People Laughed At Christian Bale When He Said He Wanted To Take Batman Seriously

“Serious” comic book flicks are all the rage now — the Batman comics have also dealt in heavy themes for years — but back in 2005, it wasn’t easy for fans to wrap their heads around the concept of a more serious Batman. Bale spoke to The Washington Post about the initial response to Nolan’s plan: “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.'”

Whatever “people” Bale spoke to, it’s clear they didn’t see the vision. The Dark Knight is a versatile enough character that he can actually be a perfect fit for a dark film, as shown in the success of “Batman Begins” and its two acclaimed sequels. Nolan’s trilogy was one of the first superhero films to really add gravity to the world its hero occupied, and Bale can definitely see a connection between their success and the success of Marvel’s Cinematic Universe. “I’m not certain if it kick-started [the MCU],” Bale mused, “but it certainly helped along the way.”

Bale has since made the jump not just from hero to villain, but from DC to Marvel, starring as Gorr the God Butcher in “Thor: Love and Thunder.” The actor’s presence in the MCU was apparently a curveball to a lot of franchise fans as well. “People keep saying to me ‘surprising to see you here,'” Bale said. “I’m not surprised in the slightest.” It just goes to show what can happen when you open your mind to the possibilities. To quote another Nolan masterpiece: You mustn’t be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling.