While Robert Pattinson had officially been cast as the next cinematic Batman in Matt Reeves' eagerly anticipated film in May, the actor had been linked to the part long before he even auditioned. For Pattinson himself, these early casting rumors left him worried that studio executives may think twice.
Days before Pattinson was scheduled to begin filming his unknown role in Christopher Nolan's next film, Tenet, someone had prematurely leaked to the press that Pattinson was cast as the Caped Crusader. Upon learning this, the actor began to panic, fearing it could hurt his chances of landing the superhero role.
"When that thing leaked, I was fucking furious," Pattinson said in an interview with Variety. "Everyone was so upset. Everyone was panicking from my team. I sort of thought that had blown up the whole thing."
As Pattinson frantically Googled news surrounding the leak for an hour while in mid-flight to Cannes Film Festival for the world premiere The Lighthouse, a passenger near him introduced himself as Mission: Impossible filmmaker Christopher McQuarrie. As Pattinson filled him in on news of the leak, McQuarrie commiserated with the young actor, understanding his concerns. Fortunately, weeks after Cannes, Pattinson landed the part, with principal photography expected to begin by the end of the year.
The Batman is directed by Matt Reeves, who will also produce alongside Dylan Clark. While casting is still underway, the film is scheduled to be released on June 25, 2021.