Michael Keaton Is Confirmed To Be The Vulture In ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’
Michael Keaton is the superhero movie star turned superhero movie star critic turned superhero movie star, again. The circle is complete.
After playing a winged superhero in Batman and the titular birdman in Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), Michael Keaton will fly once again in Spider-Man: Homecoming. The heavily rumored casting news was made legitimate when, after being asked about the villains in upcoming films, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige nonchalantly told the Toronto Sun, “We’ve had a wish list and most of them in the near-term are coming together. Cate Blanchett is playing Hela in Thor: Ragnarok. Michael Keaton’s Vulture in Spider-Man is something. And… we’re showcasing Josh Brolin’s Thanos [in Avengers: Infinity War]. We’re looking forward to that very much.”
Keaton and Marvel’s will they/won’t they romance has been an odd one. First, it was announced that the Multiplicity star (he’ll always be the star of Multiplicity to me) was being courted to play Vulture, the alter-ego of engineer Adrian Toomes. Then Variety reported that because Robert Downey, Jr. is going to be in Spider-Man: Homecoming, Keaton was out of the running because Marvel “couldn’t afford him.” (Captain America: Civil War is the 12th highest-grossing film ever — I’m guessing Marvel wasn’t exactly searching for pennies under the couch cushions.) Then talks resumed, and now it’s official.
We’ll find out on July 7, 2017, when Spider-Man: Homecoming is released, if Keaton as the Vulture can make Spidey cry. Unlike Batman.