In this six-minute segment from
The Dark Knight Trilogy: Ultimate Collector's Edition you can view a few of the actors that auditioned for the role of Batman/Bruce Wayne in
Batman Begins. Chris Nolan and his wife Emma Thomas provide commentary as Cillian Murphy and Eion Bailey's screen tests are shown. Cillian, didn't seem like a good fit for Batman, but his Bruce Wayne was so impressive that Nolan recommended him for the role of Dr. Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow. While, Bailey,
Once Upon A Time's Pinocchio, seems out of place as Bruce Wayne, but fills the Batsuit quite well. Luckily, Nolan chose Christian Bale ("The Prestige") for the part, and the rest is history. Now, we're stuck with Ben Affleck ("Argo"), so, yeah.
Eion Bailey Audition - 2:05 & Cillian Murphy Audition - 6:23
Cillian Murphy - Batman/Bruce Wayne
Eion Bailey - Batman/Bruce Wayne
Batman Begins: Explores the origins of the Batman legend and the Dark Knight's emergence as a force for good in Gotham. In the wake of his parents' murder, disillusioned industrial heir Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) travels the world seeking the means to fight injustice and turn fear against those who prey on the fearful. He returns to Gotham and unveils his alter-ego: Batman, a masked crusader who uses his strength, intellect and an array of high tech deceptions to fight the sinister forces that threaten the city.
The Dark Knight: The follow-up to Batman Begins, The Dark Knight reunites director Christopher Nolan and star Christian Bale, who reprises the role of Batman/Bruce Wayne in his continuing war on crime. With the help of Lt. Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to destroy organized crime in Gotham for good. The triumvirate proves effective, but soon find themselves prey to a rising criminal mastermind known as The Joker, who thrusts Gotham into anarchy and forces Batman closer to crossing the fine line between hero and vigilante. Heath Ledger stars as archvillain The Joker, and Aaron Eckhart plays Dent. Maggie Gyllenhaal joins the cast as Rachel Dawes. Returning from Batman Begins are Gary Oldman as Gordon, Michael Caine as Alfred and Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox.
The Dark Knight Rises: It has been eight years since Batman vanished into the night, turning, in that instant, from hero to fugitive. Assuming the blame for the death of D.A. Harvey Dent, the Dark Knight sacrificed everything for what he and Commissioner Gordon both hoped was the greater good. For a time the lie worked, as criminal activity in Gotham City was crushed under the weight of the anti-crime Dent Act. But everything will change with the arrival of a cunning cat burglar with a mysterious agenda. Far more dangerous, however, is the emergence of Bane, a masked terrorist whose ruthless plans for Gotham drive Bruce out of his self-imposed exile. But even if he dons the cape and cowl again, Batman may be no match for Bane.