The long strange odyssey of Christian Bale’s Oscar-winning/cape wearing career takes another turn with “Hostiles,” a Western of moral ambiguity, dust and violence.

Back in the Golden Age of Movies, leading men had benchmark roles. You did your combat film, your cop roles, your boxing picture, your Westerns. Bruce Willis was the last big star to complete that cycle. Now Christian Bale rides among the sagebrush.

“Hostiles” is slated for later this year.