Christian Bale's Batman spotted in The Flash trailer, fans insist

During the 58th Super Bowl, the first trailer for The Flash dropped and while it's stunning enough that it survived the controversies that have beset it, fans are very preoccupied with the possibility that Christian Bale is in the film.

The Flash is inspired by the Flashpoint comic arc from Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert. In this storyline, Barry Allen travels back in time to stop his mother's murder. However, that causes a new timeline where the world is significantly worse - Bruce Wayne is the one killed in Crime Alley, for example, rather than his parents. As such, the theory goes that Michael Keaton is playing Thomas Wayne as Ben Affleck is confirmed to be reprising his role as Bruce Wayne. Yet, some fans are sure that a third Batman is in the mix, based on a very short scene spotted in the trailer.

Check it out here:

I fear this is going to get complicated. So, that time we see Batman on a motorcycle does look a lot like the Batpod from Christopher Nolan's series of films. Take a look at the freeze frame:

Alright am I about to get Christian Bale in The Flash too 😭😭😭 https://t.co/UC9NFubjv8

— suslax💤 (@suslax_) February 13, 2023

If this is Christian Bale making a Cameo in The Flash, the in-theater audience explosion will be 3x bigger than Prof X showing up in Doctor Strange and probably 2x bigger than JJJ showing up at the end of Spider-Man Far From Home. #TheFlash #THEFLASHMOVIE pic.twitter.com/iMZXKGMwBK

— Comicfied (@Comicfied) February 13, 2023

Are Keaton and Affleck not the only Batmen in #TheFlash? 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. pic.twitter.com/nGv5mBPlkc

— Michael | Förtsch🛰️ (@micha) February 13, 2023

It's undeniable that it does look a lot like it. But, DC Studios co-head James Gunn has stated that the new Batman in the DCU's The Brave and the Bold will be played by a new actor, not someone who is a familiar face. Additionally, Gunn has impressed the necessity of continuity in the future of DC film adaptations, aiming to have the actors on the silver screen portraying the versions of the characters in animated shows and video games.

Plus, Bale himself hasn't made any mention that he would be appearing in a new DC film, and it'd be in Warner Bros. best interest to keep any seismic cameos under its hat for the greatest impact. I'm not sold, in short.