BALE BIDS BYE BYE TO BATMAN

Christian Bale is planning to hang up Batman's cape after playing the vigilante in a third and final movie.

The actor insists The Dark Knight Rises will be his final outing as the comic book superhero - unless director Christopher Nolan has other plans.

Bale says, "This will be, I believe, until Chris says different, the last time I’ll be playing Batman."