Robert Pattinson already knows what it feels like to have your every move scrutinized by the media, having experienced both the highs and lows of instant fame after starring in the Twilight franchise a decade ago. Following the conclusion of the series, the actor made a conscious effort to stay away from mainstream Hollywood movies in an effort to rehabilitate his reputation and reinvent himself as a serious dramatic actor, something that he’s accomplished thanks to a series of critically-acclaimed performances in recent years.
However, when the 33 year-old finally decided to return to blockbuster territory, he did so in a huge way by taking starring roles in two of the most highly-anticipated movies in years. Not only is Pattinson receiving second billing in Christopher Nolan’s mysterious action thriller Tenet, but he’s also taking on one of the highest-profile gigs in the entire industry by suiting up to play the title character in The Batman.
It marks a far cry from his years spent working in low-budget independent movies to jump straight into back-to-back mega-budget summer blockbusters, and with set photos already leaking out from The Batman on an increasingly regular basis, it looks like Pattinson is going to have to get used to the press following his every move again, despite admitting in a recent interview that he still has plenty of bad memories associated with the paparazzi.
“I have so many terror memories of the paparazzi, and I still don full-on protective armor, hood up, hat down.”
Unfortunately for him, the one-two punch of Tenet and The Batman looks set to propel him towards a permanent residence near the top of the Hollywood A-list, and leading a comic book franchise as one of the most beloved characters in popular culture isn’t exactly going to keep the paparazzi off his back.