Movies - TV
Christian Bale’s Size For Batman Begins Sent The Production Into Panic Mode
By BILL BRIA
When Christopher Nolan first approached Christian Bale about playing Batman in “Batman Begins,” Bale was physically emaciated after working on “The Machinist."
After Nolan impressed upon him that “he was going to have to be very, very large," Bale set to work on a training regimen that would allow him to bulk up his body considerably.
Bale pushed his calorie intake while lifting weights until he weighed 220 pounds. Unfortunately, he went too far, and Nolan had to "gently suggest" that the actor slim down again.
Bale's bulk created a practical issue given the already-in-progress design elements for the film, as producer Emma Thomas remembered thinking, "'God, is he gonna fit the Batsuit?'"
With much effort and training, Bale finally hit the perfect physique for Bruce Wayne/Batman, making cinematic history as the Dark Knight in a record-breaking blockbuster trilogy.