PA/AP/WarnerBrosThere were mixed reactions when it was revealed Robert Pattinson could be playing the next Batman, but like it or lump it because the actor has now been confirmed for the role.
After living the life of a vampire in Twilight and trying his hand at magic in Harry Potter, the 33-year-old is now stepping into a new form of fantasy world; that of superheroes and villains.
There’s still two years to go until The Batman will be released, but now the leading man is firmly in place alongside director Matt Reeves it will only be a matter of time before production gets underway.
GettyReeves, who previously directed the two Planet of the Apes sequels, took over directing duties on the project from Ben Affleck in January 2017.
The news of Pattinson’s new role was confirmed today (May 31), though it seems the creators really took it down to the wire when it came to choosing.
According to Deadline the Twilight star was a frontrunner, but he was up against Dark Pheonix’s Nicholas Hoult. The studio was reportedly torn between the two choices, and because the new face of the Dark Knight is such a big deal they decided to conduct screen tests yesterday to help them pick between the contenders.
Hoult was described as ‘impressive’, but Pattinson must have sparkled more than Edward in the sunlight because he managed to convince the creators he was the right man for the job.
The upcoming film is set to be the first of a trilogy from Reeves, which will follow Bruce Wayne during his formative years as Batman. Pattinson will be the second-youngest actor ever to play the superhero, after then 31-year-old Christian Bale, but the earlier timeline of the films called for an actor in his early 30s, making Pattinson perfect for the job.
Although many fans were pleased to hear the Remember Me star could be up for the role, others weren’t so impressed. Some were so infuriated, in fact, that they launched petitions to prevent the actor securing the role.
Warner Bros. StudiosNeedless to say, they weren’t successful.
However, the new trilogy will reportedly have nothing to do with the Batman brought to life by Affleck, meaning Pattinson will have chance to make the role his own and hopefully prove the haters wrong.
The Batman is set to be released in cinemas on June 25, 2021.
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Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.