Christian Bale Exits Michael Mann’s ‘Ferrari’ Movie Over Weight Gain Demands

Christian Bale has become something of a pro when it comes to transforming his body for movie roles, which makes his decision to exit Michael Mann’s Enzo Ferrari biopic due to “health concerns” somewhat shocking. When you can’t get Bale, of all people, to reshape his body for your film, perhaps you’re asking just a little too much.

And so our hopes of once again relishing in the schadenfreude of seeing a fat Christian Bale are dashed, as Deadline reports that the physical chameleon is refusing to transform his body to meet the demands of Mann’s Enzo Ferrari film, citing “health concerns” over the necessary weight gain to play the larger version of the iconic race car driver and car maker.

It’s not as if Bale hasn’t played chubby before, having gained a bit of a potbelly to play a sweaty, sleazy, balding conman for David O. Russell in American Hustle — which makes you wonder just how much weight Mann wants him to gain for the Ferrari movie. But according to the report, it’s not exactly how much but how fast Bale would need to gain the weight, and even for a guy who went swiftly from skeletal to steroidal between The Machinist and Batman Begins, Mann’s film isn’t giving him enough time to do so in a healthy manner.

Mann reportedly wants to begin shooting his Ferrari biopic in March, and while two months seems like more than enough time to chow down on some pizzas and burritos and gargle with Mountain Dew, there’s a more scientific — and, weirdly, healthful — approach to gaining weight.

It’s too bad because everyone loves when an actor undergoes a big physical transformation for a role (insert flashing FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION sign here), and there are few better at it than Bale. But it looks like Mann will have to find another actor willing to pack on the weight on such short notice.