Robert Pattinson Sets The Record Straight About That Cheeky Batman Work Out Joke

In terms of live-action superhero roles, few are more high-profile than the Dark Knight himself, Batman. For decades, actors have stepped up to take on the coveted part on screens big and small, putting their own unique spin on the DC Comics mainstay. For example, the late Adam West kept things campy, Michael Keaton dialed up the edginess, and Christian Bale took a more grounded approach. Robert Pattinson, who will don the cowl in director Matt Reeves' "The Batman," aims to follow in their footsteps and make the Caped Crusader entirely his own.

Residing in a new incarnation of Gotham City that hasn't appeared at the cinema as of yet, Pattinson's Batman has his work cut out for him. As if the sadistic Riddler (Paul Dano) and scheming Oswald "Penguin" Cobblepot (Colin Farrell) weren't enough to contend with, crime and corruption run rampant. In response, this young, vengeful version of Bruce Wayne uses his cape, car, and gadgets to strike fear into the hearts of Gotham's criminals and dispense his idea of justice. That may sound like most Batman renditions, but there's something especially ruthless and dark about Pattinson's take.

To further deviate himself from most previous Batman actors, Robert Pattinson once joked that he underwent quite the unconventional workout routine to prepare for the role — comments he recently elaborated on.

In May of 2020, Robert Pattinson made the bold claim that he didn't spend much time in the gym to prepare for "The Batman." "I think if you're working out all the time, you're part of the problem," he told GQ (via Insider), adding that strict meal prep and excessive exercise can "set a precedent." He concluded his comments by admitting he was "barely doing anything" to get into Batman shape, thus drawing all kinds of responses from the DC fandom. Some, like Twitter user @xiosan68, felt he displayed a lack of commitment to the character, while others found Pattinson's revelation amusing and even encouraging.

"'Robert Pattinson refuses to workout for Batman' is the official mood for 2020," wrote @aanaibm on Twitter at the time, highlighting just how relatable Pattinson's supposed lack of workout routine was as the COVID-19 pandemic began. @NikkiBhatoe took his approach to heart, tweeting, "We love a body positive icon. I'm sick of actors being praised for overexhorting themselves. Prioritising your well-being is prioritising your health." Though many got a kick out of Pattinson's words, apparently, they caused him more than a few headaches shortly after, as he told MovieMaker in January of 2022 (via Variety).

"That really came back to haunt me...I just always think it's really embarrassing to talk about how you're working out," he said, noting, "You're playing Batman. You have to work out." Pattinson mentions that his jests from May of 2020 have stuck with him and that it'll likely remain that way for some time. Nevertheless, some of his workout for "The Batman" has since made its way to the public, so hopefully, now people realize that he has indeed put in the work to become the silver screen's next Dark Knight.