Robert Pattinson, star of the upcoming film The Batman, expresses his concerns about stepping into the role George Clooney still gets criticized for to this day. Of course, Pattinson is no stranger to portraying beloved characters since he embodied glittery vampire heartthrob Edward Cullen in the Twilight movies, but this is a bit different since there is a long list of actors who have taken on the Batman role, with various results.
For over half a century, many men have portrayed Bruce Wayne, a man so deeply disturbed by his childhood trauma he becomes a masked vigilante. The character has seen many iterations throughout the years. Although Batman's very first film appearance was in 1943, most will recall a resurgence in the character's popularity when Adam West provided the campiest version of Batman back in the 60s. By the late 80s, Batman was given a major overhaul when Michael Keaton took over the role for 1989's Batman and 1992's Batman Returns, giving the character a completely darker tone. That is, until Christian Bale took over for Batman Begins, The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises. There were a few other actors who donned the cape and cowl, including Val Kilmer (Batman Forever) and George Clooney (Batman & Robin), though the latter's performance was not well received by fans. Now, Pattinson is next up to take over the character in 2021's The Batman and he hasn't been exempt from the initial criticism that follows any major superhero casting. Yet, Pattinson is up for the challenge.
In an interview with GQ, Pattinson discussed how he's been preparing for his Batman debut. Much like Clooney, he has a few concerns about stepping into the role, but instead of allowing that fear to deter him from giving his all, Pattinson has decided to take cues from all the different versions of the character.
I was thinking, it’s fun when more and more ground has been covered. Like, where is the gap? You’ve seen this sort of lighter version, you’ve seen a kind of jaded version, a kind of more animalistic version. And the puzzle of it becomes quite satisfying, to think: Where’s my opening? And also, do I have anything inside me which would work if I could do it? And then also, it’s a legacy part, right? I like that.
Pattinson specifically names another inspiring moment during his GQ interview that gives further clues into what he wishes to bring to the table as Batman. He revealed that while watching a behind the scenes documentary of Batman & Robin, Clooney expressed his fear about not wanting to mess with Batman's legacy because the character has been portrayed in so many different ways. Of course, Clooney's version lives in infamy as one of the worst portrayals, with Ben Affleck's version not too far behind for some, which may have played a hand in him stepping down from the film in January 2019. Affleck's departure made way for Pattinson to accept the role a few months later in May.
Pattinson has a bit of time to reflect and review exactly how he wants to bring his own perspective to The Batman since production has been halted due to the worldwide coronavirus pandemic. And although its initial release was supposed to be next summer, the film, like so many others, has been pushed back. It's now set to release October 2021. But once The Batman premieres, fans will be ready to either welcome the new Batman with open arms or hoist up the bat signal once again to lobby for someone who will save the role from utter doom.
Source: GQ
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