With fans across the world waiting patiently for the return of their favorite TV series, it’s only natural that they’d be looking for other ways to occupy their time. Entertainment Weekly reports that, following the conclusion of the recent NBA Finals, many fans have turned to re-watching the 1966 Batman TV series. Specifically, the fans want to see how Bruce Wayne, as played by Adam West in the classic show, would react to these current events.
Batman was originally created in 1940 to help combat the effects of the Great Depression. Since then, the character has become an unlikely symbol for both hope and change. Now, more than 70 years after his first appearance on The Dick Tracy Show, Batman still has the power to excite and captivate audiences large and small. It’s probably safe to assume that many fans of the Dark Knight are simply waiting with bated breath for the next season of Gotham.
Pattinson, Not West, To Play The Most Iconic Comic Book Character
According to Variety, the English actor Robert Pattinson has been chosen to play the newest addition to the Batman family — one of the most popular and recognizable comic book characters of all time. As we already know, West played the role of Batman for nearly 30 years. During that time, he became part of pop culture and was even the butt of some pretty famous jokes. However, with the announcement that Pattinson will be assuming the role, it’s clear that the producers have a different plan in mind.
Pattinson, the son of James and Elizabeth, grew up in Hertfordshire. After studying English Literature at Oxford University, he decided to pursue a career in acting. Fortunately, his parents had the good sense to let him pursue his dream (at least, according to Elizabeth). While in college, he appeared in a number of short films, mostly set in London. He also made a couple of music videos, one of which was for the Foo Fighters. After graduating, he headed to Los Angeles and began auditioning for major roles. His biggest break came when he was cast as Edward Cullen in the Twilight Saga.
It’s Not Just Twilight
While at the twilight premiere in Los Angeles, Pattinson was asked about playing Batman. Since the role is such a well-known one, he was asked if he’d ever consider it. “It’s like asking me if I’m going to play King Arthur or something,” he said. “I mean, c’mon, it’s Batman! Of course I’d want to play Batman.”
So far, so good. But it seems that the actor has no idea what kind of costume he’ll be wearing or how he’ll carry himself as Batman. “I don’t know what my costume is going to be yet. But I’m sure I’ll work it out,” he said. “It’s an exciting moment when you finally find the right costume and the right shoes. That’s when you feel like Batman.”
Why Batman?
According to Variety, Pattinson will be following in the footsteps of some well-known actors who have played the iconic character. In addition to West, the most recent Batman was Christian Bale. Unfortunately, Bale’s Batman was plagued by serious psychological problems that caused many fans to have serious doubts about the Dark Knight’s mental health. The part wasn’t helped by Warner Bros.’ decision to depict Batman as either a genius or a sociopath, neither of which are particularly realistic.
In any case, the decision to cast Pattinson as Batman seems like a sound one. For one thing, he’s British, which will supposedly add an extra “oomph” to his acting. For another, he’s already established himself as a leading man with Hollywood’s leading lady, Pattinson has a good relationship with Emma Watson, the daughter of British writer Arthur C. Clarke. Watson’s been seen in a variety of movie and TV projects, from Harry Potter to The Curse of Raven’s Glen. In other words, she’s probably going to be excited to work with him.
The Biggest Question
Still, there’s one question that virtually everyone who’s expressed an interest in playing Batman has asked. That is, if Batman is so great, why are they (the filmmakers, that is) choosing to ignore so many of the character’s well-known traits and instead focus on making him appear more human? The answer, of course, is that Batman is not human. Even Adam West had to admit that the character was basically a fictional creation.
“He was kind of like a superhero,” West said in the documentary, Batman: The Animated Series. “I didn’t really put a persona on him. I just tried to play him as real as possible…It’s like you’re directing a documentary about someone. You find out their likes and dislikes. You learn what makes them tick. You become familiar with their quirks and habits. And then, one day, they come off the set and something happens. You wonder if this is reality or if it’s just some weird movie.”
Whether or not you’ve been following the news leading up to this point, it’s clear that something strange is going on in the world of Batman. The Dark Knight Returns, the forthcoming eight-part Netflix limited series, will be premiering in just a couple of weeks. On May 4th, the world will finally get to see if Robert Pattinson is truly fit to play the role of Batman. We can only hope that the actor surprises us and proves our beloved West and the rest of us wrong.