'The Batman' Director Explains Why Robert Pattinson Is Wearing Eyeliner as Bruce Wayne

Ever since the first trailer for The Batman was released online, the internet has been obsessing over Robert Pattinson's look in the DC movie.

With his dark hair, super long fringe and eyeliner, many have teasingly described the newest Bruce Wayne's aesthetic as "emo." Now, director Matt Reeves has defended the character's use of makeup.

"You can't wear a cowl and not wear that. All of the Batmen wear that," the filmmaker explained to Esquire recently. "I just loved the idea of taking off [the mask] and under that there's the sweating and the dripping and the whole theatricality of becoming this character."

Interestingly, Reeves admitted that he was influenced by grunge band Nirvana in the early stages of writing the film's script, so perhaps his Batman's appearance is a nod to that?

"There was something about [Nevermind song] 'Something in the Way', which is in the first trailer, which is part of the voice of that character," he noted.

"When I considered, ‘How do you do Bruce Wayne in a way that hasn't been seen before?' I started thinking, 'What if some tragedy happened [ie: Wayne sees his parents murdered] and this guy becomes so reclusive, we don't know what he's doing?

"'Is this guy some kind of wayward, reckless, drug addict?' And the truth is that he is a kind of drug addict. His drug is his addiction to this drive for revenge. He's like a Batman Kurt Cobain."

Set to reach cinemas in the UK on March 4, the new film also stars Big Little Lie's Zoë Kravitz (as Selina Kyle/ Catwoman), Westworld's Jeffrey Wright (as detective James Gordon), Paul Dano (Riddler), Colin Farrell (as Oswald Cobblepot/Penguin), and Andy Serkis, playing Bruce's butler Alfred.

According to Reeves, it's mostly inspired by 'Batman: Year One', the gritty four-issue comic released by writer Frank Miller and artist David Mazzucchelli in 1987, which sees a troubled Bruce navigating how to be a vigilante.

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