Will Christian Bale ever return as Batman?

Christian Bale says he would return to play Bruce Wayne / Batman one on condition - if he was asked personally by Christopher Nolan to don the cape and cowl again.

The British actor has played the most critically and commercially successful version of Batman, having starred in Batman Begins, The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises.

What are the top 10 most popular shows on Amazon Prime right now?

Tuesday 10 February 2026, 14:38

What are the top 10 most popular shows on Netflix right now?

Monday 9 February 2026, 15:27

The character has moved on from that trilogy, with Ben Affleck and Robert Pattinson stepping into the role.

However, Bale hasn't closed the door on a return.

"No. No one's ever mentioned it to me. No one's brought it up," he told ScreenRant when asked if he has previously been asked to return.

"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.'

"I had a pact with Chris Nolan. 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."

Bale return unlikely

It does indeed seem unlikely that Bale will return as Batman anytime soon, as the character is already prominent in upcoming DC comics.

Pattinson will reprise the role in a sequel to The Batman, Affleck will appear in The Flash, while Michael Keaton is set to return as an older version of Wayne for DC, even with the cancellation of Batgirl.