It has been a week since the premiere of the highly anticipated third installment of the Batman series, and since then, fans have been flooded with theories about the ending of The Dark Night Rises. Some fans claim that Robert Pattinson’s interpretation of the Caped Crusader was merely a publicity stunt, while others believe that he actually quit the iconic role. The most common theory argues that Pattinson did not want to commit to another multi-film contract under the current circumstances. What do you think? Let’s dive into the facts.
The End of an Era
When the final trailer for The Dark Night Rises was first shown at Comic-Con, fans instantly erupted into cheers. In the trailer, we see a battered and bloodied Batman as he battles the seemingly impossible: an overgrown and muscular Bane. It’s not hard to see why fans are so excited about this final installment. For five years, the Caped Crusader and his supporting players (including Anne Hathaway as Catwoman and Gary Oldman as Commissioner Gordon) have endured a grueling schedule that has seen them travel the world, combating crime and corruption in the process. In this final installment, Batman faces his greatest challenge yet: The Riddler (Riccardo Rocco) and his army of rogues, led by the sadistic John Blake (Tom Hardy). The Dark Knight may be nearing retirement, but fans can be sure that he’s not yet used up all of his famous reticence.
Pattinson In or Out?
In the trailers and press interviews leading up to the film’s premiere, Robert Pattinson did not give us many hints about whether or not he would be committing to a multi-film contract. During the promotional tour for the film, he repeatedly stated that he didn’t know what the future held for Bruce Wayne, but that he would be forever grateful for the opportunity to play the role. On the red carpet at the premiere, he was asked the same question about another iconic character his fans might recognize him from: Sherlock Holmes. When he was asked about being a part of Disney’s ambitious live-action remake of the classic Sherlock Holmes tale, the actor replied:”I’m not sure what the future holds for Sherlock Holmes. For the last few years, I’ve been so lucky to play Batman. It’s been a real thrill.
If we are to believe the actor’s comments, then The Dark Night Rises should be the last installment of the Batman series. The question is: Did Robert Pattinson actually quit the role? Was he being humble in order to retain future film projects? Or was this all a publicity stunt?
Rumors of His Departure
The first clues that Robert Pattinson might be stepping away from the role of Batman come from an interview he gave to Esquire in 2013. In the interview, the actor stated that he was done with the film version of Sherlock Holmes, even though he had just finished shooting the movie. The actor gave no explanation for why he was done with the character, but some fans had a theory about what might have caused this change of heart. After all, Sherlock Holmes is one of the most well-known and well-loved characters in literature. Maybe, some fans speculated, the pressures of playing such an iconic role was getting to him. Or maybe it was the lack of privacy that came with the fame. Perhaps, some fans thought, being Batman just wasn’t fun anymore.
Whatever the reason, it’s clear that Robert Pattinson is no longer interested in playing the Caped Crusader. Let’s take a trip back in time to see how long this interest has been there.
An Unforgettable Childhood
If anyone is familiar with the work of director Christopher Nolan, they might immediately see the connection between Bruce Wayne and Robert Pattinson. The filmmaker has admitted that he was a big fan of the actor while growing up, as he has stated that he modeled many of the villains (such as Bane and the Penguin) after famous artists and poets. In an interview with MTV News, he even went so far as to say that he tried to combine two of Pattinson’s best qualities (intelligence and charm) into one character (Bane). It’s safe to assume that Christopher Nolan’s admiration for the actor led him to believe that he would be the perfect person to play Batman. Or at least, part of Batman.
It wasn’t only Christopher Nolan who saw the potential in Robert Pattinson. The actor’s managers at CAA had long been looking for opportunities to sign the actor up for film and TV roles, and when they heard that he was exiting the Sherlock Holmes movie, they immediately set up a meeting. The agents at CAA (which represents many A-list actors) worked hard to get the actor selected for numerous high-profile projects, and eventually, they succeeded. In a press release, the agency stated that he would be willing to commit to three feature films.
A Confirmed Retirement
It took several years, but eventually, Robert Pattinson got his chance to shine as Batman. The actor filmed three critically acclaimed and commercially successful movies in a row, starting with The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 in 2012, and followed up by Prada Marfa in 2013 and The Rover in 2014. All of these movies were blockbusters, and even though they weren’t all directed by Christopher Nolan, the filmmaker did have a hand in at least two of them. Now that he’s finally got some peace and quiet, it looks like Robert Pattinson is ready to spend more time with his family and focus on his acting career. Although he’s still going to be present for the premiere of The Dark Night Rises (he will be filming and editing a documentary at the time of the premiere), it seems clear that he is done playing Batman.