While the world was enthralled with the news of Rupert Sanders’ retirement from the director’s chair of the upcoming Batman movie, more details about the blockbuster have begun to emerge. We now know that the film will be longer than initially expected and will go into production in June 2019. But, other details are still under wraps.
Robert Pattinson
The first major casting announcement came when Rupert Sanders revealed that Robert Pattinson had been chosen to play the lead role in the film. The 27-year-old actor is best known for his roles in the Twilight films and has also portrayed famed English author Thomas Hardy in the film adaptation of the 1928 novel Savage Night. His previous acting experience includes playing Christian in the movie adaptation of the hit PlayStation game, Assassin’s Creed.
Though rumors have swirled around for years about Warner Bros. wanting to one day adapt the “Dark Knight” series for television, it was only recently that they began actively pursuing the idea. The move comes as the cinematic universe continues to grow, fueled by high-quality TV series like the popular Lucifer and the upcoming Gotham.
Production
While we know that filming will begin in June 2019, we don’t yet know where in the world the production will shoot. Based on the script, it’s possible that the film could be set in the London or ‘Twilight’ films’ Las Vegas (as Monte Carlo is referred to in the script).
It is also worth noting that production will be in a “clean cut” on a “red carpet,” which could mean that there will be some of the signature special effects featured in the Batman movies removed.
The Joker
Of all the revelations about the upcoming Batman movie, the selection of the film’s main villain has been the subject of the most speculation. While many have pointed toward Jared Leto as the ideal actor for the character, it looks like WB may have found their man in Joaquin Phoenix. The Joker will reportedly appear in two different scenes in the film, but it is unclear whether or not he will speak throughout the duration of the picture.
Aside from playing the notorious villain, Phoenix also has extensive acting experience, including a stint on Broadway. He was last seen in theaters in 2018 in Todd Phillips’ The Joker, in which he portrayed the title character. The movie was a commercial success, bringing in nearly $600 million worldwide. However, despite his promising performance, it wasn’t well-received by many, with critics panning it. In fact, it was the lowest-scoring film released by Sony Pictures in 2018.
Other Cast
Aside from the three main characters, we know very little about the rest of the cast. However, several names have surfaced as possibilities, including:
- Wesley Snipes
- Olivia Wilde
- Sebastian Stan
- Bennet Bettinger
- Jason Clarke
While most of these names may be familiar, they haven’t yet appeared in a Hollywood film. However, it’s worth noting that Bettinger and Clarke have both had extensive television careers, while Wilde and Snipes are both well-known for their work in the theater. For example, Wilde starred in the Broadway hit Lady Windermere’s Fan, while Snipes was a part of the cast of the musical Chicago.
One Year To Go
With only a year to go until the premiere, we’re likely to hear more about the status of the film in the coming months. But, until then, here’s some more information about what we know so far.
Release Date
While the studio has yet to set a release date for the film, they did reveal that it will hit theaters on October 21, 2019, one year after the release of Solo. This will make it the fourth time that the film has gone into production, with the previous three beginning in 2014.
Cast And Crew
In addition to Robert Pattinson, Joaquin Phoenix, and Jared Leto, the film will reportedly star:
- The Dark Knight
- The Joker
- Lucy Liu
- Zazie Beets
- Marion Cotillard
- Richard Maclaurin
- Anna Friel
- Tom Hardy
- Olivia Wilde
- Sebastian Stan
- Bennet Bettinger
- Jason Clarke
- Wesley Snipes
Many of these names are probably fairly familiar to you, but just in case, here’s a quick summary:
- Robert Pattinson (main role)
- Joaquin Phoenix (The Joker)
- Jared Leto (The Joker)
- Lucy Liu
- Zazie Beets
- Marion Cotillard
- Richard Maclaurin
- Anna Friel
- Tom Hardy
- Olivia Wilde
- Sebastian Stan
- Bennet Bettinger
- Jason Clarke
- Wesley Snipes
Of course, this is just a small fraction of the information that has emerged about this exciting project. But this should give you an idea of what’s going on.