The Flash Movie Has To Fix The Worst Part Of Keaton’s 1989 Batman Suit

Michael Keaton is suiting back up as Batman in The Flash and, hopefully, the production team finally repaired the worst part of Keaton’s original Batman 1989 suit. The Flash‘s DC FanDome teaser was narrated by Keaton’s Bruce Wayne as different versions of Barry Allen (Ezra Miller), accompanied by Supergirl (Sasha Calle), track down the Dark Knight in the Batcave beneath Wayne Manor. The iconic silhouette of Michael Keaton’s Batman perfectly resembles his original look but is it also a new and improved Bat cowl?

Michael Keaton starred in 1989’s Batman and 1992’s Batman Returns, both directed by Tim Burton. The original Batsuit was revolutionary for its time because it was a complete departure from the blue and grey spandex costume worn by Adam West in the 1960s. Burton’s Batman brought the Dark Knight to his pulpy comic book roots and changed Batman’s look with an all-black (with yellow utility belt and Bat logo) molded rubber costume that gave Keaton the superhero’s muscular physique. But while the Batsuit looked great on-screen, it had a serious limitation for the actor wearing it: Michael Keaton couldn’t turn his head because there was no flexibility to the rubber cowl. This issue plagued Batman actors Val Kilmer, George Clooney, and Christian Bale as well until the Batsuit was radically redesigned in 2008’s The Dark Knight. Bale’s Bruce complaining to Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman) that Batman couldn’t turn his head even became a plot point in Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster.

It’s not clear from Michael Keaton’s brief appearance as Batman in The Flash‘s teaser if he can turn his head or not. Judging from the glimpse of the back of Batman’s head, The Flash seems to have painstakingly recreated Keaton’s original cowl and its seamless lines, which perfectly resembles the bat chest logo of Michael’s suit in Batman and Batman Returns. But it’s crucial for both Batman and the actor wearing the costume that the can Dark Knight can turn his head. In both of Keaton’s Batman movies, he had to innovate a particular way to move and fight as Batman so that he used his entire torso to turn and duck because his head’s movement was completely restricted to looking straight ahead. Keaton also used to complain that he couldn’t hear through the cowl, so perhaps that issue was also fixed.

The fact that Batman’s movie costume designs have undergone marked improvements since Michael Keaton first wore a Batsuit should work in his favor. The Dark Knight Rises‘ Batsuit in 2012 was identical to the plated and armored costume made for Christian Bale in 2008 that allowed Batman to turn his head. For Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League, Zack Snyder outfitted Ben Affleck’s Dark Knight in a comic-accurate costume that resembled molded rubber but allowed Affleck to turn his head in the cowl. Perhaps the same technical innovations were applied to Michael Keaton’s recreated Batsuit in The Flash.

In the past, Michael Keaton complained about how uncomfortable his Batsuit was, which has been echoed by the actors who have also played Batman in the years that followed. However, improvements have made the Batsuits since 1989 lighter and even allowed the actor wearing them to go to the bathroom, which was another common complaint. However, since Ezra Miller can turn his head while wearing the Flash’s costume, there is reason to hope that Michael Keaton was gifted with a lighter and more comfortable Batsuit to wear in his return as Batman in The Flash, including the ability to simply turn his head right or left which was denied to him in Batman 1989 and Batman Returns.

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