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In May 2019, Robert Pattinson landed the role of Bruce Wayne for the upcoming Matt Reeves-directed flick The Batman. This meant that he was taking the reigns from Ben Affleck who had played the role since 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Affleck — whose new movie The Way Back hits theaters on March 6 — hadn’t spoken publicly about the decision to pass the iconic role onto Pattinson. That changed during his latest press junket.

The Batman Robert Pattinson
‘The Batman’ star Robert Pattinson | Kimberly White/Getty Images

How Ben Affleck really feels about Robert Pattinson

Before Reeves opted to re-cast the titular role for The Batman, Affleck had actually written a script for a new Batman movie that would have seen the 47-year-old actor reprise the role. However, he explained to Jake’s Takes that after doing Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and The Justice League – plus his appearance in Suicide Squad – he lost his passion for the role.

“I kind of lost my passion for telling those stories,” explained Affleck. “I got interested in telling stories more like [The Way Back]. And it just seemed like, you know, very clear to me that if it’s not the most important thing in the world to you, you’re not going to make a very good movie. The movie deserves to be made by somebody who is dying to do it and can’t wait. And, that wasn’t me at the time, so I moved on.”

Affleck did mention the fact that Pattinson was now the new Batman, and the Oscar winner made it clear that he was a fan. Affleck said that the Twilight star is a “great actor,” and he thinks that Pattinson is “gonna be great” in The Batman.

Robert Pattinson fears the paparazzi

After his experience with the paparazzi and fan obsession during his time starring in the Twilight saga, Pattinson opted for much smaller roles in independent films. For the past decade, Pattinson has chosen challenging roles that allowed him to focus on his craft.

Pattinson reached a level of fame that very few actors achieve. It made sense that he wanted to lay low and avoid the spotlight after dealing with years of cameras following him everywhere he goes.

But in May 2019 he decided to sign on for what will most likely be a summer blockbuster when he accepted the title role in The Batman. This decision has once again put him back on the paparazzi’s radar, which is something Pattinson says he will never get used to.

“I have so many terror memories of the paparazzi… and I still don full-on protective armor, hood up, hat down,” said Pattinson.

The 33-year-old landed the role in The Batman after Reeves wrote a script about a younger Bruce Wayne who is just starting his double life as the caped crusader. Numerous reports claim that it will be more of a detective movie than an action flick. The expectation is that The Batman will be launching a new DC trilogy with Pattinson as Batman.

There will be no Robin for Pattinson’s Batman

Rumors swirled for months that Robin the Boy Wonder would make it to the big screen in The Batman. Last October, actor Timothee Chalamet’s name kept appearing in the Robin casting rumors.

However, new photos from the set indicate that Robin will not be part of The Batman, as the story is focused on the caped crusader during the early part of his career so it would be too soon for an apprentice like Robin.

https://twitter.com/CodeVeo/status/1234387423406252033

Leaked pics from The Batman show Pattinson’s Batsuit is homemade armor, pieced together with visible stitching. The movie is reportedly starting when Bruce Wayne has only been Batman for two years.

In addition to the basic Batsuit, there’s a chance that the story is taking place so early in Bruce Wayne’s vigilante career that he might not have a Batmobile yet. The younger Batman just isn’t ready for Robin, unlike Affleck’s Batman who would have been ready for a sidekick.

The Batman is scheduled to open in theaters on June 25, 2021.

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