Most people know that Robert Pattinson trains with Batman. However, did you know that he is actually training to be the vigilante? It is true! After leaving Los Angeles and returning home to England, Pattinson began training for the role of Batman alongside his longtime friend, Tim Burton. Even though it seems like a stretch, it turns out that Pattinson is actually following in the footsteps of a famous Englishman. Before he became famous, Alfred Pennyworth served as his bodyguard and mentor. Let’s find out more!
The Tim Burton Connection
If you follow Batman on Twitter, you might have noticed that the Hollywood actor, director, and producer Tim Burton has always been one of his biggest fans. So much so that he even has a tattoo of his face on his arm. Naturally, it’s no surprise that they would team up for a movie, especially since their shared love for Burton’s Dark Knight character inspired them to begin training together. In fact, throughout his career, Pattinson has frequently played supporting roles alongside famous Hollywood actors, such as Christian Bale and Michael Caine. So perhaps it’s not so surprising that he would eventually want to step into the shoes of one of the greatest superheroes of all time.
Robert Pattinson Is The Last Englishman Standing
Pattinson grew up in the small town of Bath, England, which is famous for its Roman ruins and annual flower shows. He began acting at a young age and had his first starring role in the 2011 indie film, High Score. Since then he has appeared in major films, including Pirates of the Caribbean 5, The Lost City, and Legend. In 2018 he will be seen in Godzilla: King of the Monsters and the upcoming Mary Queen of Scots. He is currently filming the highly anticipated fantasy adventure, Guillermo del Toro’s The Light Between Worlds, in which he plays a warlock. In the role, he must first oppose a tyrannical bear named Shelto, before teaming up with King Arthur and a small band of knights.
Pattinson is the last surviving member of a line of fearsome warriors that was started in the 18th century by a man named Richard Sharpe. It was Richard who started the tradition of tattooing his sons with the family crest. Because of this, there are now hundreds of descendants of Richard Sharpe with tattoos. It was also Richard who adopted his grandsons, Robert and Alfred, and raised them to be fearless warriors. Even though he was the last of his line, Richard did not consider himself to be, as he once stated, “the wisest or the holiest of men.” He once told his grandboys, “I’m just a man, same as you. And I haven’t lived a great life. So, don’t be afraid to go down the same road as me.”
The Road To The Role
You might also be interested to know that Robert Pattinson did not always plan on becoming an actor. After earning a degree in English Literature from Oxford University, he went in the other direction and became a marketing executive for a musical instrument company. However, after meeting Burton, he decided to follow an acting career instead. He had previously worked with Burton on a short film called The Trial, in which he played a young Sherlock Holmes. When the director asked if he would be interested in playing Holmes’s sidekick, Dr. Watson, in the sequel, Pattinson jumped at the opportunity. Unfortunately, the movie ended up being a flop at the box office. Nonetheless, he gained a large following on social media platforms like Twitter as a result of it.
Training For The Role
After failing to make a significant impact in the music business, Pattinson turned to acting, a career that he had always enjoyed. He had previously acted in several stage productions at the Royal Shakespeare Company in London, so it wasn’t like he was completely unknown in the acting world. However, he had decided to move to Los Angeles to try and break into the big time.
Pattinson began training for the role of Batman in February 2018. However, he didn’t officially join the film’s cast and crew until July. During this time, he worked non-stop and trained with fellow British actor, Michael Caine, who plays Alfred Pennyworth in the upcoming film. Caine introduced him to stunt work and worked with him on his physicality. He also took him to several of Burton’s films to educate him on the Batman universe. Even though Pattinson had never dressed up like Batman or pretended to be the Dark Knight onscreen before, he was determined to make the role his own.
So far, he’s done everything the role demands. Not only does he look the part, but he even feels comfortable wearing the cowl as a hat. On one occasion, as his character is running from a pursuing mob, he tripped and fell to the ground. In an attempt to save his acting career, Tim Burton helped him to his feet, with which he successfully completed the scene. Seeing his chance, the director yelled, “Cut! Print that!” And with that, the young actor’s dream came true.
The Difference In Quality
Even though they are both British, Robert Pattinson and Michael Caine work very differently. Caine is a method actor and will often spend hours and hours on set just practicing his lines. By contrast, Rob Pattinson is actually acting more like a documentary filmmaker. He will often turn to the audience while filming and talk to them. He also has a strong emotional connection to his characters and genuinely enjoys spending time with them. At times, this can be distracting because the audience can see right into his personal life. It’ll be interesting to see how much his personality differences impact his work. So far, they have worked well together and their dynamic on set is something to behold.
With his first major movie, Pattinson plays a supporting role alongside Christian Bale and Michael Caine. However, it is the latter who plays the larger role as a mentor and friend to the young actor. As he nears the end of his training, Burton has revealed that he is already considering casting Pattinson as the new Batman. It is an exciting time for this young actor as he makes the transition from Hollywood dreamer to real life superhero. At the very least, he will be appearing in a number of movie scenes with Michael Caine as Alfred Pennyworth, which is already proving to be an invaluable learning experience. There’s a saying in the acting world that learning curves are both fun and useful, and this certainly applies to Pattinson’s case.