Chapter 68.

Ian noticed how much he resembled the Christian Bale from his previous world. The same eyes, nose, face-shape and body type made goosebumps appear on Ian's skin. His hair was a bit long and Bale had a beard, Ian thought how good he would look if the necessary polishing was done.

On the one hand, Ian had wanted Bale to be Batman for his movie, or at least he thought that if Bale decided to become Batman it would be great like it was in his previous world, but he did not expect for him to come to the audition considering how big of an actor he was. If anything the only thing that gave Ian a little hope was how Bale was having a slight slump in the industry.

Ian had known about how Bale's acting career for the past two years had been nothing but miserable.

"Christian Bale, it's so good to see you, man," Martin said and walked to the front to shake hands.

"Good to see you here too, finally doing something you are interested in huh,"

It looked as if Martin Ward and Christian Bale were friends from before. Bale's words expressed how closely he knew Martin., because it wasn't easy to get Martin to talk about things he was passionate about, Yet Bale seemed to know about it. Nevertheless, the audition had to continue.

"Ian Renner," Bale smiled and nodded at Ian. "I am a fan of your movies. I loved Home Alone. It was a good change of pace, and gave a good comedic cheer to last year's festive season. I am looking forward to this audition. You're trying to reimagine a very interesting character."

"Thank you, Mr. Bale. I have high hopes for the role that you're going to audition for," Ian said and smiled.

The way Bale talked was amusing for Ian. His voice sounded exactly like that of the original Christian Bale. A smirk appeared on Ian's face listening to his voice.

The room was arranged to look like a small studio with cameras, lighting and a screen in the front. Bale walked inside and stood in front of the camera.

"Are we good?" He questioned wanting to know if he had positioned himself in the correct spot.

"Go back a little… Yeah, yeah okay," Niko said and adjusted the camera to fit him on the screen.

After a while the auditions started and Bale was doing his best to get the role of Batman aka Bruce. Although Bale knew and did his own study about the entire script, Ian still explained the scene slowly. For all the previous auditions, it was Martin who did all the explaining, but since Bale was special to Ian; at least at the moment, he did the explaining himself.

The scene was where Bruce was talking to Rachel about wanting to kill Joe first right after the court hearing of the murderer of his parents. Joe Chill got killed right after coming out from the court and Bruce was not feeling good, because someone else killed him before he could.

It showed how vulnerable Bruce could be and Ian thought it would be perfect if he had Bale act out that scene for the audition, and if he nailed it, he was a sure choice for the role, but that was just an 'if'. Ian still didn't know how far Christian Bale can act as 'Bruce Wayne', in this reality.

"Are we clear about the scene?" Ian asked.

The whole scene has been explained to Bale and he was already getting onto the role in front of the camera. Ian and other people who were there to audition him were behind the screen; the screen where Bale was being shown.

As Bale had an idea who Batman is, he knew all the facts about Batman and Bruce's personalities.

Bruce Wayne is a complicated character. He is filled with rage, loathing and a thirst for vengeance throughout the initial phase of the film. He slowly learns to harness that rage, and emotional trauma and fuel his determination to bring justice. Christian Bale understood the character very well.

"You can start now, Mr. Bale," Ian commanded.

"Are you okay?" Gemma read the lines.

"All these years I wanted to kill him. Now he's gone. Now I can't," Bale's voice was just above a whisper. He was avoiding eye contact with the camera and it looked perfect to Ian who was watching the screen.

"You don't mean that," Gemma replied.

"What if I do, Rachel? Chill killed my parents. They deserved justice," The bitter tone of his voice and facial expressions were prominent. He sighed slightly and looked at the opposite side from where he was looking.

"You're not talking about justice, you're talking about revenge."

"Sometimes they're the same." Bale said.

