the dark knight rises
How scenes compare to the Scripts in our Library
| Percentile | Before | After | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conflict Level | 8.9 | 91 | Narcos: 8.8 | the dark knight rises: 8.9 |
| Plot | 8.5 | 88 | Breaking bad: 8.4 | the dark knight rises: 8.5 |
| Overall | 8.5 | 80 | Thor: 8.4 | Inception: 8.5 |
| Concept | 8.1 | 77 | Squid Game: 8.0 | the dark knight rises: 8.1 |
| Emotional Impact | 7.6 | 65 | Queens Gambit: 7.5 | Erin Brokovich: 7.6 |
| Characters | 8.3 | 63 | Thor: 8.2 | Good Will Hunting: 8.3 |
| Dialogue | 7.4 | 30 | The sweet hereafter: 7.3 | the dark knight rises: 7.4 |
| Story Content | Character Development | Scene Elements | Audience Engagement | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scene Number | Full Analysis | Tone | Overall Grade | Concept | Plot | Characters | Character Changes | Conflict | High stakes | Story forward | Emotional Impact | Dialogue | |
| 1 | Introducing Bane | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 8 | ||
| 2 | Bane Takes Over the Plane | 9 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 8 | ||
| 3 | The Plane Hijacking | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 8 | ||
| 4 | Harvey Dent Day Speech | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | ||
| 5 | A Robbery at Wayne Manor | 7 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 | ||
| 6 | Gordon and Blake on the Rooftop | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 9 | ||
| 7 | Revelational | 7.5 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | ||
| 8 | Selina's Cover is Blown | 8 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | ||
| 9 | The Sewers | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | ||
| 10 | Revelations | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 8 | ||
| 11 | Wayne Enterprises and The Bat | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 8 | ||
| 12 | Return of the Batman | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 8 | ||
| 13 | The Masquerade | 9 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 10 | ||
| 14 | Wayne's Return to the Batsuit | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 7 | ||
| 15 | Stock Exchange Heist | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 6 | ||
| 16 | The Batman Pursuit | 8.5 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | ||
| 17 | The Bat-Pod Escape and Catwoman's Heist | 8.5 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | ||
| 18 | Batman and Catwoman Fight Bane's Men | 9 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 8 | ||
| 19 | Introducing Bane and Analyzing the Situation | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 7 | ||
| 20 | Alfred's Ultimatum | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 7 | ||
| 21 | Wayne's Last Stand | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | ||
| 22 | Daggett and Bane meet | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | ||
| 23 | A Night of Losses | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 7 | ||
| 24 | Wayne's Choice | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 8 | ||
| 25 | Batman vs Bane | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 6 | ||
| 26 | Selina behind bars; Wayne in Bane's prison | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 7 | ||
| 27 | The Siege of the Reactor | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 7 | ||
| 28 | The Trap is Sprung | 8 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 6 | ||
| 29 | Bane's Bomb Threat | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 7 | ||
| 30 | Bane's Speech at Blackgate | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 9 | ||
| 31 | Bane's Takeover | 9 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 7 | ||
| 32 | Wayne meets Rā’s al Ghūl in prison | 8 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | ||
| 33 | Preparing for the Battle | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | ||
| 34 | The Bomb Threat | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 7 | ||
| 35 | The Climb | 8.5 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 7 | ||
| 36 | Planning the Rescue Mission | 8.5 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 8 | ||
| 37 | The Clean Slate | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 8 | ||
| 38 | The Bat Rises | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 8 | ||
| 39 | The Calm Before the Storm | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 7 | ||
| 40 | Battle for Gotham and Revelation of Talia's Identity | 9 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 8 | ||
| 41 | The Countdown Continues | 10 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 8 | ||
| 42 | The Bomb Countdown | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | ||
| 43 | The Sacrifice | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 8 | ||
| 44 | The Final Pieces Fall into Place | 9.2 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 7 | ||
Scene 1 - Introducing Bane
by
Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan
Story by
Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer
Based upon characters appearing in comic books
published by DC Comics
Batman created by
Bob Kane
Transcribed to PDF from:
"The Dark Knight Trilogy - The
Complete Screenplays"
Published July 2012 by Faber &
Faber Ltd. (UK)
In memory of the victims of
the tragedy in Aurora, CO, on
July 20, 2012.
FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY
T H E D A R K K N I G H T R I S E S
BLACK SCREEN.
GORDON (V.O)
Harvey Dent was needed. He was
everything Gotham has been crying
out for. He was...a hero. Not the
hero we deserved - the hero we
needed. Nothing less than a knight,
shining...
The sound of cracking. Splintering. A shape appears, in ice.
The shape of a BAT. The ice disintegrates...
EXT. GOTHAM STREET - DAY
Gordon stands before a massive picture of Harvey Dent.
GORDON
But I knew Harvey Dent. I was...his
friend. And it will be a very long
time before someone inspires us the
way he did.
Gordon, choked with emotion, gathers the papers of his
eulogy.
I believed in Harvey Dent.
And we FADE TO BLACK.
CUT TO:
Racing along a cratered dirt road, and we are -
INT. LAND CRUISER JOSTLING OVER UNEVEN TERRAIN - DAY
Three Hooded Men guarded by East European Militia. A third
Militia drives. Next to him is a nervous, bespectacled man.
EXT. AIRSTRIP, EASTERN EUROPE - DAY
An airstrip overlooking a grey city rocked by artillery
fire. A bland CIA Operative, flanked by Special Forces Men,
stands in front of a commuter plane. CIA Man watches the
Land Cruiser pull up, hard. The Militia Men jump out of the
vehicle.
The Driver shoves the bespectacled man in front of the CIA
Man.
2.
CIA MAN
Dr. Pavel, I’m CIA.
Dr. Pavel nods, nervous. CIA Man hands the Driver a
briefcase.
DRIVER
He wasn’t alone.
CIA Man, confused, spots the Hooded Men. He turns to Dr.
Pavel.
CIA MAN
You don’t get to bring friends.
DR. PAVEL
(shaken)
They are not my friends.
DRIVER
Don’t worry, no charge for them.
CIA MAN
Why would I want them?
DRIVER
They were trying to grab your
prize. (Smiles.) They work for the
mercenary. The masked man.
CIA MAN
(excited)
Bane?
The Driver nods. CIA Man turns to his Special Forces Men.
CIA MAN
Get ’em on board - I’ll call it in.
EXT. SKIES OVER MOUNTAIN RANGE - DAY
The commuter plane struggles over snow-capped mountains.
Ratings
Scene 2 - Bane Takes Over the Plane
The three Hooded Men kneel by the cargo door, handcuffed.
CIA Man grabs Hooded Man 1.
CIA MAN
What are you doing in the middle of
my operation?
3.
Hooded Man 1 says nothing. CIA Man pulls out a handgun.
