Robert Pattinson
https://variety.com/2019/film/news/robert-pattinson-batman-matt-reeves-bruce-wayne-dc-comics-1203125473/
After I made a fool of myself the day of Affleck's casting, I will never not take the "wait and see" approach again with any Batman actor. Still this name isn't exactly exciting lol. Not that I am too sure of a name that would have excited me, because I am still disappointed we aren't going to get to see Affleck solo.
I've only seen him in Goodtime, and thought he was good in it. I know people will make fun of him for Twilight, but I honestly don't care, nor have I seen those movies. If Matt Reeves likes him, that's all that matters. I'm totally cool with it.
Bring it on! 8)
Not as good as I hoped.
Nowhere near as bad as I feared. Like, not even close. I'll keep my worst fears to myself. But the werewolf guy is miles ahead of most of the other choices that were getting tossed around.
Something else. I'm content to give the guy a chance. He's already successfully led his own franchise once. He's stable enough to handle the stresses of it.
He's done a lot of character-driven stuff and has shown he's more than just a pretty face.
All of this is to say that I'm more than willing to give him a chance.
I made my mind up about Pattison weeks ago and have wanted him to get the role ever since, so I'm glad things look to have turned out this way. To be completely honest I'll be disappointed if he doesn't get it now. It clicked in my mind really fast, from "WTF" to "actually... yeah...I see it." I first expressed interest in PatBat with this part of a post on February 11, 2019:
Quote from: The Dark Knight on Mon, 11 Feb 2019, 11:18
I'm on board with the alleged Robert Pattinson rumor making the rounds. Yes, you read correctly. And hear me out.
At first I was like I assume most people. Pattinson? That Twilight punk? What a joke, please don't be true!
But I let the idea sit with me for a while, and I'm warming to it. Why do you ask? Because on paper he actually seems to have a lot going for him. At 32 years of age he's a young man, which is exactly the point of Reeves' film - and he has the height. Much like Ben Affleck, who he actually kinda resembles as a younger version, I can envision him navigating the playboy and business worlds quite easily.
Keaton was pigeonholed as Mr Mom, but he showed he could be more than that. Affleck proved people wrong as well. I think having a name actor of some degree does help somewhat as well.
So for these reasons, I wouldn't be ripping my hair out if he got the job.
(https://c.tribune.com.pk/2019/02/1906207-batman-1549618665-988-640x480.png)
All I posted then holds true for me now.
You'll get the Twilight jokes, especially early on after the announcement, but I don't think that matters much. From what I've seen I believe people are more receptive to his casting than you think. Pattison is known, but he's not a huge star, which I think is a good balance. There's still breathing room for him to surprise and grow into the role like the others did.
He looks like a young Bruce Wayne to me.
(https://www.batman-online.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi65.tinypic.com%2Fn13qzt.jpg&hash=d969750a1d13d373b5915575f85330e76080a6e2)
There's a lot of ignorance behind the casting of Edward Cullen as Batman. Other actors know how heavy it is to take this role and how it can affect their future. Affleck thought he was going to have his cake and eat it too with doing Oscar worthy material and be a tentpole franchise. However, he shot himself in the foot by saying previously how Daredevil was "embarrassing" for him to be in despite it giving him the opportunity of meeting his future wife (who divorced him) and that the studio ordered it changed from a R-rating to PG-13. He used his clout to have it done his way to ensure his satisfaction and everything fell on its face.
Now you've got a good director in Matt Reeves who's given a daunting task of delivering a new Batman film with a company that's just throwing spaghetti on the wall and seeing if it sticks. Many of our preferred choices for the role are scared away from the controversy and the lack of differentiation from how this role has been played for the last decade. The bar has been set high after the Nolan films, which are still fresh in audiences' minds and some are wondering why Bake is still not in the role.
Pattinson knows he won't be getting a call from Marvel soon, so he figures he'll try anything to shake off Twilight from his image. Just hope he's ready for all of the criticisms about not contributing anything unique to the character's onscreen portrayal, which is the likely path this new film is gonna take. I've really enjoyed reading the thread about what all we'd like to see in this new Batman film, but it looks like none of that is going to show up with this take.
Reeves wants a more cerebral, character driven Batman with an emphasis on detective work. We've had elements of that in previous films, but has it been a big factor? No, it hasn't. More detective work has long been on fan wishlists, so I can't see people being wildly angry about that playing a more prominent role. The real ignorance is the idea Robert is only capable of being Edward Cullen, and that's all he's ever done. It's early days and Reeves is a good director, which goes a long way. If DC have a solid set of contained solo Batman films I wouldn't care about their strategies with other characters. It'd be irrelevant.
