The Drastic Measures Robert Pattinson Took To Get In Shape For The Batman

The character of Bruce Wayne aka Batman has been played in a variety of ways over the years by a wide array of actors, from Michael Keaton to Ben Affleck and the latest to don the batsuit, Robert Pattinson (though both Keaton and Affleck are returning to their respective versions of the role in the upcoming "Flash" movie). One element that connects all of the Batman performances across the growing number of iterations, though, is the amount of work lead actors must put into their physical looks before stepping into the legendary suit.

The physical standards for a Batman change from project to project, but the visual aesthetic has become more integral than ever, with every Batman now guaranteed at least one or two shirtless scenes displaying Bruce Wayne's obsession with remaining vigilant in mastering his body and mind to find Gotham's criminal underbelly. For "The Batman," pressure was on for the typically lean Pattinson, who has revealed that he took some fairly drastic measures to get in shape for the iconic role. 

In an interview with People, Robert Pattinson revealed he was "counting sips of water" ahead of shirtless scenes, just one part of a strict diet that helped him physically prepare for the superhero role in only three months. "You just cut down and cut down and cut down before the couple of scenes with your shirt off, and you're counting sips of water," the actor said. Cutting back to just sips of water is a strategy that can be used by bodybuilders and wrestlers trying to drop weight to make a certain weight class (per Muscle and Fitness). 

The 35-year-old Pattinson said "shame" was his biggest motivator in building his "Batman" body, and he was working out before and after work. The actor has said his diet was bland too, with the sight of plain fish causing him discomfort today. "I never want to see a piece of white fish with just lemon on it ever again," he told On Demand Entertainment, revealing boiled fish was a signature part of his meal plan. 

Next to his bland diet to portray the Caped Crusader, Robert Pattinson also had to undergo some fairly intense physical training. The actor said his routine included weight training, boxing drills, military sandbag drills, and three to six mile runs (via On Demand Entertainment).

"It's all about pushing boundaries and building up to a point where you know you can do justice to the physicality required," the actor said, adding that he drew inspiration from Marvel actors like Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Hemsworth. Pattinson's scheduled training included cardio to start and then a succession of exercises that sound fun to nobody, like bicycle crunches and dumbbell side-bends (per Men's Health).

The physical commitment from Pattinson is all the more impressive when you consider how non-athletic he was before the role, as he's admitted it would have taken something like a knife to get him to do some cardio before "The Batman" came along.

"A few years ago, I would have run a mile from anything with a physical edge," he said.

The actor appears to think it was all worth it — and not just because the film is being hailed by critics and currently stands at an 86% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. "People react to you differently, the crew reacts differently. Your entire world suddenly changes," Robert Pattinson told People about wearing the batsuit on set, later comparing it to "wearing a crown or something."

"It's funny because you read the script and you spend loads of time trying to figure out, 'How can I play this character who does these sort of audacious acts?'" he explained, revealing that fitting into the cowl and suit was essential to buying into the more extreme aspects to Bruce Wayne's vigilante alter-ego. "It's got an elemental power to it," Pattinson said of the costume.

His extensive workout measures and respect for the Batman myth may come as a comfort to some fans, as the actor has previously commented about not working out before "The Batman," which had some thinking he was not doing enough to prep for the iconic role. While "The Batman" production was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Pattinson said that working out was not a "high priority" for him, and those working out in quarantine were "part of the problem" (via GQ).

"You're playing Batman. You have to work out. I think I was doing the interview when I was in lockdown, as well, in England... I was in a lower gear of working out," Pattinson told MovieMaker in an update on his laid-back workout routine joke.