The Hollywood heavyweight known for his role as Bruce Wayne in the hugely anticipated Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice recently dropped out of the superhero sequel. The role went to Ben Affleck, who many fans believe was selected because he’s widely considered to be the best actor to ever don the cape and cowl. (No offense, Mr. Pattinson.)
If you’re wondering why Mr. Pattinson would drop out of such a high-profile role, here’s a breakdown of the most recent Batman news and how it affects you — as a fan of the Batman franchise and, presumably, Mr. Pattinson’s work as a whole.
The Role Goes To Ben Affleck
It’s fair to say that Mr. Pattinson’s tenure as Batman was a rough one. Not only did he not enjoy playing the character, but he also clashed with director Zack Snyder on several occasions. At one point, the actor even refused to film one of the crucial opening scenes with Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman because he didn’t want to “step on the WONDER WOMAN name.”
Most shockingly, last November Mr. Pattinson called out Snyder for what he perceived to be a lackluster performance in a pivotal scene in The Batman. Shortly after, Snyder responded by casting doubt on Mr. Pattinson’s acting talents.
“I think everyone’s in awe of Ben’s performance as an actor,” Snyder told Entertainment Weekly at the time. “He has such a unique ability to transform into different characters, and given the chance, I think he’d be a great Peter Parker.”
Mr. Pattinson Refuses To Comment
Since the beginning of this year, we haven’t really heard much from Mr. Pattinson concerning the Batman role. This led many fans to believe that the actor had either turned it down or was planning on turning it down. However, in an interview with GQ last month, Mr. Pattinson said he hadn’t made any decisions yet.
“If it happens, it happens,” he said. “It’s a great honor to be considered. But I haven’t made my mind up yet.”
Considering his contentious relationship with Snyder, it would be quite the coup if Mr. Pattinson turned down this role. It’s clear that Snyder believes in Ben Affleck’s capabilities as an actor, but it’s also apparent that Mr. Pattinson doesn’t. (It should be noted that, while Mr. Affleck is certainly an acclaimed actor, he has yet to prove that he can play a leading man with the same charm and magnetism as Robert Pattinson.)
The Remaining Roles Will Go To Men
With Mr. Affleck set to take on the Batman role, Warner Bros. has a new batch of open roles that they can cast in the sequel. So far, they’ve only announced Men In Black IV, The Lego Batman Movie, and The Penguin.
For now, it’d be wise for the studio to go with the best available actor for these parts rather than trying to fill the void left by Mr. Affleck. Even with the best will in the world, no one can replace Mr. Affleck.
Batman Vs. Superman Is Still Happening
At this point, it’s still very much alive. While there have been a number of setbacks — most notably, the hiring of a new Director — the movie is likely to go ahead as scheduled in the next couple of years.
With the help of Christopher Nolan, the Batman Vs. Superman movie will finally arrive on the big screen.
It’s safe to assume that Mr. Affleck will have to do some serious emotional growing up before he can take on the role. But that’s what makes him the perfect choice. He’s already shown the world that he’s capable of stepping into the shoes of a completely different character. It’ll be interesting to see how he handles the sheer magnitude of the Batman identity. (It’s also important to note that, while it’s unlikely that he’ll become an entirely different character, he will have to find a way to meld the two personas in his head. The Joker, after all, will still exist in his thoughts.)
More To Come
With all that being said, there’s still more to come concerning Batman Vs. Superman. We’re only just scratching the surface of the storylines that will continue from here. There’s also the potential for more cast changes if the reactions to the first batch of open roles aren’t satisfactory. (Hopefully, the reactions will be positive and we won’t have to endure any more delays.)
As for Batman itself, this will be the first time in a long time that we won’t know who’ll be donning the cowl after Batman Vs. Superman. (Let’s hope that Mr. Pattinson decides to reprise his role as the Dark Knight.)
In the meantime, we’ll have to make due with whatever is left of the Batman franchise. Which is pretty much the entire canon, now that I think about it. Sigh.