Batman has been portrayed by Hollywood heartthrobs including Christian Bale, Ben Affleck and George Clooney — but Robert Pattinson might just be the hottest Bruce Wayne yet. The British hunk, 35, is playing the comic book character for the first time in “The Batman,” and is sending fans into a frenzy after stripping down in a new trailer for the forthcoming live action flick. Released on Monday, the sneak peek shows the star shedding his batsuit to reveal his ripped physique. Pattinson’s Batman is also seen cozying up to Zoë Kravitz, who is set to star as Catwoman. In the trailer, the crime-fighting couple fall in love as they pursue a Gotham City serial killer nicknamed “The Riddler.” “If we don’t stand up, no one will,” Kravitz’s character tells Batman, as she gazes adoringly into his eyes. The actors have strong on-screen chemistry in the trailer, with their characters later seen flirting with one another. “You have a lot of cats,” Batman remarks as he enters Catwoman’s feline-filled apartment. “I have a thing for strays,” Kravitz’s character seductively purrs in response, referencing the fact that Batman is an orphan. Fans flocked to YouTube to post gushing comments about Pattinson’s portrayal beneath the trailer. “So excited to see Robert coming back to mainstream cinema. This movie is going to be awesome,” one fan cooed. “Will be one of the best Batman movies ever. And Robert Pattinson will surprise everyone. Cinematography looks incredible,” another remarked of the film directed by Matt Reeves. Meanwhile, Reeves revealed last week that he was inspired by the late musician Kurt Cobain when writing the film. “When I write, I listen to music, and as I was writing the first act, I put on Nirvana’s ‘Something in the Way,’ ” Reeves, 55, told Empire. “That’s when it came to me that, rather than make Bruce Wayne the playboy version we’ve seen before, there’s another version who had gone through a great tragedy and become a recluse.” It’s been more than two years since Pattinson’s Batman casting was announced, and production has come along in fits and starts since March 2020 as pandemic health restrictions put the squeeze on Hollywood. In August of that year, cast and crew were again sent home — or, more likely, back to their quarantine hotels — from Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in the United Kingdom for two weeks after their leading man tested positive for COVID-19. “The Batman” is now slated to hit cinemas on March 4.
