Robert Pattinson has turned down the role of Batman, according to a report from Hollywood.com. The “Twilight” hunk reportedly turned down the offer to star in Ben Affleck’s “Batman vs. Superman”. The Scottish actor is said to be coveting more high profile leading roles in the future, particularly in fantasy films, where he can really flaunt his gorgeous looks.
While many will be sad to see Batman go, perhaps replacing him with Christian Bale’s real life alter-ego Bruce Wayne, it seems as though Pattinson is more than happy to play other iconic characters. The 27-year-old reportedly turned down a role that would have seen him play a “James Bond”-like agent sent to track down Tiger Nixon (played by Affleck in this year’s “Dallas Buyers Club”).
Pattinson is best known for his role as vampire Edward Cullen in the “Twilight” series, whose fame led to an offer to play the title character in “The Hobbit”, the three-part adaptation of Tolkien’s epic “The Hobbit”. Though originally offered the role of Legolas, the elf prince who befriends Bilbo Baggins in J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings”, Pattinson was eventually cast as the dwarf, Grumpy. Even then, Affleck lobbied hard to keep him in the superhero role, which he eventually won. While many will be sad to see Batman go, the world is a better place for having “The Twilight” hunk in it.
Robert Pattinson’s Dark Side
While many will be saddened by the idea of Robert Pattinson not playing Batman, who knows? Maybe he will make a cameo as Mr. Freeze or the Joker and we’ll get to see how evil he really is.
As for whether or not he will make a good actor out of Bruce Wayne, we shall see. What we do know is that he has definitely taken on a dark side. While he was certainly cast as a vampire for commercial purposes, he has actually embraced his dark side, often dressing in black and wearing sunglasses in the shower. His first foray into darker acting was in the 2013 short film “Nightfall”, where he plays a serial killer who kidnaps and tortures women. While it’s a short, it’s a pretty revealing glimpse into Pattinson’s dark side. Perhaps after playing such iconic characters, he will decide to embrace his dark side more fully and become the iconic villain that we know he is capable of playing: The Joker.
A Role That’s ‘Probably Too Sexy’
On the opposite end of the spectrum, you have Christian Bale, whose career, we must admit, started out pretty hot. The former “Batman” star has played so many iconic roles, from Dick Tracy to James Bond, that it’s hard to believe he has never really been “sexy”. In the past, he has even spoken out about how much he dislikes playing “dumb blond” roles, like that of Chuck, in “The Soloist” or Harry in “The Dark Knight”. The irony is that those are two of the most iconic “dumb blond” roles ever created.
Now in his 40s, Bale has become a bit of a father figure to younger actors, often taking on mentoring roles. The closest he comes to playing “sexy” is in the upcoming “The Young Messiah”, where he plays a sexy, Christ-like character who roams the Earth tempting people with sex and drugs. The trailer for the film has Christian Bale in a hot tub, half-naked and with little to no clothes on, doing some serious foreplay with a woman (played by Sarah Adler). While there is nothing wrong with that, the fact remains that in his earlier days, Christian Bale was more than capable of playing more mature, provocative roles.
The ‘Next Big Thing’
While Ben Affleck finally won his bid to play Batman, it was clear that the actor who plays him, Batman’s nemesis, Alfred Pennyworth, was not pleased with the decision. In the comics, Alfred is the butler/right-hand man of Bruce Wayne, but in the movie he is the one who suggests that Batman take a break from being the Dark Knight and be someone else for a while. Basically, they both have a falling out and that’s how we get the dual role of Batman and Bruce Wayne.
One of the most interesting parts of the “Batman vs. Superman” debacle comes from the role of Batman’s adopted sister, Barbara. In the comics, Barbara is the beautiful, smart and strong-willed daughter of a wealthy businessman. In the movie, she is portrayed by Margot Robbie, who, at least in the trailer, looks quite a bit like her comic book counterpart. Though she doesn’t appear in the movie, it is clear that the producers tried to make Barbara into something more like the character as she appears in the comics, complete with an “I Love Batman” t-shirt worn proudly on her chest.
Hollywood’s Darkest Secret
Some people are just born more famous than others. When it comes to Hollywood, those people usually start out as models, whose photos appear in men’s magazines, but who also have the good fortune of being in the right place at the right time. While everyone else is busy playing it safe and taking on safe, low-budget films, these people are getting the opportunity to prove themselves in the most elite circles of the film industry.
Case in point: Christian Bale. If you’ve followed his career at all, you know that he has often been referred to as “Hollywood’s Darkest Secret”. A model by training, who changed his middle name to “Bale” after appearing in a Tim Burton movie, Christian Bale has gone on to star in some of the most iconic films of our time. He’s often been compared to the perfect movie “Badass”, a combination of the words “badass” and “Christian”.
The same can be said for George Clooney. The “Ocean’s Eleven” star has turned down the role of Batman three times. In fact, it was initially rumored that he would be playing the part at one point. While he will always be remembered for his role as the Moneybags in “Ocean’s Eleven”, he has a longer history in Hollywood, acting in some of the biggest and most important films of all time. Many have called him “Hollywood’s Darkest Angel”.
More Than Meets The Eye
While these two are at the top of their game when it comes to playing iconic characters, it is important to remember that they are just 2 of the most prominent “name actors” in Hollywood. There are literally thousands, if not millions, of other famous faces that you will see on the big screen when you go to the theater. A popular hashtag on social media, #NameActing, highlights just how much of an impact these recognizable names have on our culture.
For years, Hollywood has tried to ignore the “millenials”, those aged between 12 and 24 who grew up watching movies, but now it seems as though the tables have turned. These days, the movie industry focuses more on attracting the youth, which is why filmmakers are trying to cast young actors and why studios are pumping out so many films aimed at the “youth market”. As a result, the “millennial” generation has become the dominant force in Hollywood, with people who were born after 1980 becoming the majority in 2018.
The Future Of Name Acting
“Batman vs. Superman” wasn’t the only movie to feature a prominent name cast. Another popular movie this past year was the “John Wick” series, which starred Keanu Reeves. Whether or not you’ve ever heard of the “John Wick” series, you’ll likely have heard of Keanu Reeves. Since starring in 1995’s “John Wick”, the 51-year-old has gone on to star in some of the biggest and most important films of all time, including “Bill And Ted’s Excellent Adventure”, “The Matrix” and “Toy Story 3”.
“John Wick” was officially the 16th highest-grossing movie of 2018, grossing over $27 million in the U.S. on its opening weekend. That’s more than double its previous opening weekend, which was $13 million. Though it was released in late 2018, the film is already becoming a cult classic and there’s clearly a demand for films starring popular, well-known names.