LOS ANGELES - “The Dark Knight” looks to be one of this summer’s hottest — and darkest — films, according to Batman himself, Christian Bale.

“Chris (Nolan) manages to make a blockbuster-size, entertaining movie,” Bale told IGN.com of the returning director, who also joined the actor on franchise relaunch “Batman Begins.” “But there’s a whole lot of thought behind it as well.”

In a summer of superhero blockbusters that’s already seen “Iron Man” and “The Incredible Hulk” become box office hits, Batman stands apart.

“Although he’s certainly in the superhero pantheon, (Batman) is the most questionable of superheroes as he doesn’t have special powers whatsoever,” Bale said in a separate interview with Parade. “I think the others may well question his legitimacy to be a member of the club.”

With a “Justice League” movie long rumored, it’s a club that Bale may soon be joining on screen.

“Well, it’s like I say to Chris, ‘I’ll probably be doing this in dinner theatre somewhere in my 50s,’” he joked to IGN. “I won’t knock it because who knows where I’ll end up.”

On the late Heath Ledger’s co-starring performance as the Joker, Bale was all praise.

“It was fantastic really, this kind of anarchic, sort of punk-rock, druggy take on the Joker, which I think is definitely the best one I’ve ever seen,” he told IGN. “We’re both actors who are completely happy within adlibbing I think those moments are usually the best in movies, when accidents happen.”

And when it came to Heath the man, his feelings were no different.

“He was a unique character, a very infectious character. He was a good man, and I was glad to have spent time with him. He was somebody who I’d been seeing on a daily basis for months,” Bale told Parade. “It takes a long time to accept that someone’s gone, when all body and mind are telling you that this is somebody you will know for a great deal of time. He was something of a kindred spirit to myself.”

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