Christian Bale

“The Dark Knight Rises” has a trailer out, and it reveals a portrayal of Gotham that’s more bleak (if that’s possible) than the first two films in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight.” Judging from the trailer, “The Dark Knight Rises” promises a deeper look at Bruce Wayne’s character and his relationship with his butler Alfred (played again by Michael Caine), a ruthless villain in Bane (Tom Hardy), and plenty of action and explosions, including an incredible scene on a football field. Catwoman is strangely missing; Anne Hathaway is shown whispering in Wayne’s (Christian Bale) ear, and her silky voice provides narration for the trailer, but she’s not in her kitty regalia. Check out the trailer below, and let us know what you think in the comments. The film, which opens July 20, stars Bale, Hardy, […]

This post has been corrected, as indicated below  There’s nothing sentimental or soft about Gotham City, and that seems to suit Christopher Nolan just fine. The 41-year-old filmmaker fills the screen with grim architecture, hard-luck faces and gun-metal hues; tricks of the mind are his narrative specialty, not affairs of the heart. Still, last Thursday, eating his dinner standing up in a movie theater lobby, Nolan confessed that even he got a bit misty during the final shooting days of “The Dark Knight Rises,” which is  (by all appearances) his final visit to the world of Batman. “I tend not to be too emotional on the set, I find that doesn’t help me do my job,” the writer-director said between bites. “But you definitely get a little lump in your throat thinking that, ‘OK, this is going to be the last time we’re going to […]

Christian Bale is hanging up the cape after “The Dark Knight Rises,” the star said, proclaiming “the end of that Batman era.” After more than seven years as Bruce Wayne and his Caped Crusader alter-ego in Christopher Nolan’s trilogy of Batman films, Bale will not be returning to Gotham. “I wrapped a few days ago, so that will be the last time I’m taking that cowl off,” Bale told the Philippines Daily Inquirer,  reports Ministry of Gossip, our sister blog for all things star-studded. Bale talked about the complexities of playing such a multifaceted character, and gave props to Anne Hathaway for taking on the “toughest” role of Catwoman in the face of many skeptics who see the role as previously defined. Read more here. “The Dark Knight Rises,” which stars Bale and Hathaway, as well as Michael Caine, Gary […]

The props and costumes of Hollywood have become big business at the auction block and, right or wrong, are taking on the aura of true cultural artifacts in our celebrity-obsessed era. But like many relics, they face the danger of time and mistreatment. To shed some light on it, preservation specialist Ron Barbagallo has written a guest essay on the fragile treasures of Gotham City (one of which returns to the screen this weekend in Los Angeles with the American Cinematheque screening of Tim Burton’s “Batman“)  The insidious danger comes from below. Liquids oozes up to wreak havoc on a foundation that seemed solid, but now suddenly cracks with fissures that spiral out of control. Malicious gases rise and permeate, damaging everything in their path. No, this is not part of some super-villain’s diabolical plot to destroy Gotham or Metropolis, but there are heroes in danger in this scenario. I’m talking […]

It was unquestionably a milestone moment for supporting actor Oscar winner Christian Bale, who took home one of cinema’s most coveted prizes for his depiction of real-life boxer/crack addict Dicky Eklund in David O. Russell’s Boston-set boxing drama “The Fighter” on Sunday night. But in the press room backstage after his turn at the Academy Awards podium, Bale offered one bit of encouraging news for fans of another of his widely admired roles. “I’m in the middle of filming a movie in China,” said Bale, sporting a bushy beard for his part in Zhang Yimou’s “The 13 Women of  Nanjing.” “When I finish the movie in China, it’s straight to Batman. Much more Batman.” Bale, of course, was referring to his third collaboration with director Christopher Nolan on their blockbuster franchise, the upcoming “The Dark Knight Rises,” which is set […]

Christopher Nolan’s third Batman film will be called “The Dark Knight Rises” and though the Gotham City auteur isn’t ready to reveal the villain of his 2012 film, he did eliminate one of the big contenders: “It won’t be the Riddler,” Nolan said in an exclusive interview with Hero Complex. Nolan was most eager to talk about the fact that Warner Bros. had  agreed with his argument that the film should resist the current 3-D craze and instead use high-definition approaches and IMAX cameras to strike out on a different cinematic path than the stereoscopic technology that, for better or worse, has become the dominant conversation in the blockbuster sector. Check back here later in the morning for a more in-depth look at that decision and the Nolan ambitions and reasons behind it. As for the title, it shows the writer-director’s […]

Betsy Sharkey is one of the two film critics at the Los Angeles Times. After surveying the great glut of fanboy fare this year, she got to thinking about the nature of the modern film hero and the inner workings of their characters as well as their appeal. Here’s an excerpt, or you can read the entire piece right here.   This summer’s heroes may go boldly, but in every case, someone has gone many times before: three earlier “X-Men” and “Terminators“; one earlier Michael Bay “Transformers,” a 1984 animated film and the pervasive TV series; and countless iterations of “Star Trek” on every size screen known to modern man. It hasn’t been easy to be the fresh prince this year. Yet on they came in their own distinctive ways. For “Terminator’s” Christian Bale and Sam Worthington, martyrdom drips like sweat from their brows. Others swagger with […]

 ,> USA Today has a long (at least by USA Today standards) feature on “Terminator Salvation” star Christian Bale and while he was apparently never asked about the status of a third Batman film, there is quite a bit of ink devoted to his on-the-set tantrum during the “Terminator” filming. The 35-year-old Wales native still is still figuring out the best way to address the interest in his infamous rant without actually explaining it. “Much as I say I try to ignore it, I can’t help but feel disturbed by the complete lack of desire by most people to actually look into the details and find out the truth. Maybe that’s partly me, because I don’t divulge it. I don’t talk about the truth of the incident. I have a principle that privacy is privacy, no matter if people are telling me, ‘Hey, you […]

This Sunday I have a story on the cover of the Los Angeles Times Calendar section about McG and his new film, “Terminator Salvation,” which lands in theaters on May 21. Here’s an early look at the story. Next week the “Terminator” franchise returns to theaters with its darkest chapter yet, a relentless, spirit-crushing vision of the future where humans are snuffed by killer robots. There’s are not a lot of light-hearted moments in this film, but you might hear chuckles in the theater during the screen credits because of one line: “A McG film.” McG? Let the eye-rolling begin. There’s something about that name that conjures up images of Sacha Baron Cohen’s hip-hop buffoon Ali G or maybe McLovin, the nerdy, underage boozehound from “Superbad,” cultural references that don’t exactly lend themselves to the fearsome, grinding gears of “Terminator Salvation.” His resumé […]

I dropped by the Sunset Boulevard office of director McG yesterday to chat about “Terminator Salvation.” I asked him about the late addition of a digitial-image cameo by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the movie but he just grinned. “I can’t give away all of the surprises.” He told me he was headed to the Lakers’ playoff game against Houston with the California governor in a few hours (that didn’t end so well for the home team) a tidbit that left me wondering if the politician is already sizing up his post-Sacramento prospects in Hollywood, although it’s not entirely clear that’s his next career aspiration. Whether the old star is back on board for good, I see big things ahead for “Terminator.” You can read about my visit to the set in this extended version of a story that appeared in last Sunday’s Summer Sneaks issue of the Los Angeles […]