An actor’s career can make the most unexpected turns, regardless of how they got their start in the industry. And truth be told, not many contemporary actors have had such an unforeseen and exciting career transformation asRobert Pattinson. His beginnings date back to 2004, when he made his acting debut in the TV filmRing of the Nibelungs, and just a year later, he earned broader exposure among young people as Cedric Diggory inHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. In 2008, Pattinson achieved worldwide recognition by co-starring alongside Kristen Stewart inThe Twilight Saga, the franchise based on Stephanie Meyer’s novels that won millions of fans among teenagers and young adults.
While Pattinson’s involvement in these franchises turned him into one of the world’s highest-paid actors at the time, it also pigeonholed him into the role of a teenage heartthrob. For this reason, from 2012 onwards, the actor made an intentionalturn in his career, selectingmostly independent projectsfor older audiences and increasingly gaining praise for his acting skills. In March 2022, Pattinson made headlines once again, but for leading a very ambitious project: he starred as Bruce Wayne in Matt Reeves’The Batman, proving that he was perfect for the role, despite someinitial casting backlashfrom fans. Here is a review of Robert Pattinson’s best blockbuster movies, ranked by box office gross.
9Water for Elephants — $117M
Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon star inWater for Elephants, the 2011 film inspired by Sara Gruen’s novel of the same name. In it, Pattinson is Jacob, a veterinary student that, following his parents' death and in the midst of the Great Depression, joins a circus to work as an animal caretaker. There, he eventually falls in love with Marlena (Witherspoon), a woman married to another of the circus workers. This film was directed by Francis Lawrence and, in spite of its mixed reviews, grossed $117 million worldwide.
8Tenet — $363M
The blockbuster movieTenetmarked Pattinson’s return to high-budget films. Directed by Christopher Nolan and starring John David Washington, Elizabeth Debicki, Dimple Kapadia, Michael Caine, Kenneth Branagh and Pattinson,Tenetfollows the story of a CIA agent who needs to learn to control the time flow to prevent an attack from the future with the potential of ending the world. In this film, Pattinson stars as Neil, the protagonist’s handler. After beingdelayed a few timesby the pandemic,Tenetpremiered in August 2020, and upon reaping a worldwide profit of $363 million, it became the fifth-highest-grossing film of the year.
7Twilight —$407M
TheTwilightfranchise is probably the project that is most closely related to Pattinson’s career, as it was the one that turned him into a worldwide sensation.Twilightis the first movie in the blockbuster saga, released in 2008 and directed by Catherine Hardwicke. It explores the early days of the relationship between human Bella Swan (Stewart), a newcomer to the rainy city of Forks, and mysterious Edward Cullen (Pattinson), who is hiding his true nature as a vampire. The popularity of Meyer’s novels foreshadowed a great success for the franchise, and indeed,Twilightgrossed $407 million worldwide.
6The Twilight Saga: Eclipse — $693M
The Twilight Saga: Eclipsemarks the third installment of theTwilightsaga, and it was directed by David Slade. This 2010 blockbuster is mostly focused on Bella, who has to make an important decision: whether to pursue her relationship with Edward or to maintain her friendship with Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner), knowing that this decision could contribute to the eternal rivalry between vampires and werewolves. At the same time, suspicious deaths are occurring around town, foreshadowing yet another threat against Bella.Eclipsewas a huge success at the box office, grossing a total of $693 million.
5The Twilight Saga: New Moon — $709M
Chris Weitz was commissioned to direct the second installment of theTwilightsaga released in 2009, and with an estimated budget of $50 million, this blockbuster movie managed to gross $709 million worldwide. InThe Twilight Saga:New Moon, Bella and Edward’s relationship takes an unexpected turn: after an incident at the Cullens' house, the vampire puts an end to his relationship with the young woman, and he leaves Forks with his family. Bella, immersed in a profound depression, isolates herself for months, and begins to face great dangers threatening her own life. Luckily, her friend Jacob is there to support her, but their bond grows increasingly complicated over time.
Related:The Batman: Why Robert Pattinson’s Performance is One of the Most Realistic Portrayals of the DC Superhero
4The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 — $712M
The fourth book in Meyer’sTwilightsaga was split into two parts for its film adaptation. In 2011,The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1was released, kicking off what was to be the long-awaited blockbuster finale of the saga. In this film, directed by Bill Condon, the audience witnesses Bella and Edward’s wedding, and their honeymoon on Isle Esme, where they first become intimate. Within weeks, Bella finds out that she is pregnant, but due to the nature of the baby, her life is at risk and a new conflict between vampires and werewolves may once again be triggered. The production, which ended with Bella’s conversion to vampire, was wildly successful theatrically, garnering $712 million worldwide in spite of its poor reviews.
3The Batman — $770M
Throughout the history of cinema, there were several actors who played the Gotham City superhero, yet Pattinson’s performance inThe Batmanranks him among the best, alongside stars like Christian Bale and Michael Keaton. This blockbuster film, also featuring performances by Zoë Kravitz, Paul Dano, Jeffrey Wright, John Turturro, Peter Sarsgaard, Andy Serkis, and Colin Farrell, introduces a young Bruce Wayne at the beginning of his superhero career, chasing the Riddler, a serial killer who is attacking high-profile figures. Moreover, by following the clues of this criminal, Wayne eventually uncovers some of the corruption that reigns in Gotham City. This Matt Reeves film was well-received by critics and audiences alike, earning $770 million worldwide and becoming the fifth-highest-grossing film of 2022 so far.
2The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 — $829M
The 2012 filmThe Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2wrapped up the popularTwilightfranchise with Condon reprising his role as director. In it, an unprecedented war is unleashed when the Vulturi, the largest and most powerful coven of vampires, learn about Renesmee, Edward and Bella’s daughter, and assume she is an immortal child. Because of this, they set out to execute her and her family, forcing the Cullens to find allies to engage in a battle. Meanwhile, Bella has to learn to cope with her new status as a vampire. This was the highest-grossing movie of the entire franchise, making a total of $829 million worldwide.
1Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire — $897M
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fireis, to date, Pattinson’s highest-grossing blockbuster movie and also the one that launched him into the spotlight for the first time. This Mike Newell-directed production explores the events surrounding the Triwizard Tournament, an important contest in the wizarding world. Mysteriously, Harry Potter is selected to participate, even though he does not meet the criteria, which could be deadly for him. However, he is not the only student elected from Hogwarts: Cedric Diggory (Pattinson) will also be competing in the tournament. The film was a box-office success, making $897 million worldwide and becoming the highest-grossing film of 2005.
