Robert Pattison has been cast to assume the long coveted role of the Caped Crusader in Matt Reeves upcoming The Batman which has also been confirmed as a new trilogy!
After much speculation and commentary from the peanut gallery, it has been officially revealed that actor Robert Pattison best known for his roles in the Harry Potter movies and his lead turn in “The Twilight Saga” will be assuming the cape and cowl of Gotham City’s defender in director Matt Reeves upcoming The Batman which is also confirmed will be a trilogy of films. The director was originally set to work on this feature with Ben Affleck who had been the most recent actor to step into the famous kevlar armor.
Reeves has been tooling away on the script for his interpretation of the Dark Knight’s mythology which he has promised will focus more on the character’s skills as a detective and an emerging vigilante, fighting crime in Gotham City. Affleck had expressed an interest in working with Reeves on this project, but the actor and the studio keep coming to odds with one another on creative and scheduling of the feature. Affleck has since let his contract lapse with the studio, and Warner Bros. decided that perhaps the tone for Reeves’ story would benefit from a fresher look.
The decision came down to casting the perfect new Bruce Wayne. The film will follow the earlier career of The Batman, with all the bruises, mistakes and mishaps that will undoubtedly come from become the Dark Knight. Pattison’s name had been on a short list of actors considered for the part, and now it can be confirmed that the young leading man will indeed be moving into the manor and inhabiting the Batcave. Pattison had been screen testing for the part, and one would assume that would have included the actor stepping into the suit and cape.
He must have impressed the lot of executives at Warner Bros. which also announced that Reeves’ films would be a trilogy and Pattison would be its star. Another actor that had been batted around to assume the role was Nicolas Hoult who will soon be appearing in X-Men: Dark Phoenix reprising his role as Henry McCoy, The Beast. Now any assumptions that Pattison’s Batman will be connected to Affleck’s hero who moved on to join the Justice League, can be put to rest. The studio confirmed this is a fresh new take, not restrained to previously established continuity.
Affleck portrayed billionaire Bruce Wayne aka Batman for the recent series of “extended cinematic universe” feature films which culminated in the team movie Justice League. Although the film had a modest box office take-home, the reception among fans was less than stellar. Most agreed that the actor had done a wonderful job inheriting the role for director Zack Snyder’s darker and moodier take on the character, but Warner Bros. perhaps after losing Henry Cavill who has starred opposite Affleck as Superman, decided it was time for a “reboot”.
With the exception of Gal Gadot and Jason Mamoa, who will both reprise their roles in upcoming sequels of Wonder Woman and Aquaman the remaining members of the Justice League have also allowed their contracts to lax which frees the studio to recast the roles of Cyborg and The Flash for any future big screen films. Certainly the announcement of Pattison’s casting and Reeves’ new trilogy will take center stage at this year’s upcoming San Diego Comic-Con event. Fans will be anxiously awaiting the formal introduction of the pair at the infamous venue stages.
The Batman starring Robert Pattison and directed by Matt Reeves will be the first in a new trilogy of films based on the DC character and is set to hit theaters on June 25, 2021.