Robert Pattinson will play the famous superhero Batman in a big-budget film adaptation, Variety reports.
Warner Bros. has hired the British actor to star in their upcoming Batman film. He will next star in the highly anticipated fifth installment of Fox’s X-Men series, X-Men: Days of Future Past, which is set for release on June 3, 2014.
The studio’s senior vice president of production, Kim Yoo-jin, said that Pattinson will bring the “charm” of his popular Twilight saga to the Dark Knight.
This will be the first big-budget Batman film since the late 70s and the most expensive superhero adaptation ever. David A. Glass, who worked on the original 1978 Batman film, said that the movie will continue the action-adventure tone established by that film.
The studio is currently in post-production on the movie, which will be released on July 15, 2014. Production began in April 2013 in Calgary, Canada. This new film will once again be directed by Christopher Nolan and will star Amy Adams, Christian Bale, and Michael Caine.
The Dark Knight, which won an Academy Award for Best Picture in 2008, is the third superhero film adaptation of a famous literary character. Marvel Studios recently announced plans to adapt Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman into a movie, with Neil Patrick Harris set to play the eponymous character.
Pattinson, who recently wrapped a trilogy of films based on the literary work of James Bond, signed on to star in The Lego Movie, which hits theaters next year. He is also set to star in a major motion picture adaptation of the novel The Rover, by Ian Rankin, in 2015.
The actor previously starred in the Twilight Saga as vampire Edward Cullen, who, along with his vampire family, is arguably the most famous literary character on which the film franchise is based. The series was a critical and commercial success, with Summit Entertainment releasing all three films on DVD and Blu-ray in 2012. In 2011, Pattinson won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Edward Cullen.
Pattinson’s Career
Pattinson is known for his role as the English teacher Peter Pettigrew in the Harry Potter films. In 2005, he won the BAFTA Award for Best British Actor for his role in the BBC television movie Mr. Happy. He also starred in the short-lived 2010 TV series Snow White and the Huntsman, based on the White Queen’s character from the novel-turned-film, Alice in Wonderland. He currently stars in the TV series Trust, about a group of assassins who take on dangerous contract jobs. For more on Pattinson, see our Who Is page.
The Twilight Saga was a cultural phenomenon, becoming one of the best-selling and most talked-about film franchises of all time. It was the first time many moviegoers had heard of vampires, yet the franchise has continued to grow in popularity, with the latest installment, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2, being released on November 16, 2013. The final installment in the saga, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, was released in March 2014.
The Twilight Saga has also become the basis for a line of stuffed animals and costumes. The largest collection of Twilight memorabilia was on display at London’s popular Forbidden Planet store, where fans could pose for photos and buy items associated with the vampire franchise. The store’s manager, Martin Jones, said that over 600,000 fans had visited the shop since it opened in May 2012.
Pattinson On Wolverine
While the Wolverine character has appeared in multiple X-Men films, this will be the first time that he’s been associated with a major Hollywood studio production. His portrayal will be based on the comic book character created by Wolverine’s creators, Canadian studio Marvel Comics.
Wolverine has become synonymous with the X-Men’s brooding, antisocial behavior, and claws. The character’s distinctive appearance was the result of artist John Romita Sr.’s desire to have something different from the standard superhero look. To make Logan even more unique, Wolverine’s handler, Captain America, gives him a catchphrase: “What’s the point of being super if you can’t get women?”
Wolverine’s first appearance in X-Men was in The Wolverine, which was released in 2013. The character will appear in the upcoming X-Men: Days of Future Past.
Why Batman?
The Dark Knight has been a household name for decades, having first appeared in a DC comic in 1939. The character has been portrayed on film by the likes of Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, and Jack Nicholson, and, in 2017, it will be sixty years since the character last graced the big screen in 1968’s Batman.
Nolan is the director of some of the most popular and well-regarded films of our time, including The Dark Knight, Inception, and The Dark Knight Rises. His films are often cited as technical masterpieces, and he recently celebrated his 100th film, with a special screening in London as part of the BFI (British Film Institute) Classic Film Series. In 2012, he told NPR that he deliberately made The Dark Knight very different from previous Batman films, in order to create a whole new legacy for the character.
Why Amy Adams?
While we wait for news on the casting behind the next Batman film, let’s take a look at who will play some of his biggest enemies. Rumors are swirling that Adams will play the Enchantress, a character from DC Comics who teams up with the Suicide Squad. Adams’ star is on the rise as of late, especially after her portrayal of Lois Lane in this year’s blockbuster comic book adaptation, Wonder Woman.
She previously starred in The Wife as well as the hit comedy-drama Inside Out (which she also directed), and will next be seen in The Big Short, which is set for release this year. This will be her first collaboration with husband Ben Affleck. They previously worked together on his directorial debut, Argo, which Affleck also co-starred in.
What About The Villains?
Apart from Batman, the next film will also star Alicia Vikander as the deadly assassin Ms. Vicki Vale, and Michael Caine as the voice of Alfred Pennyworth. Let’s take a look at who will play some of these supporting characters.
Alicia Vikander is mostly known for her work in blockbusters, having starred in several Swedish films as well as the latest Tomb Raider film. She will next be seen in the third installment of the X-Men franchise, X-Men: Apocalypse, alongside James Franco, Jennifer Ratner, and Forest Whitaker. Michael Caine recently starred in the British comedy-drama The Guv’nor, which screened at the Sundance Film Festival. Caine has also had a long career as an actor, starting in 1967 and continuing through to the present day. In 2012, he was awarded the AFI (American Film Institute) Award for his performance in the Coen Brothers film, The Ladykillers. This will be the eighty-eighth film that Caine has starred in. He is also known for his role as Monsieur Dumont in the Austin Powers film series. As of 2017, he has not starred in a major Hollywood film since 2006’s Lust Caution, which was based on the short story “Married Living” by Rabid Reader author and podcast guest Robert Reed.
The Wolverine, Part II?
While we wait for more news on the next Batman film, let’s dive back into the world of the Wolverine, a character who will also appear in a big-budget film adaptation, The Wolverine, Part II. This will be the second film based on the comic book series The Wolverine, and will be released on Oct. 26, 2019.
The first The Wolverine was a commercial and critical success, earning over $60 million at the box office. The sequel will arrive 17 years after the first film, and will be the culmination of Hugh Jackman’s 18-year career as Wolverine. It will be co-starring Yukio Katayama and Rila Sunay. Jackman said in a statement that it will be “an emotional ride” that will bring the character “full circle.”
While we wait for more news on the next Batman film, let’s take a look at who will play some of his biggest enemies.