Rumors have been swirling that Robert Pattinson could be the next Bruce Wayne. The ‘Twilight’ actor has reportedly been spotted wearing the infamous Batman outfit and has even been seen filming scenes for next year’s highly anticipated ‘Batman Vs. Superman’ movie. It seems that the 35-year-old is more than just a pretty face as he’s been training to be the ultimate Dark Knight.
The ‘BFFs’ star has been spotted wearing a black and white striped shirt, black pants and black sneakers as he made his way to a gym in Santa Monica, CA on Tuesday. Does that mean he’s joining the fray as the caped crusader? Only time will tell.
Becoming The Ultimate Batman
While we wait to see if Robert Pattinson will don the iconic black and white costume, let’s take a look at what he’s been doing behind the scenes to earn his place in Batman history. Thanks to some impressive acting roles as well as some well-timed contract renegotiations, he’s finally managed to put together a Batman movie career.
Pattinson’s Career Highlight
After struggling for years with no solid on-screen role in a major motion picture, the ‘Twilight’ actor finally broke through with a major role in ‘The Great Gatsby’. Based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s renowned novel, the film tells the story of a young man’s quest for love and glory in the Jazz Age. The part of Nick Carraway was deemed “transformative” by Warner Bros. and went on to be cited as one of the year’s best performances by the LA Times. With that performance behind him, it was only a matter of time before Hollywood’s elite came knocking on his door.
Entertainment Weekly broke the news that Warner Bros. was hoping to make ‘The Dark Knight’ director Dick Wolf’s next film. Pattinson was the first person they contacted when the script was completed. After a bidding war, the studio won and the actor was finally granted his wish to become the next Batman.
Becoming A World-Class Trainer
Even before he donned the cape and cowl, Warner Bros. saw potential in Robert Pattinson and put him through intensive voice and acting training. In addition to Wolf’s ‘The Dark Knight’, the studio also produced ‘Elementary’, a television adaptation of Greg Orr and Joan Allen’s wonderful mystery series. With Wolf and Allen behind the camera, it only made sense to continue training for the big screen.
While he was in London filming ‘The Great Gatsby’ in early 2014, Pattinson was spotted by fans training with a sword master named Bertrand Russell. The actor is reported to have paid him £400 to take up martial arts. In addition to training with Russell, the ‘Twilight’ actor has been spotted performing some amazing kung-fu moves in the big apple.
While we don’t know if Russell’s kung-fu is up to scratch, it’s clear that Pattinson is serious about his craft. The London Evening Standard raved about the star’s acting skills after watching him deliver a dramatic speech as Hamlet in London’s West End. “Pattinson makes the role his own and gives an energetic performance,” they gushed. “He gives a very young, very charismatic performance that is both funny and sad, and in the space of one monologue, manages to cover a great deal of emotional territory.”
Pattinson’s Contract Negotiations
One of the best things that came out of the Wolf/Allen/Warner Bros. collaboration was the opportunity to see some of Hollywood’s top talent in interesting roles. When it was reported that Pattinson was set to play James Bond, fans started making plans to see him in the iconic role. The wait for ‘Eccentric millionaire’ turned out to be worth it as the actor delivered an impressive performance.
The role reportedly required the actor to spend 12 hours a day, 7 days a week for 6 months in order to master the skills required. Pattinson was later given the opportunity to play one of the most iconic literary heroes when he was chosen to play the part of Stephen King’s infamous antagonist, Randall Flagg in the big-budget Hulu series, ‘The Atlantic’.
If the above reports are true and Robert Pattinson is set to don the famous black and white costume, it would be the culmination of years of work. While we wait for the next installment in the ‘Batman’ franchise, let’s take a trip back in time to remember the amazing career of England’s favorite son.