Summary
- Christian Bale would only return as Batman in The Dark Knight 4 under a key condition.
- The Dark Knight 4 possibilities include a Batman Beyond adaptation or passing the mantle to Joseph Gordon-Levitt's character.
- Despite interest in The Dark Knight 4, the movie is unlikely, given the existing Batman movie franchises.
Christian Bale has one condition to return for The Dark Knight 4, and he is not the only one involved with the Batman franchise to have commented on a possible comeback. Bale was cast as Bruce Wayne for director Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins, beating other candidates like Cillian Murphy, who would play Scarecrow in Nolan's The Dark Knight trilogy, and Jake Gyllenhaal, who is currently one of the most popular candidates in the eyes of fans to play the new Batman of James Gunn's DC Universe. Bale brought the goods, easily becoming one of the best live-action Batman actors.
Bale was helped by some amazing villains and supporting characters. Chief among them was Heath Ledger's Joker, with the actor delivering one of the most iconic performances in movie history as the Clown Prince of Crime, with Ledger's The Dark Knight role leading to a posthumous Best Supporting Actor Oscar for the star. With so much talent in the franchise and Nolan's Batman movies being beloved by fans and acclaimed by critics, there has always been a desire for The Dark Knight 4 to happen. Recently, that movie got a hopeful update, and Bale has one condition to return.
Dark Knight Rises Sequel: Why Nolan Never Made A 4th Batman Movie
Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy is among the best trilogies and superhero movies ever, but why didn't he make a fourth Batman movie?
Christian Bale Would Only Return For The Dark Knight 4 On 1 Condition
The Batman Actor Has A Point
Bale's last time as Batman came in 2012's The Dark Knight Rises. The movie gave the perfect ending to his version of Bruce Wayne, who saved Gotham City but was able to escape the cycle of violence in his life, going away to live with Anne Hathaway's Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman, and leaving his life as Batman behind. With such a definitive ending to The Dark Knight trilogy, it would be hard to bring the franchise back; however, Bale has revealed that he would be game to don the Batsuit again on one condition.
For The Dark Knight 4, Bale would return as Batman if Christopher Nolan was involved. Nolan, who recently won the Oscar for Best Director for the first time with Oppenheimer — which starred The Dark Knight trilogy alum Cillian Murphy — was the creative force behind Bale's Batman. As such, the actor told Screen Rant, "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." The actor also revealed that he and Nolan had always planned for just three movies.
Bale's condition to return as Batman being that Nolan would also need to come back is understandable. After all, it was their joint effort — and that of the rest of The Dark Knight trilogy's cast and crew — that led to the Batman movies standing not only as some of the best for the character, but also for DC and superhero films as a whole. At 50, Bale could still have one or two good Batman outings in him, and the actor's recent role in Marvel Studios' Thor: Love and Thunder shows he is still open to superhero movies.
What Christopher Nolan & Other Creatives In The Dark Knight Trilogy Have Said About Returning
The Dark Knight 4 Recently Got A Hopeful Update
Bale is not the only one involved in The Dark Knight trilogy to have talked about a possible return for The Dark Knight 4. While not being directly asked about helming The Dark Knight 4, Nolan has made his stance on directing any new superhero movies clear. Speaking to HugoDécrypte, Nolan was asked whether he would want to direct another superhero movie after his Batman trilogy, to which the director bluntly said, "No." Based on Nolan's firm stance regarding the topic and Bale's one condition for a Batman return, The Dark Knight 4 happening is complicated.
However, there is hope at the end of the tunnel for fans of The Dark Knight trilogy. Recently, Jonathan Nolan claimed it would be a dream to return to the Batman franchise. Jonathan, who is Christopher Nolan's brother, worked on all three The Dark Knight trilogy movies as a writer. Jonathan, whose work includes fan-favorite projects like the TV series Westworld and Fallout, could convince his brother to return for another go at the Caped Crusader. Perhaps, even if Christopher Nolan did not return, he could pass on the Batman torch to Jonathan, and that could get Bale on board.