Matt Reeves’ The Batman, the standalone Caped Crusader film that he took over from Ben Affleck, is moving forward by casting its Bruce Wayne. According to Variety, Twilight star Robert Pattinson is in negotiations to play the billionaire-turned-vigilante-thanks-to-trauma-and-bats.
Reeves, whose directing credits include Cloverfield, Let Me In, and War for the Planet of the Apes, will write and direct The Batman. He took over the project from Affleck in 2017, around the release of Justice League, at which point he and Affleck began discussing whether the actor would return for the solo film. When he decided not to, that freed up Reeves to cast someone new; Variety reports that he is currently still polishing the script during the casting process. The outlet also notes that Pattinson, 33, would be the second-youngest Batman, after 31-year-old Christian Bale in 2005’s Batman Begins.
Pattinson, who most recently starred in Claire Denis’ science fiction film High Life, is working with none other than Christopher Nolan on an action blockbuster whose details are under wraps. That project includes Elizabeth Debicki (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2) and will be released by Warner Bros. in July 2020.
While the talks are reportedly close to a conclusion, Deadline reports that Tolkien star Nicholas Hoult is also on the shortlist to play Batman.
The Batman is currently set for a June 25, 2021 release date.
Photo: Gage Skidmore (CC BY-SA 2.0)
