Question: You've developed a reputation of being very focused to prepare for you roles. For a role like this, that is so very intense already, how difficult is it to release those emotions?

Bale: It ain't so tricky, you know what I mean? It's just a matter of once you get your head into a place where you understand exactly what you're going to do, then you can really releax. It's just in getting there. You don't want to find yourself starting work and being in a scene and then not knowing what the hell you're doing. But once you feel it and you understand it, and putting on the Batsuit so much and walking around in that and understanding it and feeling how and when to play it, you can pretty much relax.

And you have to, really. I mean, I'm more accustomed to making movies in eight weeks or something. This month took seventh months to shoot, y'know? You've just got to lose all energy and focus and expire pretty fast if you want to manage to pace yourself for the whole seven months schedule.

Question:Have you read the Batman vs. Superman script? Is that something you would be interested in?

Bale: That would be a ways down track. I haven't read it. I believe there's a comic book, a graphic novel, which is specifically about that. I haven't read that one, either. If it was something good, I think that would be something way down the track if that was ever to happen.

Question: Is there a particular moment that you thought you connected with and another that was substantially difficult?

Bale: I think that the general notion of trying to attempt to use negative emotions -- anger, resentment, whatever the hell it is that everybody feels -- and trying to turn it into something positive is something I can relate to. And what was the next bit?

Question: Was there something difficult to imagine?

Bale: The thing is that his own super-power is his wealth. And that's a pretty phenomenal thing to try to understand, growing up in that fashion. Having such access and such power is something that is quite unimaginable to almost anybody who just never experienced that in their life.

But then also very interesting to me that it actually made him feel completely impotent at the end of the day, that he was kind of this little prince, born with a silver spoon and just incapable of understanding desperation or need or any of that.

Question: And what makes you angry? And what do you feel?

Bale: I wish much less things made me angry. And what I fear? My dad always said, 'The fear of being born.' That's the big thing to fear. I don't have any specific phobias, like bats, like Bruce Wayne has.

In fact, I like the bats. I would go into cages with the bats on the set.

Question: Was it a decision you had to weigh to take on this role? Because you are known for smaller, independent movies.

Bale: It was a consideration of mine that it would be such a monster of a movie that I wouldn't really know how to deal with the actual making of it.

But I think that the saving grace there is that Chris comes from more independent movies as well. All right, there were more resources, but he wanted to make the actual day-to-day interaction very similar to making a more independent movie, so there was no probably with the communication there or any sense of it becoming impersonal whatsover.

I didn't want to be scared off of making a movie. I believed it would be a movie that I would very much be a part of, very much would want to see, a really great story with fantastic potential. And I didn't want to be scared off by any notions of the consequences of making that choice.

Question: Was there anything that you had to do for a role that had been played by so many actors recently to make it your own?

Bale: I think that just the script by itself, you can't do anything but making it your own. Like I said, I don't feel like it's been defined before. I don't feel like it's ever been satisfactorily played. There's a lot of room for what is so good about the character that has never been shown before. He's a severe character. All I had to do was just ignore everything that has been done before.

We were going to be coming up with something new and original regardless. And the last thing I wanted to be doing is stealing from somebody else.

Question: When you first saw your action figure, was it like, "Wow I've got an action figure?"

Bale: It was such a long process, you know, because we had to get in these computerized outfits and look really stupid in these like flesh stockings and stuff like that for them to get the 3D imagery and everything like that. It was still a kick seeing it, kind of bizarre. I never really thought I would be in a movie where they would make a doll out of me. That's a bit of a trippy one.

It's not something I've dwelled on too much. It's something hopefully one day my daughter can enjoy, sinking it in the pool or blowing it up or whatever.

Question: Do you have some of the figures?

Bale: I got a couple of little things. I got sent a couple of different things. But you know what, I've kind of been overloaded with Batman, so I kind of left it in a box right now and kind of be able to enjoy it a little more once all of this is over.

Question: What was it like in the scene will all the bats?

Bale: With all the bats swarming around? That particular scene, if I remember correctly, there were absolutely no bats. (laughs) We did have scenes where, yes we did have bats flying around. Maybe I'm getting it wrong, maybe there a few of them around there.

But I think it works fantastically. When you look at it, when you see him finally facing his fear, it's a real cathartic moment for him and understanding this is the moment he comes to capture his future persona. And I like the scene a great deal. But I believe I was just by myself.

Question: What were the Batsuit no-nons? What could you not do in the suit?

Bale: I could do a lot more than most people could. You can't raise your arms particularly high and (in soft voice) you need help going to the toilet.