Warner Bros. Casts Robert Pattinson As The Next Batman

Robert Pattinson isn’t exactly the first name that springs to mind when one thinks of the Dark Knight.

The former Twilight star has spent the past few years sinking his teeth into one complex role after another though – see The Lost City of Z or High Life, the futuristic sci-fi film for which he’s found much acclaim and praise from critics – and it seems Hollywood’s finally taking him seriously. That’s because according to Variety, Pattinson’s now signed on for Matt Reeves’ The Batman and will play the next version of the Caped Crusader, following Ben Affleck’s praised but troubled turn as the iconic DC hero.

The outlet notes that at only 32 years of age, Pattinson’s the youngest actor to bring Bruce Wayne to life, and it’ll be fascinating to see what him and Reeves come up with for what’s sure to be a fresh and exciting new vision of Batman. It’s expected that filming will get underway later this year, or in early 2020, so we should start to learn more about what’s being planned soon enough.

Of course, we can already hear the fanboys crying out that Pattinson looks far too baby-faced for the role, but it’s important to remember that The Batman will feature a younger and less experienced version of the Caped Crusader. It doing so, it’ll allow Warner Bros. to keep the Affleck appearances in DCEU continuity but also give them enough room to tell their own story.

That being said, it’s not exactly like audiences are hungry for another look at Bruce’s early years, as everything from Batman Begins to Gotham, to the Batman: Year One animated movie has given us just that. Hopefully, then, Matt Reeves can find a fun and unique way to spin his tale and bring us a solid Dark Knight film.

At the moment, The Batman is due to arrive in theaters on June 25th, 2021, and will be one of two big-name DC movies hitting cinemas in the summer of that year, given that WB also recently reserved a primetime slot for The Suicide Squad.