Why did LOTR star Orlando Bloom turn down a Batman role?

Here’s a bit of casting trivia I didn’t see coming: Orlando Bloom nearly suited up as Batman. Yes, really — Legolas himself in the Batsuit. The Lord of the Rings and Pirates of the Caribbean regular got offered a serious shot at being the Dark Knight in Batman Begins, only to turn it down. There’s a bit of a twist to why, and as far as I’m concerned, it says a fair amount about how Hollywood blockbuster casting works — and what actors want out of it.

Why Bloom Didn't Go Full Bat

Bloom turned up on The Howard Stern Show and revealed exactly what happened when Christopher Nolan invited him for a sit-down about Batman Begins. Most actors would probably jump through a window for the part, but not Bloom. He’d already had more than his fill of epic franchises — and didn’t fancy becoming another face locked into superhero stardom before he’d even hit fifty. Instead, he wanted something a bit more understated, a bit more personal. As he explained to Stern, performing another titanic, pop culture icon just wasn’t where his head was at then.

Here’s how Orlando Bloom put it on Stern’s show:
'I met with Christopher Nolan on that role. I’d done Pirates, I needed to do something that was small and intimate. I needed to show other aspects of my character. The idea of playing Batman another huge, iconic star… I just looked at him and said, "Dude, man, I just need to go do theater."'

Bit mad, isn’t it? Passing up Batman to do theatre — but to be fair, after climbing up and down ships in Pirates and haring through Middle-earth as Legolas, you can understand wanting a break from rubber suits and green screens.

Christian Bale would go on to take the cape and cowl instead, and not only did he reinvent the character for a whole new generation, he earned a heap of praise even from Bloom himself. On Stern, Bloom gushed, 'I think Christian Bale is one of the greatest actors of all time... He was amazing.'

Orlando Bloom’s Franchise Detours

Bloom wasn’t a stranger to colossal series by the time Batman Begins came round. Besides Pirates, he’d already done the full Lord of the Rings sweep — though he almost played a different part there. At first, Bloom auditioned for Faramir and missed out, but got cast as Legolas instead. Probably a lucky break — no one’s going to imagine anyone else as the bow-wielding elf now.

• Orlando Bloom met with Christopher Nolan about starring in Batman Begins
• Turned it down to avoid another blockbuster series after Pirates of the Caribbean
• Wanted to pursue 'small and intimate' projects, including theatre
• Christian Bale landed Batman, with Bloom declaring Bale 'one of the greatest actors of all time'
• Bloom also made his name in Lord of the Rings, where he originally tried out for Faramir but landed Legolas