Twilight star Robert Pattinson is finalizing a deal to portray Batman in Matt Reeves‘ upcoming DC comics film, aptly named The Batman.
Variety initially reported the news as a done deal, but has since updated the status to: “negotiations are not yet fully complete” but that Pattinson “is the top choice and the deal is expected to close shortly.”
If Variety‘s information is correct, the 33-year-old would become the second-youngest actor to ever play the superhero on the big screen after Christian Bale, who was 31 when Batman Begins premiered in 2005.
Warner Bros. have made no comment on the report, though Pattinson is currently preparing to shoot another film for them under director Christopher Nolan. That is expected to hit screens next summer.
Though there has been no official start date set for The Batman, Variety‘s report suggests filming could begin as soon as the end of this year or in early 2020.
The Batman, a film originally conceived as a project for Ben Affleck to write, direct and star in.
However, after the critical and commercial disappointment of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League, Affleck dropped out of the film, with War for the Planet of the Apes’ Matt Reeves taking over as director.
Meanwhile, Deadline reports that Nicholas Hoult who plays Beast in the current X-Men movies is the other frontrunner currently still in discussion.
The Hollywood Reporter also weighed in. Their sources said Armie Hammer and Aaron Taylor-Johnson were also considered for the role of Batman in the movie.
Pre-production on The Batman is set to begin this summer.
