The DC live-action universe has had a fascinating tenure in theaters, and continues to surprise the generations of fans out there. While Warner Bros.' shared universe has hit its stride with blockbusters like Aquaman and Shazam!, there's been some interesting developments when it comes to the handling of the Caped Crusader.
Ben Affleck has officially retired from playing Bruce Wayne/ Batman, and Twilight alum Robert Pattinson recently landed the role for Matt Reeves' The Batman. It's a casting decision that has resulted in the full gamut of emotions from DC fans, but it appears that the casting process was actually quite quick-- especially for such an iconic superhero role.
According to THR, who has an insider on production for The Batman, Robert Pattinson's audition and eventual landing of the role was much quicker than usual. This makes a great deal of sense, as there's a ton of pressure in casting superheroes for the big screen. Marvel Studios famously saw tons of actors for Spider-Man, before landing on Tom Holland as the iconic web crawler.
Since Batman is perhaps the most popular DC character in history, one would expect Warner Bros. and The Batman's Matt Reeves to take their time finding the right actor to don the cape and cowl. But rumors about Robert Pattinson were followed quickly with an official confirmation by the director, so it seems like a pretty brief process from the outside. And this new report confirms that Gotham's Knight was found quickly.
Conversation about who might replace Ben Affleck as Batman in the DCEU began before he even dropped out of the role. After he backed away from both directing and starring in The Batman, it was clear that Matt Reeves was going to need to find new talent to make the developing blockbuster a reality. And Robert Pattinson reportedly wasn't the only actor considered for the role.
Related: Why Now Is The Best Time For Robert Pattinson's Batman
After the first rumors about Robert Pattinson's possible tenure as Batman hit the internet, it was also reported that X-Men actor Nicholas Hoult was Pattinson's main competition. They both reportedly tested for the role, with the Twilight alum winning out, and officially replacing Ben Affleck as the next live-action Bruce Wayne.
This breakneck pace might be in an attempt to get The Batman out in theaters at its current release date. The movie has been developing for quite some time, and it's set to arrive in theaters on June 25th, 2021. Matt Reeves will need to start assembling the cast and crew in order to make this a reality, as the script has been the main focus of the film's long gestation period.
With Robert Pattinson officially attached as Batman, it should be interesting to see what other actors join him. Quite a few performers have been campaigning to play some of Batman's rogues, including Josh Gad and Vanessa Hudgens. We'll just have to see if the movie ends up being the villain-heavy ensemble project that was rumored months sago.
The Batman will arrive in theaters on June 25th, 2021. The next installment in the DCEU is Birds of Prey on February 7th 2020. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
