Batman Begins

Summary

Christian Bale reinvent Bruce Wayne and his cap part for a newer propagation inBatman Begins , but the Oscar - winner was very close to assay the role of another quintessentialDChero . While Bale broke out as a child star in movies like Steven Spielberg’sEmpire of the Sun , the English actor took on challenging and diverse role in the late 1990s and early 2000s . From playing a modest - mannered music journalist in the glam - rock classicVelvet Goldmineto the heady namesake ofAmerican Psycho , Bale was already a critic ’ heartthrob even before he was cast inChristopher Nolan ’s Dark Knight trilogy .

TheFord vs. Ferraristar debuted as Batman in 2005 ’s Batman Begins , but a few years earlier , another superhero opportunity bring in his lick , but the ambitious DC movie was finally scrub . Still , it ’s all for the best that this divinatory scenario never became a reality , for it might have prevented Bale from being rove as the Caped Crusader . When compared toother live - action Batman thespian , Bale ’s version bear out with his clearly raspy Batman voice and emotionally complex soul . The way Bale humanise Gotham City ’s vigilance man could have been reflect way back by another hero closely linked to Batman .

Here ’s every fresh DC movie confirmed as in exploitation by WB for 2024 and forrader , including release dates and where they belong in the franchise .

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Christian Bale Was Almost Superman Before His Batman Casting

Bale Was Eyed To Play The Man Of Steel In An Early 2000s Batman/Superman Movie

The late German director Wolfgang Petersen broke out with his claustrophobic submarine - ready dramaDas Boot . But the two - clock time Oscar nominee also had a hang for helm fully grown - budget spectacles likeThe NeverEnding StoryandTroy . In 2003,Wolfgang Petersen was roped in to direct aBatman vs. Supermanfilm with Christian Bale as Superman . The filmmaker revealed this behind - the - scenes point in a 2010 interview withMTV , tote up thatJosh Hartnett was the second candidateto be considered to play the Kryptonian Hero of Alexandria . Unfortunately , the projection never learn the light of dayand JJ Abrams had a role behind the film ’s axing .

While Petersen pitched a cinematic face - off between Batman and Superman mode before Zack Snyder in 2015,Warner Bros. prioritized a solo Superman moving-picture show with a new doer instead . The plan was to pick upJJ Abrams ’ early playscript forSuperman Returns . TitledSuperman : Flyby , the script drastically rewrote the character ’s origins , and the project was remold as Bryan Singer’sSuperman Returnsinstead . Petersen give up hope for Bale ’s Superman bit but had nothing but kudos for his subsequent Batman era . He even toldMTVhow he consider Bale ’s 2d Batman outing , The Dark Knight , merit an Oscar for Best Picture .

How Christian Bale’s Superman Role Would’ve Changed DC’s Movie Landscape

Batman Vs Superman: Asylum Could Have Spawned A DCEU-like Franchise

In the early 2000s , DC only had a misfire like Catwoman and cancel project like Tim Burton ’s Superman film to flaunt . Christopher Reeve was no longer the glorious Elvis of the fourscore , and Joel Schumacher had grow Batman into a comedic dimension in the 90 . In this context , Christian Bale ’s Batman vs. Superman movie would have spawned a new complect franchiseakin tothe DCEU movies that make out later . TitledBatman vs. Superman : Asylum , Petersen ’s labor was also drive by a dark story that would have humanized the titular heroes much like what Christopher Nolan ’s Dark Knight movies finally achieved .

Becoming Batman is a challenging task for any actor , but one of them had to transform his physical structure the most to play DC ’s Caped Crusader in springy - activity .

Screenwriter Akiva Goldsman toldColliderthat the task eventually roped in Colin Farrell as Batman and Jude Law as Superman . The script close to dealt with a retired Batman exact tearing revenge on the Joker and Lex Luthor for pop his wife . Believing that Batman is not a slayer , Superman intervened for a more righteous resolution and a typeface - off between the two heroes ensued . Regardless of whether Bale , Harnett , or Law played Superman , the canceled undertaking could have made mainstream superhero cinema drab than usual , and early - to - mid-2000sDC would n’t have had to rely on sporadic standalone releases likeCatwomanandConstantine .

Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne looking upwards with Alex Ross’s Justice League assembled together in the background

Custom Image: Shaurya Thapa

When JJ Abrams’Superman : Flybyscript was being consider to be made , Jude Law was still consider to take on Superman before he lost pastime . Brendan Fraser was also consider for the part .

Why Christian Bale Is Better As Batman Than Superman

The Actor Humanized Batman In Cinema Like Never Before

Christian Bale not being finalize to play Superman and Wolfgang Petersen not assure funding from Warner Bros were benediction in disguise for fans ofBatman Begins . The 2005 film set aside Bale to deliver his brooding loudness from previous roles likeThe MachinistandEquilibriumbut as a costumed superhero this time . His grounded take on Batman also reflected Bale ’s impressive hang for physically transforming himself as he beefed up significantly for the film ’s combat sequence . A supporting part of Superman in an otherwise Batman - focused project likeAsylumwouldn’t have plant him as a bankable lead starlikeBatman Beginsdid .

The DCU ’s The Brave and the Bold could foresee a Batman movie figure that has appeared in every motion picture since 1989 , offering a fresh narrative slant .

TheBatman vs. Supermanmovie ’s cancelation give direction toBale proving how he ’s the perfect Batman . Under Christopher Nolan ’s deft direction and in the society of player like Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman , Bale got more space to pink into the fragile side of theDChero . The haunt outcome of his parent ’s murder , the fear of not saving Gotham , and his journeying of self - uncovering made Bale ’s performance inBatman Beginsway more human than retiring iterations . This fragility was only search further inThe Dark KnightandThe Dark Knight Rises , show why Bale was tailor - made to impersonate Batman .

Collage of characters from Super Man 2025, Constantine and Batman II

Upcoming DC picture

Release Date

jokester : Folie à Deux

Cleric John Preston (Christian Bale) dramatically standing in a smoky alley right before a fight scene in Equilibrium

October 4 , 2024

window pane

July 11 , 2025

Batman Superman exchanging punches in DC Comics

The Batman - Part II

October 2 , 2026

Collage image featuring Christian Bale, Ben Affleck, and Robert Pattinson’s versions of Bruce Wayne/Batman

blended image with christian bale’s batman, michael keaton’s Batman with Kim Basinger’s Vicki Vale, and Val Kilmer’s Batman with nicole Kidman as Merridian Chase

Batman Begins

DC Extended Universe