Line #9 Creator/MichaelKeaton


1	[[quoteright:323:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/michael_keaton_pro.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:323:''"I've got two words that I want you all to remember. They're very important. And if I leave you with anything, I'm gonna leave you with these two words, and those two words are: [[Film/Batman1989 I'm Batman]]."'']]
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4	->''"I'm just shocked and thankful that I've gotten away with everything – experimenting here, trying at this, failing at that, being good in some things, not so good in others. It's kind of amazing that people are still sticking by me. When they come up to me in the street, I just want to write them all checks."''
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6	[[OneSteveLimit Michael John Douglas]] (born September 5, 1951 in Kennedy Township, Pennsylvania), known professionally as [[StageNames Michael Keaton]], is an American actor, director, producer, singer/songwriter and comedian whose blue eyes will burn into your soul. Nah, he's actually a pretty easy goin' guy.
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8	As just said, his real name is Michael John Douglas, but since there was already a Creator/MichaelDouglas (and a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Douglas Mike Douglas]]) in the Screen Actors Guild, which doesn't permit doubles on its rolls, he chose to use the last name of Keaton partly due to Creator/BusterKeaton and partly because he heard the name and thought it sounded good (he has never legally changed his name, though).
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10	After cutting his teeth in TV sitcoms, Keaton became known for starring in comedies such as ''Film/MrMom'', ''Film/JohnnyDangerously'', and Creator/TimBurton's ''Film/{{Beetlejuice}}'', although he would become notable for his range in both comedy and drama when Burton cast him as the [[{{Franchise/Batman}} eponymous Caped Crusader]] in ''Film/{{Batman\|1989}}'', which was meant to be [[DarkerAndEdgier a return to the character's roots as a grim avenger of the night]]. Fans did not open up to the casting at first, sending letters to Creator/WarnerBros complaining that Keaton had only done comedy[[note]]which wasn't entirely true -- ''Clean and Sober'', released in 1988, was a ''heavily'' dramatic role for Keaton[[/note]] and that he was too short and too "ugly" to play Batman. In response, Warner Bros. released a quick 90-second trailer showcasing a glimpse of Keaton's badassery and [[TheStoic seriousness]] in the role, shutting the naysayers up. The film, of course, went on to become ''the'' blockbuster movie of 1989, with many of the same fans who were initially skeptical of Keaton's casting now pushing for him to receive an [[UsefulNotes/AcademyAward Oscar]] nomination for his performance.
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12	Keaton and Burton returned to the franchise with ''Film/BatmanReturns''; while it still raked in the dough, it didn't do as well as the first, thanks to the considerably DarkerAndEdgier tone that more than a few MoralGuardians deemed unfit for a movie that they perceived to be aimed at children – since it was, after all, [[AnimationAgeGhetto a comic book movie]]. Keaton was initially attached to what became ''Film/BatmanForever'' and even did some costume testing, but when Warner Bros. demoted Burton to producer and Keaton looked at the LighterAndSofter screenplay that got the thumbs-up from new director Creator/JoelSchumacher, he left the franchise and was [[TheOtherDarrin replaced]] by Val Kilmer. Nowadays, in the wake of [[Creator/ChristianBale other]] [[Creator/BenAffleck actors]] leaving their mark on the Dark Knight's legacy, Keaton is still very fondly remembered as one of the best to inherit the role, with fans even going as far as to hope for a live-action film adaptation of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' with Keaton as the elder Bruce Wayne.
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14	He's also dabbled in directing, with his first film ''The Merry Gentleman'' appearing at the Sundance Festival in 2008, and he's done a few small other things since then; including being the executive producer for the films ''Film/TheLastTime'' – in which he also starred – and ''Film/BodyShots'', as well as performing the songs "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hn2SynEdwiY Don't Lose Your Faith]]" (which he also wrote the lyrics to) and "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY2_jUDQHVc Frosty The Snowman]]" from the soundtrack for ''[[Film/JackFrost1998 Jack Frost]]''.
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16	With no signs of retiring any time soon, Keaton is keeping his roles diverse by alternating between comedy and drama, and he lent his vocal talents to a [[{{Franchise/Barbie}} Ken doll]] in ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory3''.
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18	He made a '''major''' comeback with the critically acclaimed ''Film/BirdmanOrTheUnexpectedVirtueOfIgnorance'', with many people calling it the best movie of 2014. In fact, it was nominated for ''nine'' Oscars – including Keaton for Best Actor – and won ''over a hundred awards'', including the Best Picture Oscar. He cemented his comeback with a leading role in ''Film/{{Spotlight}}'' the following year, which also won the Best Picture Oscar. He returned to the world of comic book movies in 2017 by playing yet another birdman – the Vulture – in ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming''.
