Robert Pattinson has jokingly compared his The Odyssey character to Jacob in Twilight.

In Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s Greek epic poem, The Batman actor plays Antinous, one of the suitors pressuring Penelope (Anne Hathaway) to marry him as her husband Odysseus (Matt Damon) is presumed dead following the Trojan War.

During an interview with MTV at the world premiere in London on Monday, Pattinson was asked about playing the film’s primary antagonist.

“How fun is it to play a character that everyone is not rooting for?” the reporter asked, to which the British actor insisted some viewers might back his character, just like they rooted for Taylor Lautner’s Jacob in their Twilight series.

“I think they will be rooting for him. I keep comparing it… it’s kind of like Jacob in Twilight,” Pattinson responded with a laugh. “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.'”

In the vampire romance franchise, Jacob is the romantic rival of Pattinson’s character Edward Cullen, with them both vying for the affection of Kristen Stewart’s Bella.

The Odyssey follows Damon’s Odysseus on his treacherous decade-long voyage back to Ithaca after the Trojan War.

Pattinson was joined by his co-stars in London’s Leicester Square for the mammoth world premiere on Monday. The star-studded guest list included Damon, Hathaway, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Lupita Nyong’o, Elliot Page, Samantha Morton and director Christopher Nolan.

During his introduction, the Oscar-winning filmmaker told the crowd that it was a “very special” occasion as he used to watch films at the Odeon Luxe cinema.

“(I grew up) really dreaming of making a film one day that would fill this screen so to be here in such glamorous circumstances with all of you celebrating the work of so many people who came together to make The Odyssey is truly incredible,” he said, reports Deadline.

“We’re thrilled and excited to see what you make of what we’ve done… these guys, and so many more people, thousands of people contributed to the making of this film and I challenged everybody I was working with to bring their best.”

The Odyssey will be released in cinemas on 17 July.

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