Back in action! Robert Pattinson’s anticipated Batman film has resumed its shoot in the U.K. after being shut down earlier this month.
Warner Bros. confirmed on September 3 that The Batman’s production was suspended due to a person involved testing positive for the novel coronavirus. Two weeks later, the studio reversed course.
“Following a hiatus for COVID 19 quarantine precautions, filming has now resumed on ‘The Batman’ in the U.K.,” a Warner Bros. Pictures spokesperson said in a statement, per Variety, on Thursday, September 17.
Warner Bros. never identified the person who contracted the deadly illness, but both Vanity Fair and The New York Times reported that the 34-year-old Twilight actor was the ill individual.
COVID-19 had plagued The Batman set prior to Pattinson’s reported diagnosis. Production on the DC Comic flick initially began in January in England, but filming was halted in early March as coronavirus became a global issue. At the time, Warner Bros. told The Hollywood Reporter that they would “continue to monitor the situation closely.”
In director Matt Reeves’ upcoming movie, Pattinson stars in the dual role of Bruce Wayne/Batman alongside Zoë Kravitz, Paul Dano, Colin Farrell, Andy Serkis, Jeffrey Wright, Peter Sarsgaard and John Turturro. Just before production shut down for the second time, a teaser trailer unexpectedly dropped and gave fans a glimpse at Pattinson in action. The film’s plot is still unknown at this time.
The Good Time star was cast in the role in May 2019 after Ben Affleck stepped down earlier that year despite plans for his own standalone flick. During Affleck’s turn as the Batman, the 48-year-old Oscar winner only appeared in three films: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad and Justice League.
Affleck has only had positive things to say about the Tenet actor taking on the coveted part after him. “I think Robert’s a great actor, he is going to do great,” the Way Back star told YouTuber Jake Hamilton in February. “The movie deserves to be made by someone whose dying to do it and cannot wait, and that was not me at the time, so I moved on.”
The Batman is slated to debut in October 2021.
