When Christopher Nolan decided to bring Batman to life through the talented actor Christian Bale and subsequently ended it at the conclusion of his trilogy, Batman’s fate changed forever in cinematic history. Following the Caped Crusader’s heroic sacrifice in The Dark Knight, the final part of the trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises takes on the responsibility of unraveling the aftermath. But the ending of the final part of the saga has always been the topic of discussion among the fans.
Thus, while fans were debating what the ending of The Dark Knight Rises could potentially mean, the Batman himself Christian Bale contributed to the discord, by stating his opinion in an interview speculatively hinting at a fourth movie to the saga.
Was It All a Dream? Christian Bales Explains The Dark Knight Rises Ending
Although many fans supported the theory of The Dark Knight Rises taking place in a dream, Christian Bale stated his definite answer as to what the ending of the three-part saga directed by Christopher Nolan meant and further confirmed the survival of the superhero. Chatting with Entertainment Weekly back in the year 2014 the actor candidly shared his opinion on the matter by saying,
“[Alfred] was content with me being alive and left because that was the life he always wanted for him. I find it very interesting and with most films, I tend to say ‘It’s what the audience thinks it is.’ My personal opinion? No, it was not a dream. That was for real and he was just delighted that finally he had freed himself from the privilege, but ultimately the burden of being Bruce Wayne.”
Although the actor leaves significant space for the audience to imagine and interpret the ending according to their will, he also presents a definitive statement concerning the character’s fate. And interestingly, leaves multiple doors open for a potential sequel to the epic saga.
Could This Mean Christian Bale Would Be Returning as Batman in Dark Knight 4?
Now although all these exciting revelations led many fans to anticipate a fourth film in the series, the chances of it becoming a reality are very slim. And Bale has a strict condition that needs to be fulfilled if a fourth movie is ever made. Speaking with Screen Rant he stated,
“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.”
As evident from the above statement, the actor has already expressed interest in returning as the popular character that will probably never go out of the market. His condition would be a difficult one to fulfill. Christopher Nolan, the director who crafted the Dark Knight trilogy, is no longer actively involved in DC Films thus inadvertently slimming the chances of Bale returning and a fourth movie coming to life. Only time will tell if Nolan ever changes his mind ultimately convincing Bale for a highly anticipated reunion.
Source: Entertainment Weekly
