At some point, I just stopped caring about rating the various Batmans I’ve seen throughout my life. I liked Michael Keaton’s Batman, I thought Val Kilmer’s and George Clooney’s Batmans sucked, and I generally thought Christian Bale was effective as Christopher Nolan’s super-grim take on the Bat franchise. Can we all agree that Ben Affleck’s Batman was and is pretty sh-tty though? The Batfleck was not helped at all by the direction or the story, to be clear, so it’s not ALL on him. But still… the Batfleck might be the worst. So bad, in fact, that Christian Bale can’t even thinly veil his disgust! No, I’m overselling this. Bale isn’t disgusted, he just threw some excellent shade on the Batfleck.
Christian Bale, the Dark Knight of Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, still hasn’t seen Ben Affleck‘s performance as the Caped Crusader. He mentioned that he’ll “certainly see it” at some point, but he seems in no rush to make it happen.
“I have not [seen Ben Affleck’s Batman],” the Hostiles actor said during an interview on the Happy Sad Confused podcast with MTV’s Josh Horowitz. “Yes, I’m interested [in seeing it], my son seemed like he was really interested, but then I realized he just wanted to see the trailer and that was it. And, you know, I tend to go see films that [my kids] want to see.”
Even though Bale starred in some of the most lauded superhero films of all time, he confessed he’s not a big superhero movie fan. “People seem surprised at that, I don’t know why, but I’ve not seen any of the Avengers films or any of those films at all,” he said. “I hear they’re very good, but I’m quite happy just hearing they’re very good.”
I feel like Bale feels a little snotty – and it’s well-deserved snottiness – about the quality of the films he did with Christopher Nolan. Even if I had issues with the grimness, the darkness, the general storytelling of the Nolan franchise, they were GOOD movies, full of interesting and award-worthy performances. Bale has had the best – why would he give a sh-t about the rest? I love this though: “my son seemed like he was really interested, but then I realized he just wanted to see the trailer and that was it.” That’s basically the current business model at Warner Bros. “Cut a good trailer and don’t worry about the actual movie.”
Photos courtesy of WENN.
He’s said many times that he’s not a big movie watcher (he just loves acting) and he seems to see the irony in that.
I don’t know why I remember this but in the midst of talking about how he mostly watches what his kids want to he talked about having a great love for Chris Farley and finding him hilarious. Bale’s an unusual dude to say the least.
I don’t see any shade considering he hasn’t seen any of the superhero movies. I don’t get the impression Christian thinks Ben is bad just has no interest in the genre.
Of course he hasn’t. I mean, I don’t care if he has but Christian Bale seems … exhausting.
I actually find this quite funny. Christian Bale may not be one to boast about his own performance in any movie but the subtext I get here “I know the ones I made are better and I know my performance was also better, why would I subject myself to another actor’s version?” And the best thing he can do really is not watch the movies. Not to say they are terrible, they aren’t necessarily but to avoid the comparisons he can just say “I haven’t seen them so I don’t know.”
I think he should stick with that and even if he’s seen them, pretend he hasn’t. No good can come of it. I enjoy a good Christian Bale interview.
That trilogy is so good and those movies are still among my favorites (Bale was crazy hot in them as well, especially in the first one). But I recently re-watched one and my god, they might just be the whitest movies ever made. I didn’t realize it in 2005 but these days it stands out. It doesn’t diminish the quality but when your idea of diversity is to cast a French woman, there’s an issue.
I find this so annoying. The Avengers movies he singled out have grossed billions of dollars and represent a benchmark in the movie industry, and he can’t be bothered to spend 2 hours seeing one of them? Isn’t he curious what all the talk is about? It’s like refusing to keep up with the news and developments in your area of expertise. I’m an engineer and I read all sorts of stuff about the field because, you know, it’s my job and I’m interested to know about it.
Neither have I. And I know it’s a sin, but I don’t know the difference between Marvel films and DC Comics. I will probably watch Wonder Woman when it appears on the premium channels.
He is above all the comics movies, you guys. Such a snob. Why can’t we stop shading people for their movie and music taste? I love a good drama and an indie movie, but this whole approach of “oh if you also enjoy to disconnect at times and just enjoy a good comics movie, you are less smart or inteligent” is just bulshit. Sometimes we all need a little pretend and out of the world experience and this is what the comics are for. At least for me. I can say when I last watched a marvel movie, but I do not recall when I last saw Bale in anything. I guess I am shallow by his standards
Pretentious, overrated twat.
Love this comment.
Some of these comments are seriously projecting. Bale never said he looks down on superhero movies, that he’s better than superhero movies or that anyone who likes Batfleck or any other superhero movies is a loser. My goodness, put away the pitchforks, people.
That’s kind of a shame that Bale hasn’t even seen the Captain America films. Winter Soldier is one of the best of the Marvel films and the last Thor was a hoot.