Robert Pattinson won’t be the only new face in Gotham City come 2021. Far from it, in fact, as the casting of the Caped Crusader in DC’s upcoming The Batman will apparently be the first of many onscreen changes.
The 33-year-old Twilight star is replacing Academy Award winner Ben Affleck in the titular role. Fellow Oscar champs Jeremy Irons and J.K. Simmons are also reportedly out as Alfred and Jim Gordon, respectively. Both actors starred in Justice League together, with the former additionally appearing in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice.
It’s currently unknown who will succeed Simmons as Gotham’s commissioner, but Academy Award nominee Richard E. Grant is allegedly rumored to be Bruce Wayne’s next butler. High School Musical alum Vanessa Hudgens may also be joining the cast as Catwoman. Josh Gad is eager to join in on the fun as well and has tossed his hat in the ring to play the Penguin, though others suspect the role will ultimately go to Jonah Hill. The rotund villain is already confirmed to be the main antagonist of The Batman.
This, of course, is all speculation. The only certainty is that the cast of the previous Gotham City films will not be back. Warner Bros. will, however, try to link the upcoming movie to the rest of the DCEU with some well-placed Easter eggs. What this means exactly remains to be seen, but fans will want to keep a lookout for any potential hidden details that could connect to the rest of the universe.
As of today, Pattinson still hasn’t even been announced as the new Batman, though the two sides are reportedly close to a deal. With more news and rumors continuing to leak, keep checking in for the latest about The Batman, which will soar into theaters on June 25th, 2021.
