Michael Keaton’s Batman Beyond movie was cancelled in the recent DC movie reshuffle, and now we’ll never get to see his Batman in a romance with Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman. With former MCU movie director James Gunn taking on a new, senior role in the production of DC universe movies, the franchise is in an unprecedented period of instability.
Reports have emerged that Gunn’s plan for the DC movie universe involves scrapping movies like Wonder Woman 3, delaying Henry Cavill’s return as Superman, ending Jason Momoa as Aquaman and having him take over a new superhero movie, and much more. Gunn himself has lent credibility to the reports by saying that they include things that are true, false, and in-between (though he hasn’t specified which reports fall into which catagory).
Among the action movies that have reportedly been scrapped is Batman Beyond. Batman Beyond was set to feature Michael Keaton as an aged Batman, based on the comic book storyline of the same name. On top of that, THR reports that Batman Beyond would also feature the return of Catwoman, and the romance between the pair would have been a key plot point. However, it’s now unlikely that this is something audiences will ever get the chance to see.
Still, Michael Keaton will still be making his return as Bruce Wayne in the DC movie universe at some point in the near future and he is set to reprise his role in The Flash. He was also expected to star in the cancelled Batgirl movie, so it’s clear that he was – at least up until now – important to the DC movie plans.
For more on the Batman, take a look at our guide to the Batman movies and the best Batman actors. Or, get all the latest information on Robert Pattinson’s take on the character with our guide to The Batman 2 release date.