After much run around, we can now declare that Robert Pattinson is going to star as the famed DC hero in The Batman. It was first reported earlier this month that the former Twilight star was in negotiations for the role. However, many jumped the gun and presented the information as though the deal had been done when, in fact, Warner Bros. hadn't yet finalized their decision. But now it appears to be a done deal and we have our next Caped Crusader.

According to several reports, the studio was torn between Robert Pattinson and Nicholas Hoult, star of movies such as X-Men: Days of Future Past, Tolkien and Mad Max: Fury Road. Warner Bros. apparently liked both actors for the role, while director Matt Reeves is said to have liked Pattinson. Both actors reportedly screen tested, which happened very recently. We had heard about these possible screen tests and, moreover, that Warner Bros. had been putting the actors through a rather rigorous casting process in general. Following the screen test, it was decided that Pattinson would become The Batman. Formal negotiations are now underway, but barring any sort of unforeseen catastrophe, we have our man.

Ben Affleck had been portraying the iconic DC character ever since Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was released in 2016. However, following the release of Justice League, which served as something of a disappointment, Affleck officially stepped down. At one point, Affleck was going to star in, co-write, produce and direct The Batman himself. He walked away from that job before walking away from the role, at least publically. Matt Reeves, known for Cloverfield and the last two Planet of the Apes movies, was then brought in to write and direct. He's had the job since early 2017.

As for Robert Pattinson, when news first broke earlier this month, the internet was rather divided. Pattinson is, to most people, still known as the guy from Twilight. Though, he has since moved on to have a very interesting career, starring in a string if indies such as The Rover, Good Time and the recently released High Life. He's also already getting some early Oscar buzz for his role in The Lighthouse, which recently premiered at Cannes. While mass audiences perhaps have seen as many of these movies, Pattinson has proven himself to be an extremely talented and versatile actor.

While plot details are still largely being kept under wraps, it's expected that this new movie will feature multiple villains from the character's large rogues gallery. Matt Reeves has also promised that it will feature more of Batman's skills as a detective and have a noir feel to it. The expectation is that filming will begin in early 2020. We'll be sure to keep you posted as any further details on the project are made available. The Batman is set to hit theaters on June 25, 2021. This news was previously reported by Deadline.