The Batman 2is less than two years away, but it seems Robert Pattinson already knows what he wants to do by the time the third—and probably final—movie in the would-be trilogy drops:hanging his boots.
The Batman 2, sequel to 2022’s $772 million crime thriller,The Batman,is billed for release in the fall of 2026 with directorMatt Reeves still penning the script, according to James Gunn. Although filming was “hoped” to commence next year, no official plans have been made. HBO’s limited crime series,The Penguin,has been able to temporarily fill the void, emerging as one of the best TV shows of the year, but the wait forThe Batman 2continues.
Reflecting on the course of his career in an interview withThe New York Times, Robert Pattinson expressed surprise at how far he’s come since landing his first gig in Hollywood.“Not in a million years did I think I’d still be doing this when I got my first job. I can’t believe this is still going,”he said.On his future in Reeves’ Batmanverse—preciselyThe Batmantrilogy—the 38-year-old Briton remarked with a touch of exhaustion:“I could genuinely be retiring by the end of them.”
Assuming thatThe Batman 3is released no later than 2029, three years afterThe Batman 2, Robert Pattinson would be 43 years old by then—still in the age range deemed suitable for playing the Caped Crusader or any major Hollywood middle-aged role. So, the actor’s comments could either mean what it is—that he’ll not only hang his cape and cowl but also his acting shoes in the next five or six years—or it could be a subtle hint that Reeves still has a plan or two for him before the conclusion of or post-The Batmantrilogy. On that note, it’s not difficult to imagine thatWarner Bros., tired of casting a new Bruce Wayneevery seven or so years, has noticed the interest in Reeves’ grim world and decided to flesh it out in more ways than so far announced. Thus, before the final film is released, Pattinson may feature in other spin-off projects as Gotham’s finest, explaining his sense of fatigue.
If the former is the case, and he indeed plans to retire, it shouldn’t come as a surprise for an actor who has a history of lying low. It would no doubt be a worthy conclusion to a two-decade-plus big screen career which started from having his scenes cut in the 2004 costume dramaVanity Fairand starring as Cedric Diggory in 2005’sHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fireto his evergreen role as the cold vampire Edward Cullen in theTwilight Sagafilms. Some might say 43 years is too ripe an age, especially for someone of his caliber, to bow out of the industry and many more would likely hope the actor hasn’t made up his mind. Fortunately for them,the time between now andThe Batman 3is wide enough for a mind change.
The Batman Part II
Cast
The Batman Part II is the sequel to Matt Reeve’s The Batman, released in 2022, and will continue where the original film left off. The film shares a universe with the HBO Max original Penguin series and sees the return of the Riddler and a different incarnation of the Joker.
