In recent months, there have been rumors and speculation circulating online on who the next actor would be to step up and take on the coveted role of "Batman" following Ben Affleck's three-movie run as the superhero. The rumored Batmen ranged from actors such as "The Lone Ranger's" Armie Hammer to the eventual front runner for the role, Robert Pattinson.
Pattinson is not the most fan-favored contender for "The Dark Knight" but has grown tremendously as an actor since his early days. The main hurdle that is preventing a large majority of the Batman fan base and casual audiences in general from accepting Pattinson as the next caped crusader is his role as the teenage vampire, Edward Cullen, in the critically divisive "Twilight" film series.
Though Pattinson did make his major film debut in "Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire" three years prior to "Twilight's" 2008 release, "Twilight" is what arguably made Robert a household name among individuals for better or worse. But the same could be said for the now fan-favorite Batman, Michael Keaton. Thirty years ago, Keaton was then famously known for his comedic roles in "Mr. Mom" and as the titular character in Tim Burton's "Beetlejuice".
Fans were outraged and extremely vocal that this actor most famous for his comedy would be cast, but Keaton surprisingly ended up blowing everyone away.
Whether it was with "Water for Elephants", "The Rover," or "Good Time", Pattison has made a name for himself in the independent film market as an actor capable of constantly defying expectations. There is no reason to think that Pattison will not bring that same kind of gravitas from the many indie films he has been a part of the role of Batman. Actors are picked because they are hired to defy expectations and portray certain roles before moving onto another.
The director of the latest "Batman" reboot Matt Reeves has proven with his previous films "Cloverfield", "Let Me In", and "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" that he can take established actors and put them in films where they are able to transform, with the dramatic material they are given.
Another factor that some fans are calling into question is the age of this Batman front runner. At age 33, Robert Pattinson is the youngest actor to throw on the cape and cowl, which goes hand-in-hand with the film revolving around a younger Bruce Wayne still learning the ropes of being a costumed crime fighter, though not another origin story.
Robert will obviously get the best personal trainers money can buy and bulk up in less than six months to get that superhero physique, but a younger Batman does not need to be the massive tank that Affleck was portraying.
People tend to look at select few actors in a certain light for years, limiting themselves from seeing what they are truly capable of doing. If a director as accomplished and well-versed in the Batman mythology as Matt Reeves sees his vision of "Batman" in Pattinson, then the fans should be at ease. "Batman" and superhero castings, in general, have become a case of not knowing what you want and ending up with an even better outcome (most of the time).
There will never be an actor cast as Batman that fans will not ridicule; it is a way of life. It is time for people to move on and evolve, just like Pattinson has.
