Since the early 2000s, British actor and musician Robert Pattinson has been one of the most popular and in-demand actors working today. He is known for his roles in the Twilight movie series, specifically his portrayal of Edward Cullen, which earned him a place in many fans’ hearts. But, as the actor recently acknowledged, his career took a bit of a detour after he played the part of the heartthrob in the hit film The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009). Now that the series is over, where does Pattinson’s career go from here? Let’s take a look.
The Hobbit (2012-2013)
Since the release of The Hobbit in 2012, fans have been patiently waiting for news about Pattinson’s next project. For years, the actor has been attached to one movie role after another, and while he’s gained a large following as a result, it’s doubtful that they’ve all been waiting for his next move. So when The Hobbit finally came out and was met with positive reviews, it became clear that the fans had other favorites to spend their time with.
Even then, it wasn’t entirely clear what role Pattinson would take on next. After all, as fans now know, the actor is quite talented when it comes to playing multiple characters. Most recently, he portrayed an American serial killer in the film The Rover (2013). But back in 2012, it was still unclear which project he would end up doing next. It’s perhaps no coincidence that all of these films share a common theme: each one is set in a different era and revolves around a historic figure or event. In other words, it seems like Pattinson’s career has been mapped out since he was a child. Yet, despite the fact that these projects have all been successful, it’s still not clear whether or not fans will continue to support him. After all, he has yet to appear in a film that gained critical acclaim and went on to become a major box office hit. This factor alone should tell you that something is amiss here. Still, it seems that for now, this is who Pattinson’s fans want to see next, and considering the popularity of The Twilight Saga, it’s hard not to understand why.
The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)
For those who haven’t been living under a rock for the past six years, you may know that The Twilight Saga is one of the most popular and profitable series of books and movies based on supernatural creatures known as ‘werewolves’. The first film in the series, Twilight (2008), was a surprise blockbuster that became the highest-grossing American film of all time up until that point. Many critics and fans agreed that the success of Twilight was largely thanks to its popular lead actor, Robert Pattinson. But other than playing the role of Edward Cullen, which won him an ACE Award, the British actor is perhaps most well-known for his role in New Moon. Though the film was a financial failure, it did end up becoming a major critical and commercial success. Even now, many consider it to be among the best of the Twilight films.
It was only a matter of time before the press discovered that Pattinson had another side to his acting career. After all, just like with his role in Twilight, the actor has spent years playing characters whose passion for acting and talent for mimicry landed them prominent supporting roles. In New Moon, he played the dual roles of both Edward Cullen and his more mature brother, Robert. While performing as Robert, he displayed an incredible ability to switch back and forth between the two personas with little to no notice. This was truly a feat that many critics and fans agreed showcased the actor’s unparalleled talent. But since portraying two separate characters in such a short amount of time entails a lot of physical and emotional effort, it’s unclear whether or not this will be enough to maintain his fanbase. Still, it appears that this will be the case for now.
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010)
While many fans went into New Moon hoping that this would be the last we’d see of Pattinson’s Edward, this proved not to be the case as he returned for another instalment in the Twilight saga. Eclipse, the third film in the series, was released in 2010 and continues the saga’s storyline. In it, the Cullen family is torn apart when Edward turns into a werewolf towards the end of the film. Though most critics agreed that the film was among the weaker of the series, it was a box office success and still holds a very dedicated following. Even now, many fans consider it to be one of the most exciting parts of the saga.
Not only did it cement Robert Pattinson’s place as one of the most popular and in-demand actors of our time, but it also proved once and for all that he could tackle more mature roles. Since playing the role of a werewolf in Twilight, which is known for its violent and gruesome imagery, the actor has spoken out against such portrayals, calling them ‘toxic’ and something that he tries to avoid. But even before Eclipse, audiences knew that the actor was capable of taking on more mature roles, having starred in the British film The Boat Party (2009) alongside Kate Winslet and Rosario Dawson. In it, he plays a gangster who coerces and schemes his way into getting ahead in life and becomes romantically involved with both Watson and Dawson’s characters. Though the film received mixed reviews and only grossed $17.9 million at the box office, it gave fans a glimpse at an acting style that they have come to know and love from Pattinson. In the years since, he has continued to take on more mature and complex roles, which, in turn, has only helped to increase his popularity. In fact, at this point, it would be difficult to understate just how popular and in-demand Robert Pattinson has become. He is currently one of the most bankable and prominent English actors of all time. But perhaps not for long. With each new role that he takes on, it seems that his fan base continues to dwindle. Though it’s still quite popular among the youth, it’s hard to see just how many people are waiting for his next big move. Still, it appears that fans will continue to flock to see him in whatever he does.
What’s Next?
While the actor’s future remains somewhat uncertain, he’s lined up a number of projects for the coming years. For those who are fortunate enough to see them, they will be a showcase of Pattinson’s impressive range and ability to play multiple characters. Most notably, he is attached to a role in The Great Gatsby (2013), which will mark his American debut. Based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s eponymous novel, the film will be set in the Roaring ’20s and will focus on the lavish lifestyles of the rich and famous. It is still unclear at this point what parts Pattinson will play, but he has already begun training for the role. Since portraying a werewolf in two of the Twilight films, it would be amazing to see him tackle another classic Gothic character. But considering that the majority of the roles that he takes on are in support of major franchises, it’s rather uncertain as to whether or not we’ll ever see him play a stand-alone movie again. In any case, the future looks rather bright for Robert Pattinson, who is one of the premiere English actors of our time and will be showing the world all of his impressive skills in the coming years.