Robert Pattinson Answers the Bat-Call, Signs on to Star in ‘The Batman’

Robert Pattinson is making the full transition from vampire (ah, Twilight) to bat.

According to Variety, Warner Bros. announced the 33-year-old actor has officially signed on to play Batman in the upcoming film—wait for it—The Batman.

Now, Pattinson joins the ranks of Batman alums Christian Bale, Ben Affleck, George Clooney, Adam West, Michael Keaton and Val Kilmer. The Batman is an interesting choice for Pattinson, who has been digging his feet into trippy independent films like High Life and the gritty prison thriller, Good Time.

Preproduction on The Batman is slated to begin this summer, but no official filming start date has been set. Why? Well, the film isn’t due out until 2021, so there’s still plenty of time for Pattinson to perfect his Batman voice and find his perfect Alfred Pennyworth.

Other than Pattinson, no further casting announcements have been made. (Might we suggest Kristen Stewart, aka Twilight’s Bella, for Catwoman to really make things confusing?) However, director Matt Reeves (Planet of the Apes sequels) has been tapped to helm the film. He will also produce alongside his Planet of the Apes colleague, Dylan Clark. Interestingly, former Batman Affleck was originally set to direct the film but bowed out this past January after admitting he couldn’t conceive a good take on the story.

The Batman hits theaters on June 25, 2021, meaning there’s some waiting to do until we get to see Pattinson’s portrayal of the Caped Crusader.