The HBO Max original movie Batgirl had its official cast list announced on Wednesday and there was one name that raised more than a few eyebrows. It appears as though Michael Keaton is going to be reprising his role of Batman in more than just the upcoming The Flash movie.

If Keaton really is joining the HBO Max original film, it seems as if its directors had hinted at that before. When directors Adil El Arbi & Bilall Fallah were asked whether or not Batman would be making an appearance in Batgirl, they played coy but might have also been directly answering the question. The pair laughed and said that the Batman that was going to be involved would be “the real one.” To those who saw the first big-budget Batman film starring Keaton, he could certainly fit the bill as being the “real one.”

ComicBook.com reports that Warner Bros. might have confirmed what the Batgirl directors were hinting at a few months ago. Keaton’s name was included in the recently released 2022 movie preview kit from Warner Bros. Pictures. That preview kit had a number of updated synopses and cast lists for the company’s movies that are due to come out in 2022.

While that might seem like incontrovertible evidence that Keaton is appearing alongside Leslie Grace in Batgirl, there are still some questions that will need to be answered in the near future. The listing does say that the credits are not final and that details are subject to change. However, even that would indicate that Keaton is slated to play Batman, unless something changes.

It seems unlikely that Keaton would be listed on this particular sheet as Batman unless those types of plans have been in the works for some time. While it’s possible that some parts will be recast before the Batgirl movie gets made, it would seem a name as big as his would only make the list unless it was a done deal in the eyes of WB.

As of now, neither Keaton nor Warner Bros. Pictures has confirmed the addition of the actor to the Batgirl HBO Max movie. On the other hand, it would seem as if there will either be confirmation or denials coming in the very near future now that the preview kit is out in the wild. If “the real” Batman is going to take Batgirl under his wing, it’s entirely possible it will be left up to him to make the announcement.

Batgirl is expected to be released on HBO Max in 2022.

Source: ComicBook.com