Launching his career as a teenage heartthrob in the ‘Twilight’ film franchise, Rob Pattinson redefines what it means to be a caped crusader in his upcoming reprise of an iconic role…
Previously played by Ben Affleck and Christian Bale, the role of Batman has been inevitably redefined by the unconventional Pattison. Unlike the masked vigilante fans recognise, ‘The Batman’ debuts a tortured antihero, who seeks vengeance rather than protection for the city of Gotham. Billed as a film noir, Matt Reeves’ upcoming release focuses on the character as a detective. In his interview with Today, Pattison put it plainly that despite having a cape, “Batman’s not a superhero.”
Although he has starred in few big-name films since his teenage vampire heyday, this reprisal of character is the clearest reflection of the person Pattison has become after over a decade onscreen. He is odd, quirky and overwhelmingly trying to find himself. Actress Juliette Binoche describes his search for the truth in all facets of life as relentless. “That explains his need of going into different worlds” she said. Binoche is of course referring to the move towards independent films Pattison took after the ‘Twilight’ series ended.
In his interview with GQ earlier in the year , Pattison explained that although believed to be in part because of his alleged disdain towards the very franchise the launched his career, that the classic films fit seamlessly into the independent film world were simply “more his style”. Despite being “categorised” one way by Hollywood, he found that the only person who knew what he could and could not do, was him.
This anti-hero concept mirrors the eccentric style of Pattison, not just in his career, but in his persona too. Blurring the lines between protagonist and antagonist, Pattison’s history of acting in self-interest has caused serious critique of his work in the past, including many articles, ranking his films from worst to best. The evolution of his performance is undeniable, and in stepping back into the limelight of cinema, Pattison has proved his flexibility and range as an actor has no limit. Each role is singular, and significantly different to the previous, a quality that is seemingly impossible to achieve, however, he has.
Most actors would not be willing to style and shoot their own covers for major magazine GQ, however, this was another opportunity Pattison excelled at. Tasked with styling himself, as well as taking self-portraits – due to being in lockdown in London – he was able to channel the person he is still becoming, his inauthentic self. At 34, Pattison is markedly different from the 22-year-old that landed the part of brooding vampire, Edward Cullen, but ultimately; it started the journey to where he is today.
He is honest with the fact that he uses his psyche, as a roadmap for channelling the characters he plays. This results in the raw emotion he is able to then carry throughout his performance which gives him the power to bring any character to life.
Most recently, sources have confirmed that Pattison tested positive for COVID-19. This halted production of ‘The Batman’ which had recently resumed after suspending due to the virus in April. The Batman is now scheduled for release in late 2021. Despite these setbacks and only a third of the movie being shot, a trailer for the upcoming film has dropped, and eerily nods to the villain seeping from within the superhero.
Although his current works are emphatically not Twilight-esque, they support his reputation as a marvellous actor who truly can play any part, so long as he wants to.
Rob Pattinsons 5 Most Recent Flicks:
- The Devil All the Time (2020) available here
- Tenet (2020) – video on demand not available
- Waiting for the Barbarians (2019) available here
- The King (2019) available here
- The Lighthouse (2019) available here
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