Matt Reeves’ The Batman earned rave reviews when it dropped back in 2021, thanks in no small part to the quality of its acting. Here’s a round-up of the major actors in The Batman, as well as an overview of the gritty DC blockbuster’s wider cast list.
All Major Actors & Cast List for The Batman
Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne/Batman
English actor Robert Pattinson fills The Batman‘s titular role, suiting up as both The Dark Knight and his billionaire alter-ego, Bruce Wayne. Pattinson’s first big screen performance was as Cedric Diggory in 2005’s Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. He later achieved global fame portraying Edward Cullen in the Twilight franchise from 2008 to 2012.
After that series wrapped up, Pattinson focused on smaller-scale productions, although he returned to popcorn fare with Christopher Nolan’s 2020 sci-fi thriller Tenet. He most recently lent his vocals to the English dub of Studio Ghibli’s 2023 animated fantasy, The Boy and the Heron.
Related: Batman: Arkham Knight Inexplicably Adds Robert Pattinson Suit 8 Years After Launch
Pattinson’s next big screen project is the 2024 sci-fi joint Mickey 17. He’s also slated to reprise the Bruce Wayne/Batman role in The Batman – Part II, set for release in October 2025.
Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle/Catwoman
Zoë Kravitz portrays Selina Kyle/Catwoman, a morally ambiguous cat burglar and Batman’s love interest. Also a singer, rapper, and model, Kravitz kicked off her acting career with 2007 romcom No Reservations. She found greater success four years later with X-Men: First Class, in which she played Angel Salvadore.
Kravitz’s other film roles include Christina in 2014’s Divergent and its sequels, Toast the Knowing in 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road, and Leta Lestrange in 2016’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and its 2018 follow-up, The Crimes of Grindelwald. Kravitz has also notched up several small screen credits, most notably as Bonnie Carlson in HBO’s Big Little Lies.
It’s currently unclear whether she’ll return as Catwoman in The Batman – Part II.
Paul Dano as Edward Nashton/Riddler
Paul Dano delivers a suitably creepy performance as The Batman‘s main villain, Edward Nashton/The Riddler. Often cited as one of his generation’s finest performers, Dano’s big break came as angsty teen Dwayne Hoover in 2006 comedy-drama Little Miss Sunshine.
Dano followed this success a year later with a widely praised turn as twins Paul and Eli Sunday in Paul Thomas Anderson’s period masterpiece There Will Be Blood. Other well-received projects followed, including Looper, Prisoners,12 Years a Slave, Love & Mercy, and The Fabelmans.
There’s no word yet regarding the possibility of Dano reprising the Riddler role in The Batman – Part II.
Jeffrey Wright as James Gordon
Jeffrey Wright stars as Lieutenant James Gordon, Batman’s one ally within the Gotham City Police Department. The part presumably came easily to the Hollywood veteran, who’s no stranger to franchise fare. Aside from his work in The Batman, he’s also played Felix Leiter in the James Bond films, Bernard Lowe in HBO’s Westworld, and the Watcher in Disney+ MCU series What If…?.
That said, Wright is equally well-known for his performances in critical darlings such as Angels in America, Syriana, and Boardwalk Empire. He’s also collaborated with celebrated auteur Wes Anderson on two occasions: 2021’s The French Dispatch and 2023’s Asteroid City.
While The Batman – Part II is expected to chronicle Jim Gordon’s continued climb up the GCPD’s ladder, Wright is not officially attached to the sequel’s cast at this stage.
Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth
Andy Serkis plays Bruce Wayne’s faithful butler and mentor, Alfred Pennyworth. After years as a relative unknown, Serkis scored international recognition as Gollum in Peter Jackson’s early 2000s Lord of the Rings trilogy. The role relied heavily on motion capture animation — a style of performance Serkis would develop further in the likes of King Kong, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and the newest The Planet of the Apes films.
Serkis hasn’t devoted himself entirely to motion capture, though. The English actor has also appeared in person in a range of productions, including The Prestige, Black Panther, and Andor. Aside from acting, Serkis also directs, having helmed Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle and Venom: Let There Be Carnage.
Despite Alfred’s key role in the Bat-mythos, DC Studios hasn’t yet announced whether Serkis will be back in The Batman – Part II.
Colin Farrell as Oswald “Oz” Cobblepot/Penguin
Irish actor Colin Farrell is unrecognizable as The Batman‘s Oswald “Oz” Cobblepot/Penguin. The one-time heartthrob endured untold hours in the makeup chair to portray one of the Caped Crusader’s most iconic villains. Farrell’s willingness to downplay his movie star good looks in The Batman tracks with his recent career trajectory.
From 2015’s The Lobster to 2022’s The Banshees of Inisherin (the latter of which earned him an Oscar nomination), Farrell has remade himself as one of Hollywood’s most dependable character actors. Whether Farrell will bring said acting chops to bear in The Batman – Part II is still a mystery, however, he will reprise the Oswald Cobblepot role in Max series The Penguin, which drops in late 2024.
John Turturro as Carmine Falcone
John Turturro goes against type in The Batman with his chilling performance as crime boss Carmine Falcone. A veteran performer whose career spans 40+ years, Turturro’s CV is split between indie fare and studio blockbusters.
Turturro’s most notable films include Do the Right Thing, Barton Fink, Miller’s Crossing, Quiz Show, The Big Lebowski, O Brother Where Art Thou, and Transformers. The Italian-American actor has a bunch of noteworthy TV credits to his name as well, such as The Night Of, The Plot Against America, and Severance.
Related: Immaculate Mock Trailer Inserts Adam West & ’60s Characters into The Batman
Additional Actors in The Batman (2021)
Aside from the core cast covered above, The Batman also boasts a strong roster of supporting actors, including:
- Peter Sarsgaard as Gil Colson
- Barry Keoghan as The Joker (credited as “Unseen Arkham Prisoner”)
- Luke Roberts as Thomas Wayne
- Stella Stocker as Martha Wayne
- Jayme Lawson as Bella Reál
- Gil Perez-Abraham as Martinez
- Peter McDonald as William Kenzie
- Alex Ferns as Pete Savage
- Hana Hrzic as Annika
- Sandra Dickinson as Dory
- Jay Lycurgo as Train Gang Young Member
- Charlie and Max Carver as The Twins
