Reports have been arriving today that Robert Pattinson is unlikely to keep playing Batman after The Batman Part II if Matt Reeves is not part of the franchise. However, Pattinson has not said this himself, and the line is from reporter's own opinions rather than a quote from the actor. Reeves stepped away from the set in October for a family matter, but he said at the time that he was not leaving the film. Refer to the official post down below:
The Batman line is part of a longer column titled One James Bond Choice Makes Perfect Sense, in which Belloni argues that Pattinson is the most logical choice to play 007 in Bond 26.
What Was Written About Batman
Many have brought up Batman while addressing the idea of one actor playing both Bruce Wayne and James Bond. He wrote that "it would be weird and potentially cannibalistic for Batman and James Bond to be the same guy," but that The Batman Part II "may be Pattinson's last turn in the cape and cowl."
"Even before director Matt Reeves was temporarily replaced by Steven Soderbergh due to a personal issue, Reeves had fallen far behind on the project, which eventually pushed the release date to February 2028," Pucks Belloni wrote. "It's hard to believe that Skydance, and its new DC president, Jeremy Latcham, will go down that path again. Indulging a lengthy timeline on the company's number one franchise is probably not an option for the debt-laden Skydance. And without Reeves, Pattinson is unlikely to continue in the role, I'd guess."
Belloni did not cite a source for the Batman part of the column and framed it as his own read. Skydance announced on Monday that Latcham will become President and Chief Creative Officer of DC Studios on December 1, replacing James Gunn and Peter Safran, as covered in James Gunn And Peter Safran Exit DC Studios Amid Shakeup That Sees A Former MCU Executive Replace Them. Skydance has not announced any plans for a third film in Reeves's series.
We also covered some of this earlier today, with MarkCassidy writing about it on DCU Shakeup: Skydance Reportedly Wants The Batman Star Robert Pattinson To Stay On As The DCU's Dark Knight, in which Cassidy states, "If Pattinson does wind up landing the 007 role (we're still not sure if he's actually in the running or simply tested for the part), he will most likely hang up the cape and cowl one way or the other, but if not, there's every chance he could be convinced to stay on."
The Bond Reports
Last week, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Pattinson had screen tested for the role in London over the weekend of October 24, while filming The Batman Part II there. That report named Callum Turner, Jack Lowden and Josh O'Connor as others who tested, with Nicholas Hoult also in the mix. Amazon did not comment.
Belloni added new details today, citing 3 sources familiar with the dealmaking. According to his report, O'Connor and Lowden had to agree to 4 Bond films if chosen, while Pattinson brought his commitment down to 3 films and a much higher fee. Belloni also reported that former Bond producer Barbara Broccoli liked Pattinson for the role around the time No Time to Die was preparing to shoot, but lost interest once he was cast as Batman. He expects an announcement before Christmas, "barring hiccups." Amazon MGM has not announced its pick, and Denis Villeneuve is directing the film.
What Pattinson And Reeves Have Actually Said
Pattinson's most recent public comments on the sequel came in October, after Steven Soderbergh stepped in to finish principal photography. "I am so happy he's come on to help Matt," Pattinson told GamesRadar. "I think Matt had put so much work into the script, and we're almost done." Those comments are covered in The Batman 2 Star Robert Pattinson On "Incredibly Generous" Steven Soderbergh Stepping In To Finish Sequel. He has not spoken publicly about the Bond tests or about playing Batman beyond Part II.
Reeves wrote The Batman Part II with Mattson Tomlin. The cast includes Pattinson, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Colin Farrell, Andy Serkis, Jeffrey Wright, Charles Dance, Jayme Lawson, Gil Perez-Abraham, Sebastian Koch and Brian Tyree Henry, and the film is set for release in February 2028.
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