With the long, long, long-awaited release of The Dark Knight Rises finally drawing near, Christian Bale will be stepping back into the cowl and cape for the third, although not necessarily final, time.

Bale's been relatively quiet over the past couple of years, starring in only one feature since 2009 â€“ although that feature, David O Russell's The Fighter, did also happen to net him his first Oscar.

But Batman aside, Bale's now got a packed couple of years ahead, reuniting first with director Terrence Malick on a pair of back-to-back dramas opposite Natalie Portman, and then with O Russell on American Bulls**t.

To celebrate Bale's strong slate of upcoming projects,casts a photographic eye over some of his most significant roles.

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