Bale's been relatively quiet over the past couple of years, starring in only one feature since 2009 – although that feature, David O Russell's The Fighter, did also happen to net him his first Oscar.
But Batman aside, Bale's now got a packed couple of years ahead, reuniting first with director Terrence Malick on a pair of back-to-back dramas opposite Natalie Portman, and then with O Russell on American Bulls**t.
To celebrate Bale's strong slate of upcoming projects, Digital Spy casts a photographic eye over some of his most significant roles.
Empire of the Sun (1987)
At age 13, Bale made his breakthrough in Steven Spielberg's coming-of-age war film, playing a newly orphaned boy who's imprisoned in a Japanese camp during World War II. His performance was widely praised and even inspired the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures to create a new award Best Performance by a Juvenile Actor specifically to honour him.
At age 13, Bale made his breakthrough in Steven Spielberg's coming-of-age war film, playing a newly orphaned boy who's imprisoned in a Japanese camp during World War II. His performance was widely praised and even inspired the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures to create a new award Best Performance by a Juvenile Actor specifically to honour him.
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