Robert Pattinson Officially Confirmed as THE BATMAN

It's the Michael Keaton casting all over again.

Variety is one of a number of news outlets reporting that Warner Bros. has officially selected Robert Pattinson as the new Batman/Bruce Wayne in Matt Reeves' upcoming DC Extended Universe film The Batman, based on the classic DC Comics superhero.

Deadline also confirmed the news, reporting that "Pattinson had been considered a frontrunner because the filmmaker liked him, but the studio was torn between him and Nicholas Hoult, and wanted both of the actors on tape because this is such a big decision on a cornerstone Warner Bros.' DC franchise.  Those meetings happened yesterday."

They added that Warner Bros. still needs to "work out a deal that will clearly include options on at least two more films, but this is considered a formality in a drawn out process."

Reeves assumed the role of director on The Batman from Ben Affleck in January 2017, and will produce the film with his Planet of the Apes collaborator Dylan Clark.

Pattinson, 33, is an English actor best known as Edward Cullen in the Twilight film series and as Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.  His other films include Water for Elephants, Remember Me, Cosmopolis, The Lost City of Z, Damsel, and High Life.  He's also slated to appear in Christopher Nolan's upcoming film Tenet.

Pattinson will be the ninth actor to portray Batman/Bruce Wayne in film, after Lewis Wilson in the 1943 Batman movie serial, Robert Lowery in the 1949 Batman and Robin movie serial, Adam West in Batman (1966), Michael Keaton in Batman (1989) and Batman Returns, Val Kilmer in Batman Forever, George Clooney in Batman & Robin, Christian Bale in Batman Begins, The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises, and Ben Affleck in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad and Justice League.

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