The Real Reason Robert Pattinson Wanted To Play Batman

Warner Bros.' "The Batman" is a little over a month away from finally arriving in theaters after being delayed more than once because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic (per /Film). With that in mind, the advertising campaign has been in full swing as of late, including a recently released clip showing off Paul Dano's The Riddler character. It will also feature the debut of Robert Pattinson as the titular Bruce Wayne, aka Batman. Pattinson is the most recent actor in a long line of big-name stars to don the cape and cowl; versions of the character played by A-listers like Michael Keaton, Ben Affleck, and Christian Bale surely loom large.

In spite of some controversy surrounding Pattinson's casting as Batman, the role is arguably the biggest one that the actor has nabbed thus far in his career. While much has been said about why Pattinson was cast over the last few years, it's now the "Twilight" alum's turn to speak about the very specific reason for wanting to be cast in director Matt Reeves' take on the Dark Knight.

During a recent interview with Total Film (via GamesRadar), Robert Pattinson talked about his upcoming role as the title character in "The Batman," and the process of being cast. He opened up about the importance of the role, and how the part was highly sought after. "Obviously, it's basically the jewel in the crown of the parts you can really get as an actor," he said. "But I'd never really thought I was anywhere close to doing it, and especially with the other parts I was attracted to at the time."

Naturally, considering who else has played the role, Pattinson isn't far off when he calls landing a "Batman" movie the "jewel in the crown of parts." However, Pattinson also had an additional reason for wanting to play the Dark Knight. Apparently, the actor obsessively kept track of the role, which surprised his agents, who thought he was only interested in playing freak roles. In response, Pattinson exclaimed Batman "is a freak" to emphasize his deep interest in the character. Considering Bruce Wayne dresses up as a bat and fights crime at night, perhaps the newest movie Batman isn't too far from the truth.

"The Batman" arrives in theaters on March 4.