Bale who made it clear that last year's ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ was his final turn as the caped crusader may be called to bluff, with studio Warner Bros reportedly determined on luring him back into the famous cowl.
Nevertheless, the Oscar-winner told Entertainment Weekly last month: "We were incredibly fortunate to get to make three [Batman films]. That's enough. Let's not get greedy. It's a torch that should be handed from one actor to another. So I enjoy looking forward to what somebody else will come up with."
The British actor, 39, would bring all the box office clout of Christopher Nolan's trilogy of Batman movies and also fits the bill for the older, jaded take on the superhero which producers are looking to opt for in a nod to Frank Miller's iconic The Dark Knight Returns. The 1986 graphic novel sees Superman called in to take down an increasingly bitter and merciless Batman who has returned to the streets of Gotham after many years in retirement.
The American Press Association's $50m figure stems from a comment in a new eBook titled ‘Beyond Batman: The Unauthorized True Story of Christian Bale and His Dark Knight Dilemma,’ by Vincent Russel. It quotes a source from Legendary Pictures, which partnered with Warner on Nolan's films, suggesting the studio is determined to get their man.
The 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."
Russel adds: "Sources close to Christian Bale have reportedly begun expressing their suspicions that Bale now views the Batman films in the same light that Robert Downey Jr. views the Iron Man films." Downey Jr. famously received a reputed $50m payday for The Avengers after agreeing a profit share deal with Marvel Studios for the ensemble superhero movie, which went on to make $1.5bn last year.
Recruiting Bale, by far the most recognizable figure as Batman, would be a remarkable coup for Warner and the team behind Man of Steel 2, director Zack Snyder and writer-producer David S Goyer. While the original film performed decently at the box office earlier this year with $648m so far and got semi-decent reviews, Nolan's last two Batman films both broke the $1bn barrier and were hailed as masterpieces by many critics.
That the two superheroes will be actively battling appeared to be confirmed by Snyder's statement: "Let's face it, it's beyond mythological to have Superman and our new Batman facing off, since they are the greatest superheroes in the world."
Zack Snyder will direct the follow-up to his $630m global hit Man of Steel and will reunite with his Superman, Henry Cavill. Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne and Diane Lane will also reprise their roles.
As well as Man of Steel 2, Warner is planning a Justice League movie which would ape Marvel's The Avengers by uniting rival DC Comics' famous superhero team of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman on the big screen. If Bale were recruited for both films, the studio could presumably rely on a spectacular double box office bonanza.
Meanwhile, Breaking Bad's Bryan Cranston has revealed he would be interested in playing Superman's nemesis Lex Luthor in Man of Steel 2, giving a tongue in cheek quote to Metro. "I like Lex Luthor," he said. "I think he's misunderstood. He's a lovable, sweet man!"
The shaven-headed actor is a fan favorite to play the villain, who is rumored to make his debut in the sequel.
Snyder has committed to an early 2014 start and the game plan is to get the movie in theaters for summer 2015.
Culled from the Guardian, Wednesday 14 August 2013
The British actor, 39, would bring all the box office clout of Christopher Nolan's trilogy of Batman movies and also fits the bill for the older, jaded take on the superhero which producers are looking to opt for in a nod to Frank Miller's iconic The Dark Knight Returns. The 1986 graphic novel sees Superman called in to take down an increasingly bitter and merciless Batman who has returned to the streets of Gotham after many years in retirement.
The American Press Association's $50m figure stems from a comment in a new eBook titled ‘Beyond Batman: The Unauthorized True Story of Christian Bale and His Dark Knight Dilemma,’ by Vincent Russel. It quotes a source from Legendary Pictures, which partnered with Warner on Nolan's films, suggesting the studio is determined to get their man.
The 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."
Russel adds: "Sources close to Christian Bale have reportedly begun expressing their suspicions that Bale now views the Batman films in the same light that Robert Downey Jr. views the Iron Man films." Downey Jr. famously received a reputed $50m payday for The Avengers after agreeing a profit share deal with Marvel Studios for the ensemble superhero movie, which went on to make $1.5bn last year.
Recruiting Bale, by far the most recognizable figure as Batman, would be a remarkable coup for Warner and the team behind Man of Steel 2, director Zack Snyder and writer-producer David S Goyer. While the original film performed decently at the box office earlier this year with $648m so far and got semi-decent reviews, Nolan's last two Batman films both broke the $1bn barrier and were hailed as masterpieces by many critics.
That the two superheroes will be actively battling appeared to be confirmed by Snyder's statement: "Let's face it, it's beyond mythological to have Superman and our new Batman facing off, since they are the greatest superheroes in the world."
Zack Snyder will direct the follow-up to his $630m global hit Man of Steel and will reunite with his Superman, Henry Cavill. Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne and Diane Lane will also reprise their roles.
As well as Man of Steel 2, Warner is planning a Justice League movie which would ape Marvel's The Avengers by uniting rival DC Comics' famous superhero team of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman on the big screen. If Bale were recruited for both films, the studio could presumably rely on a spectacular double box office bonanza.
Meanwhile, Breaking Bad's Bryan Cranston has revealed he would be interested in playing Superman's nemesis Lex Luthor in Man of Steel 2, giving a tongue in cheek quote to Metro. "I like Lex Luthor," he said. "I think he's misunderstood. He's a lovable, sweet man!"
The shaven-headed actor is a fan favorite to play the villain, who is rumored to make his debut in the sequel.
Snyder has committed to an early 2014 start and the game plan is to get the movie in theaters for summer 2015.
Culled from the Guardian, Wednesday 14 August 2013
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