Robert Pattinson Responds to Backlash After Saying Batman's Not a Superhero

Actor Robert Pattinson was thrust into the spotlight once again with the news that he would be starring in The Batman from director Matt Reeves, yet another reimagining of the Caped Crusader and a hopeful launch of a brand new franchise in the DC Comics universe. But the former Twilight series star revealed that he has already made a lot of Batman fans upset after seemingly innocuous comments about why he wanted to play the character. So far, Pattinson's experience since even before his role was confirmed has led to intense scrutiny.

The actor jokingly apologized for his comments last year when he said Batman is not really a superhero, a quality that actually drew him to the role.

"I wasn't educated about the subject," Pattinson joked to Time Out. "People got very angry about it. It's bizarre. I still can't understand the argument. Okay, he's a superhero, I'm sorry! The next headline: 'Pattinson retracts: Batman is, in fact, a superhero. He takes it back.'"

Pattinson is acutely aware of the news cycle and obsession that comes with being a part of a superhero movie, especially when it's one of the most popular superheroes on the planet. And while he's going to be subjected to an intense level of scrutiny now that he's the new Bruce Wayne, the actor made it clear that he's not focusing on what people think now before the movie is even completed.

"I'm only worried about if people like it when it's done. Right now, people can think what they want," Pattinson explained.

Based on the comments from the filmmaker Reeves, The Batman could be unlike any other cinematic version of the character we've seen on screen. The director teased what fans could expect from the latest adventure with the Dark Knight, promising a detective story that will challenge the hero.

"It's very much a point of view-driven, noir Batman tale," Reeves said in an interview earlier this year. "It's told very squarely on his shoulders, and I hope it's going to be a story that will be thrilling but also emotional. It's more Batman in his detective mode than we've seen in the films. The comics have a history of that. He's supposed to be the world's greatest detective, and that's not necessarily been a part of what the movies have been. I'd love this to be one where when we go on that journey of tracking down the criminals and trying to solve a crime, it's going to allow his character to have an arc so that he can go through a transformation."

The Batman is scheduled to premiere in theaters on June 25, 2021.