It was officially announced today that actor Robert Pattinson will be playing the role of Batman in the upcoming Batman movie, tentatively titled The Batman. The British actor became famous for his role in the blockbuster Twilight series, in which he plays the vampire Edward Cullen. Following many rumors, the movie will finally see the light of day next year.

Along with the Batman news came confirmation of more casting, with Jeremy Renner and Joseph Gordon-Levitt joining the film. Renner will play Alfred, Batman’s faithful butler, while Jeremy will play the Joker. Joseph Gordon-Levitt will play the role of Batman’s archenemy, the Riddler. It is unclear at this time who will play Harvey Dent, the once-venerable politician turned villainous vigilante.

Pattinson has been in demand since starring in the 2013 horror movie, The Hallow. The next day, it was reported that he had turned down the role of Sherlock Holmes in the upcoming Guy Ritchie film. The movie mogul was reportedly “very disappointed” that Pattinson rejected the part, which was offered to the actor along with the role of Batman.

Pattinson was also reported to have turned down the role of Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. He will next be seen in the fantasy adventure, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, followed by the science fiction/fantasy hybrid, X-Men: Apocalypse. It is unknown at this time whether or not he will star in the upcoming Fantastic Four film.

The 52-year-old Gordon-Levitt, who will also be turning 35 next year, has been in demand since playing the role of government assassin John Wilkes Booth in the Oscar-winning film, Lincoln. He will next be seen in the Ben Affleck-directed Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. In addition to Batman, he will also be playing an unnamed role in the upcoming Godzilla film. He is also attached to star in the upcoming Han Solo film, set for release in 2018.

Renner’s Career-High Momentum

Renner, 46, is a bona fide movie star, having played major supporting roles in the X-Men franchise, the Mission: Impossible series, and the Bond film, Die Another Day. He grew up in California, the son of Austrian actors Martin and Dana Renner. He began acting at age four, and made his debut at age five, in his father’s Austrian film, Amorosa. He then went on to appear in supporting roles in several German films, including the 2003 box office hit, King Kong. More recently, as production designer Scott Ross noted, “Renner has done an amazing job playing against type as a butler in Joe Wright’s Darkest Hour and also excelled in Matt Reeves’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.”

Reeves’s film marked a turning point in the actor’s career. Before that, he was largely typecast as a brawny, outdoorsman. Reeves cast him in the lead role of John Wick, the retired hitman whose vocation is revitalized when he is forced to hunt down his former partners, played by Keanu Reeves and Jennifer Garner. He also starred in the critically-acclaimed sci-fi thriller, Closer, and will next be seen in the science fiction romance, Anon. He will next be seen in the action film, The Magnificent Seven, alongside Denzel Washington, Charlize Theron, Chris Pratt, Vincent Kartheiser, and Matt Damon as Chris Redfield. The film is currently in post-production.

Gordon-Levitt, who will be 50 in 2018, has been in demand since playing the role of Booth sixteen years ago. He is currently set to appear in the 2018 film, The Kidnapping of Daisy Grace, opposite Al Pacino and Julia Roberts. He will next be seen in the highly-anticipated sequel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, along with Affleck and Henry Cavill. He is also attached to star in the upcoming The Dark Tower, based on the fantasy book series by Stephen King. He is also set to star in the upcoming Godzilla film, opposite Bryan Cranston and Ken Watanabe.

Gordon-Levitt’s Career-High Momentum

Gordon-Levitt, who will be 51 in 2018, is best known for his role as the equally nefarious John Wilkes Booth in Spielberg’s Lincoln. He subsequently starred in the HBO mini-series, The Pacific, and in two of the Hobbit films: The Desolation of Smaug and The Battle of the Five Armies. He will next be seen in the Netflix science fiction series, Iron Fist, alongside Finn Jones, Jessica Henwick, and Chris Tucker. More recently, he starred in the indie films, The Surgeon, and The Lookout, alongside Michael Shannon. He will next be seen in the upcoming The Dark Tower, in which he plays the Gunslinger.

A New Face Behind the Mask

While we are aware that many famous faces have played the role of Batman, it seems that actor Robert Pattinson is taking on the challenge of portraying the Dark Knight in a way that has not been seen before. The actor grew up in London, and at age 13, he began performing in various stage productions throughout the UK. A natural actor, he managed to secure a role in the hit TV show, Skins, despite being just 14-years old. Soon after, he landed a role in the 2011 Tim Burton film, Dark Shadows. It was announced last month that he would be playing the titular character in the new Batman movie, and fans have been buzzing ever since.

Pattinson has managed to avoid becoming typecast in any one specific role. He is perhaps most recognizable for his role as Edward Cullen in the Twilight film series, and while he has had some incredible critical and box office success with those films, he has also proven to be quite versatile, playing a variety of characters in both big and small screens. It seems that this adaptability has served him well, as he has managed to secure various other memorable roles in the past few years, even as mainstream Hollywood stumbles over itself trying to cash in on the Twilight craze. He will next be seen in the upcoming King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, portraying the dual roles of Mordred and Merlin. The film is currently in post-production.

The Rise Of The Rarest Of Casts

Some fans may balk at the idea of an unknown actor taking on the role of Batman. However, in the grand scheme of things, it is not exactly an unknown actor that will be stepping into the famed cowl. The newest crop of Batman movies have featured some of Hollywood’s top talent, with multiple Oscar winners, such as Michael Keaton and Gene Hackman appearing in multiple outings as the Dark Knight. However, this year will mark the rise of the “rarest of casts” as John Wick co-starring Al Pacino and Woody Harrelson put it.

“It is with great pleasure that I look back on our shared experience making DEVIOUS HARSHAPES. I think it is fair to say that, in terms of sheer volume, there has been no other project quite like it. I will treasure our time together for the rest of my life.” — Jeremy Renner

Making History

With the casting of these three famous faces, one might think that the world is caving in on itself, as the Marvel Cinematic Universe has essentially matched its biggest accomplishment with the casting of three more iconic actors in Tom Hardy, Michael B. Jordan, and Lupita Nyong’o.

In reality, this is a completely different kettle of fish. While it is true that these three will be playing comic book characters that have made their mark in pop culture, it is not necessarily the case that they will be portraying historical figures. As the Los Angeles Times put it in a piece discussing Nyong’o’s role, “Her character, Patu, is not a historical figure.” In other words, while these are unforgettable characters that have transcended time, they are not necessarily historical figures. This is a distinction that the film will be making explicit in the coming months, as it explores the origins of Batman. It seems that even the producers are aware that these aren’t exactly historical figures, as co-writer and producer Scott Silver revealed that the movie was originally intended to be set in the present day.