Batman Begins turns 16: Read some fascinating facts about the iconic movie!

Batman Begins cast has Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne with Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Cillian Murphy, Morgan Freeman, and others. Directed by Christopher Nolan, it is the first film in his The Dark Trilogy and a reboot of the Batman film series. The movie premiered on June 15, 2005, and completes 16 years today. On the special occasion, know some interesting facts about the acclaimed project, according to IMDb. 

16 years of Batman Begins; Fascinating facts about the iconic movie

Christian Bale didn't like his Batman costume as it was uncomfortable. However, it helped his performance as he was always in a foul mood when wearing it. He did stay in the Batsuit on the first day of shooting in order to get used to it. 

Heath Ledger was considered to play Bruce Wayne / Batman during the film's early development. But the actor and Christopher Nolan agreed that he was not right for the part. Ledger ended up essaying the Joker in The Dark Knight, winning a posthumous Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. 

Christian Bale and Liam Neeson filmed the frozen lake fighting sequence in a real location. They could hear the ice cracking beneath their feet during the shooting. The next day, the lake was completely melted. 

The film marks the first live-action appearance of the villain, The Scarecrow, played by Cillian Murphy. The actor auditioned for the part of the lead superhero. The character's first name Jonathan from the comics is never spoken in the film. 

When Christian Bale was considered for the role he was vastly underweight due to his part in The Machinist. He underwent a six-month dietary and exercise regimen that resulted in him weighing more than the requirement and becoming too large. The actor then quickly got leaner and gained a more muscular frame. 

Batman Begins marks the first collaboration between Michael Caine and Christopher Nolan. The actor signed on to the project because he wanted to work with the "clever" writer and director. Since then, Caine has been a part of every Nolan movie. 

Henry Cavill, Billy Crudup, Joshua Jackson, Hugh Dancy, and Jake Gyllenhaal audition for the role of Bruce Wayne / Batman. They were made to wear a Batman suit for the process used by Val Kilmer in Batman Forever. Ashton Kutcher was reported the choice of the studio executives. 

Christian Bale performed most of the stunt by himself. But he wasn't allowed to use the Batmobile. The vehicle was built from the ground up and cost around half a million pounds. Five Batmobiles were made for the project. 

The famous weapon of the cape crusader 'Batarang' is used during the Dockyard fight scene. It is the only time this weapon appears in Christopher Nolan's version. This is also the only movie to have "Batman" in its title in Nolan's trilogy. 

The title went through several changes. First, it was called 'Batman 5' when the movie was planned to be a part of the same universe as the Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher films. It then became 'Batman: The Frightening' with Scarecrow as the main villain. The working title was 'Intimidation Game' to avoid any leaks. 

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