Batgirl Rumors Support DCEU Reboot Theory | Screen Rant
New rumors from the set of Batgirl are supporting theories about a potential DCEU reboot, thanks to hints about Michael Keaton's Batman. Following his upcoming appearance in Ezra Miller's The Flash, it's possible that the film starring the Fastest Man Alive could similarly create a new cinematic universe in the same fashion DC Comics' Flashpoint storyline, one where Keaton's Dark Knight becomes the new permanent Batman over Ben Affleck's. As a result, Batgirl set photos seem to be teasing a new status quo for the DCEU in line with these theories.
In the Flashpoint comics, Barry Allen wakes up to an altered reality and timeline where he never got his powers as the Flash, and several of his fellow heroes' lives have been drastically altered (and not for the better). This all stems from his attempts to save his mother from being murdered by the Reverse-Flash in the past. Once he understands that he has to let his mother die in order to restore the timeline, reality is corrected. However, it's not without its changes after Flashpoint. While this is what created DC Comics' universal reboot known as the New 52, the same concept could very well be applied to the films following The Flash, providing Warner Bros. with a soft reboot of the DCEU. It certainly seems as though a Flashpoint-themed narrative is going to be told, considering the teaser for the film saw Ezra Miller's Barry in the same house as his mother, as well as working closely with a Batman, in this case, both Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck's versions of the Dark Knight.
Considering the reports that The Flash will be Ben Affleck's final film playing his version of Batman, it's been theorized that Michael Keaton will return to play Batman going forward in a newly rebooted DCEU, considering that he'll also be starring in Batgirl. Likewise, new photos from the set of Batgirl support the reboot theory. Not only are there magazines with covers referencing the likes of Gotham reporter and Bruce Wayne love interest Vicki Vale, but there's also one featuring an interview from Dick Grayson, the first Robin and eventual Nightwing in the comics. Furthermore, a mural featuring Keaton's Batman alongside a Robin he never had in the Tim Burton films suggests that Keaton could be a rebooted DCEU's resident Batman with a life and superhero career beyond the two films, replacing Ben Affleck's Caped Crusader.
The Flash teaser released during 2021's DC FanDome event did see Barry working alongside what looked to be another version of himself. Additionally, the appearance of Keaton's Batman in the teaser and the reports that Barry will also be working with Ben Affleck's Bruce Wayne all but confirms that the film will involve traversals through a DCEU multiverse. This is likely in response to changes made to Barry's timeline either by himself, like in Flashpoint or from some outside force. Either way, it's not a stretch to imagine that the DCEU will be given a soft reboot with Batman as a focal point, allowing Warner Bros. to keep what has been commercially successful and leaving others (like Justice League) behind, no longer having to be constrained by their past continuity.
In any case, it certainly seems as though Batgirl may very well be one of the first films to be featured in a potentially rebooted DCEU, one where Keaton's Batman has always been the Dark Knight whose story continued for years as he protected Gotham and began building his Bat-Family. The new set photos from Batgirl certainly support the concept, especially given the reported Flashpoint influences for The Flash along with Ben Affleck's exit from the role of Batman in the aftermath. Either way, DC fans will get their questions about the DCEU answered this year, with both films slated for release in 2022.
Source: Screenrant
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