Christian Bale Says He Would Only Return as Batman if Christopher Nolan Had ‘Another Story to Tell’
Christian Bale has portrayed plenty of great roles in his career, but he is most recognized for playing Batman in the Dark Knight trilogy from Christopher Nolan. The trilogy wrapped up nicely but that hasn’t stopped fans from wanting to see him as the caped crusader once again. Christian Bale says there are no current plans for him to reprise Batman, but he would return if Nolan asked.
Christian Bale played Batman in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy
After the disaster of a movie that was Batman & Robin, Warner Bros. and DC were looking for a way to revitalize the hero’s popularity. Director Christopher Nolan was tasked with bringing Batman back to the big screen, this time with Christian Bale. Batman Begins debuted in 2005 and was a success for the studio, showing off a dark and gritty interpretation of the character.
The sequel, The Dark Knight, was an even bigger hit and is often regarded as the best comic book movie ever made. The Dark Knight Rises concluded the trilogy in 2012. While it’s not as praised as the middle chapter, the film still ended the trilogy on a high note and made it one of the best trilogies in movie history. The Bale Batman movies were also very successful at the box office, grossing over $2 billion at the box office, according to Box Office Mojo.
Bale would return to play Batman if Nolan had another great story
The Dark Knight Rises turns 10 this year, meaning it has been a decade since Bale last played the character. Even though his story is done, many fans are wondering if the actor would ever reprise the character. In an interview with Screen Rant, Christian Bale said there are currently no plans for him to return as Batman, but he would be open to it if Christopher Nolan had the right story.
“No. No one’s ever mentioned it to me. No one’s brought it up,” Bale said. “Occasionally people say to me, ‘Oh, I hear you were approached and offered all this.’ And I’m like, ‘That’s news to me.’ No one’s ever said that. I had a pact with Chris Nolan. We said, ‘Hey, look. Let’s make three films, if we’re lucky enough to get to do that. And then let’s walk away. Let’s not linger too long.’ In my mind, it would be something if Chris Nolan ever said to himself, ‘You know what, I’ve got another story to tell.’ And if he wished to tell that story with me, I’d be in.”
It’s not out of the realm of possibility for Christian Bale to return, especially since other Batman actors are reprising their roles. The upcoming The Flash movie features both Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck returning as Batman. Keaton is also playing the role again in Batgirl. The multiverse concept suggests nothing is impossible and it could even bring back Bale if the time was right.
Bale returns to the superhero genre in ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’
Bale is now switching from DC to Marvel with Thor: Love and Thunder. However, he is now playing a villain known as Gorr the God Butcher, a being who swears to kill all the gods. He will go toe-to-toe with Chris Hemsworth’s Thor, along with Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie and Natalie Portman’s Mighty Thor.
Thor: Love and Thunder arrives in theaters on July 8.
