According to a report by The Hollywood Reporter, Robert Pattinson and Nicholas Hoult were the only serious contenders for the title role of Matt Reeves’ The Batman.
Late last month, it was reported Warner Bros. officially approved Robert Pattinson for the role of the Caped Crusader in Matt Reeves’ The Batman following costume tests between the former Twilight star and Nicholas Hoult. While a THR source familiar with Matt Reeves’ thinking says the filmmaker envisioned actors for the lead character while writing the script, Robert Pattinson and Nicholas Hoult were ultimately the only two contenders for the role of The Batman.
According to the report, Robert Pattinson and Nicholas Hoult both had a pre-negotiated deal in place that was ready to go in effect, pending the final decision after the screen tests. Matt Reeves and Warner Bros. executives reportedly considered both actors over the week following Memorial Day and had informed them of their decision by Thursday.
Former Bruce Wayne Ben Affleck was originally set to write and direct The Batman. He eventually stepped down and handed the duties to Matt Reeves, who’s been attached to the movie since February 2017. Nearly a year later, Ben Affleck revealed that he had decided to hang up the cape and cowl, allowing Reeves to look for a younger Batman.
Plot details for The Batman are currently under wraps, though the film will center around a younger Bruce Wayne and features a Rogues’ Gallery of villains that reportedly includes Catwoman. The Matt Reeves film will follow Batman during his formative years as Gotham City’s protector and will make use of the Dark Knight’s detective skills to a greater extent than previous DC Films. The film is expected to be the first chapter in a new trilogy with Robert Pattinson as the Caped Crusader.
Matt Reeves’ The Batman is one of the many projects currently being developed by Warner Bros. and DC. These projects include The Flash standalone film, Green Lantern Corps, Black Adam, Cyborg, Supergirl, New Gods, and Nightwing.
The Batman will be released in theaters on June 25, 2021.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
