From Batfleck…to Patman. Twilight star Robert Pattinson is in talks to play Batman for Matt Reeves in his upcoming film, The Batman.
Variety broke the news and while initial reports made it sound like it was definitive, the trade has since updated to say that “it’s not yet a done deal, Pattinson is the top choice and it’s expected to close shortly. Warner Bros. had no comment.”
Deadline even added the wrinkle that Nicholas Hoult is still in the mix, though its report suggests it will be Pattinson too.
So it seems most likely that Pattinson is the new Batman, which is sure to spark an insane amount of debate and discussion. Any time an actor is cast as Batman, it’s a landmark moment, and here we have one again.
Reeves has been working on the script for The Batman for some time, with an eye on a June 25, 2021 release date. He’s still working on the script, in fact, but this news makes it clear things are starting to heat up on the film, which he describes as more of a detective story than a superhero movie:
It’s very much a point of view-driven, noir Batman tale. It’s told very squarely on his shoulders, and I hope it’s going to be a story that will be thrilling but also emotional. It’s more Batman in his detective mode than we’ve seen in the films. 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.
Pattinson, of course, first gained notoriety for his role as Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. He was then cast as Edward in the Twilight saga, instantly shooting him to superstardom. After those five movies finished, he began taking roles in smaller, riskier independent films like David Cronenberg’s Cosmopolis, Claire Denis’ High Life, and Josh and Benny Safdie’s Good Time.
However, he was recently cast in Christopher Nolan’s mysterious new action film—and now, by playing Bruce Wayne, it’s clear Pattinson is ready to take a whole new leap with his career.
At 33 years old, Pattinson is slightly older than Christian Bale was when he was cast as the Caped Crusader, but younger than Ben Affleck, Michael Keaton, and Adam West were when they took on the iconic role. It’s just as Reeves had been hinting: He’s going to a younger Batman, and it’s going to be very interesting to see how long can keep the cowl.
Holy shit everyone. We probably have our new Batman.