How DC reprised 'Batman 1989' in DCEU, comics, and orchestra

Batman 1989 changed the trajectory for superhero movies back in the day and ushered in an era for dark comic book films, whose influence is still seen today. Michael Keaton's Batman is an iconic take on the character, and his portrayal was the first time we had seen the Dark Knight showcased in this way.

Batman 1989 took some huge swings with the character that many hadn't embraced, but audiences still came to love it over time. It was a Tim Burton movie with a Batman aesthetic over it. What resulted was an iconic film that kickstarted a franchise that has just grown bigger and bigger over the years. With Michael Keaton set to reprise the role soon, let's look at how DC is bringing back the Batman 1989 universe.

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Batman 1989 is becoming relevant again in modern times

When Michael Keaton was initially cast in Batman 1989, there was a huge backlash regarding his hire for the film. Many were irritated by choice, considering how Keaton didn't fit the character's archetype and how he had a comedy background. People would soon eat their words as the film would release, and Keaton would receive acclaim for his role.

While Keaton's performance did receive acclaim, many still took issue with the Tim Burtonisms of the film. For one, Batman was a straight-up murderer here, and it's Batman 101 to know that it's one of his rules not to kill anyone. The second was how the Joker killed Bruce Wayne's parents, and even that didn't sit well with many.

However, the story would still work in many ways as people would realize that it worked well within the context. From there on out, Batman 1989 and its sequel Batman Returns, became quite iconic.

Over the years, DC has been trying to honor its past and doing it in quite fun ways. For Batman 1989, DC started by releasing a comic in August 2021 that acted as an extension of the story and picked up right after Batman Returns.

Many felt that the comic was a welcome return to form as it added a lot to the story and saw the continuation of Michael Keaton's Batman. It also gave the audience the continuation of Billy Dee Williams' Harvey Dent and showcased the character's origins. But that's not all of it.

Michael Keaton will be reprising his role as Batman/Bruce Wayne in next year's upcoming The Flash. Directed by Andy Muschietti, the film will follow Barry Allen and will be a loose adaptation of the Flashpoint comic. Michael Keaton's Bruce Wayne will be a substitute for Thomas Wayne here, who was featured in the comic.

After this, Keaton is again set to reprise his role in Batgirl. The actor will join Leslie Grace in the film and, if rumors are to be believed, will be the mainline Batman going forward in DCEU. Again, not only that, there is even more Batman 1989 content coming towards out.

DC is holding a DC in Concert live event that will surely excite the fans. The event will see iconic DC films be played while a live orchestra accompanies them. Batman 1989 is one of the films featured here and will have a live orchestra from Danny Elfman being played live.

Other films included will be 2017's Justice League and Robert Pattinson's The Batman, which will feature a live orchestra played by Michael Giacchino. Future releases will also be having the same experiences.