actors who have played Batman. Yet, as he told the Backstage podcast, his prioritizing of Bruce Wayne over Batman led him to clash with director Joel Schumacher.
“When [Joel Schumacher] who directed [Batman Forever], I said, ‘I just can’t do it,’ … I kept trying to rationalize doing it and hopefully talking him into saying, ‘I think we don’t want to go in this direction. I think we should go in this direction.’ And he wasn’t going to budge. But I remember one of the things that I walked away going, ‘Oh boy, I can’t do this.’ He asked me, ‘I don’t understand why everything has to be so dark and everything so sad,’ and I went, ‘Wait a minute, do you know how this guy got to be Batman? Have you read… I mean, it’s pretty simple.'”
Batman Forever certainly doesn’t ignore what Bruce Wayne has endured. In fact, there’s a whole subplot about the aftermath of his parent’s deaths involving Thomas Wayne’s red leather journal. But in the end, Schumacher’s movie was much sillier than its predecessors, although rumors of a darker director’s cut have recently made the rounds.
Michael Keaton is back in the Batsuit for ‘The Flash’
Since Keaton, many others — including Kilmer, Christian Bale, and Ben Affleck — have put their own stamp on Bruce Wayne. But Keaton has remained a fan favorite decades later, which is why his Batman return in the DC Extended Universe is such an exciting prospect.
Keaton is currently set to reprise the roles of Bruce Wayne and Batman in 2022’s The Flash. Ezra Miller’s titular speedster will visit an alternate universe wherein Keaton and not Affleck is the Dark Knight. Fans are eager to see how Keaton’s approach to the character might have changed and what his Batman has been up to.
