Jason is an award-winning journalist whose writing career dates back to when he developed the ability to use a crayon. He, most notably, worked previously as a "professional fan," as he likes to call it, at CinemaBlend, for which he wrote about anything and everything under the pop culture umbrella... especially Batman. His passion for the art of cinema began even earlier, stemming from repeat viewings of The Wizard of Oz.
This initially led him to pursue a career in filmmaking -- and even work briefly in the industry as an extra in the straight-to-video family film, Alice Upside Down -- before deciding that his talents would be better served discussing and showing appreciation for the various forms of entertainment he is passionate about.
While he may not be the most comic book-accurate depiction of Batman, Michael Keaton's portrayal of the superhero is widely believed to be the finest ever captured for live-action cinema. Even decades after hanging up the cape and cowl, the Academy Award nominee made an impressive return to the role that made 2023's The Flash worth seeing and has now inspired a perfect gift idea for DC fans.
Hot Toys, a popular manufacturer of action figures resembling famous figures in the world of pop culture, is releasing a 1/6 scale figure of Michael Keaton's Batman in a way he has never been seen before. The collectible shows this version of Bruce Wayne in his alter ego's iconic blue and gray suit.
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The Batman suits worn by Michael Keaton have changed in design between his appearances in Tim Burton's 1989 blockbuster, Batman, its 1992 sequel, Batman Returns, and his reprisal in The Flash. However, one constant element of the rubber costumes has been their solid black color, sans the yellow surrounding the bat on his circular chest emblem and his gold utility belt.
The inspiration behind the never-before-seen look of this iteration of Batman for Hot Toys' new item is a shot from The Flash in which a blue and gray suit can be seen in the Batcave. Until black and gray became his most consistent color scheme, this costume design had been a comic book staple for decades, and most recently came back in Matt Fraction's new Batman run.
However, the only live-action Batman actors to don the old blue and grays have been Adam West in the 1960s Batman TV show and spinoff feature and Ben Affleck in an early scene from The Flash. It is actually quite endearing to see a legend like Keaton join the club, even in a miniaturized form.
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Other Features Of The Michael Keaton Blue and Gray Batman Figure
Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett CollectionHot Toys' new Batman figurine boasts more than just one unique look. Any fans who get their hands on the item will be able to see Michael Keaton's Caped Crusader in his blue and gray glory in various kinds of poses, as the manufacturer has demonstrated in a recent Instagram post.
The action figure may boast a different and, especially, more old-fashioned utility belt than what is shown in the Tim Burton films. However, it comes equipped with some of the distinct designs for gadgets used by this iteration of the vigilante, including his grappling gun and Batarang with a climbing rope attached.
The blue cape has a wire inside that allows it to be manipulated into various poses, whether the owner prefers to display Keaton's Batman in his unmistakable stoic stance or leaping through the air on the prowl. Either choice can be enhanced by altering the hero's expression with the head's movable eyes and three interchangeable lower-half face inserts. There are also eight different sets of detachable hands to increase the character's range of activity.
The figure also comes with a display stand and two interchangeable graphic cards for Batman to stand on. Hot Toys is only distributing 1500 units of this exclusive new item, so interested parties should act fast to add it to their wishlist.
Hot Toys' 1/6th scale Batman (Blue & Grey Suit) Collectible Figure is expected to ship out in late 2025.
Created by Bill Finger, Bob Kane
First Film Batman: The Movie
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