Yesterday, Fandango’s Erik Davis and The Wrap’s Umberto Gonzalez chatted about WB cancelling The Batgirl last week, and what may be happening with Warner Bros and the DC Universe. Since people seemed to be worried about what might happen to The Batman 2, I thought I’d post the conversation below and this extract thanks to The Direct:

After addressing the cancelation of Batgirl and the general realignment of Warner Bros. Discovery’s DC strategy, Davis asked “Is [Robert] Pattinson the guy [to continue to be the DC’s Batman]?” despite director Matt Reeves’ expressed desire to “do a trilogy.”

Gonzalez answered, “Of course. Why wouldn’t they?” He went on to call the first film “a success,” saying he is “pretty sure that they’re going to let Reeves do his trilogy:”

Davis: “Is [Robert] Pattinson the guy [to continue to be the DC’s Batman]? That was an old regime move too, that first Batman movie. Really good, I loved it. A little divisive for some people, maybe not as accessible for some people. I know [Matt] Reeves wants to do a trilogy. We talked to Pattinson, he wants to do a trilogy. He wants to do a whole arc as Bruce Wayne. Do you think that they stay the course?”

Gonzalez: “Of course. Why wouldn’t they? The first movie was a success, so I’m pretty sure that they’re going to let Reeves do his trilogy. That Batman in that universe will continue going forward.”

WB knows what they have in The Batman universe and will seemingly make the right decision when it comes to moving forward with a sequel and its potential spin-offs. For those worried about The Batman 2 getting the ax, take a deep breath, it seems that Warner has seen the golden goose they have with this take on the character and will not touch it. 

“I would say unbiasedly, which people may not think I’m able to say, Robert Pattinson is probably the best person I’ve ever shot, so professional always on … he’s a fantastic actor and collaborator.”

You might remember the BTS video of Rob’s recent photoshoot with GQ (see below). In a recent podcast with “In Love with the Process”, Gina fangirled about working with Rob. You can listen to the podcast below – Gina talking about Rob starts at 42.32 – funny to hear Gina’s reaction to Rob, I mean she’s only human.

Thanks @Monsieur_HJ

This is a fabulous interview with Edward Ashton. They talk Bong Joon Ho at around 39:00, but the whole talk about the book is insightful and not spoilerish. Edward also mentions that he’s finished the sequal to Mickey7 and Mickey is still involved in it – not sure if that will translate to another film, but the book comes out in March 2023. I cannot wait to see Rob’s interpretation of this character:

“If you follow movie news and development then you’ve already heard of the sci-fi novel Mickey7. In 2020, Plan B, Brad Pitt’s production company, acquired the rights to it. Earlier this year it was announced that Oscar winning director, Bong Joon Ho, selected Mickey7 to be his next project with Robert Pattinson attached to star. And this all happened before the novel Mickey7 was even published.

The author, Edward Ashton, has numerous short stories published on his web site, http://www.edwardashton.com/. He’s also published in analog SF and the broken world science fiction anthology.

His first two novels, Three Days in April and The End of the Ordinary, were published by HarperCollins. Mickey7 is his first science fiction novel, and was published by St. Martin’s Press in Feb 2022. With Edward’s background in cancer research and teaching quantum physics on the graduate school level may lead one to think that Mickey7 is abstract and esoteric.

Instead the novel has fast paced action with life and death consequences. Yes, you do learn about science (as narrated by Mickey7 himself), but it is always in the context of the story. Ideas of immortality and identity are also explored in a thought provoking way. Jake and I had the great fortune to talk with Edward Ashton about Mickey7 in detail. We reached him at his cabin located in upstate New York where he lives with his wife and daughters.”

Elvis Mitchell from KCRW recently interviewed Matt, you can listen to the podcast below. Here’s an extract of what Matt had to say about working with Rob:

KCRW: We’re talking about Robert Pattinson for those who missed the news. So often, he plays guys who don’t know what to do with their bodies. I don’t know what he’s like in real life. but it’s an interesting thing when you see him, not quite knowing how to stand in movies or where to stand next to people. And that way he has of acting really effective physical awkwardness and an inability to connect with people, that must have been a gift to have that to use.

Reeves: Not only is it a facet, obviously, of who he is, because obviously that’s partly him, but it’s something he’s in control of as well. One of the things I found so fascinating about working with him is he works in a way that feels almost like a method actor. And yet, you can see that he has great access to his emotions, and he puts himself into a state. But he’s also in incredible control of his instrument, the way he moves. It’s all very technical, and it’s very intentional. So I could say to him, I need this to be hotter, and he could access that very easily. [And I could say] but I also, because of this cowl and the way the light is hitting your eye, I need you to lean a little bit more to your left, because otherwise I won’t see your eye. And he could do both those things at once.

He had a tremendous ability to access his emotions, but also be in control of his movement, so all of that stuff is coming from a very internal place. But he has a tremendous facility with himself physically. He’s just very able to access all of that stuff, but also weirdly at the same time, while he can be out of control, he can also be incredibly in control in terms of how to calibrate his voice, the way he’s leaning, where he’s standing. And so all of those choices I think he’s making are on some level, very conscious, too, even though I know some of it has to be unconscious because it is coming from a very instinctual place.

Josh Horowitz talked to Colin Farrell about The North Water (which is a book I’ve been meaning to read for eons) and of course The Batman. Here is a snippet of what Colin had to say – you can listen to the rest of the interview on either of the links below or at Spotify. His praise for Matt Reeves is so encouraging – not that I thought I could get more excited for this film.

Thanks @thebatfilm for heads up.

Late Free Cinema talks to international (Australian) stunt performer, Harley Durst. He talks about The Batman at around 11.40 (watch a snippet below thanks to The Art of The Batman), but you can listen to it HERE. Great interview if you are interested in stunt performing. Harley’s is Rob’s body double obviously.

Thanks @TheBatFilm for heads up