Since Variety ignited the rumor about who would be the new Batman, the question was: Nicholas Hoult or Robert Pattinson? The latter always led the race and finally it has been so. The actor who rose to fame with the Twilight and Harry Potter sagas and who worked with directors of the stature of David Cronenberg, Werner Herzog and Francis Lawrence, was confirmed by Warner Bros. to embody the Caped Crusader in "The Batman" across three films, so we will have Pattinson for a while.
Official Confirmation
The news was confirmed by Deadline, after weeks that were lived with great intensity on social media, generating a rift between those who wanted to see Pattinson as Bruce Wayne and those who hated the idea. It is always difficult to think of someone suitable for such an important role, but we rely on the evidence: when the story is good, we look favorably upon whoever plays the Dark Knight. Let's recall the precedent of Heath Ledger, who was heavily criticized when it became known he would be The Joker and then what we all know happened, becoming the definitive Joker of this century.
The Other Finalist
The other big candidate was Nicholas Hoult, known for being Beast in the new X-Men and his unbridled performance as Nux in Mad Max: Fury Road. In these last days, Hoult and Pattinson were subjected to costume and script tests to decide who was the most suitable for the task.
A Younger Dark Knight
Robert Pattinson, at 33 years old, will be the second youngest Batman in history, after Christian Bale, who debuted in Nolan's saga at 31. While Michael Keaton did it at 38, Val Kilmer at 35, George Clooney at 36, and Ben Affleck at 43, being the oldest of this bunch.
Reeves' Vision
It was known that Matt Reeves (Planet of the Apes Saga), its director, wanted someone young to develop a Bruce Wayne in his formative stages as Batman and that could have been one of the several reasons why Affleck did not continue in the DCEU. Despite not having many details about Reeves' creation, what little we know is that Pattinson will be a more detective-like Batman with a noir tone.
Affleck's Exit
Let's briefly review what happened. Initially, Ben Affleck was in charge of the project, both in direction and in the leading role. His personal problems ended up weighing more than his love for Batsy, and little by little he was abandoning the project. First was the decision not to direct it and at that moment Matt Reeves enters. Then, through mutual agreement between the actor, the director, and the production company, Ben left his Batman suit.
The DCEU in Question
Something that is also a mystery is how this DCEU will continue after Affleck's departure. The Flash movie with Ezra Miller in the lead role has not yet been confirmed, and although Wonder Woman and Aquaman will have sequels, it will be an important moment to see how DC and Warner repair these situations.
It is true that there are still some issues to close, such as the terms of the contract, with which we will know Warner and DC's intentions about the continuity of this Batman and whether how it will be introduced into the Extended DC Universe, which started with Affleck.
Production and Release
"The Batman" will be produced by Reeves himself, in collaboration with Dylan Clark (Planet of The Apes saga). The shooting, which seemed to start before the end of the year, was finally confirmed for early 2020. The release date is still set for June 25, 2021.
