Warner Bros can’t give up their DC Comics franchises for a minute. You know? They can’t just stop and reflect and let everyone take a breather for a few years. Warner Bros just keeps rebooting and trying to rebuild the once-great franchises which Zack Snyder mostly ran into the ground. It’s going to be at least five more years before I get over The Batfleck, but I won’t have that time. There are already plans to reboot the Batman franchise with Matt Reeves as director. But who will be the new Batfleck/Batman? Variety says Robert Pattinson is probably the guy?!?!
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.
Deadline reports that Nicholas Hoult was also on the Batman shortlist, but they confirm that Rob is the favorite, almost like the part is his if he wants it (and the money is right, I would assume). I’m trying to remember if anyone really thought Christian Bale would make a stellar Batman at the time of his casting. Bale was, at the time, known for his gritty dramatic work and not really stunt-heavy performances in blockbusters. But Bale worked because he already seemed like a dark and brooding guy. Neither Pattinson or Hoult seem particularly dark or brooding or capable of that kind of “sitting in Wayne Manor alone, plotting against one’s enemies and wearing a costume with bat-ears” thing. If they cast Rob – and I suspect it’s already happening – then my guess is that it will be YET ANOTHER origin story, like we don’t all know how Bruce Wayne became Batman, and we’ll see rob play Bruce Wayne as some angsty trust funder. Also, the idea of Rob having to go through stunt combat training is cracking me up. SPARKLY BATMAN OMG.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Backgrid.
Christian Bale worked as batman because they completely recreated the franchise. I think if Bale was playing batman a la Michael Keaton, or Val Kilmer, in a more cartoon-y version, it would not have gone over well. But making the movies into something darker and grittier worked for Bale.
I don’t know about Pattinson. I really cant decide.
From campy to gritty to sparkly. Might work.
It’s just been sooooooo overdone. He’s the 7th actor to play the role. I don’t even think it’s a bad choice, but it’s all such a yawn.
I hope he’s a fan and actually really wants to do it, because if he thought Twihards were bad? Oh lord he ain’t seen nothing yet. He steps one step off the party line and these fans will crucify him. Good luck I guess. 🤷♀️
I just hope he has a good script. I don’t think he is the perfect Batman but I think he could make something of the role.
Bale was also known as a terrific actor.
I like it. I’m in.
Good Time, Lost City of Z & Damsel showed Pattinson has a lot of range and can pretty much pull off anything.
Here’s hoping Reeves can take the Batman franchise back to solid, interesting movies.
Oh at @Kaiser, I don’t recall a lot of negative talk when Bale was cast, but I do recall fans were not happy at the time with Micheal Keaton casting.
And I definitely remember a lot of fans were up in arms when Heath Ledger was cast as the Joker.
My BF was downright angry over Heath Ledger’s casting but then when he saw the first trailer, he was all for it. 🙄
Maybe it will be the same with Rob but it seems so…random.
Yeah, I like it too. I think he’s got the depth, and I think he can be brooding. I guess we’ll see!
I think it’s pretty obvious that the hate he’s been getting is because he was in Twilight and has nothing to do with anything else.
Not for me no. Will be happy to be proven wrong though
My first instinct is to laugh my ass off, but honestly he’s not a bad actor so maybe it would work? I’ve been pleasantly surprised by his acting skills since twilight, hell even in twilight he was one of the only actors who wasn’t ridiculously bad, along with the guy who played Bella’s dad, he was adorable. Anyone is better than Ben fkng Affleck, but I agree we need a minute to breathe, DC needs to chill.
From vampire to “dressed up like a bat”?
not into this at all. but I don’t think he’s a good actor nor do I think he’s attractive, and I can’t really see him as being a tough fighter guy, so I wouldn’t say I’d ever be really excited to see him in anything. he seems like a nice guy though.
Same here. I don’t really get his appeal, and this seems like terrible casting.
They want the new version to be less superhero movie and more detective story, and Matt Reeves is a great director who never failed before, so maybe this new approach pans out well… also between Nolan’s and new Batman movie, what a career reboot…
Oh, WB. You had some wins with Aquaman and Shazam! (which is CBM of the year for me, so far). Why more Batman? And Sparkles as Bruce Wayne? Aw hell no. What’s next, Kristen Stewart as Catwoman?
By this point they should really give a break to Batman, let it rest together with Superman and invest in other heroes. DC has a nice list of female heroes, why not going that way for a while, Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel success is a proof people want movies with giros!
