Michael Keaton's 10 Best Moments As Batman Ranked

If you've heard a collective scream all around the world during the Super Bowl in February 2023, it was because of Michael Keaton's return as Gotham's cape crusader, Batman, in the upcoming DC feature film, "The Flash." The scream belonged to the fanboys and fangirls who grew up watching and admiring the performance that Keaton delivered in Tim Burton's two legendary film adaptations of the Dark Knight in 1989's "Batman" and "Batman Returns" in 1992. Arguably, he's one of the most beloved actors who ever put on the Bat costume. Right now, there are a lot of middle-aged dads and moms out there (filled with abundant excitement) who can barely believe their eyes.

It's been over 30 years since we last watched Keaton save Gotham City from bewildered villains and sociopaths. But given the amount of nostalgia-ridden superhero flicks (see "Spider-Man: No Way Home") in recent years, it was perhaps somewhat inevitable to bring him back alongside Ben Affleck's and Christian Bale's versions. Clearly, Hollywood has no intention to stop riding this wave of reminiscence as long as it satisfies and brings both old and young viewers to theaters. Only time will tell how long this can last, but for now, we should enjoy and embrace the moment of seeing our aged heroes for one last time.

Thus this is a good opportunity to recall the most iconic, badass, and memorable moments Keaton gave us three decades ago. So, here are his best ones as Batman.

Right before the Batmobile drive to the Batcave, Batman needs to beat up a bunch of the Joker's goons to get away safely. They all hit the floor pretty quickly, except for one. This baddie literally somersaults his way into the film, jumping over a barb-wired wall with two giant swords on his back while wearing a hat and shades (at night!) and looking like the coolest goon around. He's evidently a martial arts expert, and we see him demonstrate that as he moves to attack Batman. Despite showcasing some admittedly awesome moves, he's far from being a threat to Batman, though. The Dark Knight defends his swings without challenge and finishes him off with a kick that sends the guy flying and hitting the ground.

It's silly and excellent scenes like this that helped make Keaton's Batman as appealing, intimidating, and awesome as he could possibly be. And if you watch the interview he gave Desde Hollywood many years ago about how tight and inflexible the suit was, the more awe-inspiring it is how the actor pulled these moves off seemingly with ease.

In "Batman Returns," it takes almost an hour into the film until the caped crusader and Penguin finally meet face to face for the first time. Although it's a brief encounter, the ominous vibe and intense chemistry between the two actors are inimitable and fascinating. Thanks to Daniel Waters' witty screenplay, the dialogue perfectly suits the atmosphere by being funny and dark at the same time.

Keaton and DeVito magnify the significance of each word, as the Penguin deadpans Batman and asks: "You don't really think you'll win, do you?" It's obvious through this low-key yet tense conflict that things are about to get violent until they're interrupted by Catwoman's acrobatic entrance.

So, it doesn't come as a surprise that DeVito named Keaton as his favorite Batman in an interview with Vanity Fair. In fact, he was attached to a lie detector to see whether his answers were genuine or not. He said, "He's my favorite [Michael Keaton]. He is the Batman for me." On a funnier note, he also said that his portrayal of Penguin was better than Colin Farrell's (even though he loves him) in Matt Reeves' 2022 adaptation, "The Batman." Well, we know one thing for sure: he didn't lie about it.

If you're someone who religiously watched Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski's "Batman: The Animated Series" as a kid, Keaton and Pfeiffer's first little squabble as Batman and Catwoman on a rooftop in "Batman Returns" must have been a dream come true. It's witty and sexy, and it involves an overwhelming amount of latex and rubber on both parties. But more importantly, the sequence captures the energy and allure of the comics between the two characters brilliantly.

Pfeiffer's performance is deliciously over-the-top, and Keaton's grim and slightly confused Batman is an equally great match. There's kicking, hitting, scratching, and a weird apology after Catwoman is knocked to the ground. Admittedly, Pfeiffer later revealed in an interview (via Films en Sterren) that she tried to bring a heightened reality to the character and that it was her most comically-written role up to that point.

Her biggest supporter and advisor on set, however, was Keaton himself, who she dated in real life. According to ET, the two actors were seeing each other for a little while years before the sequel happened. The actress said that her co-star became a reassuring voice on set, and she explained, "I felt really comfortable with him. I felt really safe with him. I could go to him and say, 'Why am I feeling so awful? I don't know what's going on.' And he would explain it to me. 'I know. I went through it on the first one.'" Undoubtedly, that trusting rapport between the two is deeply felt throughout the entire film.

In any superhero movie, the protagonist revealing his true identity behind the mask is always a big deal and usually a pivotal moment in the entire film. Perhaps it's even more significant in the case of a vigilante like Batman, who doesn't have any supernatural ability; he's just a very rich man who has a very dark alter ego. In fact, Keaton even addressed this aspect in a 1992 interview with Terry Wogan, saying, "The first time I was on the set, I felt very far away from everybody. I thought, 'This is kinda cool.' I just kind of let myself disappear because the character is actually a person who hides behind things, and even Bruce Wayne keeps himself at a distance." He then continued, "Because he's a very isolated and distant man sometimes."

Thus at the end of "Batman Returns," the reveal has a truly emotional weight and vulnerability to it when the character decides to expose his true self. As he says to Selina, "Don't you see? We're the same. Split ... down the center." Ripping off his mask, Wayne essentially opens himself up to Selina and slowly turns from a self-righteous figure into a wounded human being. It's a moment for the ages that cemented Keaton's legacy in pop culture forever.

There isn't a Batman fan out there whose heart doesn't start beating faster while watching the scene where Keaton's Bruce Wayne first appears in "Batman Returns." He's sitting in the dark in his mansion, deep in thought, when the Bat signal appears in the sky and illuminates the solemn expression on his face. His depiction of Batman might not be as philosophical as Christian Bale's, as cynical as Ben Affleck's, or as mysterious as Robert Pattinson's, but Keaton had something different to offer: a stoic, relatable vulnerability.

There's something fundamentally reassuring about his portrayal that no one else has to the same degree. He brings the character closer to the everyman and makes it resonate with us on a different level. This iconic sequence captures both the flawed human being Wayne is and Gotham's vigilante whose calling to maintain order and justice is stronger than any of his other feelings.

When he stands up from his chair and steps forward toward the light, his demeanor completely changes in a matter of seconds. Then he puts on a mask and a costume to detach and hide from his true self to put others at the front as his priority. When he acts as Batman, he's almost an entirely different person — a figure born from loss and trauma, driven by a pure sense of justice. Keaton understood this duality extremely well, and that's one of the reasons why he's still considered one of the best actors who ever played Gotham's capped crusader. And if we can judge by the trailer of "The Flash," he's still got what it takes.