30 iconic Star Wars roles that almost went to different actors

10. Anakin Skywalker, Tobias Beckett (Christian Bale)

Speaking of actors from the DC Comics cinematic universe, Batman himself has been considered for roles in the Star Wars franchise twice over. Yes, that’s right — Christian Bale.

Just like with Leonardo DiCaprio, it’s easy to imagine Christian Bale being in the audition room for Anakin Skywalker back in the early 2000s. The English actor had a decade of notable supporting roles, leading up to the casting process for Attack of the Clones. In fact, filming began a few months after Bale’s career-defining work in American Psycho. While promoting the film, he dodged questions about whether he was in negotiations to appear in the Star Wars franchise.

Ultimately it was not meant to be, but nearly two decades later Bale was considered for another role in the franchise. Before Woody Harrelson booked the role of Han Solo’s criminal mentor, Christian Bale was in negotiations for the role.

In an interview with Josh Horowitz, Bale confirmed his potential involvement in the franchise: “I not only love the films going back to my childhood but also have a very long relationship with Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall because they did Empire of the Sun many years back. There was discussion, [and] I hope there will be future discussions.”

So at least we might see him in the future!