Robert Pattinson Is Ditching the Hero Roles for Pure Villainy, and He Says He Has a Weird On-Set Ritual That Freaks Out His Costars
“Undersell and overdeliver.”
Robert Pattinson is officially trading in hero roles for full-on villainy, and he’s loving every minute of it. According to PEOPLE, the actor, best known for his brooding vampire in Twilight, is diving headfirst into two major antagonist roles this year – Antinous in The Odyssey, hitting theaters July 17, and Scytale in Dune: Part Three:, set for December 18. And if his recent comments are any indication, he’s having a blast playing the bad guy.
At the London premiere of The Odyssey on July 6, Pattinson told reporters he thrives on subverting expectations. “I do. I like lowering people’s expectations, that’s always my favorite, that’s always my place to be,” he said. “Undersell and overdeliver, that’s my motto.” It’s a strategy that’s clearly working for him, especially as he takes on characters who are far from the typical leading man.
In The Odyssey, he plays Antinous, a suitor vying for Penelope’s (Anne Hathaway) hand while her husband, Odysseus (Matt Damon), is missing. Antinous isn’t just any rival. He’s scheming to take over Ithaca and eliminate Odysseus and Penelope’s son, Telemachus (Tom Holland). But Pattinson doesn’t see his character as purely evil. “I don’t think he’s really the bad guy,” he said. “I think he’s just like… It’s a love story, it’s a love story. Penelope is just waiting for Antinous to get older.”
That’s a surprisingly sympathetic take
Pattinson’s ability to humanize villains is part of what makes his performances so compelling. It’s a skill he’s bringing to Dune: Part Three, where he plays Scytale, a shapeshifting antagonist plotting to dethrone Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet). If Antinous is a scheming suitor, Scytale is a full-blown cosmic threat, and Pattinson’s dual roles this year prove he’s more than ready to embrace the dark side.
What’s even more interesting is how he approaches these roles behind the scenes. He hinted at a bizarre on-set ritual that helps him get into character, though he couldn’t quite remember the details.
“There’s always one little thing that you kind of do every movie, I always find some kind of little quirk,” he said. “I’m trying to remember what it was on this. I remember doing something which a lot of people thought I was very strange doing, but I can’t remember [what].” Whatever it is, it’s clearly effective – and apparently unsettling enough to freak out his costars.
Pattinson’s shift toward villainy isn’t just a phase
He’s been leaning into morally ambiguous roles for years, from his turn as the manipulative Bruce Wayne in The Batman to his upcoming portrayal of Chris Hansen in Primetime, a film about the controversial To Catch a Predator host. And if his recent comments are any indication, he’s not done exploring the darker corners of his acting range.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Pattinson revealed that he drew inspiration from James Woods’ performance in Casino for his role as Antinous. “I thought it’d be quite nice to see it in Ithaca. And he’s, like, a little sleazy,” he said. “I kept saying at my costume fitting, I was like, ‘I really want to have leopard underpants.’ I want to have it just coming out of my skirt, a little sparkly fur.”
That kind of playful, over-the-top energy is exactly what makes Pattinson’s villains so fun to watch. He makes his bad guy weird, unpredictable, and even a little bit charming. It’s a far cry from his early days as Edward Cullen, but it’s clear he’s having way more fun now.
When asked how it feels to play a character no one is rooting for, he laughed and compared Antinous to Jacob from Twilight. “I think they will be rooting for him. I keep comparing it… it’s kind of like Jacob in Twilight,” he said. “What The Odyssey is about – Penelope just can’t make her mind up between the two guys, and I’m just trying to, like, help her make a decision. … It’s like, it’s fine. He’s dead, get over it.”
Pattinson is sharing the screen with some serious talent in his upcoming films
In The Odyssey, he’s reunited with The Drama costar Zendaya, and he’ll be facing off against Timothée Chalamet in Dune: Part Three. If his recent work is any indication, audiences can expect something truly unpredictable from him. He’s not just playing villains – he’s redefining what it means to be one.
Beyond The Odyssey and Dune, Pattinson has a packed year ahead. He’s also starring in Here Comes the Flood, a Netflix heist film with Denzel Washington, Daisy Edgar-Jones, and Danai Gurira. Neither this nor Primetime has a release date yet, but they’re sure to add even more variety to his already impressive filmography.
It seems like Pattinson is done being typecast. He’s embracing the chaos, the sleaze, and the sheer fun of playing characters who exist in the moral gray area. And if his weird on-set rituals are any indication, he’s fully committing to the bit.
(Featured image: Warner Bros. Pictures / Legendary Pictures)
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
Follow The Mary Sue:
