(Photo: Getty Images) 
You probably know by now, Robert Pattinson is the next Batman. Actually, he’s “the” Batman, starring in director Matt Reeve’s The Batman, premiering on March 4.
Pattinson has talked about what to expect with this new version, and that it’s different from what you’ve seen before.
That alone is intriguing. Let’s go down memory lane with Pattinson and explore what got him here:
1. He was bit by the acting bug early on.

Pattinson has been acting since he was a tween, starting out in local theater. It took some courage for him to get up on stage, as he was advised against it. In an interview with Backstage, he describes that moment, saying, “My drama teacher said, ‘Don’t do it. It’s not for you.’”
We’re glad he turned down that advice and followed his instincts.
2. He describes himself as a shy person.

While he is a full-fledged movie star, he still has his shy moments. He talked to Digital Spy about feeling uneasy when doing interviews, saying, "I guess I am quite shy, and I also like to do things where I have a little time to think about what I'm saying first.” Admittedly, sometimes his words get him “into trouble.”
That makes perfect sense to us, the former and the latter.
3. His first on-screen role was in Vanity Fair.

In 2004, Pattinson made his feature film debut in Vanity Fair, opposite Reese Witherspoon. His role is listed as uncredited, but we do learn his name in the above clip. Witherspoon’s character is investigating, asking who the young man is. Answer: Rawdon Crawley.
Pattinson was 18 when stepping onto the big screen.
4. It didn’t take long for him to make it to the “big leagues.”

In 2005, we saw Pattinson in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire as Cedric Diggory. Sure, Harry, Hermione, and Ron were running the show, but Cedric held his own. Plus it makes us think of the expression, “He knows how to make an entrance,” except, he knew how to make an exit.
Pattinson starred in just the one HP movie. He was one and done.
5. He became a (reluctant) teen heartthrob. 

Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight novel published in 2005, kicking off the Saga series. When the movie adaptation came out in 2008, starring Pattinson as the eternal teen vampire Edward Cullen, it had a built-in following. There’s no such thing as an overnight success, but this is close to it.
Even so, he’s taken fame in stride. And, his fans have come to his defense, if he’s being disrespected.
6. He’s worked hard to branch out.

It seemed like Pattinson was on the path to being pigeonholed, but he went out of his way to take on roles that showed off his versatility. Since the HP and Twilight franchises, we’ve seen him in 2014’s dramedy Maps to the Stars, 2016’s adventure flick The Lost City of Z, and the 2019 art pic The Lighthouse.
In an interview with the AP, he said, “I think so much of life people are trying to put you in a box and define you all the time.” Not this guy.
7. He’s worked just as hard to balance work and personal life.

Like anyone in the public eye, Pattinson is set on keeping his private life private. In some cases, he may be considered polarizing, and he’s okay with that. In an interview with People magazine, he confirmed, “I want to be misunderstood.”  
It seems to him, the more he puts out there, the more people form opinions based on speculation.
8. He keeps people guessing.

In 2019, he starred in the black and white period drama The Lighthouse, opposite Willem Dafoe. It was a little bit of a head-scratcher, with fans possibly asking “Why?” And, his answer being, “I couldn’t say no,” reports The Guardian. He likes to surprise people, even the person he's acting opposite.
Here’s what we mean by that, in his words: “If I’m doing a scene and I see that the other actor is expecting me to do it the way I’m doing it, if I can just see that it hasn’t surprised them, I immediately feel stupid.”
9. He doesn't shy away from a complicated script. 

In 2020, Pattinson starred in Christopher Nolan’s Tenet. While extremely engaging, it was difficult to keep track of the time frame, who’s who, and who’s doing what. It was definitely a thinker and one that’s worth watching more than once, as it’s easy to miss something the first time around.
Even Pattinson went into filming without understanding the plot, as he discussed with Indie Wire.
10. He makes an iconic character his own.

We’ve seen multiple iterations of Batman. It can be trying to take on a role that viewers have already already seen before. For that matter, they may already have a favorite actor and portrayal in mind, proving it a challenge to gain their interest. But, as mentioned above, we can expect a new version of the Caped Crusader soon.
In an interview with Indie Wire, he says, “I kind of really like this idea of it's a little bit out of control.”
We are definitely itching to see Pattinson's Batman. What about you?