The director behind the Dark Knight Trilogy also directed Pattinson in 'Tenet.'
Christopher Nolan once gave us the hero Gotham deserves (if not the one it needed right then). Now, the filmmaker is ready to see where the character of Batman is taken next, especially since the latest iteration of the Caped Crusader is being played by his Tenet star, Robert Pattinson.
"One of the first things I learned when we went to talk to the DC guys before Batman Begins," Nolan told ET while promoting Tenet, "is the character of Batman thrives on reinterpretation." In Nolan's The Dark Knight trilogy, Batman became more of a dark and gritty antihero than traditional superhero.
Then, Ben Affleck took a turn as a burly and brooding Bruce Wayne in Batman v Superman and Justice League. Once he'd hung up the cape and cowl -- at least temporarily, as Affleck is set to make one final appearance as Batfleck -- Pattinson was tapped to give it a go in The Batman.
"Each generation creates its own version," Nolan mused. "That's what keeps the legend so sort of fresh in a way."
Our best look yet at Pattinson's Batman arrived during DC Fandome, previewing The Batman's Nolan-esque darkness but also its interpretation of Batman as both the world's greatest detective and a vengeful vigilante. Nolan didn't need to see the teaser trailer to be convinced of Pattinson's casting, though, having already seen him in action (literally) in Tenet.
"Having worked with Rob, I can say with total confidence that he can do absolutely anything he sets his mind to," Nolan concluded. "And I could not be more excited to see what he does with Batman."
Nolan's own Dark Knight, Christian Bale, echoed a similar sentiment when Pattinson's casting was first announced. "All the best to him! I think he's an absolutely fantastic actor," Bale told ET. "Wonderful choice for Batman!"
Tenet is in theaters Sept. 3, while The Batman opens Oct. 1, 2021.
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