Michael Keaton to return as Batman in Batgirl starring Leslie Grace

Michael Keaton is dusting off his signature cape and cowl for “Batgirl,” the upcoming HBO Max superhero film.

The actor is expected to reprise his role as Bruce Wayne a.k.a. Batman, the character he originated in Tim Burton’s 1989 film. He will star alongside Leslie Grace, who has been cast as Barbara Gordon, the daughter of Gotham police commissioner Jim Gordon.

As previously announced, J.K. Simmons is returning to portray Jim Gordon after first playing the character in Zack Snyder’s “Justice League.” And Brendan Fraser is playing the villainous Firefly, a sociopath with a passion for pyrotechnics.

From Batman to Birdman, which is your favorite Michael Keaton role? pic.twitter.com/uSaP9vh5Al

— IMDb (@IMDb) December 11, 2021

“Batgirl” doesn’t have an exact release date, though the film is scheduled to debut on HBO Max in 2022. In the same year, Keaton will be seen as the Caped Crusader in the upcoming Warner Bros. adventure “The Flash.” The film, also featuring Ben Affleck as Batman and starring Ezra Miller as the title hero, is slated to land in theaters on Nov. 4, 2022.

It’s been 30 years since Keaton first donned the Batsuit, and in that time, he says he has been intrigued by the prospect of revisiting his iconic role.

“Just because I was curious didn’t mean I wanted to do it,” he clarified on the latest episode of Variety’s Award Circuit podcast. “So it took a long time, frankly… I’m not just gonna say I’ll do it. It has to be good. And there has to be a reason.”

“Batgirl” is currently in production in London. “Bad Boys for Life” filmmakers Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah will direct the film for Warner Bros. Christina Hodson (“Bumblebee,” “The Flash”) is writing the screenplay.