We are going to get three different Batmans on screen at the same time. So surely we’re going to like at least one of them, Duncan Lay writes.
Keeping up with all the superheroes can be tricky at the best of times. But now we’re going to get three different Batmans on the big screen in the next 12 months it’s going to be Caped Crusader confusion.
The good news is, surely we’re going to like at least one of them. And the better news is our money at the box office could keep all three of them going.
So who are the contenders?
First out of the Batcave is Ben Affleck, reprising his role from Justice League as director Zack Snyder releases his Snyder Cut version of the 2017 movie. Snyder had almost finished this film when a family tragedy caused him to step away and be replaced by Joss Whedon, who changed things completely.
After a fan backlash, the studio gave Snyder $70 million to finish his version. This means Snyder will release a four-hour (yep, don’t order the jumbo coke unless you have a bladder like Superman) director’s cut.
This is supposed to be the final say on Justice League. But Snyder had two more films sketched out after this. If people go wild for his version, then the studio will green light them.
Let’s face it, they’d film a romantic comedy about Adolf Hitler falling for Jar Jar Binks if they thought it would make money.
Next we have an old favourite, the original film Batman in Michael Keaton. He’ll be reprising his 1989 role in The Flash next year. This is going to have multiple Batmans, including both Affleck and Keaton, as it features time travel and alternate universes.
Naturally there has been plenty of speculation that there will be more movies featuring his version of Batman, although the studio has tried to hose that down.
Finally there will be Robert Pattinson as Batman in a stand-alone movie that sees a young Batman taking on The Penguin, also in 2022.
Again, the studio is being cagey on the future of this version of the legendary character but if enough fans vote with their wallets, they could all get new movies.
In one way that’s great. I love Batman — but three different versions on the go at the same time? That’s going to be confusing for the casual moviegoer.
They’re going to have to pause these movies for five minutes about a third of the way through. That way the fans in the audience can explain to the partners that they’ve dragged along exactly what’s happening with the three different Batman timelines.
Or maybe there’s another way to decide.
Personally I’d like to see a Batman eliminator competition, possibly like It’s A Knockout. I am visualising all three dressed in giant inflatable Batman costumes, trying to complete an obstacle course. It’d be a great contest.
Pattinson’s fitter but Keaton’s crafty and Affleck has had those well-publicised alcohol problems and so is probably used to staggering around obstacles while feeling as though his feet are not his own.
I couldn’t pick a winner there. So maybe it should come down to the box office and let the fans decide.
But three is the limit. If George Clooney starts warming up his Bat Nipples to bring his version out of the Batcave, then we’ve definitely gone too far.