Michael Keaton's 'Batman' return may be a mixed blessing

Today, I got movie news I've been dreaming of. My favorite Batman in my favorite Batman movie is potentially returning to the role almost 30 years later. Michael Keaton is reportedly in talks of reprising the role of as a older man in an alternative timelines within the upcoming big screen edition of The Flash, see there's a catch.

The Flash is a great character and certainly. potentially worthy of his own big screen treatment. The problem is, as they have with many things, DC Comics has screwed up already. For some reason, preternaturally pubescent looking Ezra Miller was cast as the character who they turned into a wisecracking upstart, almost like a more obnoxious Spider-Man.

He was arguably the most annoying aspect of the tiresome Justice League movie, and if he was that off-putting in small doses, I can't imagine sitting through an entire film with him. Also, a recent incident where he allegedly choked a fan ought to preclude Miller from participating.

This is where the stunt casting of Keaton feels like a cynical ploy to me. Film fans of my generation will flock to get one more glimpse of Keaton in the cowl. His two films with Tim Burton remain beloved pop culture achievements. And when he left the franchise -- with all due respect to the late Joel Schumacher, who passed away today - something significant was lost.

And even though the Christopher Nolan films supercharged the Batman franchise, there has always been a very strong fanbase for Keaton's eccentric but still grounded version. Luckily, the comic books created a blueprint for how to establish an aging Batman within the confines of the DC universe. In fact, entire arcs have been devoted to 'old Batman'.

I've always thought it would be cool to see this version realized on film -- if for no other reason because it'll give stakes to a franchise that hasn't had them in its most recent iterations. Batman is largely an indestructible force in the recent DC offerings, whereas an older, grayer Batman would be more vulnerable and that much more compelling.

There's also the gravitas and history with the role that casting Keaton would bring. He went from being rejected to embraced by fans and his unconventional performance changed how people thought these kinds of heroes could be played and how they could look.

He deserves his OWN movie, not some walk-on or sidekick role in an Ezra Miller movie. We've all sat through disappointing revivals of actors in their iconic roles (The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull anyone). When it's done well -- think Creed or The Force Awakens -- it can be revelatory but when its mishandled it can be very depressing.

I just don't trust the team behind The Flash to get this right. That said, I'll probably have to see it.