Christian Bale to star in Zhang Yimou's 'Nanjing Heroes'

Film director, producer and writer Zhang Yimou knows what Chinese movie audiences want. Since his 1987 debut "Red Sorghum," he's delivered hit after hit.

Not content with his current box office success, Zhang announced last week that Hollywood star Christian Bale would take the leading role in his upcoming film “Nanjing Heroes.” Shooting will start near the city on January 10.

With the announcement, Zhang becomes the first mainland Chinese director to work with an “A-list” Hollywood actor.

Bale hits the books

Born in Wales, Bale originally caught the attention of Chinese audiences as the young British boy Jamie Graham in “Empire of the Sun.” That was 23 years ago.

Bale has since made a name for himself in China with a number of film roles, most notably as Batman in “The Dark Knight.”

In “Nanjing Heroes,” Bale will play an American priest who finds himself in the middle of the Nanjing Massacre, trying to save the lives of those around him, including local prostitutes, fellow clergy and Chinese soldiers.

I think Bale is the right person to play John [the priest], as he has versatility and range, and he is hard working.— Zhang Yimou, director, "Nanjing Heroes"

“Nanjing Heroes” is based on the novel by Chinese American writer Yan Geling.

Speaking about Bale, Zhang told the media, “I think Bale is the right person to play John [the priest], as he has versatility and range, and he is hard working.”

Bale is now studying the history of the Nanjing Massacre to prepare for the film.

Big budgets

Along with the announcement that Bale is joining the project, Zhang also released the prospective budget for the film: US$90 million (RMB 600 million). That's roughly equal to the budget of John Woo's “Red Cliff,” and approximately the total Chinese box office earnings for the blockbuster “Aftershock,” currently the most successful domestic Chinese film of all time.

Bale will receive a paycheck of more than US$10 million for his work on the film.

Although coming in with a hefty price tag, Zhang put on a confident face to the press, commenting that the movie's script is the best he has seen in his 20-year career as a director. The script incorporates themes of salvation, humanitarianism and the “courage, uprightness and indomitable spirits inherited by the Chinese.”

A number of major Hollywood actors were rumored to be up for the leading role in “Nanjing Heroes,” including Tom Cruise and Leonardo DiCaprio.

In response to questions about possible alternatives to Bale, Zhang told the press that he no longer considers Tom Cruise to be an A-list star.

“To be included in the [A] list, an actor should be in movies released in more than 150 countries," Zhang said. "He should be able to carry a film, or in other words, have box office appeal. How much did Tom Cruise earn in ‘Valkyrie’? He’s already absent from Hollywood A-list.”

“Nanjing Heroes” and is expected to be released in December 2011, with sales targets of RMB 1 billion.