The Dark Knight Rises took its cast and crew to different places during production, and thanks to one of those locations, Christian Bale met Donald Trump, which turned into a pretty surreal experience. Batman has had an interesting history on the big screen with many ups and downs, but Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy is widely regarded as the best film adaptation of the Caped Crusader so far. Nolan’s trilogy began in 2005 with Batman Begins, introducing Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne, and continued in 2008 with The Dark Knight, now considered one of the greatest superhero movies ever.

The Dark Knight trilogy closed in 2012 with The Dark Knight Rises, set eight years after the events of The Dark Knight in which the Joker (Heath Ledger) was finally caught and Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) was killed, though his Dent Act helped eradicate organized crime in Gotham City. Still mourning the death of Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal), Bruce Wayne became a recluse but returned to the streets of Gotham as Batman when terrorist Bane (Tom Hardy) arrived to destroy the city. However, meeting Bane wasn’t the weirdest experience Bale’s Batman went through, as off-screen, he met Donald Trump.

Christian Bale Met Donald Trump While Filming The Dark Knight Rises

Donald Trump Thought He Was Meeting Bruce Wayne

Filming of The Dark Knight Rises began in May 2011, and for the scenes at the headquarters of Wayne Enterprises, the production team moved to a different place. In Batman Begins, the Chicago Board of Trade Building was used to represent the headquarters of Wayne Enterprises, while The Dark Knight opted for using the Richard J. Daley Center. For The Dark Knight Rises, the Trump Tower in New York City was used for the scenes set at Wayne Enterprises, and that’s why Bale ended up meeting Donald Trump himself while in full Bruce Wayne outfit.

Speaking to Variety in 2018, while promoting the political dramedy Vice, Bale shared the bizarre experience of meeting Donald Trump during the filming of The Dark Knight Rises. Bale explained that Trump told him to “come on up to the office” and so he did while dressed as Bruce Wayne. Bale then revealed he thinks Trump thought he was actually the wealthy playboy Bruce Wayne as he talked to him as he was his famous character, so Bale simply went along with it, which he found quite entertaining.

What Scenes In The Dark Knight Rises Were Filmed In Trump Tower

Wayne Enterprises Got A New Look In The Dark Knight Rises

As Bruce Wayne became a recluse following the events of The Dark Knight, Batman retired from crime-fighting (and not that he was needed, either, thanks to the Dent Act) and Wayne Enterprises also suffered the consequences of his isolation. During that time, Miranda Tate (Marion Cotillard) became more and more involved in Wayne Enterprises, eventually becoming CEO. Wayne Enterprises, then, had a role in The Dark Knight Rises… though not so much a physical presence. Wayne Enterprises’ exterior shots were filmed on Broadway but the main entrance and lobby were thanks to Trump Tower.

Because of this, it’s not easy to identify exactly when Trump Tower is on the screen and when it’s a different location disguised as Wayne Enterprises – however, the scene where Bruce is ejected from a meeting with board members and leaves the building was shot at Trump Tower, but again, it was only the lobby and entrance. The Dark Knight Rises cast and crew might have not spent too much time filming at Trump Tower, but it was enough to give Christian Bale a bizarre story to share.

Source: Variety.