The upcoming Flash movie in the DCEU will feature both Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton as Batman. But why is Batman so important to the DCEU’s Barry Allen story?
Batman’s Connection To Flash In The DCEU
Batman and Flash have a strong connection in the DCEU, with Barry Allen meeting Bruce Wayne in Justice League, the fifth entry in the original DCEU that began with Man of Steel. However, the Flash’s first interaction with Batman happened in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, in which Barry appears out of nowhere and tries to warn Batman about Superman and Lois Lane. Time travel and multiverse aside, The Flash has the unique opportunity to better develop Barry Allen’s character through its two versions of Batman.
Why Ben Affleck’s Batman Had To Return In The Flash
Given the bond Bruce and Barry created in Justice League, the Flash’s first solo movie in the DCEU needed Ben Affleck’s Batman. It makes sense for the Justice League heroes to appear in the solo films, as it answers the “where was the Justice League when this or that was happening” question. In addition, Batman is essentially the Flash’s mentor in the DCEU.
How Michael Keaton’s Batman Fits Into The DCEU’s Flash Story
The Flash is not a direct Flashpoint adaptation, but it still draws a lot from the 2011 comic book arc that rebooted DC Comics. In that story, Barry has to team up with a completely different Batman from the one he knows – Thomas Wayne rather than Bruce Wayne. In The Flash movie, it is Michael Keaton’s Bruce who fulfills the role of an alternate Batman. Audiences may be familiar with Keaton’s Bruce Wayne from the Tim Burton Batman movies, but the DCEU’s Barry is not.
Why Batman & Flash Are A Great Dynamic Duo
Bruce Wayne as Barry Allen’s superhero mentor may be a DCEU character dynamic, but Batman and the Flash do have a strong bond in DC Comics lore. Both Bruce Wayne and Barry Allen became orphans when they were still kids after a tragedy, something that led both of them to become detectives and superheroes in the future. The Justice League is usually formed by demigods, aliens, Mother Box-powered cyborgs, and space rangers who have access to the knowledge of the Guardians of the Universe. As such, Batman and the Flash are among the few human members of the team.