The flight plan I just filed with
the Agency lists me, my men, and
Dr. Pavel here. But only one of
you.
CIA Man opens the cargo door. Special Forces hang Hooded Man
1 out into the howling wind - CIA Man shouts above the wind.
CIA MAN
FIRST ONE TO TALK GETS TO STAY ON
MY AIRCRAFT! (Cocks weapon.)
SO...WHO PAID YOU TO GRAB DR.
PAVEL?!
Nothing. CIA Man fires out the open door and the Special
Forces yank Hooded Man 1 back in, clubbing him quiet.
CIA MAN
HE DIDN’T FLY SO GOOD! WHO WANTS TO
TRY NEXT?!
The Soldiers grab Hooded Man 2, hang him out the door.
CIA MAN
TELL ME ABOUT BANE! WHY DOES HE
WEAR THE MASK?!
The prisoner says nothing. CIA Man presses the gun to the
man’s hood - he cocks the gun...nothing.
CIA MAN
LOT OF LOYALTY FOR A HIRED GUN!
THIRD PRISONER (O.S.)
Or he’s wondering why someone would
shoot a man before throwing him out
of an aeroplane.
CIA Man turns to the Third Prisoner. Shuts the cargo door.
CIA MAN
Wiseguy, huh? At least you can
talk. Who are you?
THIRD PRISONER
We are nothing. We are the dirt
beneath your feet. And no one cared
who I was until I put on the
mask...
CIA Man, wary, approaches the Third Prisoner - pulls off his
hood, revealing a dark mask with a breathing apparatus. The
eyes behind it are cold. Still. This is Bane.
4.
BANE
Who we are does not matter. What
matters is our plan.
CIA MAN
(fascinated)
If I pull this off, will you die?
BANE
It would be extremely painful.
CIA MAN
You’re a big guy -
BANE
For you.
CIA MAN
(unnerved)
Was being caught part of your plan?
BANE
Of course. Dr. Pavel refused our
offer in favor of yours. We had to
know what he told you about us.
DR. PAVEL
Nothing! I said nothing!
CIA MAN
Why not just ask him?
BANE
He would not have told us.
CIA MAN
You have methods.
BANE
Him, I need healthy. You present no
such problem.
CIA Man laughs for the Special Forces’ benefit. A heavy bass
tone is rising. The Sergeant looks out the window.
EXT. SKIES OVER MOUNTAIN RANGE - CONTINUOUS
The commuter plane is dwarfed by a massive transport plane
looming over it, dangerously close...
5.
INT. MAIN CABIN, COMMUTER PLANE - CONTINUOUS
The plane lurches. The noise is building.
SERGEANT
Sir?
CIA MAN
Well congratulations, you got
yourselves caught. What’s the next
step of your master plan?
BANE
Crashing this plane...
EXT. MOUNTAINS - CONTINUOUS
The ramp of the transport opens... Four men leap out on
tethers - dropping towards the commuter plane, two each
side...
INT. MAIN CABIN, COMMUTER PLANE - CONTINUOUS
The Spacial Forces react to the turbulence from the plane
above. CIA Man looks at Bane.
BANE
(rising)
With no survivors.
A Special Forces soldier spins around - an Armed Man is
outside the window. Bang -
EXT. SKIES OVER MOUNTAIN RANGE - CONTINUOUS
Two men shoot through the windows, the other two attach
grapples to the fuselage - give the thumbs up - hoists start
to pull and the tail of the commuter plane is lifted,
unnaturally.
INT. COCKPIT, COMMUTER PLANE - CONTINUOUS
The Pilots battle the controls as the plane tilts forward.
6.
INT. MAIN CABIN, COMMUTER PLANE - CONTINUOUS
Like lightning, Bane has the CIA Man is his handcuffed arms,
legs wrapped around a seat back, The entire cabin upends.
Tumbling chaos - Soldiers falling - Bane cracks CIA Man’s
neck and drops him onto the Sergeant - they tumble down the
plane, smashing into the cockpit door with a terminal thud.
Dr. Pavel, strapped in, pushes against the seat in front of
him - the plane vibrates, trying to tear itself apart.
EXT. ATLAS MOUNTAINS - CONTINUOUS
The men climb the tail of the smaller plane as it dangles
helplessly above the mountains. Its wings shear off.
INT. MAIN CABIN, COMMUTER PLANE - CONTINUOUS
Bane breaks his handcuffs as if they were plastic, then
opens his legs and drops down the cabin, somersaulting
gracefully and using his arms to stop himself halfway down,
by Dr. Pavel.
EXT. SKIES OVER MOUNTAIN RANGE - CONTINUOUS
The men attach explosives to the tail, then jump away,
swinging out as the tail explodes.
Ratings
Scene 3 - The Plane Hijacking
An explosion takes off the rear door of the cabin - the
Armed Men drop through the smoke on cables.
A body bag is lowered into the cabin. Bane lies it on the
seat backs next to Dr. Pavel and unzips it to reveal a body
the same age and build as Dr. Pavel.
Bane rips Dr. Pavel’s sleeve - pulls out a length of
surgical tubing - pushes a needle into Dr. Pavel’s arm -
runs the tube to the body’s arm... Dr. Pavel watches,
horrified, as Bane starts compressions on the body’s chest,
drawing Dr. Pavel’s blood across the tube and into the
body...
An Armed Man pulls Hooded Man 1 up through the cabin and
out. Bane stops Hooded Man 2.
7.
BANE
Friend. They expect one of us in
the wreckage.
The man nods, unhooks himself, takes Bane’s arm.
HOODED MAN 2
Have we started the fire?
BANE
(nods)
The fire rises.
Hooded Man 2 hands Bane his line. Bane clips it around Dr.
Pavel, takes out a knife and cuts Dr. Pavel’s seat belt. Dr.
Pavel panics, flails. Bane takes his arms. Gentle.
BANE
Calm, Doctor. Now is not time for
fear...
Bane slides Dr. Pavel out of his seat. They hang in the
vertical, windblown cabin. Bane takes out a detonator.
BANE
That comes later.
Bane presses the detonator - the cabin drops from around
them, revealing the terrifying drop to the peaks below. Dr.
Pavel screams as they are hoisted up towards the transport,
and we -
CUT TO:
Ratings
Scene 4 - Harvey Dent Day Speech
Drifting over the vast city...
MAYOR (V.O.)
Harvey Dent Day may not be our
oldest public holiday...
...moving past the enormous Gotham Bridge...
MAYOR (V.O.)
But we’re here tonight because it’s
one of the most important...
...over the Gotham river to the Palisades on the far side...
8.
MAYOR (V.O.)
Harvey Dent’s uncompromising stand
against organized crime and, yes,
ultimately, his sacrifice, have
made Gotham a safer place than it
was at the time of his death, eight
years ago...
