It’s not been an easy two years for Hollywood’s favorite golden boy, Robert Pattinson. Between taking part in the massive success of Edward Cullen’s New York Times bestselling series, Breaking Dawn, and then reprising his role in the even more highly anticipated movie, Breaking Dawn – Part 2, the 25-year-old has been more than busy.
Last year, he had to overcome initial delays and budget problems before finally opening in theaters across the country. Then, just when moviegoers were starting to wonder if Pattinson would ever take a break from his busy schedule, he surprised them by dropping off the radar for several weeks before finally resurfacing with a bang in Quentin Tarantulinu’s intense vampire satire, The Hateful Eight. It was both unexpected and highly appreciated by fans who were hungry for more from their favorite Rob Pattinson and by the filmmaker who needed a break from the huge success of his previous two features.
With all of that in mind, it should come as no great surprise that Disney and Warner Bros. would want to jump on the opportunity to work with the English actor on their upcoming big-budgeted comic book flick, The Batman. After all, it’s not often that they get to work with a multi-hyphenate like Robert Pattinson, who not only can play a character but can also write, direct, and produce a film. (Forbes)
Although the film has yet to begin production, the media have already begun to take a look at who will be playing the pivotal role of Batman and how Robert Pattinson will continue to occupy his time between takes.
Who Is Playing The Batman?
According to a number of credible and well-informed sources, Netflix and DC Comics’ upcoming The Batman will be written and directed by Matt Reeves, who last year’s War for the Planet of the Apes proved was more than capable of handling a large-scale Hollywood production. (Deadline)
As it turns out, Reeves and company have chosen a most suitable player in the form of Robert Pattinson, who will play the iconic role of the Dark Knight. According to Variety, “Reeves’ take on the DC Comics classic will reportedly star Pattinson, who will be making his debut as Batman in a live action film. A representative for Disney declined to comment.” (Variety)
As for the motivation for playing Batman, Pattinson recently said in an interview, “The fact that they called me and offered me the part made me realize that it’s one of the most iconic and challenging roles of all time, in all honesty. I grew up watching the cartoons and reading the comics, and now I get to step into the role. I can’t wait to find out more about the character and show the world my interpretation of it.” (GQ)
Plotting The Batman’s Evolution
Since its early inception, the concept of an ‘antihero,’ a character who does the polar opposite of what society expects of him or her, has fascinated comic book fans and moviegoers alike. (Forbes)
The character first appeared in DC Comics’ Detective Comics #27, published in May 1939. Although Batman has always been classified as a superhero, (due to the fact that he usually fights crime in costume), the early stories revolved more around his darker aspects. (Superheroes: Then and Now)
The character’s defining traits were born from a combination of his costumed vigilante adventures and his interactions with the criminal element in Gotham City. (Wikipedia)
Batman is one of the most recognizable and influential comic book characters of all time, having appeared in nearly every medium including film, television, and games. In 2015, Forbes ranked Batman as the second most famous superhero behind Superman.
The Dark Knight is set to be released in theaters on May 25, 2021. After that, it will be available on Netflix.
More From Rob Pattinson
In addition to playing Batman, Rob Pattinson will also produce the film along with John McMulle. (Deadline) The news was first reported by Variety and later picked up by other media outlets.
The news comes just months after Warner Bros. Pictures announced their plans to move forward with a standalone Black Widow movie, with Marvel’s Iron Man and Captain America leading the charge. (Deadline)
It seems that the corporate overlords at Disney and Warner Bros. are doing everything they can to corner the market on superhero films, which is probably a good thing for moviegoers who want to see more diversity in their cinematic choices. (Forbes)
With all these high-profile films in the pipeline, the future of comic book movies looks exceptionally bright.
One could say that Robert Pattinson’s career has barely scratched the surface, as he has already amassed an incredible body of work and is still only 25 years old. Between filming scenes in New York and London for The Batman and hosting the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, it’s evident that the former Twilight star has not wasted any time since his last movie, 2019’s The Wiz, wrapped production.