Christian Bale: People 'would laugh at me' for taking Batman 'seriously'

Anyone would be an "American Psycho" to doubt Christian Bale's ability to portray Bruce Wayne.

Still, the Oscar-winning actor revealed that the announcement of Christopher Nolan's serious take on Batman for "Batman Begins" was met with skepticism in 2005.

"I would tell people that we're kind of going to do Batman, but take it seriously," Bale told The Washington Post. "Tons of people laughed at me and just said, 'Well, that just won't work at all.'

"Batman Begins" was the first installment in the DC franchise since Joel Schumacher's "Batman & Robin" in 1997, which was quickly deemed campy for its Bat nipple costume and over-the-top acting.

Nolan's "Dark Knight" trilogy, which ran from 2005 to 2012, won two Oscars, including a posthumous Best Actor award for Heath Ledger's portrayal of The Joker.

"It's wonderful to be part of a trilogy that has proven these people wrong," Bale added.

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"The Dark Knight" trilogy also took future portrayals of the Caped Crusader in a darker direction, seemingly returning to the darker tone Tim Burton alluded to in "Batman" and "Batman Returns." Matt Reeves' most recent "The Batman" starred Robert Pattinson as a moody, grunge-tinged orphan superhero.

"It's funny to see [Matt Reeves' 'The Batman'] now, because all those memories come back, 'It's too dark,'" Burton told Empire magazine in honor of the 30th anniversary of "Batman Returns". ” "So, that makes me laugh a little bit."

Burton continued, "[At the time] they went the other way. That's the funny thing. But then I was like, 'Wait a minute. D "Okay. Wait a second here. You're complaining about me, I'm too weird, I'm too dark, and then you put nipples on the costume? Fuck you." Seriously. So yeah, I think that's why I didn't finish [doing a third movie]…"

As for Bale donning the Batsuit again, the actor told Screen Rant that he would be open to directing a fourth "Batman" movie as long as Nolan directs.

"I had a pact with Chris Nolan," Bale explained. "We said, 'Hey, look. Let's make three films, if we're lucky enough to be able to do so. And then let's go. Let's not linger too long." In my mind, it would be something if Chris Nolan was like, "You know what, I have another story to tell." And if he wanted to tell that story with me, I I would be in.”

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