...finding a party in the grounds of Wayne Manor. The Mayor
addresses the wealthy and powerful of Gotham.
MAYOR
This city has seen a historic
turnaround. No city is without
crime. But this city is without
organized crime because the Dent
Act gave law enforcement teeth in
its fight against the mob. Now
people are talking about repealing
the Dent Act. And to them I
say...not on my watch.
Enthusiastic applause as the Mayor wraps up.
I want to thank the Wayne
Foundation for hosting this event.
I’m told Mr. Wayne couldn’t be here
tonight, but I’m sure he’s with us
in spirit...
High above, on a darkened balcony, a lone figure. Watching.
MAYOR (O.S)
Now I’m going to give way to an
important voice...
Down below at the bar, Commissioner Gordon examines some
sheets of densely written paper. A Congressman muscles in.
CONGRESSMAN
Commissioner.
GORDON
Congressman.
CONGRESSMAN
Ever lay eyes on Wayne at one of
these things?
Gordon shakes his head. Gordon’s Deputy Commissioner, Foley,
cuts in.
9.
FOLEY
No one has. Not in years.
MAYOR (O.S)
He can tell you about the bad old
days, when the criminals and
corrupt ran this town with such a
tight grasp that people put their
faith in a murderous thug in a mask
and a cape. A thug who showed his
true nature when he betrayed the
trust of this great man - (Turns to
picture of Dent.) And murdered him
in cold blood.
The Congressman watches a tray of canapés breeze past, then
grabs the ass of the maid carrying them. She freezes.
CONGRESSMAN
Sweetheart, not so fast with the
chow.
MAID
(turns, tight smile)
Shrimp balls?
The Congressman grabs two. The Maid moves off. The
Congressman glances down at Gordon’s papers.
MAYOR (O.S)
Jim Gordon can tell you the truth
about Harvey Dent...
CONGRESSMAN
Jesus, Gordon, is that your speech?
We’re gonna be here all night.
GORDON
Maybe the truth about Harvey isn’t
so simple, Congressman.
MAYOR (O.S)
But I’ll let him tell you himself -
Commissioner Gordon?
Applause. Gordon approaches the mike. Looks down at his long
speech. Thinks.
GORDON
The truth...?
INSERT CUT: Harvey Dent, face half destroyed, threatens
Gordon’s son with a handgun.
10.
Gordon surveys the audience. Deciding.
I have written a speech telling the
truth about Harvey Dent...
Gordon folds up his speech.
Maybe the time isn’t right...
Gordon stuffs the papers inside his jacket. The Congressman
mutters under his breath.
CONGRESSMAN
Thank Christ for that...
GORDON
Maybe right now all you need to
know is that there are a thousand
inmates in Blackgate Prison as a
direct result of the Dent Act.
These are violent criminals,
essential cogs in the organized
crime machine that terrorized
Gotham for so long. Maybe, for now,
all I should say about Harvey
Dent’s death is this...it has not
been for nothing.
The figure on the balcony turns back into the mansion.
People clap as Gordon leaves the mike. Gordon approaches
Foley.
GORDON
The second shift reports in?
FOLEY
On your desk. But you should put in
some more time with the Mayor -
GORDON
That’s your department.
Gordon heads for the line of town cars in the gravel drive.
CONGRESSMAN
Anyone shown him the crime stats?
FOLEY
He goes by his gut, and it
continues to bother him, whatever
the numbers.
CONGRESSMAN
Must be popular with the wife.
11.
FOLEY
Not really. She took the kids and
moved to Cleveland.
CONGRESSMAN
He’ll have plenty of time for
visits. Mayor’s dumping him in the
spring.
FOLEY
Really? He’s a hero.
CONGRESSMAN
War hero. This is peacetime. Stay
smart, the job’s yours.
INT. KITCHENS, WAYNE MANOR - MOMENTS LATER
Our Maid dives into the bustle of Wayne Manor below stairs -
Caterers and Maids, Wait Staff. She overhears another Maid.
MAID 2
They say he never leaves the East
Wing.
MAID 3
I heard he had an accident - that
he’s disfigured.
The other Maids signal her to be quiet. All the chatter has
died. Alfred has entered the kitchen.
ALFRED
Mr. Till, why are your people using
the main stairs?
Alfred places a glass of water on a tray next to a covered
plate. Picks up the tray, looks around the chaotic kitchen.
ALFRED
Where’s Mrs. Bolton?
MAID
She’s up at the bar, sir. Can I
help?
Alfred looks at the Maid. Hands her a key and the tray.
ALFRED
The East drawing room. Unlock the
door, place the tray on the table,
lock the door again. Nothing more.
12.
The Maid nods. Takes the tray.
Ratings
Scene 5 - A Robbery at Wayne Manor
Following the Maid through the empty house. She comes to the
large oak door to the East Wing. Unlocks it...
INT. DRAWING ROOM, EAST WING, WAYNE MANOR - CONTINUOUS
The room is dark, quiet. The Maid places the tray on the
table. She looks at the inner door opposite. It is ajar...
INT. HALL, WAYNE MANOR - CONTINUOUS
Alfred talks to an elegant woman, thirties, Miranda Tate.
ALFRED
I’m sorry, Miss Tate, but I’ve
tried. He won’t see you.
MIRANDA
It’s important, Mr. Pennyworth.
Her accent is European. Hard to place.
ALFRED
Mr. Wayne is as determined to
ignore important things as trivial
ones.
MALE VOICE (O.S.)
Don’t take it personally, Miranda.
They turn to see a man in his fifties. Daggett.
DAGGETT
Everyone knows Wayne’s holed up in
there with eight-inch nails, peeing
into Mason jars. (To Alfred.) Good
of you to let me on the grounds.
ALFRED
The Dent Act is about all Gotham.
Even you, Mr. Daggett. Miss Tate,
always a pleasure.
Alfred turns and walks off. Daggett smiles, glib.
13.
DAGGETT
Why waste your time talking to the
man who threw away your investment
on some save-the-world vanity
project? He can’t help you get your
money back. But I can.
MIRANDA
I could try explaining that a
save-the-world project, vain or
not, is worth investing in,
whatever the return. I could try,
Mr. Daggett, but you understand
only money and the power you think
it buys, so why waste my time,
indeed?
She walks away. Daggett watches her go.
INT. DRAWING ROOM, EAST WING, WAYNE MANOR - CONTINUOUS
Close on the dinner tray. We hear a labored step approach.
Bruce Wayne appears, leaning on a cane. Gaunt. Grey temples.
He lifts the lid of his dinner, then freezes, hearing
something. He slowly limps into the next room...
INT. SITTING ROOM, EAST WING, WAYNE MANOR, CONTINUOUS
The Maid looks at framed photographs of Rachel, Thomas and
Martha Wayne. Some are half-burned. She notices an archery
target, arrows stuck in it. She reaches out. WHAM! An arrow
sticks into the target - the Maid spins around, flustered.
