The “Batman” franchise went through three different leading men in the 1990s, but Michael Keaton – who originated the role in Tim Burton’s 1989 blockbuster “Batman” – nearly returned for a third film before deciding against it.
As revealed in a new interview, Keaton says his decision to exit the franchise ahead of “Batman Forever” was due to a difference in vision over the title character with director Joel Schumacher, who took over for Burton on the third film after 1991’s grisly sequel “Batman Returns.”
Speaking on Backstage’s podcast “In the Envelope,” Keaton recalled a meeting with Schumacher where their differences came to a head.