Can I copyright the name 'Battinson' before it becomes a meme or has someone already beaten me to it?
That was a meme/name the second it was announced. People were using it all last night.
Quote from: The Dark Knight on Fri, 17 May 2019, 12:47
Reeves wants a more cerebral, character driven Batman with an emphasis on detective work.
We've heard that kind of talk for years, but that mostly gets sidelined with the studio wanting something more straightforward. It would be nice for them to let the filmmakers off the leash and see what they can give us and hopefully not another Dark Knight clone. Going with Battison helps them drum up some publicity like when Keaton was cast. Problem is that Burton and Keaton has to prove what they were doing was not comedy. There's nothing really to prove here beside that they're doing another dark and serious Batman film.
As discussed in the other thread, why don't they try something we haven't seen attempted for a while and show Batman with Robin again. Don't do as cheaply as Batman & Robin and make it campfest, but something that evokes those 40's comics so that it doesn't feel like they're doing a pale imitation of what has been done for the last decade and a half. This casting is just a further reminder that not much of a risk is willing to be taken and we'll just have to wait until they try again.
I feel like Keaton fans already know the cycle of outrage that comes with a Batman announcement. Him and Affleck got the worst of it, but everyone's got a strong opinion on the subject. My generation experienced Twilight phenomenon firsthand, and that's probably where a lot of the strong reactions are from. Though I can't fault any cast/crew for trying to move on from that period. Clearly he's got something going for him if he made it this far in the auditions. I remember most fans were won over the second we saw Affleck's batsuit, so I'll eagerly await a similar reveal.
Quote from: Kamdan on Fri, 17 May 2019, 17:10
Quote from: The Dark Knight on Fri, 17 May 2019, 12:47
Reeves wants a more cerebral, character driven Batman with an emphasis on detective work.
We've heard that kind of talk for years, but that mostly gets sidelined with the studio wanting something more straightforward. It would be nice for them to let the filmmakers off the leash and see what they can give us and hopefully not another Dark Knight clone. Going with Battison helps them drum up some publicity like when Keaton was cast. Problem is that Burton and Keaton has to prove what they were doing was not comedy. There's nothing really to prove here beside that they're doing another dark and serious Batman film.
As discussed in the other thread, why don't they try something we haven't seen attempted for a while and show Batman with Robin again. Don't do as cheaply as Batman & Robin and make it campfest, but something that evokes those 40's comics so that it doesn't feel like they're doing a pale imitation of what has been done for the last decade and a half. This casting is just a further reminder that not much of a risk is willing to be taken and we'll just have to wait until they try again.
I've seen a fair amount of whining from the usual sources that Pattinson is a safe choice and doesn't break the mold in any meaningful way.
Whether anybody likes it or not, WB has to prove that they can make an entertaining Batman movie again. I can't fault them too much for wanting to play it safe. Pattinson is safe.
And to be clear, I have no problem with that. Can't wait for Battinson. Just saying that he
IS a safe choice and that's what WB wants, I think.
If I'm right about WB wanting this to be safe, I think Reeves had better be ready to sacrifice all or some of the detective story he wants to tell. I suspect Warners will insist on as commercial a film as possible.
Disclaimer: I'm not predicting anything and it's not like I have inside sources or whatever. Totally speculating here.
Quote from: Slash Man on Fri, 17 May 2019, 23:34
I feel like Keaton fans already know the cycle of outrage that comes with a Batman announcement. Him and Affleck got the worst of it, but everyone's got a strong opinion on the subject. My generation experienced Twilight phenomenon firsthand, and that's probably where a lot of the strong reactions are from. Though I can't fault any cast/crew for trying to move on from that period. Clearly he's got something going for him if he made it this far in the auditions. I remember most fans were won over the second we saw Affleck's batsuit, so I'll eagerly await a similar reveal.
Indeed. Being a 'safe' choice is a strange criticism when casting an iconic character. I'd say all of the Batman actors have been 'safe' and for the obvious reasons. The freakout over Affleck especially seems silly now when you consider he was always a good looking guy with a built frame. PatBat has the looks and something of a female following from what I gather. So what's the problem? I only see these things as positives. The freakouts aren't about their existing qualities but rather their past work - Mr Mom, Daredevil and Twilight. The complexity should always come from the script, and hopefully Reeves gets to hold on to that detective focus with a bunch of costumed villains, as indicated. PatBat would need to hit the gym, but Affleck and everyone else did that, so that's not a concern. Or a more lithe Batman may not be a bad thing.
