With The Flash solo movie reportedly in pre-production, reports swirled that Michael Keaton’s possible return as Batman was going to happen. Sure, the actor has been playing coy about reprising his iconic role from the Tim Burton films, but that’s usually part and parcel with comic book movies these days. However, according to a new interview, Keaton hasn’t been being vague for the sake of secrecy. His involvement with the film really is a fluid situation, and he’s starting to get noticeably less shy about why he could end up taking a pass on The Flash.
While talking to Deadline, Keaton revealed that he hasn’t even looked at the latest draft for The Flash yet, and he’s been very honest with the filmmakers that he might not have time for the film due to prior commitments:
“I called them and said, I have to be honest with you. I can’t look at anything right now. I’m so deep into this thing I’m doing. Also, I’m prepping a thing I’m producing and getting ready to do down the road in the fall that I’ll be in, and I feel responsible to that. So, yeah, there is that. I’m not being cute or coy. If I talked about it, I’ll be just bullsh*tting you. I don’t really know.”
There’s also another major concern that has Keaton contemplating passing on the Batman role: COVID. At 69-years-old, the actor takes the threat of the coronavirus seriously, and it’s also coming down to how much of a risk he’s willing to take. “I keep my eye more on the Covid situation in the UK than anything,” Keaton said. “That will determine everything, and so that’s why I’m living outside the city here on 17 acres, staying away from everybody, because the Covid thing has got me really concerned. So, that’s my first thing about all projects. I look at it and go, is this thing going to kill me, literally? And you know, if it doesn’t, then we talk.”
(Via Deadline)
