Over the last week, a number of images and video clips of The Batman have surfaced online. Most of the behind-the-scenes have featured Robert Pattinson’s Batman stunt double, Scott Kirkbride, in the suit. For those who don’t know, he’s South African.
Cape Town-based Kirkbride, who previously work as a stunt double on Maze Runner: The Death Cure (2018), Tomb Raider (2018) and Bloodshot(2020), can be seen racing the Batcycle in and around a cemetery clothed in the new Batman suit alongside Catwoman.
He is one of two stuntmen standing in for Pattinson. The other is Rick English, who worked on The Avengers, The Dark Knight and Fast and the Furious.
While he might not be a dead ringer for Pattinson, his skillset as a fighter is quite impressive. As seen on his IMDB profile, Kirkbride has expertise in hand-to-hand combat – something a Batman stunt double definitely needs.
This is Robert Pattinson’s stunt double. Scott Kirkbride is a South African stuntman who has worked on projects like The Maze Runner, F9 and Tomb Raider. He is now Robert Pattinson’s stunt double in #TheBatman? pic.twitter.com/FrZSzVUZ76
— The Battinson??? (@BattinsonBatman) February 23, 2020
It’s great to see South African talent in major Hollywood features. The country has a long list of professionals waiting for their opportunity to shake the film industry. Good luck, Scott Kirkbride!
There is another South African actor – Alexander Ferns – appearing in “The Batman” as a Gotham police officer. I met Alexander in my bookshop in Cape Town and he told me a bit about his role. Although Alexander was born in Scotland, he says he went to UCT and lives in Cape Town now, so considers himself a local!