I would say Bale was, by far, the "safest" of any Batman casting we've ever seen. The fans were asking for him before we even knew a new Batman movie was in development, and once it was announced, it was like universal praise. There was no pushback, at all. Definitely got crazy with Keaton and Affleck, though. People were not happy about that. I'm not seeing any major pushback with Pattinson. I'm actually seeing way more defense over him, but with no negative pushback....which is weird. It's like people were expecting the worst, and felt like they needed to preemptively defend the guy, even though I'm not seeing/hearing that much flak. People seem to be fine with it.
I can't wait to find out who the villains are, and then getting releases of the Batsuit, Batmobile, our first looks at Gotham, etc. Very exciting times ahead of us. I can't wait! I just hope we get a more stylized/fantastical Gotham, like Burton/Furst. It doesn't need to be as gothic, but something more stylized than the regular Chicago look that Nolan gave us.
Also, crossing my fingers for a Neal Adams style suit, with them bringing the oval back. I doubt we'll get it, I even think we may go back to an all black suit(I hope not), but it would be so cool to get a blue and grey suit with the oval.
Quote from: Travesty on Sat, 18 May 2019, 03:37
I'm not seeing any major pushback with Pattinson. I'm actually seeing way more defense over him, but with no negative pushback....which is weird. It's like people were expecting the worst, and felt like they needed to preemptively defend the guy, even though I'm not seeing/hearing that much flak. People seem to be fine with it.
I agree, Trav. I also think people have learned to wait and see. As the Batman Online Twitter says, bring it on.
Quote from: Travesty on Sat, 18 May 2019, 03:37
I can't wait to find out who the villains are, and then getting releases of the Batsuit, Batmobile, our first looks at Gotham, etc. Very exciting times ahead of us. I can't wait! I just hope we get a more stylized/fantastical Gotham, like Burton/Furst. It doesn't need to be as gothic, but something more stylized than the regular Chicago look that Nolan gave us.
I'm curious to see if they push the idea this is a young Batfleck - meaning the location of the batcave, which was under the glasshouse in BvS. I'm guessing we'll have PatBat living in a version of Wayne Manor, and we'll just assume if we want, that this was before Batfleck let the place go into a state of disrepair years later.
As for the villains, I'm thinking the Penguin or maybe the Riddler could be possible.
Been hearing reports of the villains being The Penguin and Catwoman. Hope there has been more imagination put into it since we've seen that pairing already.
Quote from: The Dark Knight on Sat, 18 May 2019, 04:16
I'm curious to see if they push the idea this is a young Batfleck
I would actually be more intrigued with this movie if that actually turns out to be the case.
QuoteAs for the villains, I'm thinking the Penguin or maybe the Riddler could be possible.
In keeping with the DCEU continuity, Penguin would be the logical choice for a villain. He's already been alluded to by Alfred after all.
As for Pattison, I've literally seen nothing he's been in, so right now I'm basically apathetic with his casting. I understand he's improved over the years with indie movies, as opposed to the mainstream stuff he's overwhelmingly known for, so we'll see of course.
Quote from: The Dark Knight on Sat, 18 May 2019, 04:16I'm curious to see if they push the idea this is a young Batfleck - meaning the location of the batcave, which was under the glasshouse in BvS. I'm guessing we'll have PatBat living in a version of Wayne Manor, and we'll just assume if we want, that this was before Batfleck let the place go into a state of disrepair years later.
As for the villains, I'm thinking the Penguin or maybe the Riddler could be possible.
Rumor has it that the villains will include Penguin and Catwoman.
There are no definitive sources for that so take this information with as many grains of salt as you see fit.
Quote from: Kamdan on Sat, 18 May 2019, 12:05
Been hearing reports of the villains being The Penguin and Catwoman. Hope there has been more imagination put into it since we've seen that pairing already.
Hmm. Gotta admit I'd prefer a brand new villain pairing. However, running with this concept, you'd the have Penguin be completely different to Danny's incarnation, obviously. A gentleman of crime who operates from the Iceberg Lounge. And Catwoman presented as a genuine thief breaking into high security facilities. Michelle didn't do any of that, as it was all about blowing things up and getting revenge on Max. TDK Rises had elements of thievery, but it was so minimal to be forgettable.
So indeed, if Reeves goes the Catwoman route he has a TON of potential to show the comic character as we haven't really seen on the big screen before. And that also goes for Oswald. So while the pairing seems "oh, them again?", I could still manage to be interested. Especially if they cast Catwoman well.
