Christian Bale Bails! Actor Turns Down Ridley Scott's 'Child 44'

Don't expect to see Hollywood star Christian Bale in Ridley Scott's upcoming picture, Child 44.

Scott Free Productions and director Daniel Espinosa have confirmed with the TheWrap.com that Bale met with the filmmakers this week to officially turn down the project. Lionsgate/Summit are also no longer involved in the film.

Writer Richard price is on board to write the script based on British novelist Tom Rob Smith's book of the same name.

TheWrap.com describes the movie:
Set in the 1950s, the story revolves around a member of the Soviet military police, investigating a series of nasty child murders. He becomes the target of his government's suspicion and paranoia.

At the center of the story is Leo Demidov, a disgraced lawyer in the Stalin-era Soviet Union who is assigned to investigate the murders. The book is based on the true story of the Ukrainian serial killer Andrei Chikatilo, who was executed for 52 murders.

The first publication in a trilogy exploring the impact of Stalin on the Soviet Union, the book was first picked up by Fox and Ridley Scott was once attached to direct.