14 DAY TRIAL // Fans counting on seeing Christian Bale in the upcoming “Child 44,” directed by Daniel Espinosa and produced by Ridley Scott, are in for a disappointment: the actor has officially dropped out of negotiations.
Bale was frontrunner for the leading part and met with the entire team behind the project the other day to give them a final answer on the offer. It was in the negative, The Wrap can confirm.
“Set in the 1950s, the story revolves around a member of the Soviet military police, investigating a series of nasty child murders. He becomes the target of his government's suspicion and paranoia,” the e-zine says.
The film is based on a book based on the real story of Ukrainian serial killer Andrei Chikatilo, who got the death penalty after killing 52 people.
No reason has been offered for Bale’s decision not to do the film but we might as well assume that it had a lot to do with his busy schedule.
No word yet on who is now in the running for the lead.