When Robert Pattinson took over the role of Batman from Ben Affleck, there were eruptions on social media. Initially, no one believed he could do justice to the part of the dark knight. But he proved everyone wrong with The Batman which hauled in $771 million at the global box office.
His iteration is very different from that of Christian Bale, Michael Keaton, as well as Ben Affleck. That’s of course by design since director Matt Reeves didn’t want his version to be similar in any way to the previous ones even though they are all portraying the same character. Of course, Pattinson was on board with that. But for his own reasons.
Why Robert Pattinson Loved Putting His Own Spin On Gotham’s Protector
In an interview with GQ, Robert Pattinson revealed that playing the dark knight after multiple famous and respected interactions was thrilling for him as it allowed him to figure out where in the legacy he fit. He said:
“I was thinking, it’s fun when more and more ground has been covered. Like, where is the gap?… And the puzzle of it becomes quite satisfying, to think: ‘Where’s my opening?’ And then also, it’s a legacy part, right? I like that.”
The Rover actor also elaborated on the enduring and flourishing legacy of Batman as a character. The actor stated that the anticipation from the public for his version did energize things for him and made the entire situation more interesting. He said:
“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 energizes 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 makes you a little kind of spicy.”
It looks like the thrill of public anticipation as well as pushback was riveting for The Lighthouse actor. However, Ben Affleck had no doubts about Pattinson’s ability to do the character justice.
When Ben Affleck Cheered On Robert Pattinson For Being The Next Batman
Initially, Ben Affleck was attached to a solo Batman film that was supposed to be set in the DCEU. However, the script went through multiple changes, and ultimately the actor decided to exit the project. But it wasn’t just because of all the changes. Affleck said:
“I showed somebody the Batman script. They said, ‘I think the script is good. I also think you’ll drink yourself to death if you go through what you just went through again.”
So when Robert Pattinson stepped into his role, Affleck was nothing but supportive of him, and the version he was going to portray. He said:
“I think Robert’s a great actor. He’s going to do great.”
Now, the Good Times actor has won hearts with his portrayal and will soon reprise his role again in The Batman 2. If Matt Reeves can continue his winning streak, his trilogy might rival that of Christopher Nolan’s.
The Batman is on HBO Max.
Source: GQ
