A spoiler-free discussion.
The Bat Symbol
As was initially perceived by most comic book fans, the new Batgirl film set to release on HBO MAX was thought to be moving forward in its story arc without the presence of Batman in it. However, recent rumors and set photos from the Batgirl’s production have now hinted at the possibility of the appearance of The Dark Knight in the film.
Although there are no specific details to confirm how big a role the Batman will play in the upcoming film, the leaked set photos indicate a possibility of The Caped Crusader’s cameo in the film taking place in a flashback. This is indicated by the presence of J.K. Simmons’ Jim Gordon in the said photo, looking somewhat physically de-aged, lending credence to the point that the Batman’s role does take place in a timeline before Batgirl is even introduced into the film.
That being said, a question does arise from the sudden news regarding the inclusion of the Batman in the new Batgirl film: who is going to play The Dark Knight in the movie? Or, more specifically, which version of the Batman will fans get to see once the movie is released on HBO MAX?
As of right now, there are four possibilities of who could play The Caped Crusader in the film: Michael Keaton, Ben Affleck, Robert Pattinson, or an unnamed stuntman. The question of who does actually step into the batsuit in the film is at present unclear as the studio has remained tight-lipped regarding this aspect of the production of the Batgirl movie.
However, if we were to take a guess, we would strongly suggest that the Batman we will see in the film is either going to be a version of the Michael Keaton Batman or a whole new Batman played by a stuntman. The idea of Michael Keaton being the Batman in the movie does make sense as he is currently widely speculated to be replacing Ben Affleck’s Batman in the current DCEU continuity. If this is to be true, it would mean that the Keaton Batman will, in fact, be playing a sort of mentor role to Barbara Gordon’s Batgirl in the film.
On the other hand, there is also the strong possibility that the Batman shown in the leaked set photos is that of an unknown stuntman. If this version of events is true, it would mean that the scenes featuring the Batman will indeed be in a flashback sequence and that the character will, in fact, not be interacting in any direct way with Leslie Grace’s Batgirl throughout the movie.
That being said, as tremendous Batman fans ourselves, we would be lying if we did not admit how excited we are to see a Batman and Batgirl interaction take place on screen if the moment ever arises. I suppose we will just have to wait and see about which version of the Bat we eventually get once the movie is released for streaming.
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