Did Christian Bale almost continue his journey as Batman? Zack Snyder speaks on the rumor that the actor almost made his return for Batman v Superman.
To modern fans, the idea of Christian Bale making his return as Batman for Batman v Superman may sound like Crash Bandicoot appearing in the next Uncharted movie. But at the time, it wasn’t a far-fetched idea. The concept of a cinematic universe was still relatively new. Zack Snyder’s DC Universe debut, Man of Steel, also only came out a year after The Dark Knight Rises, and was produced and developed alongside Christopher Nolan.
So when it was announced that Zack Snyder would be making a Batman V Superman movie, it seemed only natural that he’d bring in the Batman from the franchise that just ended. At the time, the only real question was whether Christian Bale would ACTUALLY return, or if Joseph Gordon Levitt would step into the cape and cowl in his stead.
Was Christian Bale Planned For Batman V Superman?
Now a decade out from the release of Batman V Superman, Zack Snyder gives his thoughts on the long-held rumor that Christian Bale was originally considered to make his return as Batman. Sadly, it seems as though fiction is far more interesting than reality, with Snyder admitting that the idea was never really in consideration. Here’s what the director had to say during an interview on Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused.
“Joseph [Gordon Levitt] is an amazing actor. I don’t think it was for me to flesh that out. I think if Bale had stayed, if it had ended with Christian Bale standing on a building overlooking Gotham silhouetted by the lights of Gotham, then there’s a that that’s a serious conversation there if he’s not in Italy, retired, drinking wine and relaxing. If he’s a current crime fighter, then I think those universes could have mixed. We never really talked about it.”
While it’s a shame that fans weren’t able to see Christian Bale return as Batman one last time on the silver screen, Zack Snyder did deliver some truly amazing moments with Batman V Superman. Even though Ben Affleck had a short and messy run as the character, he’s still beloved as one of the top actors to ever take on the role, which is nothing to scoff at.
Zack Snyder’s Justice League is currently streaming on HBO Max. Stay tuned for the latest news regarding the future of the DC Universe!
