BATMAN (1989)

The written companion

Draft companion · Awaiting editorial review

Batman: Watching Dan Reconsider Michael Keaton

Matt's affection for Michael Keaton is no secret in this Batman conversation. What gives the episode its spark is watching Dan move toward him. Revisiting the performance, alongside other Keaton films, makes Dan question an unfavorable impression he cannot quite remember forming.

Dan begins with the gap between an actor's appearance and what happens once he plays the role. Keaton may not match an immediate mental image of Batman, but the performance persuades him. Bruce Wayne and the figure in the suit become more convincing than the initial assumption about who should play them.

Matt is delighted by that recognition. His enthusiasm has the pleasure of sharing a favorite rather than simply repeating that it is a favorite. The conversation opens toward Batman Returns and toward the different degrees of creative freedom visible in the two films.

Jack Nicholson's Joker and other screen villains give them further room to compare tastes. Dan is drawn to the methodical threat of a different Riddler performance, while the broader discussion shows how many kinds of menace Batman's world can sustain. It is possible to find your ideal Batman without settling every other argument around him.

Has revisiting Batman changed your view of Keaton? If you could pair your favorite screen Batman with any screen villain from the character's history, which combination would you want to see?

Watch their Batman discussion ↗

Based on auto-generated captions. The full episode includes film discussion and speculation about future projects; this companion focuses on the performances.