Having started his acting career at the tender age of five, Nicholas Hoult has since established a prosperous career in the Hollywood industry. From About a Boy to the upcoming installments of Mission: Impossible, the in-demand actor has remained busy for years. But that hasn’t stopped the X-Men: First Class alum from getting very candid about his disappointment in missing out on certain roles. A part he was particularly bummed out for being passed over for was that of The Batman in Matt Reeves’ 2022 crime thriller reimagining of the comic book character. But in a new interview, the actor explains why he wouldn’t have done "as good a job" behind the cowl as Robert Pattinson, and it makes a lot of sense.
During a recent interview, Nicholas Hoult revealed he had been passed over for a string of high-profile roles, including Batman, but in a subsequent interview with GQ España (via Variety), the actor made it clear that he remains content with his career. Hoult elaborated on the experience of losing out to Pattinson but expressed admiration for his portrayal of the iconic character. He also acknowledged that he may not have been the best fit for the caped crusader. He said:
I’m sure if you ask most people, they’ll tell you they’d want to portray that role. I think Matt Reeves’ ideas were fantastic, and he made a brilliant movie. And I also think that Rob [Pattinson] did an amazing job with the character, and I loved seeing him in it. So I don’t think I would have done as good a job as him ultimately. I don’t think I could have fit as well into the world that Matt created as Rob did.
Hoult’s graciousness in the face of disappointment speaks to his professionalism and dedication to his craft. He went on to explain that rejection, albeit painful, is a normal part of the industry and that he is particularly well suited for accepting rejection and usually appreciating the chosen actor’s performance. He continued:
When they tell you for the first time that it’s not you, it’s painful, but then you have to accept it as normality. I think that’s probably a strength of mine as an actor as well. I can accept that they didn’t cast me pretty well, and when I see the chosen actor doing a great job, and I enjoy it, and it’s good, I’m like, ‘oh yeah, they made the right choice. They knew what they were doing.’ So it’s not like I’m sitting there like, ‘Oh, I’m not going to watch it now.’ It’s a good movie and Rob is brilliant in it.
Hoult’s experience being passed over for the cape and cowl is another Hollywood “what if.” But under the direction of Matt Reeves and with Pattinson in the titular role, The Batman was a critical and financial success, earning $770 million at the worldwide box office and receiving high praise from critics. Cinemablend’s own Eric Eisenberg gave it almost a perfect five-star rating. The duo of Reeves and Pattinson is set to collaborate again on The Batman Part II, which is expected to begin filming in the fall. A spinoff series featuring Colin Farrell’s The Penguin–see the first teaser trailer here–is slated to debut on HBOMax (soon to be rebranded as Max) in 2024.
Nicholas Hoult’s optimistic outlook in the face of rejection reflects his exceptional talent and admirable character. Although he didn’t secure the role of Batman, Hoult is keeping himself occupied with plenty of high-profile projects such as the critically well-received horror-comedy film Renfield, which already landed on the 2023 new movie release scheduled, and several other noteworthy endeavors on the horizon.
