Michael Keaton Explains Why He Walked Away From The BATMAN Franchise

In many ways, Michael Keaton can be credited for the massive resurgence of Batman, for some fans he stands as their definitive Batman. Back in 1989, Keaton donned the hero’s cowl under Tim Burton’s direction, but he did not give the hero a third installment of the "Bat-chise." Now, the star is speaking out on why he left Batman behind him.

In a recent interview with The Guardian, Keaton explained why he didn’t return for a third Batman film, and Keaton said his decision boiled down to the movie not being any good.

“[The film] just wasn’t any good, man. I tried to be patient, but after a certain point, I was like, I can’t take this any more, this is going to be horrible.”

“There was some really horrible taste in the 90s, and I probably contributed to that, unfortunately. It was a time of nouveau riche excess – everyone was known for their jets and their stuff. And I thought, I’m in this job for the long run, I don’t want this. And the truth is, I’m not boasting, but I was correct. There are a whole load of people who ran things that are long gone.”

Since Keaton walked away a long list of big Hollywood names have played the caped crusader. Val Kilmer,  George Clooney [and his nipples] had brief stints as the hero before stars like Christian Bale and Ben Affleck swore to protect Gotham. Affleck will soon reprise the iconic role in DC's upcoming Justice League this November.