Robert Pattinson may be best known for his role as Edward Cullen in the Twilight series, but his talent and dedication to acting also saw him take on the role of Batman in the James Bond film, Skyfall. The movie went on to become the highest-grossing installment of the Bond franchise to date, raking in over $1 billion at the box office.
While most people probably know Pattinson as the brooding, aloof, and slightly arrogant character from the Twilight series, it is interesting to note that this was most likely not the case in real life. In fact, the 26-year-old Hollywood star was actually very enthusiastic about becoming Bond and said as much in a 2015 interview with Vanity Fair. He also added that he would be happy to reprise his role as Batman for future movies.
So it is no surprise that when news broke that a photo of Pattinson had surfaced on the internet showing off his incredible acting skills as Batman, fans were pleasantly surprised. You can check it out for yourself below.
Back to Reality
As much as we’d like to believe that Pattinson is just biding his time until he bursts onto the screen as a grown up Batman, we know that this is not the case. Although he has been working hard as an actor for most of his adult life, he is actually still acting as Batman in his spare time. This was revealed in a Twitter post by one of the actors who play his parents in the Twilight series. As you can see in the below screenshot, Jordan presented the picture with the caption, “Just because Robert has a new role doesn’t mean he’s stopped acting…as Batman.”
It’s clear that this was a cheeky and slightly sarcastic comment aimed at fans who had been campaigning for years for Pattinson to play Batman, but it also highlights the fact that even after years in the industry, he is still deeply passionate about his craft. It’s no wonder that he was so keen to take on the role of the Dark Knight in the first place.
The Making of Skyfall
This latest photo op seems to have been organized by some Bond fans who wanted to show off some behind-the-scenes snaps from the set of Skyfall. It’s not the first time that Bond fans have done this either – back in 2013, fans hijacked one of the film’s trailers to show a glimpse of what went into making the movie. While these photos are certainly interesting, it is important to remember that they are not necessarily the “raw” version of what went on screen. It is well known that filmmakers often have to go through several takes and multiple rounds of editing before the final version is released. So while this may look like an easy enough task, it is likely that this photo was actually be carefully crafted through a bit of Photoshop magic.
Why Edward Cullen?
As we’ve established, Eddie is not truly the “blank slate” that some people might think he is. We know from the Twilight series that the young man was not just born with his good looks, but he has also shown signs of genius and intelligence since a young age. To give you some idea of what we mean, let’s take a look back at one of the first scenes from Twilight – the stunning and critically acclaimed prologue. In this scene, we are introduced to Edward, who is on the verge of being kicked out of his home due to lack of funds. While sitting at a kitchen table, the camera focuses on his hands as he tosses a coin to decide whose bed he will sleep in that night – Bella’s or Jacob’s. The coin lands on the table with a dull thud, and as you watch in horror, Edward picks up the coin with his right hand. This is a surprisingly complex shot, and you really have to watch it several times to notice all of the tiny details – from the way that Edward’s hair bounces as he shakes his head to the way that his shirt is unbuttoned just enough to reveal the top of his dark braided hair.
To his credit, the actor who plays Edward says that this was not simply a “calculated” decision to snag a role as the most popular star at the moment, but that he was genuinely passionate about the character and wanted to do his best. While there is no denying that there is a certain “X-Men” quality to Edward’s good looks, it is important to remember that he is much more than just a pretty face. In the same way that Marvel’s mutant heroes are portrayed as complicated and flawed individuals, Edward Cullen is a complex and troubled character who has found solace in his loved ones. It is these complexities and dichotomies that makes him such an interesting study.