Christian Bale is set to star as a Catholic priest in Chinese director Zhang Yimou’s next film, ‘Nanjing Heroes,’ Comingsoon.net is reporting. The movie, which is expected to begin filming next month, will show the “brutal 1937 invasion and pillaging of the Chinese capital by Japanese troops.”

‘Nanjing Heroes’ is based on the novel The 13 Women of Nanjing, which was written by Chinese author Yan Geling. The plot follows 13 prostitutes who were taken as escorts for the Japanese World War II troops. During the war, nearly 20,000 Chinese women and girls were raped and killed by the Japanese troops.

Bale’s character will reportedly hide a group of prostitutes and female students in his church during the invasion. The actor was picked by Zhang because he is dedicated to researching his roles. The movie, which is believed to have a budget of $90 million, is set to be released in December 2011.

Written by: Karen Benardello