--- description: Keaton played the dark knight in 1989 and 1992 title: Michael Keaton Reminds Us: 'I'm Batman. I'm Very Secure in That' image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta02e111fbebe1f2b/69876ed0a988cac8f16ab669/458997260.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Entertainment](/section/entertainment/) ## Entertainment Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [movies](/tag/movies/) ## movies Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Michael Keaton Reminds Us: 'I'm Batman. I'm Very Secure in That' by [Laura Stampler](/author/laura-stampler/) ## Laura Stampler Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Dec 15, 2014 6:43 PM CUT  Actor Michael Keaton attends the 18th Annual Hollywood Film Awards at The Palladium Actor Michael Keaton attends the 18th Annual Hollywood Film Awards at The PalladiumJason Merritt—Getty Images by [Laura Stampler](/author/laura-stampler/) ## Laura Stampler Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Dec 15, 2014 6:43 PM CUT As Ben Affleck takes the keys to the Batmobile as the latest iteration of the caped crusader in _Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice_, Michael Keaton said in a recent interview that he feels no hero-envy. “Do you know why? Because I’m Batman. I’m very secure in that,” Keaton told [_Variety_](http://variety.com/2014/film/news/michael-keaton-says-im-batman-1201378884/ "undefined"), giving the most Bruce-Wayne-like, ice-cool response imaginable. Keaton played the role twice in Tim Burton’s 1989 _Batman_ and the 1992 follow-up _Batman Returns_, but opted out of reprisal in _Batman Forever._ More recently, Keaton has turned heads in his starring role in _Birdman_, about an actor who left a fictional multi-million dollar superhero franchise. What do Keaton’s fellow alumni of the cape and cowl have to say on the matter? “When I heard there was someone else doing it, there was a moment where I just stopped and stared into nothing for half an hour,” [Bale told _Empire_ magazine](http://time.com/3604014/batman-christian-bale-jealous-of-ben-affleck-superman-dawn-of-justice/ "undefined"). “I’m jealous of someone else playing Batman. I think I should have gotten over it by now.” \[[_Variety_](http://variety.com/2014/film/news/michael-keaton-says-im-batman-1201378884/ "undefined")\] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3634093/michael-keaton-batman-reminder/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3634093/michael-keaton-batman-reminder/"},"headline":"Michael Keaton Reminds Us: 'I'm Batman. I'm Very Secure in That'","datePublished":"2014-12-15T18:43:43.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T02:52:04.562Z","description":"Keaton played the dark knight in 1989 and 1992","url":"https://time.com/3634093/michael-keaton-batman-reminder/","keywords":["movies","Michael Keaton","Batman"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta02e111fbebe1f2b/69876ed0a988cac8f16ab669/458997260.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Laura Stampler","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/laura-stampler/"}],"articleSection":"Entertainment","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta02e111fbebe1f2b/69876ed0a988cac8f16ab669/458997260.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"18th Annual Hollywood Film Awards - Arrivals","caption":"18th Annual Hollywood Film Awards - Arrivals","creditText":"Jason Merritt—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/entertainment/","name":"Entertainment"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/movies/","name":"movies"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3634093/michael-keaton-batman-reminder/","name":"Michael Keaton Reminds Us: 'I'm Batman. I'm Very Secure in That'"}}]}] ```