Wayne, at the other end of the long room, lowers a composite
bow. Picks up his cane.
MAID
I’m, I’m terribly sorry, Mr. Wayne.
It is Mr. Wayne, isn’t it?
Wayne nods, gently. Limps towards her.
MAID
Although you don’t have the long
nails... (Nervous laugh.) Or facial
scars...
She trails off, embarrassed. Coy. She seems very young.
WAYNE
Is that what they say about me?
14.
MAID
It’s just that...nobody sees you...
Wayne approaches slowly. He nods at her pearl necklace.
WAYNE
That’s a beautiful necklace.
Reminds me of the one that belonged
to my mother. It can’t be the same
one - her pearls are in this safe -
He reaches out with his cane to press open a panel on the
bureau, revealing a safe door...
- which the manufacturer clearly
explained is uncrackable.
...which swings open with an awkward creak.
MAID
Oops. No one told me it was
uncrackable.
The Maid suddenly seems more confident. Older.
WAYNE
I’m afraid I can’t let you take
those.
She smiles at him. Moves towards him.
MAID
Look, you wouldn’t hit a woman any
more than I would beat up a
cripple.
She kicks his cane from under him, smashes him down.
Of course, sometimes exceptions
have to be made.
The Maid vaults onto the bureau and up to a high window.
Goodnight, Mr. Wayne.
She flips backwards through the window. Wayne smiles, then
rocks forward on his good leg and rises with athletic grace.
He looks at the safe, notices something. Powder...
EXT. DRIVE, WAYNE MANOR - CONTINUOUS
Moving toward the line of town cars, the Maid pulls off her
white apron, cuffs and collar, leaving a black dress and
pearls. A Valet hurries to open a car door for her - she
slips into a town car...beside the Congressman.
15.
MAID
Can I have a ride?
The Congressman, a little tipsy, looks at her hungrily.
CONGRESSMAN
You read my mind.
INT. EAST WING, WAYNE MANOR - LATER
Alfred enters, to find Wayne kneeling at the safe.
ALFRED
Miss Tate was asking to see you
again.
WAYNE
She’s very persistent.
ALFRED
And quite lovely, in case you were
wondering.
WAYNE
I wasn’t.
ALFRED
What are you doing?
WAYNE
Examining print dust. We’ve been
robbed.
ALFRED
And this is your idea of raising
the alarm?
WAYNE
(shrugs)
She took the pearls. Tracking
device and all.
ALFRED
She?
WAYNE
One of the maids, perhaps you
should stop letting them in this
side of the house.
16.
ALFRED
Perhaps you should learn to make
your own bed, then. Why are you
dusting for prints?
WAYNE
I’m not. She was.
Ratings
Scene 6 - Gordon and Blake on the Rooftop
Gordon brings a stack of files against the air duct, settles
to read. Next to him is a rusty, broken searchlight.
YOUNG VOICE (O.S.)
Sir?
A young Cop is standing there. This is Blake.
BLAKE
I didn’t want to bother you up
here, but they’re looking for you.
GORDON
What’s the problem, son?
BLAKE
Congressman Gilly’s wife’s been
calling. He hasn’t made it home
from the Wayne Foundation event.
GORDON
That’s a job for the police?
BLAKE
Sir, I’ve been a cop for a year and
I’ve only logged half a dozen
arrests. When you and Dent cleaned
the streets you cleaned ’em good.
Pretty soon we’ll be chasing
overdue library books.
Gordon smiles at this. Blake looks at his stack of files.
BLAKE
But here you are. Like we’re still
at war...
GORDON
Old habits.
17.
BLAKE
Or instinct.
GORDON
What’s your name, son?
BLAKE
Blake, sir.
GORDON
You have something you want to ask
me, Officer Blake?
BLAKE
It’s that night. This night, eight
years ago. The night Dent died.
GORDON
What about it?
BLAKE
The last confirmed sighting of the
Batman. He murders those people,
takes out two SWAT teams, breaks
Dent’s neck...then just vanishes?
GORDON
I’m not hearing a question, son.
Blake shifts uneasily. Then looks at Gordon.
BLAKE
Don’t you want to know who we was?
Gordon turns to look at the broken searchlight. He brushes
his fingers across its rusted shell.
GORDON
I know exactly who he was. (Turns
to Blake.) He was Batman.
Gordon walks past Blake, heading for the stairs.
GORDON (O.S.)
Let’s go see about the
Congressman’s wife...
18.
INT. EAST WING, WAYNE MANOR - MORNING
Alfred takes his tray into the bedroom. The bed is empty.
ALFRED
Master Wayne?
Alfred’s voice echoes through the vast mansion. No reply.
INT. STUDY, WAYNE MANOR - MOMENTS LATER
Alfred hits three notes on the piano. The bookcase opens.
INT. ELEVATOR SHAFT - CONTINUOUS
Alfred descends into the caverns beneath Wayne Manor.
Ratings
Scene 7 - Revelational
Alfred walks through the arches as the stone floor starts to
lower, becoming a ramp. At the bottom, Alfred is level with
a series of dark slate obelisks - a bridge over the water to
where Wayne sits at a computer atop a massive slate cube.
ALFRED
You haven’t been down here in a
long time...
WAYNE
Just trying to find out more about
our jewel thief. I ran her prints
from the photos she handled -
Wayne pulls up a mug shot - a fat, male armed-robbery
suspect.
- but she was wearing someone
else’s fingerprints. She’s good.
ALFRED
She may be. But we have the trace
on the necklace.
WAYNE
We do, so I cross-referenced the
address she went back to with
police data on high-end
B-and-E’s...
Wayne hits a key. A photograph of the Maid appears.
Selina Kyle. The databases are full
of close calls, tips from fences...
19.
Newspaper headlines appear -
THE CAT STRIKES AGAIN, POLICE SUSPECT ’CAT’ BURGLAR IN JEWEL
HEIST.
WAYNE
She’s good, but the ground is
shrinking beneath her feet.
ALFRED
We should send the police before
she fences the pearls.
WAYNE
She won’t. She likes them too much.
And they weren’t what she was
after.
ALFRED
What was she after?
WAYNE
My fingerprints. There was printer
toner mixed with graphite on the
safe. Gives you a good pull, and
it’s untraceable.
ALFRED
Fascinating. Maybe you should
exchange notes over coffee.
WAYNE
Now you’re trying to set me up with
a jewel thief?
ALFRED
At this point, sir, I would set you
up with a chimpanzee if I thought
it would bring you back into the
world.
WAYNE
There’s nothing out there for me.
ALFRED
And that’s the problem. You hung up
the cape and cowl, but never moved
on. You won’t get out there and
find a life. Find someone -
WAYNE
(bitter)
I did find someone, Alfred.