"Okay, perfect. Can we do a scene when he says I'm not one of your good people… I want to see the depth you can go with Bruce. As a starter, you did a nice job, let's start when you are ready,"

The next scene was also somewhat the continuation of the talk between Rachel and Bruce. In fact, Bruce became totally himself around Rachel and Alfred. Technically some of the few people he trusted. So, Ian wanted to make sure that Christian Bale at least had that understanding.

"Let's start, I'll try my best," He said and tried to motivate himself.

For Bale, trying Bruce at the current situation was everything. In fact, like Theodore said, it could be a huge chance for him to get back to the top and remind people why they loved Bale in the first place. Due to all those reasons including how he personally loved the character, Bale wanted to give his everything to the role.

"Start!" Ian's command was clearly audible to him.

"And what chance does Gotham have when the good people do nothing?" Gemma questioned. The scene included a part where Rachel pokes Bruce's chest with the question.

Taking that into his mind, Bale looked down at his chest as if someone was really poking into it.

"I'm not one of your 'good people', Rachel. Chill took that from me," He said not wanting to admit he was a good person.

Bale was looking emotionlessly away from the camera. As if he was truly inside a car with his childhood friend, Rachel.

"What do you mean?" Gemma asked again.

Bale pretended to pull up his sleeves, and showed the gun that was supposed to be in his hand.

"I was going to kill him myself." Bale said emotionlessly.

"Well done!" Ian shouted and Martin walked towards Bale.

"That was kind of the best we had so far, Bale," He said and patted on the shoulder. "Next prove the inner Batman inside you, and the role will be yours," He said with a smirk, knowing that Bale was someone who was pessimistic when he wanted a role considering the great amount of talent he has.

"Watch me from that screen, Martin," Bale said in a deep voice trying to imitate Batman. Martin chuckled and walked back.

Ian made Bale wear the prop costume as a trial to see if he fits from the body shape and all. It was not that much of a great, neatly measured cloth, it was just to get the person into the role. To feel it within themselves.

The scene started and Bale was clear of what he had to do. It was from two scenes, and Bale agreed to do both.

Walking in front of the camera, he looked at the camera and twisted his head to the left.

"What in God's name are you?" Gemma repeated the lines of Falcone.

Bale took the prop gun cartridges he got and raised them up in front of the camera.

"I'm Batman,"

Bale said in a deep gravelly, whispered voice.

"Nice, can we get the scene of Rachel and Batman? With that we can come to a final conclusion," Ian asked.

"Yeah, sure," Bale said and nodded while shaking his legs to warm up a bit.

"Let's start now?" Ian asked while getting the camera ready with Niko.

Everyone got to their places and maintained a pin-drop silence for quite a while.

"What the hell is this?" Gemma repeated the lines of Rachel.

It was the same scene Ian had made every other person who came to audition do. The reason why he gave another special scene for Bale to do is obvious; he wanted to see if Bale could pull it off, but could he?

"Leverage." Christian Bale remained smug with a straight emotionless face. Plain and blatantly looking at the camera.

"What do I need leverage for?" Gemma asked.

"To get things moving,"

"Who are-" In the middle Gemma coughed loudly. She had been repeating lines since morning and it finally appeared that she was tired. "I-I'm sorry, let me-"

"Someone like you. Someone who'll stand against the corruption," Bale completed his lines and looked into the camera straight. As if nothing had happened.

"It's alright, Gemma. Get some rest," Ian said and looked at Bale who was already looking at Ian.

"So, Christian Bale," Ian said and walked around the table that was in between them to reach Bale.

Bale remained silent while the mask and the little robe were unpinned from his clothes.

"Are you free tomorrow to do a screen test with the potential Rachel?" Ian asked.

Just like that Christian Bale was the Batman in Batman Begins which would be directed by Ian Renner.

In Ian's mind there were so many plus points with Bale's acting. His acting was very different and much better than every other actor who stood in front of the camera. But, out of many reasons the prominent one was how Bruce Wayne's boyish charm was effortlessly pulled off by Bale, while when he acted Batman, he had that effortless determination, and power that's difficult to portray; and wasn't shown by any other actor who had auditioned.

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