Exclusive: Christian Bale Is In Talks To Return As Batman
Christian Bale could be back as Batman.
This article is more than 2 years old
Christian Bale left a permanent impression on the character of Batman thanks to his portrayal of the Caped Crusader in Christopher Nolan’s trilogy of films. For a certain generation of fans, he will go down as the definitive version of the Dark Knight. Many have assumed that Bale would never reprise the role since The Dark Knight Rises left his iteration of Bruce Wayne on a very final note. However, we at Giant Freakin Robot have obtained some exclusive information that says the once and future Batman is beginning negotiations to return as Gotham City’s protector in an upcoming DC Universe film.
According to one of our trusted and proven inside sources, Christian Bale is in talks to play Batman in The Flash. There have been reports that Bale might be stepping in for Michael Keaton who was originally set to appear as his version of Bruce Wayne/Batman. However, it seems like Keaton’s involvement is not a done deal and it could be that Warner Bros./DC is seeing if Christian Bale could step into the part instead. But, we can’t confirm that’s why he has entered talks to make a comeback. It is equally possible that both Keaton and Bale could pop up in the movie.
Though, if we were willing to put a wager on this, we would bet that it is an either/or situation: either Michael Keaton is coming back as Batman or Christian Bale is. Both of these actors would likely be in a very powerful negotiation position when it comes to their salary for the film. And it would likely come down to a matter of how much each actor is asking and just how much screen time they would have to commit to the project. Would Michael Keaton be just a cameo or was the plan to make him a more prominent role in the movie? The same goes for Christian Bale. Do the filmmakers want this to be a full supporting role or little more than a special appearance?
Whatever they decide, the choice needs to be made soon. The Flash has already entered production and the movie is well on its way to being made. This news about Christian Bale makes it sound like the movie is still getting reconfigured as the cameras are rolling. Whatever role Batman is set to play in the movie, it sounds like they are trying to get it in place while they shoot other things. This doesn’t even take into consideration that Ben Affleck is set to return as Batman as well. If The Flash was actually able to bring together three generations of Batmen, it would be a remarkable achievement in superhero cinema history.
We should reiterate that Christian Bale is only in talks for this return. The papers have not been signed so he is not finalized to return, but it definitely sounds like Warner Bros./DC wants to nab him in some capacity for The Flash. Seeing him don the cape and cowl for one more time on the big screen would be a major reason to see The Flash. We’ll have to wait and find out whether or not the deal gets made.
