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The 25+ Best Christian Bale Movies of All Time

Updated November 15, 2019 5.1k votes 1.1k voters 48.3k views48 items

List RulesVote for your favorite Christian Bale movies, regardless of critic reviews or how big the role was.

The best Christian Bale movies of all time prove that he is one of the top actors currently working. Since his film career started in the late ‘80s, Bale has appeared in plenty of blockbusters and critically-acclaimed movies, earning awards and accolades along the way. His highest grossing movies have been well-received at the box office and his lifetime box office total exceeds $2.2 billion.

Born in the Welsh county of Pembrokeshire, Christian Bale first started acting as a child in commercials. He then moved on to TV films and eventually theatrical releases. His first major role was in Steven Spielberg’s 1987 hit Empire of the Sun. To this day, it is considered one of the best Christian Bale movies of all time.

He continued getting both leading and supporting roles through the ‘90s, which eventually lead him to play the serial killer Patrick Bateman in the 1999 adaptation of American Psycho. Through the 2000s, Christian Bale starred in several high profile movies including The Machinist, Equilibrium, and Reign of Fire. However, he is probably best known for The Dark Knight trilogy of films.

So what are the best Christian Bale movies of all time? Is it The Dark Knight or The Fighter? See what fans have ranked as their favorites in the Christian Bale filmography below. Movie trailers have been included below if you want a preview of the film. If you think the best Christian Bale role isn't at the top, then vote it up. Don’t see it listed? Add it so that others may vote for it. After all, this list of the best Christian Bale movies should be as comprehensive as possible.

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The Dark Knight
Christian Bale, Michael Caine
The Dark Knight is a 2008 superhero film directed by Christopher Nolan, based on the DC Comics... more
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Fan Theories About 'The Dark Knight' That Actually Make A Lot Of Sense#13 of 16 Movie 'Heroes' Who Were Actually Villains The Whole Time
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American Psycho
Christian Bale, Willem Dafoe
American Psycho is a 2000 American neo-noir satirical psychological horror film directed by... more
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#7 of 43 30+ Very Preppy Movies with the Preppiest Characters#11 of 15 Horror Movie Endings People Only Pretend To Understand
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286
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Batman Begins
Christian Bale, Michael Caine
Batman Begins is a 2005 superhero film directed by Christopher Nolan, based on the DC Comics... more
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Small Details From 'Batman Begins' That Prove It's The Most Slept On Nolan Film#9 of 72 The Very Best DC Comics Movies
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The Prestige
Scarlett Johansson, David Bowie
The Prestige is a 2006 mystery drama film directed by Christopher Nolan, from a screenplay... more
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#7 of 24 The Best Movies with Twist Endings#122 of 246 The Best Rainy Day Movies
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The Dark Knight Rises
Christian Bale, Michael Caine
The Dark Knight Rises is a 2012 superhero film directed by Christopher Nolan, based on the DC... more
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'The Dark Knight Rises' Is Anti-Revolutionary Corporate Propaganda#16 of 156 The Best Superhero Movies Ever Made
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The Fighter
Amy Adams, Christian Bale
The Fighter is a 2010 American biographical sports drama film directed by David O. Russell.... more
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#1222 of 1,506 The Most Rewatchable Movies#44 of 204 The Best Sports Movies Ever Made
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The Machinist
Christian Bale, Jennifer Jason Leigh
The Machinist is a 2004 English-language Spanish psychological thriller film directed by Brad... more
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#40 of 231 The Best Psychological Thrillers of All Time#24 of 135 The Most Confusing Movies Ever Made
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3:10 to Yuma
Christian Bale, Russell Crowe
3:10 to Yuma is a 2007 western film directed by James Mangold and produced by Cathy Konrad,... more
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#39 of 400 The Best Western Movies Ever Made#145 of 451 The Best Movies For Guys
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Equilibrium
Christian Bale, Sean Bean
Equilibrium is a 2002 American dystopian science fiction film written and directed by Kurt... more
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#35 of 180 The Best Dystopian And Near Future Movies#59 of 100 The Best Movies Like 'Inception'
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American Hustle
Jennifer Lawrence, Amy Adams
American Hustle is a 2013 American comedy-drama film directed by David O. Russell. It was... more
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#238 of 306 The Best Ensemble Movies#39 of 123 The Best Mafia Films Of All Time

