The Flash may be showcasing a brutal battle for Batman.
A new teaser image for the upcoming Scarlet Speedster movie showcases the iconic Bat-symbol for Michael Keaton’s Caped Crusader.
Yet a dash of red on it hints this may be tied into another famous DC Comics epic and spell trouble for the Dark Knight.
Flashpoint adaptation?
While a Flash movie has been expected for a while, few imagined it would happen like this.
For years, plans have been underway for Ezra Miller to bring his version of the Scarlet Speedster from Justice League into a solo movie. Like many DCEU plans, the film was affected by 2017’s Justice League failing to meet box office expectations, leading to a changeover in the direction of the movies.
The coronavirus pandemic and shutdowns have further delayed this film. There was also the controversy over Ray Fisher’s Cyborg being dropped after Fisher’s well-publicized feud with Warner Bros over Joss Whedon’s behavior on the Justice set.
Finally, filming is underway, with fans excited to see what could be an adaptation of Flashpoint. The 2011 storyline had Barry going back in time to try and stop the murder of his mother. In doing so, he completely rewrites the DC Universe into a new history.
And one change can be the return of one of the greatest movie heroes of all time.
The Dark Knight Returns
While it had been rumored for a while, Michael Keaton confirmed that he would be reprising his role as Batman in the movie.
Keaton’s performance in the 1989 Tim Burton smash hit erased memories of the campy 1960s TV series. It restored Batman to his darker roots, with audiences loving both it and the sequel, Batman Returns.
Keaton declined to return for 1995’s Batman Forever, with the franchise taking a downward direction in quality.
It’s up in the air just what Batman’s role is in the movie. It’s possible Barry has altered time, so this is a new Batman around. Another possibility is that Barry has landed on some alternate Earth where Batman is its only hero.
Rumors abound that the movie imagines every Batman film since Batman Returns never happened. Filming is confirmed to take place at the same locations used for Wayne Manor in the original film.
Director Andy Muschietti shared an image teasing a brutal fight with the Bat Logo spoiled by a blotch of red.
Is it Doomsday Clock?
The image of blood on a yellow symbol is bringing up comparisons to the classic DC story Watchmen. This may not be a coincidence.
“Flashpoint” helped create the “New 52” with a different DC Comics history. In 2017, a crossover had the Flash and Batman discovering the real cause of this new universe: Watchmen’s god-like Doctor Manhattan.
This eventually led to Doomsday Clock, linking the Watchmen universe with the DC Universe. It culminated in Manhattan “resetting” the world, so the original DC Comics history once more existed (including long-gone characters like the Justice Society of America).
The movie may utilize the same concept with the Flash crafting a new take on the DCEU. This comes in the wake of the recent Snyder Cut for Justice League, which presented a different possible future plan for the franchise.
It can also simply be the movie playing on the classic idea of Batman broken by some enemy with the Flash helpless to stop it.
As this image shows, Keaton’s return as Batman may not be the happy ending some fans hoped for the character.
The Flash is scheduled to debut on November 4, 2022.