Believe it or not, Christian Bale actually voiced the Dark Knight prior to Batman Begins.
Well, not actually Batman, but he used the same voice in the 2004 Disney anime movie Howl’s Moving Castle.
I believe when actors were being auditioned for Batman, writer David Goyer‘s choice was Jake Gyllenhaal, but director Christopher Nolan went with Christian Bale after hearing his take on the Caped Crusader.
Guess they can thank Disney.
Here’s a description of Howl’s Moving Castle:
Sophie, a quiet girl working in a hat shop, finds her life thrown into turmoil when she is literally swept off her feet by a handsome but mysterious wizard named Howl. The vain and vengeful Witch of the Waste, jealous of their friendship, puts a spell on Sophie. In a life-changing adventure, Sophie climbs aboard Howl’s magnificent flying castle and enters a magical world on a quest to break the spell.
