Batman actor Christian Bale may well be more known for the DCEU than the MCU, but he’s about to make his MCU debut in the upcoming fantasy movie Thor: Love and Thunder. He’ll be originating the on-screen role of Gorr the God Butcher, the main villain of the movie — pitting him against Chris Hemsworth’s Thor, Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster, and the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Although he’s clearly moved on from his time as the Caped Crusader, his Dark Knight trilogy, which includes Batman Begins, The Dark Knight Rises, and Oscar winner The Dark Knight are still considered to be some of the best movies of all time within the superhero genre.
Bale has left superhero movies behind in recent years, but now that he’s jumped head-first into the Marvel universe, many fans are speculating — or, rather, hoping — that there’s scope for the action movie star to reprise his iteration as Bruce Wayne in the future. In an interview with ScreenRant, Bale explained the likelihood of that happening.
“No one’s ever mentioned it to me. No one’s brought it up,” he admitted. “Occasionally, people say to me, ‘Oh, I hear you were approached and offered all this.’ And I’m like, ‘That’s news to me. No one’s ever said that.'”
Bale added that he has a “pact” with Christopher Nolan, who directed the Dark Knight trilogy. “We said, ‘Hey, look. Let’s make three films, if we’re lucky enough to get to do that. And then let’s walk away. Let’s not linger too long.’ In my mind, it would be something if Chris Nolan ever said to himself, ‘You know what, I’ve got another story to tell.’ And if he wished to tell that story with me, I’d be in.”
Thor: Love and Thunder arrives in theatres on July 7 in the UK and July 8 in the US.