I think the odds are solid that Christian Bale is going to win an Academy Award next year for Best Supporting Actor for his work in The Fighter. Here’s the trailer:

(Look for it in theaters December 10.)

Bale has been doing lots of press for the film this week, and of course he’s always asked about Batman.

And you’re going to love the things he’s been saying.

First, here’s a video from MTV:

Bale says he’s excited to get back in the cape and that “if Chris [Nolan] maintains, then this will be the last one, and we have to up it.”

He also says a little about Nolan’s legendary penchant for secrecy: “Chris will let me know what I need to know when I need to know it. It’s our fourth movie together. I probably know a little bit more than maybe some people out there, but I think most people will be surprised by how little I do know. It just hasn’t been necessary yet. I know he’ll give me plenty of time to prepare for whatever I need to for it, and I’ll discover it. He’s a pretty damn good filmmaker, and I trust that he’s going to come up with something wonderful.”

How do you “up it” from The Dark Knight? If there’s any team out there that can do it, it’s these guys.

And then my good friend and Batman on Film boss Bill “Jett” Ramey found an even better one from E! Online:

Of Nolan, Bale says, “Now he’s somebody with a plan! That guy has it all worked out.”

And when interviewer Ben Lyons asks him about following up a pop culture phenomenon like The Dark Knight, Bale says, “You know, you’ve always got to up it.”

There’s that “up it” phrase again. WHAMMY!

He talks about being excited and about keeping the energy up to avoid the complacency trap that franchises sometimes fall into.

Finally, is this the last time he’ll play Batman? Probably. But not definitely.

“I believe this will be the last time, unless Chris says different, that I’m playing Batman. So absolutely we want to go all out with it and try to figure out a way how to up what we did before.”

I think this will be the last one, too, but Bale is certainly loyal to Nolan, and if Nolan ever did another one, I think Bale would come back, too. He basically just said he would.

But realistically speaking, this is probably the last one from Team Nolan. And even though it’s a long wait until July 20, 2012, enjoy this ride while it lasts … and keep your browser pointed at Batman on Film for all the lastest and greatest news!