First Look: Christian Bale in THE 13 WOMEN OF NANJING
Bale plays an American priest who shelters citizens from certain death in epic Chinese production of 1937's Nanjing Massacre.
/film (via Tianjinwe.com) have posted the first look at Christian Bale in The 13 Women of Nanjing, an epic Chinese production that re-tells the infamous 1937 event of The Nanjing Massacre when thousands of people were murdered and women brutally raped by invading Japanese troops in what was then the capital of China. Directed by Zhang Yinou, Bale is the only non-Asian actor so far announced to appear in the currently filming movie where he plays an American Priest who helps a great number of Chinese citizens escape certain death. From the sounds of things, he is a fictional character, probably based on German businessman John Rabe, who saved at least 20,000 Chinese citizens during the mauling. Yan and Liu Heng wrote the script based on Yan Gelings novel The 13 Women of Nanjing. The book tells the story of thirteen prostitutes who stepped in for female university students who were to be taken as escorts for the troops during the period when nearly 20,000 women and girls were raped and killed by the Japanese troops. There are more non-Asian actors expected to appear in the movie that will be told 60% in Mandarin Chinese and 40% in the English-language but only Bale has been announced so far. The 13 Women of Nanjing has been called one of the most expensive Chinese productions ever and should hit Asian screens next year with hopefully a U.S. and U.K. distribution to come soon after. 
Once Bale has finished filming in Asia, he will suit up for The Dark Knight Rises which begins filming in Pittsburgh from next month.