C'mon already. This, amongst many other reasons, is why a Justice League movie is doomed from the get-go.
The Christian Bale rumor is the latest in a long line of speculation, just hitting the mainstream today. The key word here is a simple one: why? Why would Christian Bale return to the role? He's played the role three times to a huge success, culminating in a very satisfying, fitting end. The man is showered with acclaim whenever he's in a new film... he certainly doesn't need the cape and cowl. And from a story standpoint, didn't we leave him in a really good place? Never mind the fact that Bale's Batman isn't exactly the 'call up the aliens and other super powered guys for help' type. It's cheap, it's lazy, and it's a way too many steps towards tarnishing the legacy of a damn good trilogy of films.
However.
A comment on the firstshowing.net article about the new Bale rumors got me to thinking. The comment:
Bale would make sense if at the same time as justice League nolan or his brother made dark knight returns for late 2014 where robin does take on the mantle but gets killed so bruce comes back to avenge him and thus leads into justice League and would definitely be a reason for bruce to name his future sidekick Robin in honor of his fallen replacement!This... this certainly could work. If there is a good story as to why Bale's Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham, then perhaps it could be massaged into something that works. How about this: The Dark Knight Rises suggests that Joseph Gordon-Levitt's John Blake would take over the Batman mantle - perhaps something happens to prevent that from happening (as the commenter says, he is killed). Darkseid comes in, all but destroys Gotham, Bruce Wayne returns. Realizing that he is not the hero the city needs, he tracks down the likes of Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and The Flash and forms the Justice League, acting as the equivalent of The Avengers' Nick Fury. From there, you could introduce a character like a Dick Greyson to become Batman.
Alternatively, just drop Christian Bale all together. Drop this Robin/John Blake as Batman creation from The Dark Knight Rises. Have Man of Steel launch a new Justice League universe (or have it continue the universe began in Green Lantern). Ignore the whole Dark Knight trilogy. Cast someone new as Bruce Wayne. Cast someone new as Green Lantern if you want to ignore that film too. Make it work.
Unfortunately, judging by how long it's taking this Justice League movie to get off the ground or really gain any sort of traction... that won't happen. And when it will, it will probably be more Green Lantern then Batman Begins, in that it'll be a mess. Which is really too bad.
