The Robert Pattinson Easter Egg Everyone Missed In The Batman
The following article contains spoilers for "The Batman."
Comic book aficionados know all too well to keep their eyes extra peeled during a new superhero movie. From Marvel to DC, these films often contain an assortment of Easter eggs and hidden references designed to reward those who have kept up with the characters' comic book roots. Sometimes these references are thrown in just for fun, while in other cases, they're designed to hint at greater machinations at play.
"The Batman" certainly has no shortage of Easter eggs. Right from the very beginning, the very first murder takes place on Halloween night. It's hard to hear that without immediately thinking of one of the best, most popular Batman stories to ever grace the pages of a comic book — "The Long Halloween." The rest of the film may deviate from that storyline, but the influences of that story remain clear. There's also the quick line Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz) gives toward the end of the film where she mentions heading to Blüdhaven, which has great significance to the lore of DC Comics.
Of course, not every Easter egg has to deal with Batman himself. We found one that seems like it's referencing one of star Robert Pattinson's previous cinematic outings.
Good Times Grocery seems to reference to Good Time
Robert Pattinson has an extensive filmography. While most general moviegoers may know him for his role of Edward in the "Twilight" series, he has a litany of independent projects that prove he's a master at his craft. Anyone who had seen him perform in "Cosmopolis," "High Life," or "The Lighthouse" was surely ecstatic when the announcement came that he would soon take on the role of Bruce Wayne. However, there's a little-known movie Pattinson starred in that's certainly worth your time, especially seeing how it may have received a shoutout in "The Batman."
2017's "Good Time" sees Pattinson play Connie Nikas, a criminal on the run after a robbery goes sideways. It's an intense thriller from the Safdie Brothers, who would go on to give the world "Uncut Gems." The film earned rave reviews from critics and general audiences, according to Rotten Tomatoes, so you should check it out if you have the chance. You can rent or purchase it on Amazon Prime Video if you're interested in checking out a great non-superhero movie that will still get your blood pumping.
The movie also seemed to make an appearance in "The Batman." Early in the film, there's an establishing shot of a market with an awning reading "Good Times Grocery." It's hard not to see that and not immediately think of Pattinson's resume. Of course, it could just be a coincidence, but it's fun to think Matt Reeves wanted to include a lesser-known Pattinson Easter egg in his superhero flick.
Matt Reeves wanted to cast Robert Pattinson after watching Good Time
Plenty of people may wonder why director Matt Reeves would specifically want to give a shoutout to "Good Time" as opposed to any other movie in Pattinson's filmography. As it turns out, "Good Time" played a significant role in getting Pattinson the part of Bruce Wayne in the first place.
In an interview with Esquire, Reeves mentioned watching "Good Time" and immediately knew Pattinson was his guy. He elaborated, "In the process of writing ["The Batman"], I watched "Good Time," and I thought, 'Okay, he's got an inner kind of rage that connects with this character and a dangerousness, and I can feel this desperation.' And I became dead-set on it being Rob." Reeves goes on to mention how he didn't even know at the time if Pattinson would have any interest in taking on the character, but he so desperately wanted him to be his Bruce Wayne.
As it turns out, Pattinson was more than game, provided he could do a really dirty, slimy version of the character. As Pattinson stated in an interview with MovieMaker, "At the time, even my agents thought it pretty out of character to just suddenly get fixated on Batman. And I didn't even really know the status of the project." Both men got their wishes as Reeves was able to cast Pattinson, and the actor indeed plays a dirtier iteration of the Caped Crusader in the film. He went on to tell Premiere, "[Batman] lives a criminal life, but without committing crimes! I felt like I could get something out of that. Anyway, I could only play a superhero if he was really dirty!"
Everything worked out for the best in the end.