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20	He has said that [[http://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/movie-talk/michael-keaton-more-less-confirms-beetlejuice-2-192008938.html he would be interested in reprising his iconic role of Betelgeuse]], as he maintains it's still his favorite role of all time; unfortunately, [[http://www.nme.com/filmandtv/news/michael-keaton-insists-hes-more-than-interested/333390 nothing more seems to have come of it]], and the sequel was long trapped in [[DevelopmentHell Development]] [[IncrediblyLamePun Hell]] – until 2022, [[https://comicbook.com/horror/news/beetlejuice-2-michael-keaton-winona-ryder-produced-brad-pitt-plan-b/ when it was announced that]] the film would begin production that year. That said, he did reprise his ''other'' best-known role -- that of Tim Burton's Batman -- in ''Film/TheFlash2023'', 30 years after he last wore the cape and cowl with suggestions that he could be playing the aforementioned role of elder Bruce Wayne in a film adaptation of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' as well. However, with the ContinuityReboot on track, it's very uncertain.
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23	!! Notable roles:
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25	* Howard in ''Film/ADifferentApproach'' (1978)
26	* Bill Blazejowski in ''Film/{{Night Shift\|1982}}'' (1982)
27	* Jack in ''Film/MrMom'' (1983)
28	* Johnny Kelly[=/=]Johnny Dangerously in ''Film/JohnnyDangerously'' (1984)
29	* Hunt Stevenson in ''Film/GungHo'' (1986)
30	* Betelgeuse in ''Film/{{Beetlejuice}}'' (1988)
31	** ''Film/BeetlejuiceBeetlejuice'' (2024)
32	* Daryl Poynter in ''Film/CleanAndSober'' (1988)
33	* Billy Caufield in ''Film/TheDreamTeam'' (1989)
34	* [[Characters/BatmanFilmSeriesBatman Bruce Wayne / Batman]]:
35	** ''Film/{{Batman\|Film Series}}'' film series
36	*** ''Film/{{Batman\|1989}}'' (1989)
37	*** ''Film/BatmanReturns'' (1992)
38	** Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse
39	*** ''Film/{{The Flash\|2023}}'' (2023)
40	* Carter Hayes in ''Film/PacificHeights'' (1990)
41	* Artie Lewis in ''Film/OneGoodCop'' (1991)
42	* Porco in Disney's English-language dub of ''Anime/PorcoRosso'' (Original released in 1992, although not dubbed until later)
43	* Bob Jones in ''Film/MyLife'' (1993)
44	* Dogberry in ''Film/MuchAdoAboutNothing1993''
45	* Henry Hackett in ''Film/ThePaper'' (1994)
46	* Kevin Vallick in ''Film/{{Speechless}}'' (1994)
47	* Doug Kinney and his clones in ''Film/{{Multiplicity}}'' (1996)
48	* Ray Nicolette in ''Film/JackieBrown'' (1997)
49	* Ray Nicolette in ''Film/OutOfSight'' (1998)
50	* Peter [=McGabe=] in ''Film/DesperateMeasures'' (1998)
51	* Jack Frost in ''Film/{{Jack Frost\|1998}}'' (1998)
52	* Blaine Sternin in an episode of ''Series/{{Frasier}}'' in 2002.
53	* Chick Hicks in ''WesternAnimation/Cars1'' (2006)
54	* Frank Logan in ''Film/TheMerryGentleman'' (2008)
55	* Police chief Mauch in ''Film/TheOtherGuys'' (2010)
56	* Ken in ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory3'' (2010)
57	* Raymond Sellars in ''[[Film/RoboCop2014 RoboCop]]'' (2014)
58	* Monarch in ''Film/NeedForSpeed'' (2014)
59	* Riggan Thomson/Birdman in ''Film/BirdmanOrTheUnexpectedVirtueOfIgnorance'' (2014)
60	* Walter 'Robby' Robinson in ''{{Film/Spotlight}}'' (2015)
61	* Ray Kroc in ''Film/TheFounder'' (2016)
62	* Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse and Film/SonysSpiderManUniverse (2017 -- present) as Adrian Toomes / The Vulture:
63	** ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming'' (2017)
64	** ''Film/{{Morbius\|2022}}'' (2022)
65	* V. A. Vandemere in ''Film/{{Dumbo\|2019}}'' (2019)
66	* Dr. Finnix in ''Series/{{Dopesick}}'' (2021)
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68	!!Tropes associated with his roles
69	* ActorAllusion: In ''Film/BirdmanOrTheUnexpectedVirtueOfIgnorance'' he played an actor who was famous for playing a winged-animal-themed superhero, alluding to his role as ''Film/Batman1989''; then in ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming'' he played another bird-themed comic book character, this time a villain.
70	* CoolOldGuy: Even in his 70s, he's still a versatile actor, and proved to be a credible villain in ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming''.
71	* CreatorBacklash: He hates his [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPZxhk56O_M attempt]] at stand-up comedy.
72	* CreatorsFavorite: He has repeatedly said that ''Film/{{Beetlejuice}}'' was his favorite role in his entire career. It's no wonder he jumped at the chance to return to the character [[SequelGap 36 years later]] for [[Film/BeetlejuiceBeetlejuice the sequel]].
73	* WhatCouldHaveBeen: According to an interview he gave on ''The Late Show'', before he settled on "Keaton" as his stage surname he considered riffing off a family nickname and becoming "Music/MichaelJackson".

Context Creator / MichaelKeaton