Before Christian Bale took on the role of the Dark Knight in Batman Begins, the last time the iconic superhero was seen on the big screen was in Joel Schumacher’s Batman & Robin. The 1998 film was critically thrashed for its campy humour, family-friendly action, and Bat-nipples. When Christopher Nolan was tapped to bring Batman back, not everyone thought that his more grounded, serious approach would work.
While speaking with The Washington Post, Christian Bale reflected on those early days prior to the release of Batman Begins, saying that people actually laughed at him when he described how they were tackling the story.
I would [tell people] we’re going to sort of do Batman, but take him seriously. I had tons of people laugh at me and just say, ‘well that’s just not going to work at all.’
Batman Begins was a big success and paved the way for The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises. “So, it’s wonderful to be a part of a trilogy that proved those people wrong,” Bale said. “I’m not certain if it kick-started [the MCU] but it certainly helped along the way.” It’s remarkable to think that it’s been a decade since Christian Bale last suited up as Batman, but the actor did recently say that he’d be down to return, so long as Christopher Nolan is also involved.
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.
Christian Bale can currently be seen playing Gorr the God Butcher alongside Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, and Tessa Thompson in Thor: Love and Thunder. You can check out a review from our own Chris Bumbray right here.