20.
ALFRED
I know. And then you lost them.
That’s part of living, sir. But
you’re not living - you’re waiting.
Hoping for things to go bad again.
Wayne says nothing.
Remember when you left Gotham?
Before all this. Before Batman.
Seven years you were gone. Seven
years I waited. Hoping that you
wouldn’t come back.
Wayne looks at Alfred. Not understanding.
Every year I took my holiday. I’d
go to Florence. There’s a café by
the Arno... Any fine evening I
would sit there and order a Fernet
Branca...
INSERT CUT: Alfred seated in a café sipping his drink...
I had a fantasy. I liked to imagine
that one day I’d look across the
tables, and see you. Sitting there
with your wife. Perhaps some kids.
You wouldn’t say anything to me, or
me to you, but we’d both
know...that you’d made it. That you
were happy.
INSERT CUT: Alfred spots a couple at another table and looks
closer, hopeful. But they are strangers.
I never wanted you to come back to
Gotham. I knew there was nothing
there for you but pain and tragedy,
and I wanted more for you than
that. I still do.
Alfred leaves Wayne to his cave. His bats.
EXT. WATER TREATMENT FACILITY - DAY
Blake and his partner, Ross, get out of their patrol car. A
DWP Man leads them down a long concrete trough.
DWP MAN
They wash up a couple times a
month. More when in gets colder -
homeless sheltering in the tunnels.
We had to pull him to clear the
basin, but other than that we
didn’t touch him...
21.
They come out by the catchment basin. Above the grille lies
a body - a teenage boy. Blake looks down at him. Freezes.
ROSS
What?
BLAKE
Name’s Jimmy. He’s at St.
Swithin’s. (Off look.) The boys
home where I...I coach some ball.
EXT. ST. SWITHIN’S HOME FOR BOYS - DAY
Blake looks up at the shabby building.
INT. ST. SWITHIN’S HOME FOR BOYS - MOMENTS LATER
Blake is talking to Father Reilly.
FATHER REILLY
Jimmy hadn’t been here for months.
BLAKE
Why?
FATHER REILLY
You know why, Blake - he aged out.
We don’t have the resources to keep
boys on after sixteen -
BLAKE
The Wayne Foundation gives money
for that -
FATHER REILLY
Not for two years now.
BLAKE
He has a brother here, right?
FATHER REILLY
Mark. I’ll tell him.
BLAKE
I’d like to, if that’s okay.
22.
EXT. PLAYGROUND, ST. SWITHIN’S - MOMENTS LATER
Father Reilly watches as Blake sits with Mark - ten.
BLAKE
I’m sorry.
Mark nods slowly. Staring straight ahead.
BLAKE
What was he doing in the tunnels?
MARK
Lot of guys been going down the
tunnels when they age out. Say you
can live down there. Say there’s
work down there.
BLAKE
What kind of work are you gonna
find in the sewers?
MARK
More than you can find up here, I
guess.
Blake considers this. Troubled.
Ratings
Scene 8 - Selina's Cover is Blown
Selina Kyle, in a little black dress, walks in with a drunk
in a Hawaiian shirt. She sits him on a bar stool - walks
over to a table where a neatly dressed man, Stryver, sits.
STRYVER
You brought a date?
SELINA
I like having someone around to
open doors for me.
Selina glances around. Things scattered throughout the bar.
Jumpy. Selina hands an envelope to Stryver.
SELINA
Right hand. No partials.
Stryver slides a transparency out of the envelope. Holds it
up to the light. Four perfect fingerprint transfers.
23.
STRYVER
Very nice.
He pockets the envelope.
SELINA
Not so fast, handsome. You got
something for me?
STRYVER
Oh, yes.
Stryver signals a Thug who locks the door. Another Thug
joins them at the table. Selina smiles.
SELINA
I don’t know what you’re going to
do with Mr. Wayne’s prints...but
I’m guessing you’ll need his thumb.
As Stryver checks the envelope again -
SELINA
You don’t count so good, huh?
STRYVER
I count fine.
The Second Thug puts a gun to Selina’s head.
STRYVER
In fact, I’m counting to ten right
now...
Selina looks in his eyes. The Thug cocks his gun. She
blinks.
SELINA
Okay, okay -
She reaches for her purse. The Thug stops her, reaches in
himself - pulls out a cellphone. Slides it across the table.
SELINA
My friend is waiting outside. Just
hit ’send’...
Stryver looks at the phone. Hits ’send’. Selina sizes up her
options. A knock on the door. Second Thug hides his gun. The
door opens - a young woman, Jen. She enters, cheerful, spots
Selina. Pulls out an envelope, looks around.
24.
JEN
Place is a little dead.
SELINA
(takes envelope, tense)
It’ll liven up in a minute, trust
me.
JEN
Everything okay?
SELINA
Great. Catch you later.
Jen leaves. Stryver checks the envelope. Satisfied.
SELINA
It would’ve been a lot easier to
just give me what we agreed.
STRYVER
We can’t have loose ends. And even
in that dress, no one’s going to
miss you.
SELINA
No. But my friend over there...?
Stryver looks at Selina’s ’date’ drooling into a bowl of
nuts at the bar - he looks familiar...
SELINA
Every cop in the city’s missing
him.
Across the bar, the TV on mute -
MANHUNT FOR MISSING CONGRESSMAN.
Stryver looks at Selina.
STRYVER
Cute. But they’re not gonna be
looking in a place like this.
SELINA
I don’t know... You did just use
his cell phone.
Stryver glances down at the cell phone as - SCREECH - the
Thugs look out the window at cop cars and SWAT units
descending on the bar. Stryver glances at the window and -
SMASH - Selina CRACKS his head against the table, grabs
25.
Second Thug’s gun hand, flips over the table, firing at the
other Thugs, who drop. The SWATs batter down the door.
Selina crouches, cowering, screaming.
SWAT
It’s alright, Miss. Just stay down
-
The SWATs barrel past, chasing the remaining Thugs back
through the bar and out into the back alley. Selina smiles.
EXT. ALLEY BEHIND BAR - CONTINUOUS
The Thugs turn and open up on the SWATs with automatic
weapons.
INT. DIVE BAR - CONTINUOUS
Selina moves to the door. Spots the Congressman under the
bar, clutching his bleeding leg.
SELINA
Keep some pressure on that,
sweetheart.
She adjusts her dress in the broken mirror behind the bar.
Moves for the door.
CONGRESSMAN
(weak)
Call me?
EXT. DIVE BAR - CONTINUOUS
Selina waltzes out - right into Blake. She feigns panic.
SELINA
There’s a man in there - he’s
bleeding!
BLAKE
It’s okay, Miss. It’s okay.
Blake helps Selina down onto the tailgate of a SWAT truck.
