The Batman will be informed, at least partly, by advice given to Robert Pattinson by fellow Dark Knight actor Christian Bale. The former Caped Crusader had some words of wisdom for The Batman leading man Robert Pattinson. At DC's FanDome event, fans were treated to the Twilight star's interpretation of the legendary and oft-rebooted character with the film's new and broody teaser trailer. With all the buzz, eagerness, and anxiety awaiting the movie, directed by Matt Reeves, Bale's advice will surely be welcome as Pattinson helps to usher in a new era for the World's Greatest Detective.

There have been several cinematic re-imaginings of the Batman franchise since Batman's 1989 release, all of which have their own unique tone, feel, and updates of its famous characters. Christopher Nolan's trilogy of films, in which Christian Bale played Bruce Wayne/Batman, was noted for its unflinching realism and grittiness and was one of the most successful and well-received adaptations of the iconic superhero. Bale, known for his transformative and preparation when tackling his roles, managed to display real nuance from the character, effectively balancing the Bruce Wayne and Batman personas but also often blurring the line between the two. The thoughtful, smart performance would be hard to copy and that's something Bale would warn against, anyway.

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At a red carpet event last year, while details of Pattinson's casting were just being finalized, Bale encouraged the new Dark Knight, saying, "Good for him. Just make it his own, don't listen to the nay-sayers. Just think about it, everyone protested when Heath was cast as the Joker and look at the absolutely brilliant performance he gave." Referring to Heath Ledger's Joker and his maniacal, yet earthy portrayal of Batman's primary antagonist (which won him a posthumous Academy Award), Bale's urging of Pattinson to make the role his own and to ignore the critics against him is as wise at it is supportive. With such a popular character and intellectual property, attempting to copy a previous portrayal would ultimately detract from the overall vision intended for this particular reboot and each performance should reflect that artistic vision.

Robert Pattinson as The Batman on the streets of Gotham

Almost all of the live-action Batmen have featured risk-taking performances from their leading actors, who manage to bring different elements of the character to the screen. The first major cinematic iteration of the character was played by Michael Keaton back in 1989 in Tim Burton's blockbuster Batman. The announcement of Keaton's casting in the title role was initially met with negativity, but with the actor's work in the film and sequel, Batman Returns were ultimately praised. But then again, Keaton's portrayal of a damaged manic-depressive Bruce Wayne fit into Burton's jarringly mad colorful world well, just as Bale's muscular performance fit into Nolan's more violent, darker one. Even Ben Affleck, who played the character in the much-maligned Justice League film and Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice managed to capture the pensive calm of a Bruce Wayne who has lived through his fair share of hardship in a world falling apart.

The Batman seems to be bringing the hero back to his detective roots as Matt Reeves has always promised. Opening with a murder perpetrated by Edward Nashton a.k.a The Riddler, the teaser is reminiscent of noir film (complete with clues and messages left by the murderer, newspaper clippings, and plenty of shadowy shots), and Reeves appears to be contributing to the franchise with an entry unlike any previously seen on the big screen. More colorful elements from the comics are muted here (even more so than in Nolan's films) and, from what is seen of the Riddler, the film's primary antagonist will be portrayed as more serial killer than supervillain. While it is still too early to tell for sure, Pattinson's Batman (Reeves identifies him as "Year 2 Batman") appears a little younger than previous onscreen versions and is likely to have his own youthful idealism melt away as the plot thickens and the dark underbelly of Gotham City reveals itself through his detective work.

Bale's support of his fellow actor is great to hear, especially seeing as both he and Pattinson are known for their bold and character-driven interpretations of roles -both actors make incredibly thoughtful and deliberate choices prior and during filming, resulting in some truly spectacular performances. Clearly seeing a kindred spirit, Bale's advice to Pattinson and encouragement to swing for the fences, trust his instincts, and silencing the naysayers may help bring The Batman to new heights.

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