Yes! A live action Vixen movie would rock. Or a Hawkgirl film!
Was aquaman a success? I mean BvS was a commercial success but critical no. Same w A
Aquaman had 10 plots that couldn’t decide which way to go.
I’ll give them Wonder Woman and Shazam.
I loved the Christian Bale Batman trilogy. Loved. I’m not a comic book fan or anything. I didn’t watch Ben affleck’s. I would watch Rob as Batman! I think he would be interesting!
I think Nolan’s Batmanmovies pleased to the non comic fans like me . Like no fan of comics, I think Rob Pattinson’s casting is interesting
Same here. I never really read comics, but I’ve loved the Batman and Wonder Woman characters since I was a kid. I LOVED Nolan’s trilogy too.
I unfortunately watched Man of Steel, and Batman vs. Superman – my God, those are terrible films. TERRIBLE.
They really need to rest the character for a while.
I can see it. But why does he look like a hobo in that last pic?
Because he’s “arty” and “edgy” and not in the least pretentious.
I kind of like the idea of hobo Batman. Instead of living in Wayne Manor, his parents early deaths left him destitute, and he lives in a tent under an overpass and travels around Gotham by jumping subway turnstiles to hitch free rides on the trains…
Bwahahahahaha!!!!! Now THAT is a batman movie I would watch.
My imaginary story for Batman is that his parents’ murder in front of him broke him and he’s a totally lower middle class person who concocts this fantasy world in his head.
Batman is kind of a loser in my retelling, but far more sensible.
Also hard pass on Cedric Diggory as Batman. That’s where boy peaked.
He’s wearing Mugatu’s, Derelict collection.
I die! So on point! Comment of the week.
My thought was “OK, sure.” And I also realized I’m still waaaaaay over Batman. There’s so many interesting superheroes that haven’t been done yet. This one seems so tired to me.
I’m not surprised he’s doing it. No one cares about Twilight anymore so he needs some big hits if he wants to get funding for his weird indie stuff. And before his fans start coming at me about “critical acclaim”, the finance people don’t give a f**k about critical acclaim. If they feel he’s no longer selling enough he needs to play the game. Still, this will consume him for several years at least if WB has their way. Say goodbye to his interesting work for awhile.
I think I read a few months ago that Jack O’Connell was being considered and I think that actually could have worked since all his roles are super intense and angry, don’t know if he would have been good with “brooding” but maybe would have taken it in a different direction.
I was also glad since I really like most of the things he does and I wish he could break out in the US already. He’s definitely been trying.
Ooh, I like that casting idea. Loved Jack O’Connell in Godless and Skins. Agree it would be great to see him break out. Cook 4eva! (Honorable mention to Nicolas Hoult who was also in Skins (1st cast) and damn sexy in it.)
Cooook!! didn’t even watch the season after that I was so invested in season 2!
And yes Hoult was also great in his season. So many good actors came out of that show!
@Vv Sooo many good actors! I didn’t watch after the second cast either, but did you see the individual movies with Effy and Cook? Cook’s in particular was a good wrap-up for his story and character arc.
Ah, Skins!! I was trying to remember what I’d watched him in. Yeah, I think he’d be good for this. Don’t hate Pattinson either though.
@boz what’s this about an individual Cook movie?! I mean cos that’s my Friday sorted 🙂
@Vv You’re going to love this. There’s a “Season 7,” which basically consists of 3 feature-length movies. Episodes 1-2 are called Fire and feature Effy. 3-4 are Pure and feature Cassie. 5-6 are Rise and feature Cook. Weekend sorted, enjoy!
@boz just found it on Netflix thank you i love you!
@Vv Aww, shucks… Enjoy!
I hope they do a full-on camp version. A sparkly bat suit with nips à la Clooney. A new origin story somehow involving drag queens (maybe Shangela saves young Bruce from the shooting). Robin’s costume involves hot pants, also sparkly.
No. Rob’s a good actor, but he simply doesn’t have the physicality. Lainey used to call him “Tea Pouring Hands.” And he doesn’t look like he has the natural body type of someone who can build up significant muscle, unlike Bale or Affleck. He’s a lanky guy in the mode of Eddie Redmayne or Harry Styles. Oddly enough, I think he would have been an excellent Joker though.
