Variety reports English actor Robert Pattinson has signed on to play a younger Bruce Wayne in director Matt Reeves’s upcoming The Batman. Pattinson succeeds Ben Affleck, who portrayed an older incarnation of the Caped Crusader in the DC Extended Universe films Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League.
Best known for his role as the vampire Edward Cullen in the Twilight films, Pattinson, 33, has largely performed in independent and art house movies, like Bel Ami and Good Time, since the series ended in 2012. According to Deadline, Pattinson was Reeves’s main choice for the part, but Warner Bros. were torn between him and Nicolas Hoult (who portrays the young Hank McCoy/Beast in Fox’s X-Men films), and only settled on him after a screen-test conducted yesterday.
The Batman is due to begin filming this summer, and will be released in theaters on June 25, 2021. Little is known about the plot or which other characters will be in the film, although Reeves told The Hollywood Reporter earlier this year, “You can’t have Batman without a villain. There will be a rogues gallery,” implying the presence of several classic villains.
Reeves and Pattinson have yet to comment on the casting. It is also unclear if Pattinson has signed a three-picture deal, as indicated by Deadline.