Quote from: The Joker on Sat, 18 May 2019, 12:36
Quote from: The Dark Knight on Sat, 18 May 2019, 04:16
I'm curious to see if they push the idea this is a young Batfleck
I would actually be more intrigued with this movie if that actually turns out to be the case.
I'm guessing it will be a BF approach. Loose connections but essentially a new beginning.
I've only see him in those Twilight movies so I'm in no position to judge.
I remember that Christian Bale was my number one choice for BW/Batman before he was even officially cast due to his work on American Psycho.
But then I was hugely disappointed with the finished result in the Nolan trilogy.
I'm happy to take a wait and see approach.
I think the Telltale series would be an excellent model for Batpat because the games offer exactly what Reeves describes - a character driven approach with the story being experienced directly through Bruce Wayne.
We see what a day in the life of Bruce would be like: navigating the worlds of Wayne Enterprises, the social scene and of course the Gotham underbelly. With these worlds often colliding, making for wonderfully tense scenarios, as well as giving a cross section of everything that makes this character tick.
If anything from the past can be pointed to, I'd say businessman Kilmer noticing the signal while talking to Edward, and making a quick exit to the cave to suit up as Batman. Or later attending a party as a playboy and suiting up to appear in costume shortly after.
The Telltale series also puts a focus on investigation, with the tone being dark, fantastical but also edgy in the way it plays with certain tropes. The relationship with Gordon is a lot closer than what we've seen in the films, which is something I'd also be keen to see.
Overall I think the Telltale model is about giving us a deeper sense of connection to the hero. People say you just need a good chin to be Batman, and the role itself isn't really that interesting. I beg to differ. I do love the villains, and don't mind one bit that Batman has to share equal screen time with them at times – case in point DeVito or Hardy. But perhaps for a film that could be called THE BATMAN, we should see more of his life and daily routine than usual.
His secretive, dark personality is a huge drawcard. People love it, hence the whole 'because I'm Batman' meme. Action is requires and I do hope for good action, but the psychology and the presentation of the character itself is vitally important.
It's why Tobey worked so well as Peter Parker, and is still the best. We connected with him before the suit was even worn.
I liked S1 of the Telltale series, but S2 was way too much Bruce Wayne for me. And I'm hoping we get a more Batman focued movie this time. S2 of Telltale was probably 80% Bruce Wayne play, and it just kept going and going. It was just way too much Bruce Wayne. And that is actually one of my main gripes with TDKT: it's more of a Bruce Wayne trilogy than a Batman trilogy. I want the focus to be on Batman.
Quote from: Catwoman on Fri, 17 May 2019, 01:35
Robert Pattinson
https://variety.com/2019/film/news/robert-pattinson-batman-matt-reeves-bruce-wayne-dc-comics-1203125473/
After I made a fool of myself the day of Affleck's casting, I will never not take the "wait and see" approach again with any Batman actor. Still this name isn't exactly exciting lol. Not that I am too sure of a name that would have excited me, because I am still disappointed we aren't going to get to see Affleck solo.
I feel the same way, I'm giving him a chance but I really wish Affleck had a solo film.
While promoting War For the Planet of the Apes back in 2017, Reeves said Affleck was going to return.
https://youtu.be/XBR8vQBoupU
Nearly two years later, and instead, we get this this recasting bullsh*t, and from what I hear, it's yet another reboot. ::)
Warner Butchers can shove this movie up their ass. And that's all I have to say on the matter.
(https://media1.giphy.com/media/l0ExfNW7JGrk9lezC/giphy.gif)
That sucks to hear. I'm excited for it.
Glad to hear the deal is officially sealed. I would've been disappointed if Pat was passed over for Hoult.
(https://www.batman-online.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi65.tinypic.com%2F2l95wg2.jpg&hash=eb21ce822f4c44062d5238b7419202c3919a2f42)
Great choice for a younger Batman.
Quote from: Travesty on Fri, 31 May 2019, 20:04
I'm excited for it.
Same. Keaton, Kilmer and Clooney in the space of six years...the show goes on.
I reiterate everything I said before about Pattinson. There are tons of worse choices out there. And frankly, there are probably not very many better ones.
This is a casting decision I can live with.
One thing that works for me is the detective angle. I would love for Reeves to really play up that element of the character since audiences haven't seen very much of that in live action.
Either way, I'm definitely interested in this movie now. Yes, Affleck would've been my preference but the role is definitely in good hands with Pattinson.
Quote from: thecolorsblend on Sat, 1 Jun 2019, 02:03
Either way, I'm definitely interested in this movie now. Yes, Affleck would've been my preference but the role is definitely in good hands with Pattinson.
