Christian Bale Was Chopped From Director Terence Malick’s New Film

Terence Malick is one of those directors whom film buffs revere, and famous actors practically offer to chop off limbs (just not the face, dahling) for the chance to work with him. Those actors he casts are often disappointed when they view the finished product, because Terence is not sharing fucks when it comes to cutting big names out of his films. Ask Adrien Brody about The Thin Red Line sometime. Speaking of Adrien, Christian Bale might want to ping him to find out where the next meeting of the “Terence Malick Cut Me Out Of His Movie” support group is being held, because Terence also gave him the chop from his latest picture, according to The Wrap.

The film, Song to Song, is about the Austin, TX music scene and stars Ryan Gosling, Rooney Mara, Michael Fassbender, Natalie Portman and mature goth Cate Blanchett. It DOES NOT star our second-to-last Batman. Christian Bale shot for four weeks on the flick, but his character was entirely absent from a recent screening of the film at SXSW.

Christian Bale was absent from the nearly two-hour film when it screened at opening night at the South by Southwest Film Festival.

Six years ago Bale shot on location for nearly four weeks, one individual familiar with the project said, but soon broke away to ramp up promotion for his final Batman film “The Dark Knight Rises.”

Yeah, so Terence can be achingly slow when it comes to his work (he took 20 years off between films one time!). Most of Song to Song was shot WAY back in 2011, and he’s been working on it since then (so expect a lot of “Charlie Sheen is winning” jokes and characters talking about Pippa Middleton’s ass at the Royal Wedding).

Christian and Song to Song are apparently done professionally due to his and Michael Fassbender’s characters being too similar.

Fassbender’s character, a toxic music executive, was said to be so similar to Bale that no one was sure if he would be included at all, the insider added. The press-shy director, who lives in Austin, does not share details of his movies with the public in advance.

Christian won’t be the only actor sitting at the premiere wondering if he missed his part because he briefly left for popcorn. Where in the world is masterful mumbler Benecio del Toro?

Other actors in the initial casting announcements for “Song to Song” included del Toro, who also shot with Malick, and “Girl on the Train” star Haley Bennett did not surface in the cut screened on Friday night.

Christian, Benecio and that other chick Haley Bennett have joined an illustrious group of actors who were also yanked from a Terence Malick film. Mickey Rourke, George Clooney, Rachel Weisz, Bill Pullman and Leonardo DiCaprio’s condom carrier Lukas Haas all found their roles in a Terence film either drastically reduced or eliminated altogether by the final cut.

Adrien Brody thought he was The Thin Red Line’s lead when they were shooting. He was reduced to what was basically a cameo. Civilians who win walk-on roles on soap operas via cereal box contests have had meatier roles.

Check out some pictures below from the Song to Song premiere last night in Austin TX, featuring Ryan Gosling, Rooney Mara, and Michael Fassbender at SXSW.

Pics: WENN