There will soon be a DC movie that has not one, but at least two versions of Batman in it, and I think the general consensus by all superhero movie fans is this is a good thing. After all, Batman in cinema is always exciting, if not top quality, so multiple versions of Batman in the same movie, The Flash, can only be a good thing, right?
That's without question, though in the context of the movie with its characters, I can imagine having two Batmen can be a nightmare. Here are some of the challenges The Flash may have to overcome with however many Dark Knights it brings into the fold, and subsequent difficulties that could arise in terms of the story along the way.
You Have To Assume Two Batmen Would Be Immediately Suspicious Of Each Other
Batman is a paranoid individual as is. He famously has contingency plans to defeat every member of the Justice League if need be, so you bet your ass he would be leery of another version of himself. As such, the other Batman would feel the same way and know that the other Bruce is feeling the same way about him. The two would be in a constant mental chess match about the motivations of the other, without any of it being outwardly spoken.
One Batman is incredibly useful and resourceful, but I think having two would almost be a hindrance for this reason. At least at first, there'd have to be some way of these two guys establishing some line of trust, and then doing what they'd need if any collaboration were necessary. Perhaps they can bond on the names of their mothers, considering the odds are heavy they both have mothers named Martha.
Double The Bruce, Double The Trauma
One of my biggest pet peeves in any movie involving Batman is the obligatory scene of Thomas and Martha Wayne getting gunned down in a back alley. Why is it we don't have to see Superman being sent away from an exploding Krypton as a baby every movie, but it's absolutely necessary we see Bruce Wayne's parents get plugged and a nice pearl necklace get destroyed?
With The Flash not being about Batman explicitly, but featuring at least two Batmen, I have to wonder if this sequence will be left out of the movie. I'm not holding my breath though, because it seems like Hollywood has a real love of showing this scene again and again, despite my reckoning that there are very few people left who don't know Batman's origin.
Too Many Caped Crusaders
Do you know the phrase "Too many cooks"? I think that's a factor in The Flash movie where it could have two Batmen, but struggle for a way to effectively balance their screen time. Granted, I guess at 69 years old, it would be foolish to assume Michael Keaton will be doing a ton of action scenes in costume, but it's not like the issues of having too many Caped Crusaders end with action sequences.
Beyond the paranoia and trauma, Batman is used to being the mastermind behind all well-laid plans. Having two Batmen could complicate this, especially if they're not on the same page about how things should be handled. With both men being from different universes and having faced different circumstances in their lives, the odds of them having different approaches to situations is entirely possible. It would be interesting to see how each Batman would address a problem in The Flash movie, provided that's a thing that will happen.
There Needs To Be Value To Each Role Reprisal
The Flash is bringing back two beloved Batman actors in Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck, but to what end? A soulless set of cameos all for the sake of putting butts in seats is not going to make anyone happy and, frankly, also make many think the whole thing was better left alone if that was all there was to it.
For Michael Keaton, this could more or less be a satisfying send-off to his Batman or a way for him to play some form of mentor. For example, if there's some plan for him to mentor Terry McGinnis or similar character (which is an option that's certainly on the table), then his Batman arc would ideally put him towards a path like that in this movie. In terms of Ben Affleck, I suppose his future as Batman largely depends on how DC decides to continue its cinematic endeavors in the coming years. There was once a time it seemed a no-brainer his days as Batman were over, but now with the Snyder Cut coming out, can we be so sure about that? The Flash may be our biggest tease as to what the fate of the Snyder-verse is, so there will be many eyes on what becomes of Affleck's Batman.
Making Sure People Still Care About The Flash
Admittedly, I didn't think about this point until just now, and that's a problem. This movie is ultimately about DC's Scarlet Speedster, and yet here I am hyped as hell Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck will be playing Batman. This is no doubt some great stunt casting to get me interested in a project I was only kind of interested before, but is this another case of when Jared Leto was hyped so much for his Joker portrayal in Suicide Squad?
What happens when The Flash comes out and Keaton's Batman is only in three minutes of the movie? I'm not saying that will happen, but if it were, do we only have ourselves to blame? This is The Flash, after all, and there's technically no obligation based on the title for this film to give us extensive drawn-out scenes. Don't be surprised if these Batmen aren't up to Bat-much by the time this movie is all said and done, but I could be completely off base. In truth, I have to say this in order to shield myself from all the rage I felt when Joker was hardly in Suicide Squad, and I'm in no hurry to feel that pain again.
The Flash movie is currently in development and will race into theaters on July 1, 2022, so be sure to stick with CinemaBlend for more updates on its progress along the way. Also, keep checking back with CinemaBlend for all the latest news happening in television and movies.