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The Big Short
Christian Bale, Steve Carell
The Big Short is a 2015 American biographical comedy-drama film directed by Adam McKay, based... more
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#1157 of 1,195 Every Oscar Winning Film Ever#36 of 82 The Best Movies Based on Non-Fiction Books
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Empire of the Sun
Christian Bale, Ben Stiller
Empire of the Sun is a 1987 American coming of age film based on J. G. Ballard's... more
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The Best Empire of the Sun Albums, Ranked#58 of 174 The Most Utterly Depressing Movies Ever Made
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Rescue Dawn
Christian Bale, Steve Zahn
Rescue Dawn is a 2006 American drama film directed by Werner Herzog, based on an adapted... more
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#232 of 376 The 50+ Best War Movies Ever Made, Ranked#102 of 301 The Best Movies Based On True Stories
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Reign of Fire
Christian Bale, Matthew McConaughey
Reign of Fire is a 2002 post-apocalyptic action fantasy film directed by Rob Bowman and... more
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#22 of 318 The Greatest Disaster Movies of All Time#62 of 100 The 95+ Greatest Dystopian Action Movies
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Public Enemies
Johnny Depp, Christian Bale
Public Enemies is a 2009 American film directed by Michael Mann and written by Mann, Ronan... more
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Out of the Furnace
Zoe Saldana, Christian Bale
Out of the Furnace is a 2013 American thriller film, directed by Scott Cooper, from a... more
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72
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Little Women
Kirsten Dunst, Christian Bale
Little Women is a 1994 American drama film directed by Gillian Armstrong. The screenplay by... more
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How Greta Gerwig’s ‘Little Women’ Handled Important Moments Compared To The 1994 Film And The Novel#269 of 440 Your Favorite Movies of the 1990s
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Harsh Times
Eva Longoria, Christian Bale
Harsh Times is a 2005 American crime film set in South Los Angeles. The film stars Christian... more
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#21 of 72 The Best '00s Cop Movies#445 of 546 The Greatest Crime Movies Ever Made
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The Flowers of War
Christian Bale, Paul Schneider
The Flowers of War is a 2011 Chinese historical drama war film directed by Zhang Yimou,... more
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Terminator Salvation
Christian Bale, Helena Bonham Carter
Terminator Salvation is a 2009 American science fiction action film directed by McG and... more
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#155 of 225 The Worst Sequels Of All Time#125 of 165 Live Action Movies With The Best CGI Effects

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Vice
Christian Bale, Amy Adams
Vice is a 2018 biographical comedy-drama film directed by Adam McKay. The story of Dick Cheney... more
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Ford v. Ferrari
Christian Bale, Matt Damon
Ford v. Ferrari is a 2019 action biographical drama film directed by James Mangold. An... more
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#108 of 152 The Most Inspirational Sports Movies#17 of 57 The Best Car Racing Movies That Really Put The Pedal To The Metal
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Shaft
Christian Bale, Elizabeth Banks
Shaft is a 2000 American action-thriller film directed by John Singleton, and starring Samuel... more
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#146 of 666 The Best Black Movies Ever Made, Ranked#12 of 117 The Best Samuel L. Jackson Movies, Ranked List
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The New World
Christian Bale, Colin Farrell
The New World is a 2005 British-American romantic historical drama film written and directed... more
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#762 of 782 The Greatest Chick Flicks Ever Made#78 of 81 The Best Period Romance Movies
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Treasure Island
Christian Bale, Christopher Lee
Treasure Island is a 1990 TV film adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s famous 1883 novel... more