Christian Bale on Batman performance: 'I didn't quite nail it'

LOS ANGELES, March 4 (UPI) -- Christian Bale as admitted to be disappointed with his performance as Batman in director Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy.

"I didn't quite manage what I hoped I would throughout the trilogy," Bale told Yahoo Movies recently while promoting his new drama, Knight of Cups, directed by Terrence Malick.

Bale also discussed how he felt he couldn't compete with his Dark Knight co-star Heath Ledger, who won a posthumous Oscar for his role as the villainous Joker in the 2008 crime thriller.

"Heath turned up, and just kind of completely ruined all my plans," Bale said. "Because I went, 'He's so much more interesting than me and what I'm doing.'"

Bale portrayed Batman in all three of Nolan's superhero films, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises, from 2005 until 2012. The actor's comments come just weeks before Ben Affleck steps into the iconic cape and cowl for the first time in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, out in theaters March 25.

Speaking with Entertainment Tonight, Bale said the trailers for Dawn of Justice are "looking great."

"Everyone brings their own element to that [role] – Ben will do that, as well," he said.