The hottest rumor at the moment about Spider-Man: Homecoming is that it is close to signing Michael Keaton to play a villainous role. Keaton, the star of both Batman and Birdman, was reportedly in early talks last month with Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures. No deal was reached. After those talks, we learned that there were "money issues" at the initial stage that were later resolved.
And now, it appears that Keaton has sealed the deal with the studios to join Spider-Man: Homecoming. Jon Watts, the director of the July 7, 2017 release, has posted something via his Twitter account that apparently confirms the casting. He hasn't written a single word but simply posted a GIF featuring the 64-year-old actor. Check out his tweet below!
"” Jon Watts (@jnwtts) May 20, 2016
Doesn't it suggest that Jon Watts and Michael Keaton had similar reactions once the actor had been signed? If the actor hasn't been signed, why would the Spider-Man: Homecoming director share that in the first place? He is unlikely to do something that might create fan outrage in the future.
And there's one more thing. A couple of days ago, all the outlets were suggesting that Michael Keaton is back in talks to join Spider-Man: Homecoming and that he's CLOSE to signing a deal. Deadline was the only one to claim that "his deal has closed". Deadline is one of Hollywood's most revered journals, and hardly ever comes up with baseless information.
So, Keaton might already be on board, even as we continue to believe that he is “close” to joining Spider-Man: Homecoming. Not every outlet has the same sources. So, Keaton’s signing is very possible, especially after the director’s tweet.
Deadline, like other outlets, isn't 100 percent sure about what role the actor will portray in the movie, but they do suggest that he's "apparently set to play iconic Spider-Man villain The Vulture".
