We've been waiting with bated breath to find out who the next Dark Knight will be [1] after Warner Bros. announced that The Batman [2] is coming in 2021, and we finally have our answer. Drumroll, please: Robert Pattinson [3]! According to Variety, the 33-year-old actor has officially signed on [4] to star in the upcoming Matt Reeves-directed superhero film. The outlet first broke the news that Pattinson was in serious consideration [5] for the role in mid-May. But now it's a done deal. The Batman is set to hit theaters on June 25, 2021, and preproduction is expected to begin this Summer.

Ben Affleck previously played the Dark Knight [6] in three movies — Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad, and Justice League — but revealed he was hanging up his batsuit for good in January. He announced his departure with one simple tweet, writing, "Excited for #TheBatman in Summer 2021 and to see @MattReevesLA vision come to life." Who's ready for Pattinson to shake things up?