How much was Robert Pattinson’s salary for The Batman compared to Christian Bale’s salary for Batman Begins? With Matt Reeves new The Batman movie (and its sequels), Pattinson is getting an opportunity to make his mark as the Caped Crusader, joining a long list of actors who have played the role in the past, including George Clooney, Ben Affleck, and Michael Keaton, among others. Just as each Batman actor, including Pattinson and Bale, has offered his own distinct take on the character, each has also earned a somewhat different salary for his respective film(s).
Directed by Matt Reeves, The Batman is the first movie to be set outside the primary timeline parameters within the DC Extended Universe. Pattinson takes over the role of the Dark Knight from Affleck, who portrayed Batman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, both versions of Justice League, and the upcoming The Flash movie. Pattinson’s take on Batman is markedly different from what fans have been used to since The Batman is set in his early career as Gotham City’s savior. Reeves’ The Batman movie was filmed largely in the UK and offers a vision of Gotham City and Batman that is both grimly realistic and comic book-stylized, just like Pattinson’s Batman himself. In this way, he’s a little different from Bale’s sleeker, more metropolitan Batman.
Reportedly, Robert Pattinson’s salary for The Batman was $3 million, which puts him in the top 20 of highest-paid actors in Hollywood right now. But when compared to Bale’s salary for Batman Begins, which was the older actor’s first outing as Batman, Pattinson’s salary is considerably less than his predecessor’s. This is especially true when factoring in inflation rates. Batman Begins was released in 2005 and Bale’s salary was reportedly $9 million at the time (which amounts to approximately $12.3 million today). This increased to a $10 million base pay (plus a $20 million bonus) for The Dark Knight and $15 million for The Dark Knight Rises. Robert Pattinson’s lower The Batman salary is thus a bit of a question mark.
Prior to starring in The Batman, Pattinson was in a string of independent films like The Lighthouse and Good Time, with his most high-profile role being that of Edward Cullen in the four-film Twilight saga opposite Kristen Stewart. Playing Bruce Wayne/Batman has put him back in the spotlight since the role is more notable by comparison to his smaller acting gigs from the last few years. By contrast, around the time of Batman Begins’ release, Bale was already considered a bona fide star who could carry his weight as a leading man. The same goes for Michael Keaton when he was cast as the Dark Knight in 1989’s Batman, for which he reportedly earned $5 million and $10 million for its sequel Batman Returns. Ben Affleck’s Batman v Superman and Justice League salaries are unclear, though it’s assumed to be around a similar amount to what Bale made playing the same character.
Val Kilmer and Clooney’s payouts were also a sizable amount more than Pattinson’s salary for The Batman, as they received $7 million and $10 million, respectively. Compared to all the other Batman actors, Pattinson’s salary is certainly on the lower end of the scale, especially when compared with Bale’s salary for Batman Begins. This isn’t to say that Pattinson isn’t a good actor, just that he has yet to prove how big of a box office draw he is on his own, though portraying Batman has certainly helped. It’s possible (and likely) Pattinson’s salary will increase with The Batman 2, provided The Batman does well at the box office. All told, however, Pattinson’s salary is the lowest of any movie Batman so far.
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