Despite all the different kind of roles he’s taken over the years since The Twilight Saga ended, Robert Pattinson is still best known for his time as Edward Cullen. However, that’s likely going to change in two years time once the public has seen him starring in Matt Reeves’ The Batman as the eponymous protagonist. Director Bill Condon, who helmed the last two Twilight movies, thinks Pattinson is a great pick to play the Caped Crusader.
Bill Condon recently stopped by the ReelBlend podcast to plug his latest movie, The Good Liar, and when asked what he thinks about Robert Pattinson’s post-Twilight career and him taking on the Batman role, the filmmaker responded:
I think it’s all brilliant, including going back to The Batman. I think that’s great. Because he was so conflicted about it the first time it happened. He understood the opportunity that those movies gave him. But it was also frustrating and he had no comfort with the idea of being some kind of heartthrob. But I think now what’s so exciting is, look, the Batman as a superhero character has been interesting in movie, after movie, after movie. And I know he’s gonna do the same thing with it.
It’s no secret that for a time, Robert Pattinson didn’t look back fondly on his time in the Twilight franchise, which included him saying that he lost his sense of self while making the five movies. But earlier this year, it seemed like Pattinson was finally viewing the Twilight tales in a more positive light, and per Bill Condon’s above comment, he believes that the actor is more at peace with the kind of fame and status they brought.
Playing Edward Cullen for all those years certainly allowed Robert Pattinson to be more selective with his performing work, as the majority of things he’s acted in since The Twilight Saga ended have been independent and less flashier movies. That includes his 2019 filmography, and here’s what Bill Condon had to say about those resume entries:
It comes on the heels of, just this fall, between The King and The Lighthouse. It’s remarkable. The thing that I find exciting is he just seems to be getting better and better. And more than anything, committed.
From The King and The Lighthouse to earlier fare like Cosmopolis and Good Time, Robert Pattinson has certainly acted in a lot of unique movies this decade, and he’ll keep that going next year with Tenet and The Devil All the Time. But The Batman in 2021 will put him back in the biggest public spotlight, and Bill Condon is eager to see Pattinson put his own stamp on the iconic character.
You can listen to Bill Condon’s full ReelBlend interview below.
Robert Pattinson was first reported to be in consideration for The Batman in mid-May, and by the end of the month, his casting was confirmed. He’s already begun training and delving into the source material so he’s ready for when principal photography begins early next year. Pattinson will headline a cast that so far consists of Jeffrey Wright, Zoë Kravitz, Paul Dano, Andy Serkis and Jayme Lawson, with Colin Farrell also rumored to join.
We’ll see how Robert Pattinson does bring Gotham City’s shadowy protector to life when The Batman swoops into theaters on June 25, 2021. Keep track of what other DC Comics movies are coming down the pipeline with our handy guide, and keep a lookout for Bill Condon’s The Good Liar, which opens in theaters next Friday, November 22.
