Christian Bale to Play Moses

The actor also receives a reported $50 million offer to step back into his Batman costume

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Christian Bale attends the European premiere of Dark Knight Rises at Odeon Leicester Square in London, on July 18, 2012.
Mike Marsland / WireImage / Getty Images

Christian Bale will soon part the Red Sea in the lead role of Ridley Scott’s upcoming Bible-inspired movie, Exodus. And the actor might very well wade into a sea of green if there’s any truth to the rumors of a reported $50 million he’s been offered to reprise his Dark Knight role for the planned Batman vs. Superman mega-film.

But first up: Moses.

Facing off against Egyptian pharaoh Ramses, played by Joel Edgerton, Bale will depict the leader of the enslaved Israelites searching for their release from Egyptian oppression. If Scott and writer Steve Zaillian (Schindler’s List) stick to the second book of the Bible, the 40 chapters range from the birth of Moses and his upbringing in pharaoh’s courts to Moses turning into God’s chosen prophet to lead the Israelite people out of Egypt, across the parted Red Sea, and eventually to Mount Sinai, where Moses received the Ten Commandments.

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With shooting scheduled to start in England, Spain and Morocco this fall, the film has a December 2014 release date planned, about nine months after we see Russell Crowe try his hand at his own biblical drama, Noah, to be directed by Darren Aronofsky.

The Exodus timeline would likely free up Bale to change his mind—he’s long taken the stance that three Batman movies were more than enough for him—and take an arkload of cash to play opposite Superman Henry Cavill in the Man of Steel sequel planned for 2015. That change, though, may take a parting of the sea in Bale’s own mind.