Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
Even though Christopher Nolan’s Oscar-nominated filmBatman Beginswith Christian Bale first appeared in cinemas almost twenty years ago, it continues to be praised even today. Warner Bros. had approached the director with the idea for a fourth movie, even thoughThe Dark KnightTrilogy came to an end with 2012’sThe Dark Knight Rises. According to sources, signing on for a fourthDark KnightMovie might have netted Bale a tidy $50 million salary. But he declined it.
TheDark KnightandThe Dark Knight Rises, in which Bale fought off two of the genre’s most iconic villains, Heath Ledger’s Joker and Tom Hardy’s Bane, are included in the list of the top ten highest-earning movies alongside 2012’sAvengers Assemble.
Also Read:Aaron Eckhart Was Never the First choice for Harvey Dent – Christopher Nolan Wanted Avengers Star for Two-Face in The Dark Knight
Christian Bale Could Receive $50m to Reprise His Role as Batman, but He Said NO
WhenChristian Baleplayed Bruce Wayne/Batman in Christopher Nolan’s cult classic action movieBatman Beginsin 2005, Bale was already one of Hollywood’s biggest stars. Bale reprised his role as Batman in the 2008 movieThe Dark Knight, in which Heath Ledger played the Joker, and in the 2012 filmThe Dark Knight Rises.All three movies were well-received by critics, and a lot of fans opined out loud that Bale was the ideal choice to play the illustrious comic book character.
The audience adored Bale’s Caped Crusader in theDark KnightTrilogy, which was a huge commercial success. WB wanted Nolan to create a fourth movie as well. Why else would they not?
Bale had a $50 million offer on the table. However, he stated thatThe Dark Knight Riseswas his final appearance as a superhero. Regarding the future of theBatmanfilm series, Bale made a straightforward answer, saying, “I enjoy anticipating what somebody else will come up with.”
As quoted inBeyond Batman: The Unauthorised True Story of Christian Bale and His Dark Knight Dilemma, an insider said:
“Why would Christian Bale walk away from what is certainly going to be either the first or second highest-grossing movie in the history of cinema? He could probably make 50 million dollars for being in the movie 20 minutes. And it would be worth every penny to the studio.”
There was no room for a fourth feature because Nolan had been emphatic about concludingThe Dark Knightmovie series as a trilogy from the beginning. And theAmerican Hustleactor respects his choice to not move ahead with a newBatmanmovie.
Also Read:After Christopher Nolan Denied Him The Dark Knight 4, Christian Bale’s Co-Star Also Lost Star-Lord Role to Chris Pratt
Why He Would Never Come Back to the Franchise?
The Dark Knighttrilogy by Christopher Nolan revolutionized the superhero movie genre, and its impact is still felt today. However, when given the chance to return for a fourth Batman film, both Nolan and star Christian Bale said ‘no’.
In an interview with the Toronto Sun, Christian Bale revealed that there were indeed talks of a fourthBatmanfilm directed byChristopher Nolanand starring Bale as the Caped Crusader. Although according to the actor, those talks didn’t last very long.
InBatman Begins,The Dark Knight, andThe Dark Knight Rises, Bale played Bruce Wayne/Batman. Later, Warner Bros. offered Bale a role in a fourth Batman picture, but he declined it out of respect for Nolan, who had always envisioned his story as a three-film series and nothing more.
Bale said:
“Chris had always said to me that if we were fortunate to be able to make three we would stop. ‘Let’s walk away after that,’ he said. Then when they inevitably came to us and said, ‘How about a No. 4?’ I said, ‘No. We have to stick to Chris’ dream, which was always to, hopefully, do a trilogy. Let’s not stretch too far and become overindulgent and go for a fourth.’ That’s why we, well Chris, stepped away. After that, I was informed my services were no longer required.”
The English actor has spoken about a potential return to the role and has named his condition for it. While speaking to ComicBook, Bale revealed that he would only return to action in aBatmanfilm if the movie was helmed by Christopher Nolan again.
As Nolan said no, it doesn’t seem like the actor is going to be returning to the cape and cowl anytime soon.
Also Read:“I’m glad he decided it wasn’t for him”: Josh Brolin Feels Lucky Christian Bale Got Nervous to Play Former American President in $29 Million Movie
Prantik Prabal Roy
Articles Published :778
Prantik Prabal Roy is a content writer at FandomWire. With over three years of experience in content writing for various media houses, he takes great interest in telling stories about Hollywood celebrities and the world revolving around them. He has done his Master’s in English literature and diploma course in journalism. Being a literature student, he has the ability to delve into the matter and analyse it thoroughly to give the readers a clear view on the specific topics.
