Robert Pattinson to Play ‘The Batman’ for Matt Reeves and Warner Bros.

Robert Pattinson to Play ‘The Batman’ for Matt Reeves and Warner Bros.

By Justin Kroll
Variety

He's going from sex symbol to bat symbol. Sources tell Variety that Robert Pattinson is in negotiations to play "The Batman" in Matt Reeves' forthcoming superhero film, which hits theaters June 25, 2021.

While sources say it's not yet a done deal, Pattinson is the top choice and it's expected to close shortly. Warner Bros. had no comment.

Pre-production on the Warner Bros.-DC Comics pic is expected to start this summer.

Reeves, the filmmaker behind the last two "Planet of the Apes" sequels, assumed "Batman" directing duties from Ben Affleck in January 2017 and has been developing the elusive project ever since. Affleck and Warner Bros. began discussing the actor-director leaving the Caped Crusader behind following "Justice League," allowing Reeves to pick his own Bruce Wayne.

Reeves will produce "The Batman" with his "Planet of the Apes" collaborator Dylan Clark.
Pattinson was cast even as Reeves continues to polish a final version of the script.

A former "Twilight" heartthrob who has successfully turned to arthouse fare, Pattinson, 32, becomes the youngest actor to ever play Batman on the big screen.

Warner Bros., in giving Reeves plenty of time to develop the script, is hoping the latest iteration of the DC icon is done right, following the disappointments of "Batman v Superman" and "Justice League."

No official start date has been set for "The Batman." Insiders tell Variety filming could start in late 2019 or early 2020.

Pattinson is about to shoot another film for WB: Christopher Nolan's event movie co-starring John David Washington, which is set to open July 17, 2020.

Pattinson has a total of four films opening this year, beginning with Claire Denis' "High Life." He also appears in Robert Eggers' "The Lighthouse," which bows at the Cannes Film Festival, "The King" for Netflix and "Waiting for the Barbarians."

He is repped by WME, the Curtis Brown Group, and 3 Arts Entertainment.

 

Well, this is going to suck.



Robert Pattinson Has Been Cast To Play The New Batman

Call me crazy, but I didn't mind Ben Affleck as a 45-ish Batman.

 

I think it’s wonderful! Rumors have been circulating for some time. I actually didn’t think it was going to happen. I’m pleasantly surprised!

 

Bring back the Bat Nipples!

 

Sparkle Batman.

 

Based on what? Robert Pattinson can act - see Good Time.

 

Absolutely!

 

Jeebus that was a great film!

 

Both Pattinson and Kristen Stewart are talented actors, and neither can be blamed for the fact that Stephenie Meyer is an utter hack.

 

I'm ok with this.

Going for a younger audience.

 

I dunno, I'm sure he can nail the Bruce Wayne bits but the real test will come from how he does his gravelly Batman voice. Maybe he'll be really good I'll wait and see but to be honest these DC movies are much more hit and miss than what Marvel is able to accomplish.

 

"Mr. Mom is going to be Batman? Are they joking?!" -Some people in 1989 before seeing Batman (1989).

 

Going with a female audience. Pattinson is cast for his appeal to women that grew up on the Twilight movies. It's the only reason he continues to have a career as a leading man.

 

Deadline is saying this is not set in stone yet.

Rob Pattinson, Nicholas Hoult Atop Short List For ‘Batman’ – Deadline

Rob Pattinson, Nicholas Hoult Atop Short List For ‘The Batman’

Matt Reeves is getting close to naming his Batman. While a report declared that Twilight Saga star Rob Pattinson had been set for The Batman, Deadline hears that the filmmaker and Warner Bros haven’t gotten to that place yet. Pattinson is on a short list but so is Nicholas Hoult, who stars in Tolkien and is about to open in the X-Men: First Classfilm Dark Phoenix. We’ll keep you posted as this unfolds, but several sources said that right now, the bat suit isn’t filled yet and that they like both guys, with Pattinson holding the edge.

 

I could rant about my dislike for Twilight,and I could bemoan the choice of Pattenson (if true)...but I remember how no one thought Michael Keaton would work as Batman and Heath Ledger as The Joker...and we all know now how those turned out. Heck everyone put down Affleck prior to his casting,but he turned out pretty good.

So I will wait until we get conformation and actual footage to judge.

 

1. Dee Cee is obviously clueless. Just because you hit on 2 Batman actors (Keaton, Bale) and 2 Jokers (Nicholson, Ledger) (Phoenix TBD) does not overshadow the complete ineptitude of Warner Bros., Dee Cee management, et. al over the last THREE decades.

2. Are you serious? Pattinson? No, really, are you serious? Seriously????? This will not end well.

3. Somewhere George Clooney and Val Kilmer are smiling, “We’re not the worst Batman!”

 

Bruce Wayne is pretty much a bland character anyway. Just cast for the jaw line exposed in the suit basically. Bale brooded the hell out of the role and Keaton played up the loneliness. He's only as good as the main enemy and that's where the casting really matters.

Just please, no more Batman origin stories.

 

So, they don't want an American actor to play Bruce Wayne/Batman?

As for Pattinson, he showed he can act. But, imho, you have to have the "right" look for some roles. Pattinson as Batman? Seems a bit off.

 

That guy should play Robin, not Batman. Cmon!

 

EXACTLY what I said about Michael Keaton!

 

I have such a love for the Nolan/Bale era that it's going to be hard to top those for me, but Matt Reeves' work on those great Apes movies has me all in for this. As far as Twilight and all, it's easy for a good actor to come off poorly in a poor movie. I've got faith this will be good.

I do think any new Batman franchise needs to reference his origin to some healthy degree though, to properly establish Bruce Wayne's psyche and why he does what he does.

 

Pattinson is 33 and it's been almost 7 years since the last "Twilight" movie. The "younger audience" that liked him in those movies ain't that young anymore!

Oh, and Bale was 31 when "Batman Begins" hit screens, so younger than Pattison now.

FWIW, the "Twilight" series appealed to women of a wide variety of ages, not just teens...

 

I liked about the first 1.5 parts of those movies. The last half of the 2nd and the whole of the 3rd became a slog. Hopefully that was simply due to the material being stretched paper thin and that there's more to work with in a good Batman script.

 

Me and these two gentlemen have actually seen the film Good Time and saw that Robert Pattinson can act. Perhaps the rest of you might check that film out before deciding that he could never be Batman?

 

My brother's a huge Batman fan and he's not too happy with the casting of Pattinson. I've yet to learn his reasons, but being a fan I'm sure they're well thought out.

Me? I think he's a good choice - Pattinson certainly knows how to brood - and not an obvious one, either. Also, Pattinson can bring the necessary element of cray-cray to the role - Bruce Wayne's not exactly that well-adjusted pillar of society, after all. Much as I liked Bale, I leaned towards Keaton because he looked just nuts enough to NEED to be Batman, to say nothing of spending his vast fortune building Batmobiles and fighting criminals just slightly more nuts than himself.

My hope is Reeves and Co. don't waste time retelling Batman's origins - I doubt audiences need catching up - and instead, just get on with a cracking good adventure. Reeves (should HE be worried about the so-called "Superman curse"?) is a solid filmmaker and spun gold from straw with the first two Planet of the Apes prequels. Now that DC's figured out how to make superhero movies fun again, maybe The Batman will be more of a crowdpleaser than the post-Nolan Batman movies.