He heads into the bar, weapon drawn. Selina slips behind the
truck and into the night.
26.
INT. DIVE BAR - CONTINUOUS
Blake enters, gun drawn. Spots the Congressman.
BLAKE
(into radio)
I’ve got the Congressman - bullet
to the leg, but he’s okay.
EXT. ALLEY BEHIND BAR - CONTINUOUS
The SWATs return fire. The Thugs lay down cover fire, then
race around a corner into a smaller passage.
A cop car pulls up, blocking the mouth of the alley - Gordon
jumps out, gun drawn.
The SWATs approach the passage, massing on both corners
tactically. The two corner SWATs exchange hand signals,
counting down... They round the corner, aiming low and high.
The passage is empty.
The SWATs cover a fire escape, but Gordon spots at once -
GORDON
Manhole!
He races to the manhole cover - SWATs wrench off the cover,
Gordon grabs a flashlight from the nearest SWAT.
GORDON
You three, down with me. You two,
head down to cover the next exit -
SWAT
Where -?
GORDON
Get the DWP down here, now!
Gordon starts climbing down the ladder...
INT. SEWERS - CONTINUOUS
Gordon moves down the tunnel, flashlight low. Three SWATs
fall in behind...
27.
Ratings
Scene 9 - The Sewers
Blake comes into the alley. Cops surround the manhole.
COP
Where’s the DWP guy?
BLAKE
They went down there?
FOLEY
(shaking his head)
And Gordon took SWAT in after them.
INT. SEWERS - CONTINUOUS
Gordon hears a noise up ahead - pushes forward, rounds the
corner. BANG! GUNFIRE. SWATs return fire, shots sparking off
the concrete walls, then - BOOM - behind him the tunnel
ERUPTS IN FIRE, blasting the SWATs. Gordon races forward,
tearing through the tunnels.
EXT. ALLEY BEHIND BAR - CONTINUOUS
Blake jumps back as a fireball bursts out of the manhole.
INT. SEWERS - CONTINUOUS
Gordon races around a corner, gun drawn. A noise makes him
turn - WHACK, he is clobbered from behind by a Thug.
EXT. ALLEY BEHIND BAR - CONTINUOUS
Blake pushes forward.
BLAKE
Come on, we gotta get down there -
COP
That was a gas explosion, kid -
BLAKE
Gas? This is a sewer!
FOLEY
No one goes in there till we know
what’s down there.
28.
BLAKE
We know what’s down there, sir. The
Police Commissioner!
FOLEY
Somebody get the hothead out of
here. And get me a DWP guy!
Blake backs off. Gets an idea - goes for his patrol car.
INT. SEWERS - CONTINUOUS
Thug 1 flips Gordon onto his back.
THUG 1
This one’s alive. (Looks closer.)
Jesus. It’s the Police
Commissioner.
THUG 2
What do we do?
THUG 1
Take him to Bane.
The two Thugs drag Gordon down through the maze of tunnels.
As they descend deeper they encounter work crews of muscular
men wielding large drills and jackhammers, working the walls
and ceiling of the larger tunnels. Some of the men are armed
Mercenaries, overseeing gangs of homeless street kids. They
stare as Gordon is dragged past. The Thugs drag Gordon
between two waterfalls, into -
INT. BANE’S LAIR, SEWERS - CONTINUOUS (NIGHT)
They approach a figure, turned away, crouched in the
firelight. Bare-chested, muscular, masked. Bane. A crooked
line of scar tissue runs the length of his spine...
BANE
Why are you here?
The Thugs drop Gordon at Bane’s feet.
THUG 1
Answer him!
Bane slowly turns to the Thugs.
29.
BANE
I’m asking you.
THUG 1
It’s the Police Commissioner.
BANE
And you brought him down here?
THUG 2
We didn’t know what to do. We -
BANE
You panicked. And your weakness
costs three lives.
THUG 1
No, he’s alone -
Bane flips the Thug’s chin up and to the side with a crack.
Thug 1 drops. Bane turns to Thug 2.
BANE
Search him. Then I will kill you.
The Thug, terrified, pulls out Gordon’s badge, wallet,
gun...and the folded papers of the speech he did not read.
Bane takes these one by one with quick glances. He stops at
the papers. Unfolds them...
As he reads, Gordon rolls off the steps, dropping into the
rushing flow of water - gunshots ring out...
THUG 2
He’s dead.
Thug 2 trails off as Bane looks up from the papers...
BANE
Then show me his body.
THUG 2
That water runs to any one of the
outflows - we’d never find him.
Bane turns to the Lead Mercenary.
BANE
Give me your GPS.
Lead Mercenary hands him a GPS - Bane tucks it into Thug 2’s
jacket, zips it up like a mother sending her kid to school.
30.
BANE
Follow him.
THUG 2
Follow him?
Bane shoots Thug 2, kicks him into the water. Turns to Lead
Mercenary.
BANE
Track him. Make sure both bodies
will not be found. Then brick up
the south tunnel.
EXT. WATER TREATMENT FACILITY - NIGHT
Blake comes out to the catchment basin. He spots something
stuck up against the grille, thrusts his hand into the
raging waters - Gordon is there, alive. Just. Blake pulls
him up onto the concrete, hoists him up, hurrying...
INT. FRONT HALL, WAYNE MANOR - DAY
Alfred opens the door to reveal Blake in his dirty uniform.
BLAKE
I need to see Brice Wayne.
ALFRED
I’m sorry, Mr. Wayne doesn’t take
unscheduled calls. Even from police
officers.
BLAKE
And if I go get a warrant, in the
investigation of Harvey Dent’s
murder? Would that still count as
unscheduled?
Ratings
Scene 10 - Revelations
Blake is sitting, drumming his leg, nervous. Wayne enters.
WAYNE
What can I do for you, officer?
BLAKE
Commissioner Gordon’s been shot.
31.
WAYNE
I’m sorry to hear that -
BLAKE
He chased a gunman down into the
sewers. When I pulled him out he
was babbling about an underground
army. A masked man called ’Bane’.
WAYNE
Shouldn’t you be telling this to
your superior officers?
BLAKE
I did. One of them asked if he saw
any giant alligators down there. He
needs you. He needs the Batman.
WAYNE
If Commissioner Gordon thinks I’m
the Batman he must be in a bad way
-
BLAKE
He doesn’t know or care who you
are. (Off look.) But we’ve met
before. When I was a kid. At the
orphanage. See, my mom died when I
was small. Car accident, I don’t
really remember it. But a couple of
years later my dad was shot over a
gambling debt. I remember that just
fine. (Looks at Wayne.) Not a lot
of people who what it feels like,
do they? To be angry. In your
bones. People understand, foster
parents understand. For a while.
Then they expect the angry kid to
do what he knows he can never do.
To move on. To forget.
