Why did Michael Keaton's casting as Batman surprise many people?

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Batman Heath Ledger (seated) as the Joker and Christian Bale as Batman in *The Dark Knight* (2008).

Michael Keaton’s casting as the Caped Crusader in the 1989 film Batman surprised many people because he was primarily known as a comedic actor at the time.1

Prior to this role, Keaton had built his career on performances in comedies such as Night Shift (1982), Mr. Mom (1983), and the Tim Burton horror-comedy Beetlejuice (1988). Consequently, many moviegoers were skeptical and openly questioned the decision to cast a performer associated with comedy in the role of a superhero crime fighter. Despite these initial doubts, Keaton ultimately surprised audiences with a critically acclaimed portrayal of the character.1