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Well this is a twist!  Word has it that Michael Keaton is in very early negotiations to join the cast of ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ the upcoming relaunch of the ‘Spider-Man’ film franchise, jointly produced by Sony and Marvel Studios.  If things work out– it’s unclear if Sony/Marvel have made an offer– Keaton is believed to be playing the film’s villain, rumored to be The Vulture/Adrian Toomes.

Photo credit: Jaguar PS / Shutterstock.com michael keaton
Photo credit: Jaguar PS / Shutterstock.com

Keaton is, of course, best remembered as the first modern big screen Batman, having starred in Tim Burton’s ‘Batman’ (1989) and ‘Batman Returns’ (1992).  Though he has worked constantly since then, he parlayed his ‘Batman’ experience into something of a comeback in recent years, in the movie ‘Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)‘.  Keaton played a washed up actor tormented by the fact that he is best known for playing a superhero called ‘Birdman’ years earlier.  The film won four Academy Awards in 2015, including ‘Best Motion Picture of the Year’.  Keaton turned around and appeared in 2016’s ‘Best Motion Picture of the Year’, ‘Spotlight’.

Besides ‘Batman’, Keaton’s most famous role may be the title ghoul in Tim Burton’s ‘Beetlejuice’ (1988), a film that is getting a long-awaited sequel, which is reportedly in pre-production.  Keaton is also attached to a film version of the comic book ‘Imagine Agents’.

‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’, directed by Jon Watts, is scheduled to begin shooting this summer.  If Keaton accepts the role, he will join Tom Holland as a teenage Peter Parker/Spider-Man, plus Marisa Tomei as Peter’s aunt, May Parker and Zendaya as a mystery character rumored to be named Michelle.  The script for ‘Homecoming’ was penned by John Francis Daley and Jonathan M. Goldstein (‘Vacation’).

As fans know, Holland will debut as Spider-Man in ‘Captain America: Civil War’ which opens in just weeks on May 6, 2016.

‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ will hit theaters on July 7, 2017.

Jason is still a little sad that ‘Birdman’ wasn’t about the 60s cartoon hero.  You can follow him on Twitter.