Read on to find out about Robert Pattinson’s new role as Batman.
Last week news broke that Robert Pattinson has been cast as the billionaire superhero Bruce Wayne aka Batman. He’s starring in the movie tentatively titled The Batman scheduled for 2021. Matt Reeves is best known for the Cloverfield (2008), before making the Planet of the Apes prequels.
The announcement has been met with applause and disdain but here’s everything you need to know about Robert Pattinson’s Batman.
1. Pattinson is More Than Twilight
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| The Lighthouse (2019) – Willem Dafoe, Robert Pattinson |
Pattinson is best known as the hunky vampire Edward from Twilight, but he’s much more than that.
Robert Douglas Thomas Pattinson is a British actor born 13 May 1986. Pattinson started out as a model at age 12. His acting career began at the local theatre club at the age of 15. His first film role is as Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire when he was 19.
His big break came when, at 22, he was cast as Edward Cullen in the film adaptations of the Twilight novels. There are five films in the franchise filmed between 2008 and 2012. The vampire movies were a blockbuster success grossing a combined total of over $3.3 billion worldwide.
But instead of moving on to bigger blockbusters he started doing indie films. In 2014 he starred in David Michod’s Australian dystopian western The Rover. His role as a simple and naive southerner earned critical acclaim after it premiered at Cannes. “Pattinson delivers a performance that, despite the character’s own limitations, becomes more interesting as the film moves along, suggesting that the young actor might indeed be capable of offbeat character work.” The Hollywood Reporter wrote.
His most recent film, The Lighthouse, earned him more praise. Robert Eggers’ black-and-white horror-drama co-stars Willem Defoe won the Cannes critics’ International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) Prize.
Pattinson has three films this year, beginning with The Lighthouse. The Netflix historical drama The King and Waiting for the Barbarians.
2. Pattinson is the Second Youngest Batman
Pattinson, 33, is the second youngest actor to play the Dark Knight. Christian Bale was 31 when Batman Begins premiered in 2005. The solo Batman movie takes up a far earlier story than Affleck did in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice where he was an experienced crimefighter.
Affleck described his Batman as “a little older, he’s a little more world-weary. He’s been around the block once or twice so he’s a little wiser but he’s definitely more cynical and a little darker and more jaded”.
3. Nicholas Hoult Was Almost Batman
Deadline reported that the casting for Matt Reeves Batman was down to two actors: Robert Pattinson and Nicholas Hoult.
While Hoult was the studio favorite but Reeves really wanted Pattinson. here’s how they described the final decision.
Pattinson has been considered a frontrunner because the filmmaker liked him, but the studio was torn between him and Nicholas Hoult, and wanted both of the actors on tape because this is such a big decision on a cornerstone Warner Bros DC franchise. Those meetings happened yesterday, I’m told, and the decision was made. Hoult, who starred in Tolkien and is about to reprise in the latest X-Men: First Class film Dark Phoenix, was impressive, but Pattinson will be the guy and negotiations will get underway any moment.
4. Matt Reeves is Planning a Trilogy
Pattinson has signed on to Warner Bros for three movies.
Christopher Nolan created a trilogy that began with Batman beginning his journey in Batman Begins and ending his time as Batman in The Dark Knight Rises. We don’t know if Reeves’ trilogy will be that final but it will be the first of at least three films with Pattinson.
Deadline reports:
They’ve got to work out a deal that will clearly include options on at least two more films, but this is considered a formality in a drawn out process. Reeves’ film tracks Bruce Wayne in the formative stages of Batman, which is why they needed an actor in his early 30s.
5. Ben Affleck is Not Involved
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| Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) – Bruce Wayne / Batman (Ben Affleck) |
Originally the solo Batman film was supposed to be written, directed and star Ben Allfeck who first appeared in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. After the disappointing critical response and box office of the film, he decided to step down as director. Later he left the role altogether.
Reeves new Batman solo movie required a much younger Batman than Affleck who’s over 45. The director wanted someone in his 30s. The new Batman movie doesn’t involve Affleck in any way. Pattinson’s also not expected to use Zack Snyder’s interpretation of Batman either.
Apparently, Snyder approves of “Battinson” casting.
Looks like Zack is as hyped as we are!! #Battinson pic.twitter.com/fPSO3yr8vR
— Sam (@SamParkerMetal) May 31, 2019
6. Batman Will Be a Detective
Batman started out as a type of pulp novel detective. His first appearance was in Detective Comics #27 (1939).
While Batman has always been a detective a lot of portrayals focus on his gadgets and fighting ability. Matt Reeves wants to change that and return him to his Detective Comics roots. He’s described the story “noir-driven” with the hero “investigating a particular case that takes us out into the world of Gotham.”
“It’s more Batman in his detective mode than we’ve seen in the films,” Reeves told The Hollywood Reporter. “The comics have a history of that. He’s supposed to be the world’s greatest detective, and that’s not necessarily been a part of what the movies have been. I’d love this to be one where when we go on that journey of tracking down the criminals and trying to solve a crime it’s going to allow his character to have an arc so that he can go through a transformation.”
7. Matt Reeves Batman Will Be Connected…Sort of
Since the start of the shared DC universe, there was a plan to connect all the properties. Since then they’ve slowly splintered into separate parts. Most recently Aquaman featured no cameos from other heroes, but Shazam does have a Superman appearance.
At first, Reeves said his movie wouldn’t be connected to the Affleck appearances. “When they approached me, what they said was, ‘Look, it’s a standalone. This isn’t part of the Extended Universe,'” Reeves said on The Business podcast.
But, later Reeves revealed his movie does connect to the rest of the shared universe. “Just to be clear: of course, Batman will be part of the D.C. Universe,” he said on Twitter. “Batman will be Batman. In my comments from a while back about not being part of the DCEU, I was talking about The Batman being a story specifically about Batman, not about the others in the Universe. That it wouldn’t be filled with cameos servicing other stories—that it would be a BATMAN story.”
But here’s where it gets confusing. Unless the movie is a prequel it couldn’t possibly fit in the current DCEU storyline. So which is it? Is it like the Joker which is an independent story or is it a prequel to the Zack Snyder films? Or are they rebooting the younger character for the movies?
Only time will tell I guess. The movie drops in 2021 and it gets more exciting by the minute!
About The Batman (2021)
Official synopsis: “TBA”
Directed by Matt Reeves
Cinematography by
Production Design by
“The Batman” stars Robert Pattinson
“The Batman” is scheduled for release June 21, 2021 (United States)
Check back with the Geek Twins for more The Batman movie news and hype!
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