DC Films have clarified the future of Batman, detailing two separate “film sagas” starring Michael Keaton and Robert Pattinson.

Pattinson is set to star in the forthcoming film The Batman, while Keaton will reprise his role as Batman alongside Ben Affleck in The Flash.

• READ MORE: Hold your horses, R-Batz fans – the last superstar-packed Batman movie was a disaster

When Keaton was first rumoured to be involved with The Flash, it was believed that he would be replacing Affleck as Batman – before it was later revealed that both actors would be starring in the film. Pattinson’s Batman would then exist simultaneously in a different saga.

The record has now been set straight on the future of the character in a new interview with The New York Times. The interview, with DC Films president Walter Hamada, explains how the two Batmans will exist at the same time, and who out of Affleck and Keaton will be carrying the character forward.

The existence of the two Batmans is described in the interview as “parallel worlds where different versions of the same character exist simultaneously,” revealing that, moving forwards, the franchise will “have two different film sagas involving Batman – played by two different actors – running at the same time”.

After the article was publisher, a Twitter user asked the author, Brooks Barnes, to clarify which actor would be joining Pattinson in the dual timeline future of Batman.

“Based on your Hamada piece, some have interpreted that WB is doing 2 franchises starring Batman, one with Pattinson, one with a new actor,” they tweeted. “Is that correct, or you were referring to Keaton as a second Batman, being part of a non-Batman-centric saga?”

Barnes simply replied: “Keaton.”

Keaton

— Brooks Barnes (@brooksbarnesNYT) January 2, 2021

Robert Pattinson has returned to filming The Batman following his coronavirus diagnosis, which temporarily halted production.

The recent production shutdown was not the first for The Batman. Back in March, production halted due to the pandemic after the entire film industry was put on hold. Filming had resumed for only two days back in September before Pattinson’s diagnosis.

The film’s release date has also been pushed back a number of times, having moved from a June 2021 premiere to October 2021. However, it will now be released on March 4, 2022.