Batman Beyond Movie Starring Michael Keaton Reportedly Scrapped

Amidst cuts that co-CEOs of DC Studios James Gunn and Peter Safran have made to various DCU projects, one report suggests that an adaptation of the iconic animated series Batman Beyond was one of the many projects shelved.

During the latest episode of The Hot Mic with Jeff Sneider and John Rocha (via CBR), Sneider — who is a noted industry insider — said that one of the many projects that were “killed” when Gunn and Safran took over at DC Studios was a “solo Batman movie that would have starred Michael Keaton.” The project was reportedly being written by Christina Hodson, who had written other DC Universe films like Birds of Prey, The Flash, and Batgirl.

In a tweet reacting to the podcast, The Wrap’s Umberto Gonzalez corroborated the report, saying that the now-canceled film was in fact a Batman Beyond film — not just a normal solo Batman project. Developed by Bruce Timm, Paul Dini, and Alan Burnett, Batman Beyond premiered on Kids’ WB in 1999 and quickly became a fan-favorite show.

The series served as a sequel to Batman: The Animated Series, and starred a much older Bruce Wayne (Kevin Conroy) mentoring teenager Terry McGinnis (Will Friedle), who had taken up the mantle of Batman.

While the series didn’t last as long as its predecessor — only running for 52 episodes across three seasons — it left a huge impact on fans. The series is still regarded as one of the best Batman projects ever and a live-action adaptation of the film has been something fans have been hoping for ever since the early 2000s. However, it seems those hopes will have to continue waiting, as the new DC Studios continue to shift as Gunn and Safran hammer out exactly what will and won’t make it into the DCU’s future.