Two weeks ago, it was reported that Robert Pattinson has all but signed on to play the Caped Crusader in The Batman. We’ve said it many times on this site: Pattinson is a great choice for the character because post-Twilight, he’s morphed into one of the most underrated actors working today (The Rover, Good Time). But because of his work in Twilight, he remains a controversial choice among fans, which only adds another layer of intrigue to the casting, much like Heath Ledger and Michael Keaton did in their time.
However, now it looks like there’s a very real possibility that he might not be cast in the role at all. According to journalist Umberto Gonzalez of The Wrap and Heroic Hollywood, Nicholas Hoult is also one of the front runners to play The Dark Knight in Matt Reeves’ The Batman. In fact, both Pattinson and Hoult are screen testing for the role which will help Reeves and his team finalise their decision.
“BATMAN UPDATE: Robert Pattinson & Nicholas Hoult are screen testing for the role. I suspect they’re screen testing in the Batsuit because Wardrobe Department will need full wardrobe test. Additionally, the film will now start production in Q1 2020.”
BATMAN UPDATE: Robert Pattinson & Nicholas Hoult are screen testing for the role. I suspect they're screen testing in the Batsuit because Wardrobe Department will need full wardrobe test. Additionally, the film will now start production in Q1 2020.🦇 pic.twitter.com/eekafrqomL
— Umberto Gonzalez (@elmayimbe) May 30, 2019
Nicholas Hoult, who plays “younger” Beast in the X-Men franchise is a talented actor as well and I wouldn’t mind him cast as the titular character. Much like Pattinson, Hoult spends most of his time acting in smaller budget films where he’s given the room to stretch his performing range. He rarely disappoints, even in mediocre movies. However, Hoult’s definitely the much safer, less compelling choice of the two front runners.
We’ve got a long way to go before The Batman hits the big screens. It’s reported that the film will be released in June 2021, which is slightly more than two years away from now. According to Gonzalez, production will begin in the first quarter of 2020.