Wayne stares at Blake.
BLAKE
So they stopped understanding and
sent the angry kid to a boys’ home
- St. Swithin’s. Used to be funded
by the Wayne Foundation. See, I
figured it out too late. You have
to hide the anger. Practice smiling
in the mirror. Like putting on a
mask. You showed up one day in a
cool car, pretty girl on your arm.
(MORE)
32.
BLAKE (cont’d)
We were so excited - Bruce Wayne,
billionaire orphan. We made up
stories about you. Legends. The
other boys’ stories were just that.
But when I saw you I knew who you
really were... (Beat.) I’d seen
that look on your face. Same one I
taught myself.
Blake gets up to leave. Wayne is lost in thought.
BLAKE
I don’t know why you took the fall
for Dent’s murder, but I’m still a
believer in the Batman. Even if
you’re not.
WAYNE
Why did you say your boys’ home
used to be funded by the Wayne
Foundation?
BLAKE
Because the money stopped. Might be
time to get some fresh air and
start paying attention to the
details. Some of those details
might need your help.
INT. HALL, WAYNE MANOR - MOMENTS LATER
Wayne and Alfred watch Blake drive away.
WAYNE
You checked that name? ’Bane’ -
ALFRED
Ran it through some databases. He’s
a mercenary. No other known name.
Never been seen or photographed
without a mask. He and his men were
behind a coup in West Africa that
secured mining operations for our
friend John Daggett.
WAYNE
Now Daggett’s brought them here?
ALFRED
It would seem so. I’ll keep
digging.
33.
Alfred turns to leave.
WAYNE
Why did the Wayne Foundation stop
funding boys’ homes in the city?
ALFRED
The Foundation is funded from the
profits of Wayne Enterprises...
(Off look.) There have to be some.
WAYNE
Time to talk to Mr. Fox, I think.
ALFRED
I’ll get him on the phone -
WAYNE
No. Do we still have any cars
around the place?
ALFRED
(lights up)
One or two.
WAYNE
And I need an appointment at the
hospital. About my leg.
ALFRED
Which hospital, sir?
WAYNE
Whichever one Jim Gordon’s in.
Alfred is less excited by this part of the request.
EXT. WAYNE ENTERPRISES - DAY
Moving towards the tall skyscraper downtown.
MIRANDA (V.O.)
Mr. Fox, I believe in what Mr.
Wayne was trying to do...
Ratings
Scene 11 - Wayne Enterprises and The Bat
Miranda is talking to Lucius Fox at the table.
34.
MIRANDA
I’m only asking for explanations
because I think I can help.
FOX
I’ll pass along your request. Next
time I see him.
Miranda catches something in this.
MIRANDA
He doesn’t talk to you either?
FOX
Let’s just say that Bruce Wayne has
his...eccentricities.
MIRANDA
(rising)
Mr. Fox, are you aware that John
Daggett is trying to acquire shares
in Wayne Enterprises?
FOX
I was not. But it wouldn’t do him
any good - Mr. Wayne still retains
a clear majority.
Miranda leaves. Fox moves into his office - stops.
FOX
Bruce Wayne. As I live and breathe.
Wayne rises, pushing hard on his cane.
FOX
What brings you out of cryo-sleep
Mr. Wayne?
WAYNE
I see you haven’t lost your sense
of humor...even if you have lost
most of my money.
FOX
Actually, you did that yourself.
See, if you funnel the entire R and
D budget for five years into a
fusion project that you then
mothball, your company is unlikely
to thrive.
35.
WAYNE
Even with -
FOX
A wildly sophisticated CEO, yes.
Wayne Enterprises is running out of
time. And Daggett is moving in.
WAYNE
What’re my options?
FOX
If you’re not willing to turn your
machine on -
WAYNE
I can’t, Lucius.
FOX
Then sit tight. Your majority keeps
Daggett at arm’s length while we
figure out a future for the energy
program with Miranda Tate - she’s
supported your project all the way.
She’s smart, and quite lovely.
WAYNE
You too, Lucius?
FOX
We all just want what’s best for
you, Bruce. Show her the machine.
WAYNE
I’ll think it over.
FOX
Anything else?
WAYNE
No, why?
FOX
These conversations always used to
end with some...unusual requests.
WAYNE
I retired.
FOX
Let me show you some stuff, anyway.
Fox hits a button - the bookcase opens into a hidden
elevator.
36.
INT. APPLIED SCIENCES - MOMENTS LATER
Fox leads Wayne into the vast, gadget-filled space. They
pass Tumblers with different weapons configurations...
WAYNE
I figured you’d have shut this
place down.
FOX
It was always shut down,
officially.
WAYNE
But all this new stuff?
FOX
After your father died, Wayne
Enterprises set up fourteen
different defense subsidiaries.
I’ve spent years shuttering them
and consolidating all the
prototypes under one roof. My roof.
WAYNE
Why?
FOX
Stop them falling into the wrong
hands. Besides, I thought someone
might get some use out of them...
Wayne shakes his head.
FOX
Sure I can’t tempt you to
something? Pneumatic crampons?
Infrared lenses? Least let me get
you something for that leg.
WAYNE
It’s fine the use it gets these
days.
FOX
Well, then I have just the thing
for an eccentric billionaire who
doesn’t like to walk...
Fox opens a door - we glimpse a sleek vehicle. Wayne’s eyes
light up.
37.
WAYNE
Now you’re just showing off.
FOX
Defense Department project for
tight-geometry urban pacification.
Rotors configured for maneuvering
between buildings without
recirculation.
WAYNE
What’s it called?
FOX
It has a long and uninteresting
Wayne Enterprises designation. So I
took to calling it the Bat. And
yes, Mr. Wayne, it does come in
black.
Wayne touches its sleek side. Marveling.
FOX
Works great except for the
autopilot.
WAYNE
What’s wrong with that?
FOX
Software-based instability. Take a
better mind than mine to fix it.
WAYNE
Better mind?
FOX
I was trying to be modest. A less
busy mind. Yours, perhaps.
Wayne looks wistfully at the machine. Turns away.
WAYNE
I told you. I retired, Lucius.
Ratings
Scene 12 - Return of the Batman
Wayne listens, distracted, while a Doctor examines an X-ray.
DOCTOR
I’ve seen worse cartilage in knees
-
38.
WAYNE
That’s good -
DOCTOR
No, that’s because there is no
cartilage in your knee. And not
much of any use in your elbows and
shoulders. Between that and the
scar tissue on your kidneys,
residual concussive damage to your
brain tissue and general
scarred-over quality of your
body... (Takes a deep breath.) I
cannot recommend that you go
heli-skiing. About the only part of
your body that looks healthy is
your liver, so if you’re bored I
recommend you take up drinking, Mr.
Wayne.
