Robert Pattinson’s ‘The Batman’ Casting Was ‘Quicker Than Normal’

Robert Pattinson’s casting as the Caped Crusader in Matt Reeves’ The Batman was “quicker” than normal, according to a report by The Hollywood Reporter.

Warner Bros. officially approved Robert Pattinson for the titular role of Matt Reeves’ The Batman last month following screen tests with the former Twilight star, ending months of speculating following Ben Affleck’s official departure from the DC Extended Universe. While casting for most superhero lead roles often involves extensive searching and several screen tests, a Warner Bros. insider reportedly informed The Hollywood Reporter that Robert Pattinson’s process for The Batman was relatively fast:

“It was quick. Quicker than normal.”

Writer and director Matt Reeves, who was hired to helm the new Batman film in February 2017, reportedly considered Robert Pattinson early in the process but did not reach out to the actor at that point. The filmmaker is said to have spent hours viewing the work of Robert Pattinson and Nicholas Hoult, his only rival for the role, before meeting with both actors in April.

Robert Pattinson’s roles in positively reviewed independent films, including Good Time and Maps to the Stars, were part of the reason Matt Reeves kept returning to the idea of casting him as Batman when considering his options. Furthermore, Matt Reeves and Warner Bros. were also reportedly interested in Robert Pattinson for the role of Batman partly due to his penchant for avoiding studio franchise films, specifically a Marvel Studios project, since his time with the Twilight film series.

Plot details for The Batman are currently under wraps, though the film will center around a younger Bruce Wayne and features a Rogues’ Gallery of villains that reportedly includes Catwoman. The Matt Reeves film will follow Batman during his formative years as Gotham City’s protector and will make use of the Dark Knight’s detective skills to a greater extent than previous DC Films. The film is expected to be the first chapter in a new trilogy with Robert Pattinson as the Caped Crusader.

Matt Reeves’ The Batman is one of the many projects currently being developed by Warner Bros. and DC. These projects include The Flash standalone film, Green Lantern Corps, Black Adam, Cyborg, Supergirl, New Gods, and Nightwing.

The Batman will be released in theaters on June 25, 2021. Stay tuned for more updates.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter