One of the biggest films of 2022 will be BAFTA award-winning Irish film Never Back Down. The film centres around a rag-tag band of female rugby players who fight to keep their team together as they compete in a national tournament. The strong performances by its female leads – and some extremely convincing stunt work – have already secured it a place on many “to watch” lists.
One of the film’s co-stars is a 25-year-old actor by the name of Robert Pattinson. After becoming famous for his role in the Twilight franchise, Pattinson has mostly stayed away from the big-budget films, choosing instead to work on independent movies or small-scale television series. While most people would happily jump at the chance to work with one of Hollywood’s most famous and stylish stars, the reality is that studios view him as a bit of a risk because of his unpredictable nature. Over the last few years, he has only appeared in critically-acclaimed films like Surviving Jack and Lost Stars, the latter of which he also co-wrote.
It is a sentiment that Twilighters and Hollywood fans alike have shared around the last few years, most recently surrounding the film adaptation of Stephen King’s epic The Dark Tower. The series, based on the author’s seven-novel King saga, is one of the most eagerly-awaited films of the 21st century. When it was first announced that King had granted the film rights to his work, many in the Twilighter community were over the moon. Then came the bombshell: not only would this be the first time that King had granted film rights to one of his books; it would also be one of the most expensive films ever made. The deal was that King would get a producer’s cut of the profits, but in the end, it was still an expensive risk to take on; a gamble that seems to have paid off.
Pattinson’s Outspoken Opinion
If you’ve been following the last few years of Pattinson’s career, you’ll know that he’s mostly kept his opinions to himself. He’s rarely talked about his work, and even when he has, it’s usually been in cryptic monologues that fans have had to piece together from interviews and other public appearances. This has made him a bit of a recluse – he rarely gives interviews and even refuses to talk to press about his work – and this is exactly what studios and producers don’t want to hear when it comes to making a film. Even for a film as successful and acclaimed as Never Back Down, which has been called “one of the best films of the year” by some, getting a shot at making a comeback isn’t easy, as these executives know all too well.
In early 2020, Pattinson finally broke his silence. While promoting his new film The Lost City, the actor opened up to journalist Emma Gannon and said: “I honestly think that when I stop making the films that I make it’s going to be heartbreaking. Because there’s something about getting up every day and doing what you love that makes it all the more special when you get to do it.” It was, for lack of a better word, a bombshell. Although the statement had been expected for some time, it still managed to catch many by surprise. Was this the “coming out” that many in the Twilighter community had been hoping for? Was he finally willing to talk about the pressures of being a child actor, and did he have anything else he wanted to say?
Those who know and follow the work of Stephen King will know exactly how vocal the actor is in defending the books that he’s worked on. As well as being one of the most successful and entertaining authors of all time, King is also well-known for his outspoken nature and his hatred of Hollywood – he has dubbed it “the monster under the bed” – and this has made him the perfect fit for a movie about Werewolves. Since becoming famous, Pattinson has spoken about how much he loves King’s work and how proud he is to have been associated with it. The actor even went as far as to say that while he doesn’t like to think about the past, he is most grateful for all the opportunity that came from being in the Twilight series. In Never Back Down, he plays a small role as the Sheriff of Absalom, a town obsessed with protecting its local Werewolves population. The film centres around a young girl (Elle) who is kidnapped by Werewolves and the subsequent journey that she takes to save herself. While King’s books aren’t necessarily focused on Werewolves, the author did write a scene in which the creatures are specifically mentioned. It’s the kind of thing that could cause problems for a film adaptation, but with one of King’s most famous and outspoken defenders playing a lead role, it could be the key to finally getting the Hollywood comeback that Pattinson deserves.