Updated w/ Genuine Casting News! Is Christian Bale NOTTINGHAM'S Robin Hood?

It's Beaks again... El Mayimbe at Latino Review has the latest on the Robin Hood casting front: Russell Crowe is evidently lobbying for Sam Riley! Bale may be capable enough, but this is much more like it. Riley's portrayal of Ian Curtis in Anton Corbijn's CONTROL was once-in-a-lifetime stuff. Kid's the goods. It'll be interesting to see what kind of range he's got, but, until he proves otherwise, I'll just assume he can do anything. Who's next? Is Friar Tuck in this thing? Will Scarlett? Little John? We'll keep you updated...

Beaks here... Though I am loath to believe a single word printed in the Daily Mail, I must admit that yesterday's gossip item about Christian Bale being "in talks" to play a bad-guy Robin Hood in Ridley Scott's revisionist NOTTINGHAM seemed fairly genuine. With Russell Crowe on board as the good-guy Sheriff, and Sienna Miller recently cast as Marian... why the hell not Bale? While I can't provide any specifics, I can tell you this much: there is absolutely no truth to the Daily Mail's rumor. Christian Bale is not playing Robin Hood. As for who might be picking up where Errol Flynn, Sean Connery, Kevin Costner, Richard Gautier and a cartoon fox left off, I'm sure we'll know soon, 'cuz NOTTINGHAM is currently scheduled to begin shooting this August. I wonder what Paul Bettany's up to. Bale's next movie is called THE DARK KNIGHT. I hear it's pretty damn good.