A lot of excitement has been generated by the recent release of the trailer for The Flash, and its reveals have some fans wondering who else might be showing up in the film. The trailer, which dropped during the Super Bowl on Sunday, showcases no less than to Batmen with both Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck returning as their respective versions of the Dark Knight. With that door to the multiverse wide open, it's theoretically possible for Christian Bale to also appear as his Batman from The Dark Knight Trilogy, and some fans think they've even spotted him in the trailer.The moment in question is a brief shot of Batman on a Batcycle that looks a lot like the one Bale uses in the Nolanverse. Some fans have figured this to be Affleck's Batman, as that version is similarly shown in an outdoor fighting sequence elsewhere in the trailer that could be connected to this scene. Others think this just might be Bale, as it's difficult to tell for sure who exactly is behind the mask at that moment. In any case, while they're uncertain if that's really Bale, the idea of such a cameo is nevertheless creating a lot of hope for an appearance.As one fan tweets, "The Flash official trailer is here! At the 1.55 mark is a Batman and Batmobile resembling Christian Bale... I will loose it in the cinema if he cameos!!"Another tweet reads, "Is that Christian Bale as the Nolan-Batman in The Flash trailer? I’m going to FREAK OUT if Bale is back!""Wait. Hold up," says someone else. "This actually looks sick! The visuals look crisp, the Batman ‘89 theme made me smile and was that Christian Bale’s BATMAN?!? Yup, I’m in."And as another fan posits, "Are Keaton and Affleck not the only Batmen in The Flash? Could this be Christian Bale? In any case, the motorbike is very Dark Knight-like and in the short scene the costume's ears seem shorter than those of Keaton's Batman."
Is That Christian Bale on the Batcycle?
Even with the two confirmed Batmen that we know will appear in the film, there's definitely plenty to already be excited about with The Flash for fans of the Dark Knight. That these two appearances had already been unveiled ahead of the film makes it easier to believe that there are some major surprises that may be in store as well, and something like a cameo from Bale's Batman would fit the bill. There have previously been rumors of Adam West's Batman also appearing through the use of archival footage, so anything is possible.
Ezra Miller stars in The Flash as Barry Allen. Along with Miller, Keaton, and Affleck, other cast members include Sasha Calle as Supergirl, Michael Shannon as General Zod, and Kiersey Clemons as Iris West. Andy Muschietti directs using a screenplay by Christina Hodson with a story by John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein, and Joby Harold.
The Flash will be released in movie theaters on June 16, 2023. You can view the trailer below, via Warner Bros. on YouTube.