Cillian Murphy Losing Out On Batman Role Was Meant To Be

In a different world, Cillian Murphy would have been Christopher Nolan's Batman.

When it comes to the best superhero trilogies, chances are that most genre fans will agree that Nolan's "The Dark Knight" trilogy is as perfect as it gets. From its effective, grounded world-building, to its tense and terrifying villains, Nolan's Batman films notably changed the public's perception of what superhero films could be. One person who is responsible for that shift is Christian Bale, who portrayed Bruce Wayne/Batman with empathy and grittiness –  qualities that were missing in previous cinematic iterations.

Bale received heaps of praise for playing Batman, wearing the cape and cowl for the final time in 2012's "The Dark Knight Rises." Since then Bale, has starred in a number of Oscar-nominated roles, making him one of the most beloved actors of his generation. For many, Bale is the definitive Batman, a character that has since been populated by Ben Affleck and Robert Pattinson. But If things had gone differently, Cillian Murphy could have been Batman. 

While speaking with GQ, Murphy — who is receiving universal acclaim for headlining Nolan's "Oppenheimer" — opened up about how he lost the DC gig to Bale. Despite not being able to play The Caped Crusader, Murphy says not being Batman was for the best. "Yes, I think it was for the best because we got Christian Bale's performance, which is a stunning interpretation of that role," Murphy said. The "Oppenheimer" actor continued by saying he never believed himself to be "the right physical specimen for Batman." Murphy added that he always felt that "it was always going to be Christian Bale."

Considering Murphy is finally basking in the limelight as the lead in a major Hollywood blockbuster, it's hard not to disagree with the actor's interpretation of how things went down.

The search for Bruce Wayne in Christopher Nolan's "Batman Begins" was a lengthy and strenuous ordeal. The director, alongside Warner Bros., looked far and wide to bring the perfect actor to bring the gritty and serious interpretation of Batman to life. Before landing on Bale, the director conducted several screen tests, giving several performers, including Cillian Murphy, the opportunity to try out the role. While speaking with Entertainment Weekly to promote "Oppenheimer," Nolan and Murphy reflected on the actor's initial screen test. "I felt an immediate connection," Nolan said about his first encounter with Murphy. "I felt like, this is somebody that I want to work with, somebody who has an interesting take on things creatively." 

While Nolan was intrigued by Murphy as an actor, the "Oppenheimer" star knew that the DC gig wasn't his. "It was clear to me from the beginning that I wasn't Batman material," Murphy admitted, adding that it was "correct and right" for Christian Bale to get the role. Nolan agreed with Murphy's sentiments, saying, "When we had our first conversation I think both of us knew that you weren't going to wind up playing Batman." 

Nolan, as brilliant as ever, had an idea up his sleeve. The director decided to push forward with a screentest for Murphy, hoping that studio executives would take note of his talents. Once executives were sold on Murphy's performance, Nolan pivoted, suggesting he take on the role of Scarecrow. While Murphy didn't get the role of Batman, it's clear that Bale getting the role was truly meant to be. After all, Murphy became a favorite of Nolan's, appearing in several of his films following his "Batman Begins" performance. 

Since 2005's "Batman Begins," which sees Cillian Murphy playing the maniacal Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow, he and Christopher Nolan have collaborated several times. Murphy returned as Crane in "The Dark Knight" and "The Dark Knight Rises," emerging as the only villain in the Batman trilogy to have an appearance in all three pictures. The actor provided a supporting role in 2010's Oscar-winning "Inception" and also popped up in the war drama "Dunkirk." While Nolan and Murphy are clearly in tune with one another, the actor wasn't offered a leading role by the director until "Oppenheimer." 

There's no vast conspiracy as to why Nolan didn't offer Murphy a starring gig until now. When Nolan decided that "Oppenheimer" was his next project, he immediately realized that the role belonged to his frequent collaborator. "It was like, 'Cillian, look, I have a script, it's ”Oppenheimer' and I'd like you to play Oppenheimer.' That was it," Murphy told The Hollywood Reporter of his initial, matter-of-fact chat with Nolan.

While Murphy may have not gotten the role of Batman, he's become instantly recognizable without the character's help. The Irish actor has boasted memorable appearances in films like "Sunshine," "28 Days Later," and "Red Eye," but his real star-making turn came with the lead role of Thomas Shelby in BBC's "Peaky Blinders." Murphy is now world-renowned for his stoic, grind-focused performance as Shelby, becoming the subject of several memes. Now, with "Oppenheimer," the actor has become a true cultural icon, emerging as one of the most talked about actors in recent memory. While his trajectory toward the limelight was slow, Murphy losing out on the Batman gig was truly meant to be.