In a recent comment, reader and Bale-Fan Seth Rogers wrote “anything Johny Depp can do, Bale can do better. All that zany out there persona stuff (capt. Jack for example), Bale could do, and in doing so really make it a lot more prickish and menacing and not so “aw that zany harmless guy,” but more “that mother fucker is crazy.””
Seth makes an excellent point. While Depp cuts lose with an unpredictable, wild character (such as Captain Jack Sparrow, Hunter S. Thompson, Sweeney Todd, or Willy Wonka), it feels as if he is not pushing things far enough. It always seems as if he is holding something in, in order to keep things family friendly. The beauty of watching Bale bottle up his emotions is that, unlike Depp, you know that Bale will eventually unleash himself. Depp’s antics are cheeky and sort of annoying, while Bale’s are dangerous and unsettling. In an endearing way.
Well, it just so happens that there is no end in sight to the Pirates of the Caribbean films. And lucky for us, Bale is no stranger to pirates movies, as he played pirate John Rolfe in The New World, and fought them in Treasure Island (the one without Muppets). As of now, Pirates of the Caribbean: Another Movie with Boats and Bearded Guys is coming out this summer or something. While the fifth film is tentatively titled Pirates of the Caribbean: Whipping a Dead Horse, the franchise could get a breath of fresh air if Bale is brought in for Pirates of the Caribbean: The Chateau of Bluebeard.
>I don't like pirates or cartoons so feel that Depp is wasting his talent on junk like these movies. It is disgraceful that he did Alice in Wonderland, Charlies and the Chocolate Factory and Edward Scissorhands. I want action, guns and not in a stupid pirate way. He needs to beef it up again with the likes of Once upon a time in Mexico and Blow. He is becoming a clown with these pirate movies so hope that when he and Bale put this one together they both act more manly and not caricatures. Maybe Bale is exactly what is needed to bring balance to Depp's clownish pirate act.
>I see Depp is "in" a new movie–Rango. Wow, he has become a star for children only. I don't think Bale should make a movie with him afterall. There are so many other cool guys–how about Jude Law? He can do anything. Maybe a remake of North by Northwest with Law in the Cary Grant role and Bale could be James Mason's character. Gwenyth Paltrow in for Eva Marie Saint. Forget Depp altogether. He will just drag Bale down.