The Cat and the Bat: Zoë Kravitz to Join Pattinson in “The Batman”

Now that everyone has calmed down and accepted that Robert Pattinson is most likely going to be a pretty excellent Batman, attention is turning to his supporting cast. And we wizarding world fans have cause for even more rejoicing this week after it was announced that Zoë Kravitz would be joining the villainous faction of that crew.

Variety broke the news that Kravitz has signed on to Matt Reeves’ The Batman in the role of Catwoman. Of additional interest is the fact that Variety said the actress won the role over Zazie Beetz (Joker), Eiza González (Baby Driver), and Alicia Vikander (Tomb Raider) despite concerns over “scheduling issues” with Fantastic Beasts. That seems to indicate, as has been oft-discussed, that Kravitz will be returning to the role of Leta Lestrange in Fantastic Beasts 3, even if only in flashback form.

Pattinson, meanwhile, spoke recently with Variety about landing the role of Batman, saying he initially thought he’d lost it before he’d even auditioned due to the fact that rumors of his casting began swirling in mid-May. That led to a stressful flight from Los Angeles, California, to the Cannes Film Festival in France, during which Pattinson scoured the Internet for any indication the rumors had cost him his shot at the role.

When that thing leaked, I was f***ing furious. Everyone was so upset. Everyone was panicking from my team. I sort of thought that had blown up the whole thing. I was sitting next to [American screenwriter] Christopher McQuarrie. I’d never met him before. Oh, God! He’d seen me Googling myself for the past hour!

McQuarrie assured the actor he’d probably have been doing the same, and by May 31, Pattinson’s casting was official. Having just finished up The Lighthouse and in the midst of filming for Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, that’s made for a busy schedule, but the actor says he’s thrilled to join the pantheon of past Batmen. Pattinson divulged that, as a child, Batman was “the only outfit that I had,” but he wouldn’t let slip how he made use of that outfit.

If I actually said it in an interview, I would definitely have a lot of abuse afterwards. If I successfully play the character, I can say it at the end.

We’re holding him to that! As is the case anytime anyone is cast in any role another person has played before, there was a bit of initial backlash to Pattinson’s casting, but he wasn’t put off.

To be honest, it was less vitriolic than I was expecting. It’s much more fun when you’re an underdog. There’s no expectation of you.

Pattinson also admitted that he’d been hoping to have the opportunity to don the cowl for longer than anyone knew.

I’d had Batman in my mind for a while. It’s such an absurd thing to say. I sort of had an idea to do it, and I’d been prodding Matt. He didn’t accept any prods. I kept asking to meet him. And then I had to kind of try to imagine what he’d written, and I hadn’t even read the script. I’d come with this pad full of notes.

He additionally confirmed something we’ve all assumed: While the Batsuit looks incomparably cool once it’s on, getting into it is probably the exact opposite of cool. Just imagine how Kravitz is going to feel!

I put it on. I remember saying to Matt, ‘It does feel quite transformative!’ He was like, ‘I would hope it does! You’re literally in the Batsuit.’ You do feel very powerful immediately. And it’s pretty astonishing, something that is incredibly difficult to get into, so the ritual of getting into it is pretty humiliating. You’ve got five people trying to shove you into something. Once you’ve got it on, it’s like, ‘Yeah, I feel strong, I feel tough, even though I had to have someone squeezing my butt cheeks into the legs.

Where do we apply for that job? Let us know in the comments what you think of our newest Bat and Cat!