The 2023 superhero movie calendar has already kicked off, but one of the most highly anticipated films of the entire year is The Flash directed by Andy Muschietti. There are so many exciting aspects about this multiverse epic that fans are salivating over like the introduction of Sasha Calle’s Supergirl. However, the main reason people are losing their minds over this film is it will mark the return of Michael Keaton’s Batman for the first time since 1992. The Super Bowl trailer featuring the actor broke the internet last month and since then we’ve slowly been getting reveals for the merchandise that will coincide with the film’s release. Now, McFarlane Toys have unveiled their new Keaton Batman statue featuring the new Batsuit from The Flash.

The 12-inch statue has the screen accurate Batsuit complete with the iconic yellow emblem striking fear into the hearts of criminals. The new suit is very similar to the one seen in Batman Returns, but Batman’s utility belt is black instead of yellow. The statue also has Keaton in his signature fighting stance from both his previous films and, like all McFarlane Figures, it comes with a collectible art card with a character bio on the back. That bio confirms a few plot details like Barry Allen aka The Flash (Ezra Miller) going to an alternate version of 2013, the year Man of Steel came out and General Zod (Michael Shannon) attacked Earth. However, what the Scarlet Speedster finds is an Earth with no meta-humans and a Batman who’s not Ben Affleck. The Batman he finds has been long retired. The bio even notes that Keaton’s version of Batman is “more hardened” than Affleck’s.

Keaton’s Batman burst onto the scene in the DC hero’s self-titled film directed by Tim Burton in 1989. It was one of the first modern blockbusters of its kind as it was this gothic and moody dark depiction of the character. Most mainstream audiences weren’t used to that thanks to Adam West’s campy version of Batman which dominated the prior two decades. Keaton and Burton’s version of Batman help change the direction of the character and quickly led to the sequel Batman Returns. This took everything that was beloved in the original and cranked up all the Burton elements to their maximum gothic potential. It was a much darker and less critically acclaimed film which led to WB wanting a franchise that was safer for families and better for toy sales.

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Image via Warner Bros.

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While Batman Returns is considered an alternative Christmas classic nowadays, at the time, this led to Keaton leaving the franchise and the film series went into a much campier direction. However, thanks to the multiverse, Keaton’s Batman is back and will help The Flash fix the timeline after Barry tries to go back in time and save his mother. Like the storyline that inspired it, Flashpoint, that goes horribly wrong.

When Does The Flash Release?

The Flash releases on June 16, 2023, but is premiering a whole two months earlier at CinemaCon in April. From all accounts, including new DC Studios Co-head James Gunn, this is one of the best superhero movies ever made. While we wait for The Flash to speed into theaters, you can pre-order the new Keaton Batman McFarlane statue on their website for $39.99. Check out the statue below: