The Flash movie finally begins filming, and Michael Keaton's Batman is officially back

In the five years since Ezra Miller’s The Flash made his debut in Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice, the actor’s solo movie has struggled to get off the ground. With Andy Muschietti in the director’s chair, production is currently underway in the UK—and Michael Keaton is along for the ride. The Wrap has confirmed that Keaton will reprise his role as Bruce Wayne/Batman in The Flash, loosely based on the Flashpoint comic book arc in which Barry Allen’s time traveling superhero alter ego inadvertently creates an alternate universe in which Keaton’s Batman has been the Gotham City hero for the past 30 years. Keaton famously played the Dark Knight for director Tim Burton in 1989's Batman and its sequel, 1992's Batman Returns. His casting in The Flash was first reported last summer, around the same time that Ben Affleck’s Batman was also rumored to be making an appearance—post-Snyder Cut, and with Warner Bros. trying to distance itself from that era of the DC universe, it’s unclear if Affleck is still set to appear.

Keaton recently cast doubt on his Batman return during an interview with Deadline, in which he expressed concerns over filming in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic. Those concerns seem to have dissipated in the intervening weeks as the studio began gearing up for production and announced additional casting: Kiersey Clemons will reprise her role as Iris West (Barry’s love interest), Ron Livingston has come aboard to replace Billy Crudup as Barry’s dad, and Alfred Molina will reprise his role as Doc Ock from Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 2. Scheduled for a November 2022 release, The Flash will also mark the debut of the DC universe’s new Supergirl, played by Sasha Calle.