Robert Pattinson Says Batman Is Not a Hero

Some comic book fans consider Batman to be one of the greatest superheroes of all time, but in the mind of The Batman star Robert Pattinson, he's not nearly the hero many people think he is. When it comes to big-screen adaptations, Batman has run the gamut of heroism, from the campier interpretation by Adam West to the relatively wholesome Michael Keaton incarnation, ultimately leading towards Ben Affleck's take on the character in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, in which both characters in the film and audiences criticized his brutality. Pattinson has recently made comments hinting that his version of the character won't shy away from that darkness.

"Batman's not a hero, though. He's a complicated character," Pattinson shared with The New York Times. "I don't think I could ever play a real hero—there's always got to be something a little bit wrong. I think it's because one of my eyes is smaller than the other one."

Recent years have seen a lot of drama not only with the DC Extended Universe, but specifically with the role of Batman. When Affleck first signed on to play the character, the actor was also planning on writing, directing, and starring in a solo film. Following the debut of Batman v Superman and its poor critical reviews, followed by the critical and financial disappointment of Justice League, rumors began to swirl that Affleck was leaving the role behind.

After first backing out of writing and directing, handing over duties to Matt Reeves, Affleck ultimately revealed that he would also be leaving the character behind, igniting speculation about who the next Batman would be. While first rumblings of Pattinson landed online claiming that he had scored the role, it wasn't officially confirmed for weeks.

Despite voicing his frustrations about the news leaking online, Pattinson could barely contain his excitement the first time he officially put on the Batsuit.

"It's maybe the craziest thing I've ever done in terms of movie stuff," Pattinson shared with Variety. "I put it on. I remember saying to Matt, 'It does feel quite transformative!' He was like, 'I would hope it does! You're literally in the Batsuit.'"

He continued, "You do feel very powerful immediately. And it's pretty astonishing, something that is incredibly difficult to get into, so the ritual of getting into it is pretty humiliating. You've got five people trying to shove you into something. Once you've got it on, it's like, 'Yeah, I feel strong, I feel tough, even though I had to have someone squeezing my butt cheeks into the legs.'"

The Batman is slated to hit theaters on on June 25, 2021.

What do you think of Pattinson's comments about the character? Let us know in the comments below!