Christian Bale Joins the Ranks of Zhang Yimou's 'Nanjing Heroes'« FirstShowing.net

Though audiences are looking forward to his final turn as Batman in Christopher Nolan's highly anticipated sequelThe Dark Knight Rises, it looks likeChristian Baleis already looking to his future beyond the Caped Crusader. Today a press conference in Beijing (viaTHR) announced Christian Bale will star in the tentatively titledNanjing Heroes, the next film from directorZhang Yimou(Hero). The story, based on Yan Geling's novelThe 13 Women of Nanjing, will see Bale as a priest who shelters a group of prostitutes and female students in his church during the 1937 wartime atrocity known as"The Rape of Nanking"by Japanese troops.

Throughout the violent invasion, hundreds of thousands of Chinese civilians and surrendered soldiers were murdered along with anywhere from 20,000-80,000 women being raped by the Imperial Japanese Army. As for Bale's casting in the story, Zhang says,"I met Christian in America and was impressed with his serious book research for the role."The film is yet another cinematic approach to the tragic historical events which has been seen before in Chinese films likeCity of Life and Death. Bale has always chosen roles completely different from his previous work whether it'sThe MachinistorTerminator Salvation, and this project is no different.Interested?

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