Michael Keaton Admits He ‘Didn’t Care One Way or Another’ About ‘Batgirl’ Getting Canned

The “Batman” actor adds he does feel bad for the film’s directors, Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah

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Warner Bros.

Michael Keaton doesn’t really care either way about Warner Bros. shelving “Batgirl.” The actor told GQ that the decision to put the completed “Batgirl” film – where he reprised his role as Bruce Wayne – on a shelf, never to see the light of day, didn’t keep him up at night. The film was scrapped as one of many cost-cutting measures implemented by Warner Bros. of late.

“No, I didn’t care one way or another,” Keaton said. “Big, fun, nice check.”

However, he added that he felt bad for Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, the film’s directors. “I like those boys. They’re nice guys. I pull for them. I want them to succeed, and I think they felt very badly, and that made me feel bad. Me? I’m good.”

While talking about his superhero legacy, Keaton added that a lot more credit for the success of Marvel and DC films should be laid on Tim Burton – who directed him in both “Batman” and “Beetlejuice,” both Warner Bros. projects.

“Tim deserves enormous credit. He changed everything,” Keaton said. “I can’t necessarily say this, but there’s a strong possibility there is no Marvel Universe, there is no DC Universe, without Tim Burton. He was doubted and questioned.”

Keaton added, “He hasn’t gotten himself enough credit for going, ‘Yeah — that guy.’ And everybody went, ‘Wait, Michael? You worked with him on ‘Beetlejuice,’ right?’ But I think what happened was Tim saw ‘Clean and Sober.’ I get the credit. I don’t know that he got enough credit for making that move. That was a bold move.”

Aside from “Batgirl,” Keaton did get one chance to don the cape and cowl on screen, perhaps for the last time, in 2023’s “The Flash.” TheWrap reviewer William Bibbiani cited the actor’s reprisal as Bruce Wayne/Batman as one of the film’s bright spots.

“In any case, it’s certainly entertaining to see Keaton’s version of Bruce Wayne loaf around Wayne Manor in a jaunty ascot, dishing out sage advice to young heroes who have a lot to learn,” our reviewer writes.

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