Batman Unmasked may not seem like a headline-grabbing title for McFarlane Toys’ exclusive new statue release, but this is so much more than a regular interpretation of Bruce Wayne’s face.
Taken from The Flash movie, the statue is of Michael Keaton as Batman – and this one features him without the mask.
For those in need of a little more context, Michael Keaton played Bruce Wayne in the Tim Burton-directed Batman movie (1989) and then again in Batman Returns (1992).
Whilst enormously successful at the time, the movies have taken on great significance in kick-starting the current golden age of superheroes on screen and proved to be a benchmark for future Batman interpretations, including a soundtrack that still remains synonymous with the character to this day.
In The Flash, due for release this year, the trailer showed Barry Allen entering the multiverse and in a show-stopping moment he meets our beloved 1989 version of Batman, once again played by Michael Keaton.
Of course, because we’re all excited kids at heart, once we’d all digested the reality of the moment, the next step was to dissect, analyze and speculate on what’s different about this new version of the old Batman. That’s when McFarlane Toys became a great source with a selection of toy release news that tied in with the movie. Earlier this month, they gave us a look at their new statue of the new-look ’89 Batman.
It didn’t end there, though. The Black Label line of toys indicates special edition website exclusive releases and it’s under this banner that McFarlane Toys have announced pre-order details of an unmasked version of the statue.
So we still get that extraordinarily shiny version of the Batsuit, sleeker and less muscled than the original ’89 version but still with that bold yellow Bat symbol, like a copy of the emergency Bat signal. Plus, we have a new textured caped and blackened utility belt. But now, thanks to the newly designed cowl that is separate from the cape, we can see Bruce Wayne’s head fully uncovered whilst still in costume. The result shows a face that matches the product description:
…older, long-retired from service as Gotham City’s protector and somehow even more hardened than the billionaire superhero Barry has grown to know.
There are echoes of the aged Bruce Wayne in The Dark Knight Returns (1986), but this statue captures something totally unique in the history of not just Batman but the movie DCU; the first proper stamp of multiverse continuity. It’s an occasion that can only be truly marked by the confirmation of seeing Michael Keaton’s likeness in that famous suit.
What are your thoughts on the importance of this statue? We’d love to hear your comments.
Batman Unmasked is available now to pre-order exclusively from McFarlane Toys.
Product details:
When Barry Allen arrives in an alternate 2013, he urgently seeks out the expertise of his friend and mentor Bruce Wayne – but the one he finds in the Multiverse is different on all fronts: older, long-retired from service as Gotham City’s protector, and somehow even more hardened than the billionaire superhero Barry has grown to know. With a global threat on the horizon, Bruce Wayne must decide whether he can become Batman once more.
- Incredibly detailed 12″ scale statue based on The Flash movie.
- Batman Unmasked is featured in an iconic fighting stance.
- Batman (Multiverse) is featured in his unmasked look from The Flash movie.
- Included collectible art card with character art on the front, and character biography on the back.
- Gold Label Exclusive at the McFarlane Toys Store.
- Collect all McFarlane Toys DC Multiverse Statues
Images and Press Release Courtesy of Sideshow Collectibles