Yep. BvS is excellent but the Affleck ship sailed, and I wrapped my head around that long ago.
I see your response to Reeves/Pattinson situation being reiterated by most people. I don't see furious rage being the norm, but rather a mix of wait and see curiosity or welcoming acceptance.
We're looking at a trilogy, and possibly half a dozen villains in the first film including Penguin and Catwoman.
A Hitchcockian influence is also likely based on this Reeves comment:
QuoteWhat I try to do, in an almost Hitchcockian sense, is use the camera and use the storytelling so that you become the character, and you emphasize with that point of view. And I think there's a chance to do an almost noir-driven detective version of Batman that is point-of-view driven in a very, very powerful way, that will hopefully connect you to what's going on inside of his head and inside of his heart.
The inly movie I've ever seen Mr Pattinson appear in was Twilight. I don't remember much from his performance to be honest, I'll have ti see if he's made any films that appeal to me so that I can better evaluate his acting chops.
Rob has made some of his first official comments as the new Batman actor:
"Batman's not a hero, though. He's a complicated character. I don't think I could ever play a real hero — there's always got to be something a little bit wrong. I think it's because one of my eyes is smaller than the other one.
"It's a dope character. [Batman's] morality is a little bit off. He's not the golden boy, unlike almost every other comic-book character. There is a simplicity to his worldview, but where it sits is strange, which allows you to have more scope with the character."
I bet these comments get taken out of context. I don't see anything wrong with them. I agree Batman isn't a hero in the traditional sense. Gordon explained it succinctly at the end of TDK. He hates criminals but the something a little bit wrong with Batman is the fact he'll interrogate and play dirty. He'll keep secrets, brood and not always take care of his allies in an emotional sense. The obsession takes precedence.
https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a29509900/robert-pattinson-batman-movie-hero/
Those quotes indicate that he gets it, which is good. I'm really looking forward to seeing what he does with it.
A major part of the character's appeal - as opposed to, for example, Superman (or Adam West's Bright Knight) - is that he isn't inherently good and upstanding. He fights for the right things, but in a way that the morality police are not going to approve of. I'm not near as versed in Superman's battles, but what I've seen of him indicates to me that he doesn't want to hurt his foes and would rather they surrender peacefully and that there might be a touch of regret to injury inflicted (exacerbated by the fact that he's a, well, Super Man and is wary of throwing too much weight around, which I can certainly respect and appreciate). Batman on the other hand, I think we can all agree that when he hears the snap of some thug's humerus or tibia, it gives him a bit of life. And those of us that have always wished we could snap the bones of folks who prey upon or do harm to the innocent enjoy living vicariously through that.
Plus, simply put, it's a hell of a lot more interesting. I say that with no offense intended towards Superman or his fans, I love and admire what the character stands for. Batman's plight and fight are just a lot more compelling.
Michael Giacchino has confirmed he's doing the score, as expected given his connection to Reeves.
Pattinson spoke about the batsuit too:
(https://i.imgur.com/S3OsJ6A_d.jpg?maxwidth=640&shape=thumb&fidelity=medium)
Doesn't sound like we're getting the white eye look.
I'm a lifelong Superman guy. For me, the entire appeal of Batman started with B89 and specifically came from the angle that Batman operates on a very different moral paradigm not only from Superman but different from most other people. Where Superman has an innate trustworthiness about him, Batman comes off as more dangerous.
If anything, this comment from Pattinson is a good indicator that he and others involved with the film get it.
B89 really changed the equation cinematically because it presented a man who lives alone in a mansion, with only an elderly butler for company. Adam West is my favorite Batman (for being so intelligent and likeable), but it makes the most sense for the character to be presented in a darker way when you consider his origins.
For the Pattinson universe I hold out hope we get a Robin. I really liked the dynamic Val Kilmer and Chris O'Donnell had in BF, and I think it's a shame that wasn't developed in further films before they introduced Batgirl. Batman as a mentor to a young man is something I'm eager to see again. There's rumors this may indeed happen, so fingers crossed. If they're looking to expand the new era it would make the most sense.
As for Batman's appeal, he excites people because he has so many components that other characters like Superman lack. Superman just flies around, which is cool. But Batman has a fleet of vehicles, with the car design always being of interest. The batcave is undoubtedly the most famous comic headquarters, and with it comes all the gadgets and secret entrances. There's something magical about walking down stairs into a comic shop for that very reason. The bat signal is also something not to be dismissed in term of iconography and old school mythicism.