Robert Pattinson Reveals Why He Decided to Take on The Batman

Nearly eight years since Robert Pattinson starred in his last big-budget film for The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 in 2012, the British actor has finally re-entered the limelight as he is officially set to portray the iconic role of Bruce Wayne/ the Dark Knight in Matt Reeves’ highly-anticipated The Batman. This project will be Pattinson’s newest high-profile project after years of starring in independent films such as Good Time and The Lighthouse which had earned him critical-acclaimed.

In a recent interview with GQ, when asked about what made him take on such a big and daunting role like Batman, Pattinson revealed that although the character has already been portrayed by so many actors now, he was still intrigued and drawn to the challenge of finding a new way to make another different version of the famous caped crusader.

“What are the reasons not to do it? I kind of like the fact that not only are there very, very, very well-done versions of the character which seem pretty definitive, but I was thinking that there are multiple definitive playings of the character.” Pattinson explained. “It’s fun when more and more ground has been covered. Like, where is the gap? You’ve seen this sort of lighter version, you’ve seen a kind of jaded version, a kind of more animalistic version. And the puzzle of it becomes quite satisfying, to think: Where’s my opening? And also, do I have anything inside me which would work if I could do it?”

He also commented on the anticipation surrounding the project and his new version of the character. “There’s so few things in life where people passionately care about it before it’s even happened You can almost feel that pushback of anticipation, and so it kind of energises you a little bit. It’s different from when you’re doing a part and there’s a possibility that no one will even see it. Right? In some ways it’s, I don’t know…It makes you a little kind of spicy.”

When asked about why he decided to return to high-profile films, Pattinson responded honestly by revealing that he now wants something more secure for his career. He also revealed that he was indeed interested in doing blockbusters but wasn’t previously being considered in any of it because directors thought he didn’t take projects like those anymore.

“Just something which you could kind of rely on a little bit more,” Pattinson added. “The problem which I was finding was, however much I loved the movies I was doing, no one sees them. And so it’s kind of this frightening thing, ’cause I don’t know how viable this is for a career.… I don’t know how many people there actually are in the industry who are willing to back you without any commercial viability whatsoever.”

Starring alongside Robert Pattinson’s Batman/Bruce Wayne is Zoë Kravitz (Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, Mad Max: Fury Road) as Selina Kyle; Paul Dano (Love & Mercy, 12 Years a Slave) as Edward Nashton; Jeffrey Wright (the Hunger Games films) as the GCPD’s James Gordon; John Turturro (the Transformers films) as Carmine Falcone; Peter Sarsgaard (The Magnificent Seven, Black Mass) as Gotham D.A. Gil Colson; Jayme Lawson (Farewell Amor) as mayoral candidate Bella Reál; with Andy Serkis (the Planet of the Apes films, Black Panther) as Alfred; and Colin Farrell (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Dumbo) as Oswald Cobblepot. Twins Max and Charlie Carver have also joined the movie in “sizable roles.”

Plot details are still being kept under wraps but The Batman is reportedly set to explore the Dark Knight’s younger years with Reeves further hinting at the film’s connection to the iconic comic book story arc “Year One” by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli which was published in 1987.

Reeves and Dylan Clark (the Planet of the Apes films) are producing the film, with Simon Emanuel, Michael E. Uslan, Walter Hamada and Chantal Nong Vo serving as executive producers.

The Batman opens in theaters on October 1, 2021.

(Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)