Christian Bale is building 12 foster homes that aim to keep siblings in the care system together

He's a real life Bruce Wayne

He said he was left 'stunned and mad' about how many children were in care in California, and this has spurred his plans to build 12 new foster homes in the state, alongside two studio flats to help older children transition to living independently.

The Batman actor explained that the idea has been brewing in his head since the birth of his daughter back in 2005.

“I found myself trying to imagine what it would be like if we weren’t around,” he said.

“At the same time, I was doing all-night searches for what was going on in LA proper and where we could help.

“I was stunned and mad to learn that we have more foster kids here than anywhere else in the country.

"I was also kicking myself for not knowing that before so I thought, ‘Well, this is it. Let’s focus on this.’ My wife and I decided that we were going to do everything we could in our power to change that.”

The project is said to have cost over £17 million

The new village, which is located in Palmdale near Los Angeles, is set to cost $22m (£17.5m) and be completed by 2025.

The 50-year-old said the project was “something absolutely new, totally transformative and something completely needed."

He continued: “Imagine the absolute pain and the trauma of losing your parents or being torn from your parents, and then losing your brothers and sisters on top of that.

"That’s no way to treat kids. And so, we will be the hub for that. I hope that this village will be the first of many, and I hope that people, Californians and Angelenos, know to come join us in opening our eyes to what’s happening right under our noses.

"These are our children, and we must help our children.”

“I had the very unrealistic idea that within one year I’d have created a miniature Sound of Music with kids singing on hills in an endlessly joyful environment," he explained about the planning of the new village.

"But I discovered no, it takes an awful long time and really well-motivated people. It’s complicated and tough to help kids. It should be a hell of a lot easier than it was but I didn’t flinch for one second.”

Bale explained that it was his father's influence that led him to plans

“I grew up with a dad who was always very active and altruistic, and we would be headed to protests and shouting at Maggie Thatcher and stuff," he explained to The Hollywood Reporter.

"As a kid, I didn’t really know what I was doing, but I loved it, and I just admired the hell out of my dad in that way that he went out of his way to care for other people.”

He added: “We were always having other people coming and living in our house who didn’t have homes, etc. That’s just the guy that he was.”