Rumors abounded, theories were spawned and fans nervously waited for anything official to be reported. Well, here we are. Robert Pattinson, the actor best known for his role as Edward in the Twilight series, has been officially cast as the newest incarnation of the Caped Crusader in Matt Reeves’ The Batman.
According to Deadline, both Pattinson and Nicholas Hoult were the frontrunners for the part, with Reeves preferring Pattinson for the part. It looks like the director won out because Warner Bros is now set to start negotiations for the actor’s role and pay.
People have been torn on these rumors, now made into fact. Many point to Pattinson’s turn in Twilight as proof that he would be a poor fit for the nuanced role of millionaire-vigilante. Others argue that Pattinson would work as a younger Batman, one still trying to figure himself out, which is what the film is going for. “It’s very much a point of view-driven, noir Batman tale. It’s told very squarely on his shoulders, and I hope it’s going to be a story that will be thrilling but also emotional…it’s going to allow his character to have an arc so that he can go through a transformation,” Reeves told The Hollywood Reporter about the upcoming film’s style and plot structure.
Others have pointed out that when Heath Ledger was chosen to play the Joker in The Dark Knight, there was plenty of skepticism about whether he would be able to play to the character’s chaotic traits and we all know how that turned out. Still, only time will tell whether Pattinson will be counted among the good, the bad, or the weird Batmen. After all, it’s not like we haven’t seen some truly bad performances in the role before and somehow have made it through.
The Batman is currently set to premiere in theaters on June 25, 2021.