How old was Keaton's Bruce Wayne supposed to be in the Burton films?

[bat39]

Was rewatching Batman Returns yesterday and, not for the first time, I wondered about this. How old do you think Keaton's Batman was supposed to be in the Burton films?

The films don't really give us any chronological information, unlike many other adaptations. They kinda exist in this surreal timeless space, which I suppose was Burton's intent.

Keaton himself was likely around 37 while shooting the first film, and 40 while shooting the second. But was the character supposed to be that old? Somehow I doubt it. At the same time, I don't think he was a lot younger either. As in, I don't think Keaton could remotely pass for a 25 year old Bruce Wayne in the '89 film! He had to be at least 30, possibly in his early-to-mid thirties.

I used to have this book about the making of Batman '89 and at one point it's mentioned that Bruce is supposed to be 35. What's that based on? Did Keaton, or Burton or Uslan or someone officially connected to the film and the script say that somewhere?

Another interesting aspect of this is that we have no idea how long Bruce was active as Batman when the '89 film begins. It sure seems like this is early days for Batman, since he's still an urban myth at the start mostly fighting muggers and he's yet to forge his alliance with Gordon. Knox mentions there were ''eight sightings in under a month'', but that doesn't mean there weren't sightings before, much less how long Bruce has been at it without being sighted at all.

But Bruce in the '89 film doesn't at all seem like a rookie. He seems to be an experienced Batman who knows what he's doing. He also already has the Batmobile and the Batplane in place! And yet, for all his seeming experience and his advanced tech, he's supposedly been lying low all this while and fighting muggers without directly taking on the Mob leadership...

Anyone have any answers or guesses about these? Keaton's Bruce is one of the most fascinating versions of the character, and given that he's coming back, now would be a great time to know more about him.

[Mace Dolex]

I never really thought that but yeah the Burton films never really delved into Bruce's age or how long he'd been operating as Batman, but yeah I guess it makes sense that Bruce Wayne started late as Batman around his mid-30's considering Keaton did not look like a man in his mid-20's in the film.

[Jim Kelly]

I thought it was stated in the first movie. The number 38 is stuck in my head--I can remember thinking he's pretty old to only be beginning his career now.

[bat39]

I thought it was stated in the first movie. The number 38 is stuck in my head--I can remember thinking he's pretty old to only be beginning his career now.

That was Keaton's age when the movie released. He'd probably have been 37 while filming.

A Batman who begins his career in his mid-30's does beg the question of what he's been doing all that time. Especially given how emotionally stunted Keaton's Bruce was.

We actually don't know anything about his backstory, beyond the murder itself. We don't know how/where he trained, where he got the idea to become a bat-themed vigilante, how he acquired his arsenal and vehicles etc.

If the Batman '89 comic continues, this should be a focus area!