Christian Bale confirms third Batman film will be his last

Christian Bale says shooting on the third Batman film has finished, and he won't ever wear the caped crusader's outfit again.

Bale told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that Nolan will also retire from Batman after his third and final film in the series, The Dark Knight Rises, hits cinemas in July.

"I wrapped a few days ago so that will be the last time I'm taking (the Batman hood) off," he said. "I believe that the whole production wrapped yesterday, so it's all done. Everything's finished.

"It's me and [director Christopher Nolan] - that will be the end of that Batman era."

Bale also said he believed Anne Hathaway, who plays Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises, had the "hardest" job in the highly anticipated film.

"There are a number of people who feel that the Catwoman role has been defined previously. So, I always saw Anne's role as being the toughest job of any of us.'

Bale also starred in 2005's Batman Begins and 2008's The Dark Knight - one of the biggest movies ever made thanks to the presence of the late Heath Ledger as The Joker.

The Dark Knight Rises hits New Zealand theatres on July 19.

Check out the trailer:

- Herald online