Robert Pattinson’s The Batman (2021) is one of the most highly anticipated movies in the world. But although the film has generated enormous pre-release hype, the history of its production is littered with roadblocks and challenges. We’re going to break down everything we know so far about the new Batman movie by looking at the film’s cast and crew, story details, and expected release date.
What We Know About The Batman So Far
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The Batman BTS
Behind the scenes of The Batman
Matt Reeves is directing this highly-anticipated reboot and his Twitter account is a treasure trove for The Batman content. Anybody looking for breaking information on The Batman should certainly check it out.
So far, Reeves has revealed some great information about The Batman — from set photos to screen-tests, and more. Let’s take a look at that Robert Pattinson screen-test first:
The Batman (2021) • First Look
Okay, it may not be a lot to go on, but at least it looks really cool. The red light creates an ominous, hellish style that’s been used to great effect from master filmmakers like Martin Scorsese and PT Anderson.
As for the costume, not a ton can be inferred. Ardent Batman fans have done everything possible to break down the screen-test frame by frame. It seems like Pattinson’s Batman costume is very much an amalgamation of parts from the Batman costumes of yore. We have seen more of the new Batsuit in behind the scenes set-photos.
The Batman Set Photos • Robert Pattinson Batman Batsuit
In this HQ photo from The Batman set, we see the Batsuit in further detail. In addition to the artillery themed gauntlets and batarangs, a visually subdued utility belt is shown. Batman is known to have gadgets hidden up his sleeves, and it appears that this costume is certainly suggesting that.
The Batsuit is just one iconic element in the production design of a Batman movie. Maybe even more recognizable is the Batmobile — Batman’s vehicle of choice.
The Batman 2021 • Batmobile
Matt Reeves shared this photo himself, which shows Batman standing next to the new Batmobile. The design of the vehicle is much more sleek than that of Christian Bale’s Batmobile in the Christopher Nolan trilogy.
Batman has more than just one vehicle though. This next set-photo shows the character on his signature Batcycle.
The Batman Set Photos • Robert Pattinson Batman Batcycle
Similar to the Batmobile, the Batcycle is much more slimmed down compared to Nolan’s version. It’s great to see Reeves’ go in a new direction with the character, and it will be exciting to see how Robert Pattinson fills into the role.
MATT REEVES BATMAN
Who is The Batman director?
Matt Reeves was chosen to replace Ben Affleck as the director of The Batman. Previously, he directed films like Cloverfield and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. In talking about his approach to directing The Batman, Reeves told The Hollywood Reporter:
It's very much a point of view-driven, noir Batman tale. It's told very squarely on his shoulders, and I hope it's going to be a story that will be thrilling but also emotional. It's more Batman in his detective mode than we've seen in the films. The comics have a history of that. He's supposed to be the world's greatest detective, and that's not necessarily been a part of what the movies have been.
— Matt Reeves
Robert Pattinson Batman
Who is the new Batman actor?
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard that Robert Pattinson was cast as the star of The Batman. Many know Pattinson from his time as Edward Cullen in Twilight, which was a breakthrough film for Pattinson, but it’s far from the actor’s best work.
Many wrote Pattinson off as an actor because of his association with Twilight, but that certainly wasn’t fair. Pattinson is a great actor, capable of delivering nuanced performances and has spent the last few years completely changing the trajectory of his career post-Twilight, illustrated perfectly in this video.
Robert Pattinson Has Reinvented Himself
In recent years, Pattinson has appeared in a variety of critically lauded films. His performance in the 2017, Safdie Brothers-directed Good Time earned him considerable praise from critics.
A year later, Pattinson starred in High Life, a slow-burn sci-fi thriller from renowned French director Claire Denis. By 2019, Pattinson had fully turned his career around. He went from being the outcast vampire actor from Twilight to one of the most sought after actors in Hollywood.
A Rogues' Gallery
Rounding out The Batman cast
Rumors have run rampant about what actors are going to appear in the new Batman movie, but now the major players have been confirmed. Here are the confirmed members of The Batman cast:
Paul Dano (Edward Nygma aka The Riddler)
It’s rumored that the role of the Riddler was initially offered to Jonah Hill, but contract disputes caused him to back out. Instead, Dano was cast and, based on his previous roles and impressive range, chances are good it will be a Riddler unlike any we've ever seen.
Colin Farrell (Oswald Cobblepot aka The Penguin)
Although Farrell may not seem like the obvious choice to play the stocky villain Oswald Cobblepot, he’s more than shown that he’s capable of digging into unexpected roles.
Zoë Kravitz (Selina Kyle aka Catwoman)
Kravitz is no stranger to the role of Catwoman — she voiced the character in The Lego Batman Movie, one of the best animated movies of all time. Now she’s set to reprise the role for the first time in live-action.
Jeffrey Wright (Police Commissioner Jim Gordon)
Commissioner Gordon is a major piece of almost any Batman story. Wright is set to be the first actor of color to portray the character. And if you've seen Wright's work, you know he's going to bring some gravitas to the role.
Andy Serkis (Alfred Pennyworth)
Serkis is perhaps most well known for his CGI work in The Lord of the Rings and the recent Planet of the Apes franchise reboot, but in The Batman, he’s going to trade in the motion capture suit for a tuxedo in the role of Bruce Wayne’s butler, Alfred.
John Turturro (Carmine Falcone)
Few actors in Hollywood are more prolific or dependable than the great John Turturro. He’s played the role of crime-boss Carmine Falcone before in the DCEU, and now he’s set to return in The Batman.
LOOKING FORWARD TO THE BATMAN 2021
The Batman release date
The Batman began shooting principal photography in January 2020 before being halted due to the coronavirus pandemic.
As of now, The Batman release date is scheduled for October 1, 2021. What was already a long wait just got longer.
So, what can we expect from The Batman? The production was shut down far before it was able to get going. But considering the talent behind the project, it seems like the best is still ahead.
Matt Reeves proved he was able to reboot popular franchises with the Planet of the Apes movies. Robert Pattinson has emerged an electrifying young star who may offer a Batman performance like no other.
The supporting cast is very strong — including multiple Academy Award nominees and prolific, respected actors. If one thing is certain, fans are ravenous to see what a Robert Pattinson Batman will look like.
UP NEXT
Who played the best Joker?
Apparently, we won't be getting another Joker in The Batman but that's probably for the best. We've seen many Jokers over the years, including some truly show-stopping performances from actors like Heath Ledger, Joaquin Phoenix and Jack Nicholson. But which one did it best? We ranked EVERY actor who has ever played the Crown Prince of Crime — from movies, video games, cartoons, and television.
Up Next: Best Joker Actors →
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