With the recent release and success of The Batman, most audience were amazed by Robert Pattinson's performance as the titular and broody Batman himself. But some fans of the film may have gone in with some reservations about the casting choice due to Pattinson's association with one role in particular, a certain sparkling vampire.
Because of this, it was inevitable that this recent blockbuster would end up being compared with Pattinson's earlier work in the Twilight franchise. Whether good or bad, serious or funny, the people of Reddit always have something to say.
The Batman Was Just Twilight Fan Fiction
Twilight is a fandom that has a large online community, and with that comes a lot of fan fiction. It also wouldn't be the first time that a Twilight fan fiction has been made into a successful film.
Reddit , huzzawuzza, commented saying "I was just saying to my husband that the Batman was just Edward fan fiction". Others laughed at the statement but agreed that there were in fact similarities between the two characters.
Both Haves Similar Car Saving Scenes
One of the most iconic scenes in Twilight is when an oncoming car, spinning out of control, launches towards main character Bella. Edward of course swoops in at the last second and saves her. A similar scene occurs in The Batman. A car crashes into the church, hurtling towards a child, Bruce getting there first and saving the child from harm.
This caused many Reddit s to make a comparison between the two. Redditor, RebeccaMCullen shared "When I first saw Bruce moving the kid out of the way in the trailer, it immediately reminded me of that scene from Twilight.".
Edward and Batman Are The Same Character
The most frequent thing to be pointed out by Reddit s, was the similarities in personality between Bruce Wayne, aka Batman and Edward, some Redditors even going as far to say that they are basically the same character entirely.
Reddit , yorkiepie, commented their opinion saying "I would argue that Edward Cullen and Batman are essentially the same character. Both brooding, dark souls for really no reason. Edward sees himself as a defender with a dark side and Batman does too.". While it can be argued that they both are brooding for a reason, the rest of the statement rang true with many fans.
"You Don't Even Say Hi To Me"
The above, a quote from the first Twilight film, is taken from Bella who makes a comment pointing out how Edward never directly greets her. noticed in The Batman with Catwoman.
Commenting they said, "I liked when catwoman asked if batman ever says hi bc bella asked edward the same thing basically in twilight lol". Others also noticed the connection, once again pointing out the similarities.
Edward And Batman Would Make The Same Choices
While many Reddit s pointed out their similarities in personality, Reddit , dreamycinnamonroll, pointed out that the two characters would also likely make the same choices when put in similar situations.
Commenting they said, "I’m 100% sure Edward would do all of the stuff Bruce did in this movie". They also went on to point out that they "Also both have the same edgy vibe." Whether they would act similarly may be up for debate but it is clear from them both that they prioritise protecting others, often acting seriously and rationally.
Pattinson Nails The Role Of Batman
It was clear a lot of audiences who may have been familiar with Robert Pattinson's previous work in Twilight were surprised when it was announced that he would be the newest Batman. Meaning that a lot of fans went into cinemas with an expectation that was safe to say, far exceeded by his performance.
One Reddit , DJCaldow, expressed this saying "I find Twilight to be as shit as movies about glitter, rain and excess body hair can be...but Pattinson fricking nailed Batman. ". They then went on to say "The film was an actual comic brought to life, none of this gritty realism or Disney stuff but pure art...You feel this movie, you don't just watch it.".
Some Were Able To Separate The Characters
While a lot of audience were reminded by Pattinson's performance as Edward while watching The Batman, others were able to watch the film without thinking of a certain sparkling vampire.
While Reddit , OnlyAVessel, agreed the characters were comparable saying "There are some unequivocal similarities between Edward and Bruce." they went on to say "For what it’s worth, though, during The Batman, I wasn’t really thinking of Edward much. They feel unique as characters, which I’m very happy about. Rob brought a brand new, imposing, haunting severity to Bruce that was direly needed.".
Others Were Reminded Of Their Similarities
Again, most were reminded of Edward throughout the film due to their shared dark and brooding personality. But Reddit , smashasaurusrex, pointed out that their similarities don't stop there.
Commenting they shared "I loved the detective angle. It reminded me a lot of Edward in that he was so intelligent. And having Riddler be the villain just enhanced the whole thing.". Others Redditors agreed on the further similarities of the two characters.
Not Everyone Was A Fan Of Bruce
While Pattinson has received a lot of high praise for his performance in The Batman, not everyone was able to think the same. Pattinson's performance as Batman, the same couldn't be said for Bruce Wayne.
Commenting they shared "I loved him as Batman, but I wasn't as a fan of his super moody Bruce Wayne. I just could not separate his moody Bruce Wayne from Twilight.". While some agreed that there were similarities, Bruce didn't always come across as "moody".
The Best Batman Yet?
Reddit , EmotionPending, summed up many people's reactions to the film and Pattinson's performance as the Batman in their Reddit comment. While many had reservations about his casting, almost all fans came out of the cinema praising his performance.
Commenting they shared "'Robert Pattinson is my favorite Batman' is a sentence no one in 2008 thought they would ever say". Many agreed with this statement itting that while they wouldn't have thought so at the time, he has since proven himself an outstanding actor.
