Chapter 96: Choosing the Batman Candidate

Soon, someone unexpected came to Kevin.

"Tom Cruise, why are you here auditioning for Batman?"

Kevin greeted Tom Cruise, who stood before him.

Tom Cruise also smiled in response, "Batman is the ultimate dream of every American, especially when it's directed by you. I'm just here to give it a try."

"If you can lower your salary, it might be possible," Kevin asked tentatively.

Tom Cruise chuckled at this suggestion. That would be impossible. If his salary went down, others would ask him to do the same the next day. If he didn't value himself, no one else would either. His superstar status would plummet instantly.

Tom Cruise directly stated his purpose, "Kevin, do you have plans tonight? I'd like to invite you for dinner."

Kevin nodded. Tom Cruise's connections could come in handy.

"Let's meet after I finish the auditions," Kevin said.

Tom Cruise and Kevin agreed on a location and parted ways.

Next, they entered into an endless period of auditioning.

The process was quite boring.

As Batman, acting skills were not particularly important. Or rather, there were too many aspects that could be manipulated. With the mask on, all people could see were his eyes and mouth.

Throughout the entire plot, Batman didn't appear frequently.

However, what Kevin wanted was a debonair gentleman without the mask and a dark knight with the mask on.

This required certain qualities from the actor.

After auditioning dozens of actors, Kevin started to feel a headache.

Finding the right actor for Batman was truly difficult. If he couldn't find one, Kevin even considered holding an open casting call to search for pure amateurs.

"Next!"

Kevin looked lifelessly at the actor in front of him as he introduced himself.

"Hello, Director Kevin. My name is Christian Bale."

"I've previously starred in a war film directed by Steven Spielberg..."

Kevin suddenly became alert. He was incredibly familiar with this name.

It was none other than Christian Bale, who originally played Batman in Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy. However, at this time, Christian Bale seemed much younger.

Could he perform well?

Kevin carefully looked at Christian Bale's resume, perked up, and put on a smile as he asked directly, "You're only 21 years old. Do you think you can portray Batman well?"

Although he asked this way, Kevin had already made up his mind. As long as Christian Bale's acting skills weren't too bad, he would choose him.

Not for anything else, but because in the hearts of Americans, he was the second most beloved Batman actor among all those who had played the role. The first position belonged to the actor who first brought Batman to the big screen.

This kind of first love attachment couldn't be offset by anyone's performance.

Likewise, it also proved that Christian Bale truly captured the essence of Batman.

Of course, Kevin felt that what he portrayed was the feeling the American audience wanted, rather than aligning with the one in the comics.

That was definitely not a match.

However, Kevin's directing philosophy had been emphasized many times before. He didn't pursue authenticity; he pursued what the audience perceived as real, a false reality.

Christian Bale nervously shook Kevin's hand and said, "Yes, I believe I can."

Kevin picked up two separate scripts from the table and handed them to Christian Bale. "Alright, then please perform a scene as Batman with and without the mask."

Christian Bale took the scripts and quickly glanced over them.

As Christian Bale prepared, Kevin pondered over his background. Starring in a Spielberg film at the age of 13—it was hard to believe, but when said out loud, no one would doubt it.

However, he was still a British man, and theoretically, he shouldn't have much influence in Hollywood.

Unless...

Kevin once again looked at Christian Bale's appearance and suddenly realized.

Dark hair, dark eyes, and a prominent nose. These were typical features of Jewish descent, and considering his role in Spielberg's film (a Jewish filmmaker), it was clear that this was mutual assistance among Jewish individuals.

While deep in thought, Christian Bale finished his performance.

If Kevin had to express it in one sentence, it would be "immature," but it was not something that couldn't be remedied.

"Now, take off your shirt!"

Kevin said directly, "Take off your shirt."

Christian Bale didn't hesitate and took off his shirt, revealing solid muscles. However, these muscles were restrained and not particularly prominent.

Kevin nodded, it was acceptable, but he still needed to bulk up a bit more.

This brings us to the topic of American aesthetics. Whether it's a pretty boy or a tough guy, American male celebrities always have a set of abs.

That's the mainstream aesthetic they appreciate.

On the contrary, the feminized look popular in Japan and Korea is hard to understand. It's not something deliberately guided by America.

"Christian Bale, your body is still too thin. I need you to gain 20 to 30 pounds within two months. Is that a problem?"

Christian Bale's face brightened. Steve Kevin's words almost sealed the deal for him.

Although he didn't know why Steve Kevin chose him, the overwhelming sense of happiness from being the chosen one almost overwhelmed him.

"No problem, I can do it, Director Kevin!"

Kevin nodded.

"In three days, my assistant will notify you whether you've been finally selected."

"Alright, thank you, Director Kevin!"

Christian Bale left with great excitement.

The Warner Bros. producer who was sent over couldn't help but ask after the actor left, "Director Kevin, I absolutely trust your judgment, but... isn't he too young?"

Kevin was extremely confident and said, "Trust me, he will become the most beloved Batman in America."

The producer, seeing Kevin's confidence, nodded with a mix of belief and doubt.

After all, Kevin had a 30% investment stake, and he couldn't possibly be joking about his own investment.

The Batman audition took up a whole day. After interviewing hundreds of actors, Kevin finally selected three.

Although Christian Bale was the youngest, he was the one Kevin had the highest hopes for.

The other two were backups for Kevin. If Christian Bale didn't meet the physical requirements, Kevin would replace him with one of them.

But if Christian Bale truly delivered, Kevin would entrust Batman to him.

Leaving Dawn Films and getting into his car, Kevin contemplated Tom Cruise's visit...