I really wish they had gone with Jake Gyllenhaal, Jon Hamm, or not done the franchise at all. It’s going to be very hard to come even close to the Nolan movies with Christian Bale. It’s the same thing with Spiderman, the studios need to wait before retelling the same old stories.
Lainey used to annoy the stuffing out of me with Rob’s “tea pouring hands” and “childbearing hips.” I’m not interested in being reduced to my parts, so I’m not doing it to anybody else (especially for something they can’t help).
I’m really on the fence with this casting. Like, on the one hand, I think it’s SO bizarre and out of left field. On the other, I’m for it. They need to try new stuff. The super-buff, super-tortured stuff has been done to death.
Ew, I had not idea she said that about his hips. The hands thing I get—a reference to him being oh so very posh and lanky and how he fits the stereotype of a wealthy white British man—so does Eddie and Nicholas and arguably Benedict. The hips thing is over the line.
The thing is Batman doesn’t have special powers—so he needs to be imposing to physically fight. It’s part of the reason Atomic Blonde was so enjoyable, was because Charlize looked like she could hold her own kicking ass against various men. So this isn’t a great example, because WW does have special powers, but Rob as Batman is a bit like casting Mila Kunis as WW because WW is canonically physically a ripped, muscular figure. I’m not saying skinny (or short) people can’t fight but lbr—bigger, more muscular people have an advantage and tend to look more realistic kicking ass during fight scenes. Like I can’t see Rooney Mara doing Charlize Theron’s role in Atomic Blonde.
Then again, Gal Gadot looks like she has a similar, naturally skinny build and she was able to build up some good muscles so if Gal can do it Rob probably can do it, too.
I agree the tortured artist bit is done, but if they change it fanboys will revolt…frankly Batman itself has been done to death. WB needs to put both Batman and Superman out to pasture for a while imo.
I’m digging back in the file, but the tea pouring hands came about because she was literally mocking his delicate hands in some photo shoot or the other. I’m almost certain of it.
I get what you’re saying about Batman needing strength to compensate for his lack of super hero powers, but I really like the idea of a Batman who is strong and can fight, but who leans on his agility and wits more than brute strength. It would be different…but the fanboys would probably riot.
Gyllenhaal is with the MCU now. Unless his character is one and done, which I doubt, his contract likely prohibits work in the DC films.
Please no more Batman or Superman. They are churned out like I don’t know what. Every week there’s a new super movie.
@Div, Jon Hamm is pushing 50, they wanted much younger. Jake would be good but then again, he’s nearly 40. It’s a shame so many commenters feel the need to push the sparkling aspect of RP. That was a role he signed up for when he was barely 21, and lest we forget, acting roles do not reflect the actual person. Give him a break.
And the Infantilization of the cinema goer continues.
I dunno; I don’t hate the idea. I’m just pretending the Batfleck years never happened, so for me Batman’s been out of commission for a while. I like Rob and I’d be interested to see him in the role.
I’m kinda over these basic British actors. Just find an Unknown American and call it a day.
This guy has spoken at length about how much he hates America and Americans, but he’s happy to take millions of American dollars to act in trashy American movies. Doesn’t make much sense, to me.
Though I do not love Batfleck he was not horrible. I just cannot with Pattinson. Jesus Take The Wheel.
I don’t see it but hope to be proven wrong. Bale imo has been by far the best Batman.
I think he’ll pull it off. But I can’t think of a single reason why he would want to. I don’t think anyone can survive this role anymore without being ripped apart
Ew. This sounds about as appealing as Kristen Stewart as a Charlie’s Angel. And we get pictures with this article of him looking either dirty, stoned and everything in between.
No to scrawny Batman. Give us a break WB!
Recasting Michael Keaton as an older Batman might be interesting! He’s always my fave so I stan for him
Robert’s one of those people that if shot in the right light at the right angles he can be attractive, but he’s very awkward looking in everyday life. I also question his athleticism. He seems uncoordinated to me.
Rob is a much better actor than a lot of people give him credit for. I’m not sure I see him as Batman, purely because he seems to go for more arty stuff, but I’m willing to give him a chance. He might be able to pull off something very different with the role than we’ve seen before.
SparkleBat, BohoBat, Batinson…
But seriously, I’ll reserve judgment until the actual movie is filmed.
AAAHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
no
Why do they feel the need to make another Batman movie? Can’t they think of anything original?
All I got is that he can look fug at times.. oh wait, I also have no desire to see another tired retread of Batman… to quote frozen, Hollywood needs to let it go