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Michael Keaton and Tim Burton are back together again in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, and it's a relationship apparently built on a great deal of respect. Speaking at the unveiling of Burton's Hollywood Walk of Fame Star, Keaton praised Burton's significant impact on culture, going as far as to claim that modern superhero movies were built off of his Batman.

The quote was reported on earlier by Variety, who were there covering the historic moment in Burton's career. During an introductory speech, Keaton credited Burton's vision and willingness to take risks in the case of his 1989 Batman film for how culture has accepted supehero movies, and perhaps more importantly, for how studios are willing to make them. 

"There are a lot of people making a lot of money out there," said Keaton, "with their superhero movies because of his choice and his vision of what those movies could be, because he changed everything,."

Keaton added, "I can’t necessarily say this, but there’s a strong possibility there is no Marvel Universe, there is no DC Universe, without Tim Burton. He was doubted and questioned."

Doubted and questioned, indeed. Part of Keaton's speech included the backlash that he and the director received when Keaton was cast as Bruce Wayne. "The uproar…you would’ve thought we were being invaded," the actor said. 

"It was unbelievable," he continued, "The press was going crazy. But he stood by me. The guts it took to stand by that decision will always be appreciated by me."

As Popverse has previously reported, that appreciation is shared by Beetlejuice Beetlejuice costar Winona Ryder, who credits Burton with launching her career. So whether or not superhero fandom as a whole will ever credit Burton for making their favorite movies possible (and maybe they should), we know that he's surrounded by people who appreciate his work. 

And, we'd bet, will continue helping him as long he wants to keep making it.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice gets summoned into theaters September 6.

He is vengeance, he is the night, he is... one of Popverse's favorite subjects. Learn how to do a Dark Knight movie marathon right with our Batman movie guide, and for the true World's Greatest Detectives out there, dive deep into the heart of Gotham City by getting to know Batman with Popverse. Here are some of our latest Batman stories:

• Batman and his prank war side from Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen days will pop out some in Matt Fraction and Jorge Jiménez's upcoming DC relaunch
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• DC's Batman teams up with Inception storyboard artist Gabriel Hardman for R-rated "open class warfare" story pitting the Dark Knight vs. Green Arrow and the Question