Christian Bale's Batman Toy Is Getting Blasted By Fans - Is The Hate Deserved?
When it comes to high-end action figures, Hot Toys ranks as the gold standard of superhero collectibles. The company's highly posable and extremely detailed pieces have become a favorite of collectors, even with their relatively high price points. However, a new figure based on Christian Bale's Batman has been the recipient of criticism for looking somewhat off, but is the hate warranted?
Bale's version of The Dark Knight is considered one of the best live-action takes of the character, with his performance in the Christopher Nolan "Batman" trilogy earning critical acclaim and topping the box office. In "Batman: The Dark Knight" and "Batman: The Dark Knight Rises," the actor sported a sleek, all-black suit with a gold utility belt. The look was considerably muted in comparison to some of Batman's comic book ensembles, but it fit the serious, lived-in Gotham City Nolan created. As is the standard with superhero leads in films, Bale's Batman has had many action figures, toys, and dolls made based on his appearance, and in celebration of Batman Month, Hot Toys revealed a new Bale-Batman figure that takes inspiration from one of the hero's more colorful comic book looks.
But while it's fun to see the toy maker try something different that honors both Batman's storied history and Bale's version of the Caped Crusader, the consensus among online fans seems to be that the new figure neither looks great nor justifies its significant price point.
Hot Toys new Batman figure is certainly different
To celebrate Warner Bros.' 100th anniversary, a new Batman Sixth Scale Collectible Figure from Hot Toys has been revealed, paying homage to both the Dark Knight's comic book look and Christian Bale's movie. The figure, which has a $290 USD price tag, has some incredible details, with Batman's lighter and more colorful suit fitting the aesthetic of some of his classic adventures. Additionally, the figure comes with some great extras, including multiple face plates, weapons, and even a group of bats that can be displayed alongside Batman on a stand. While that all sounds great, fans have reacted with serious criticism of the figure.
One Twitter user asked the simple question, "What on earth is this design?" Another opined the colors make what's considered one of the weaker Batman costumes "even worse." Another commented that the look would work better for the Batman costume in "Batman Begins." Perhaps the most valid criticism came from one Twitter user who rightfully pointed out that the colorful costume simply isn't a good fit for the suit Christopher Nolan used, even if it is a "cool idea."
The Batman suit's criticism seems to be warranted
Ultimately, while the figure manages to accurately capture Christian Bale's likeness, the colors make the costume look wildly out of place, especially when compared to his original Batsuit. The bottom line is that it simply doesn't look like something that would ever appear in a Christopher Nolan movie, which is why the response has been so negative. Still, it is kind of fun to see Hot Toys trying something different to honor Batman and Warner Bros. It just doesn't make a whole lot of sense to embrace Batman's sillier comic book roots in this particular case, when the movie kept things much darker.
Like the Doctor Octopus "Spider-Man: No Way Home" figure that has drawn ire from fans over its bad head sculpt, the new Batman figure probably won't be remembered as one of Hot Toys' best releases. However, given the nature of fan mentality, the negative response has the potential to make it an even more desired collector's item in the long term than if it had been released with the suit's movie-accurate colors.