Wayne smiles. The Doctor leaves. Wayne pulls on a ski mask,
steps to the window, hops up, pulls a wire from his cane,
which he clips to his belt. He props his cane behind the
frame - jumps out. The wire unspools from the cane as -
EXT. TENTH FLOOR, GOTHAM GENERAL HOSPITAL - CONTINUOUS
Wayne drops three floors...
INT. PRIVATE ROOM, GOTHAM GENERAL - CONTINUOUS
Gordon lies in his bed, hooked up to machines. Wayne, in ski
mask, stands over him. Gordon’s eyes flutter open. He tries
to speak with a weak, hoarse voice...
GORDON
We were in this together. Then you
were gone...
WAYNE
The Batman wasn’t needed anymore.
We won.
GORDON
Built on a lie. Our lie. Now
there’s evil rising from where we
tried to bury it. Nobody will
listen... The Batman has to come
back.
39.
WAYNE
What if he doesn’t exist anymore?
GORDON
He must. He must.
INT./EXT. LAMBORGHINI ON GOTHAM STREETS - NIGHT
Wayne pulls up in front of a row of shabby subdivided town
houses. Checks a tracking device. Jon, provocatively
dressed, leads a Yuppie Banker-type in through a front door.
INT. SELINA’S APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS
Selina sits in a small room getting ready to go out. She
picks up the pearls - hears a disturbance in the hall.
JEN (O.S.)
I told you - money first -
YUPPIE (O.S.)
Goddammit, you took my wallet!
INT. STAIRWELL OUTSIDE SELINA’S APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS
The Yuppie has Jen against the wall - he reaches back to hit
her with an expensive wristwatch-clad arm. But Selina has
grabbed his wrist with a powerful grip.
SELINA
Get out.
YUPPIE
She took my wallet!
Selina twists his arm behind him in a blinding move.
SELINA
Now.
She releases the Yuppie, who moves off down the stairs.
Selina turns to Jen. Who is examining a wallet.
SELINA
I told you not to try it with the
assholes, Jen.
JEN
They’re all assholes.
40.
SELINA
Okay, the assholes who hit.
JEN
I don’t know what he’s so upset
about, he only had sixty bucks in
here.
SELINA
Probably the watch.
YOUNG WOMAN
Watch?
Selina opens her hand and gives Jen the Yuppie’s Rolex.
EXT. SELINA’S BUILDING, OLD TOWN, GOTHAM - LATER
Selina exits and hails a cab. Wayne watches her go. Then
pulls out. Checking his tracker.
EXT. MUSEUM, GOTHAM - LATER
Town cars dispense Gotham society in tasteful masquerade.
Wayne pulls up to the Valet. Paparazzi line the entrance.
Wayne uses his cane to get out of his Lamborghini...
PAPARAZZI
Another stiff too old to climb out
of his sports car.
PAPARAZZI 2
No, that’s Bruce Wayne! Hey, Wayne,
where you been hiding?
Lenses swing onto Wayne, who pushes a button on his key fob
- a pulse. The cameras die. Wayne heads to the door.
WAYNE
I’m not sure if my assistant put me
on the guest list -
GREETER
Right through here, Mr. Wayne...
41.
Ratings
Scene 13 - The Masquerade
A lavish ball - the expressively attired dance under falling
confetti... Even Bruce Wayne is struck by the ostentation.
He spots Selina dancing with a deeply smitten Rich Twit. She
wears a small, velvet pair of cat ears. And the pearls.
MIRANDA (O.S)
Bruce Wayne at a charity ball?
Wayne turns to find Miranda Tate, amazed, a small mask her
only concession to fancy dress.
WAYNE
Miss Tate, isn’t it?
MIRANDA
Even before you became a recluse,
you never came to these things...
WAYNE
True. Proceeds go to the big fat
spread, not the cause. It’s not
about charity, it’s about feeding
the ego of whichever society hag
laid it on.
MIRANDA
Actually, this is my party, Mr.
Wayne.
WAYNE
Oh.
MIRANDA
And the proceeds will go where they
should, because I paid for the big
fat spread myself.
WAYNE
That’s very generous of you.
MIRANDA
You have to invest to restore
balance to the world. Take our
clean-energy project...
WAYNE
Sometimes the investment doesn’t
pay off. Sorry.
42.
MIRANDA
You have a practiced apathy, Mr.
Wayne. But a man who doesn’t care
about the world doesn’t spend half
his fortune on a plan to save it...
(Gentle.) And isn’t so wounded when
it fails that he goes into
hiding...
Wayne looks at Miranda. Intrigued.
MIRANDA
Have a good evening, Mr. Wayne.
Wayne watches Miranda glide away. Then turns to Selina.
WAYNE
Mind if I cut in?
Rich Twit turns, annoyed - Wayne hands him his cane. Takes
Selina by the waist. She glares at him.
WAYNE
You don’t seem very happy to see
me.
SELINA
You were supposed to be a shut-in.
WAYNE
Felt like some fresh air.
SELINA
Why didn’t you call the police?
WAYNE
I have a powerful friend who deals
with this kind of thing. (Admires
her cat ears.) Brazen costume for a
cat burglar.
SELINA
Yeah? Who are you pretending to be?
WAYNE
Bruce Wayne, eccentric billionaire.
Who’s your date?
SELINA
His wife’s in Ibiza. She left her
diamonds behind, though. Worried
they’d get stolen.
43.
WAYNE
It’s pronounced ’Ibeetha’. You
wouldn’t want these folks realizing
you’re a crook not a social
climber.
SELINA
(flash of anger)
You think I care what anyone in
this room thinks about me?
WAYNE
I doubt you care what anyone in
this room thinks about you.
SELINA
Don’t condescend, Mr. Wayne. You
don’t know a thing about me.
WAYNE
Well, Selina Kyle, I know you came
here from your walk-up in Old Town
- modest place for a master jewel
thief. Which means either you’re
saving for your retirement - or
you’re in deep with the wrong
people.
SELINA
You don’t get to judge me because
you were born in the master bedroom
of Wayne Manor.
WAYNE
Actually, I was born in the Regency
Room.
SELINA
I started off doing what I had to.
Once you’ve done what you had to
they’ll never let you do what you
want to.
WAYNE
Start fresh.
SELINA
There’s no fresh start in today’s
world. Any twelve-year-old with a
cell phone could find out what you
did. Everything we do is collated
and quantified. Everything sticks.
We are the sum of our mistakes.
44.
WAYNE
Or our achievements.
SELINA
The mistakes stick better. Trust
me.
WAYNE
You think that justifies stealing?
SELINA
I take what I need to from those
who have more than enough. I don’t
stand on the shoulders of people
with less.
WAYNE
Robin Hood?
SELINA
I’d do more to help someone than
most of the people in this room.
Than you.
WAYNE
Maybe you’re assuming too much.
SELINA
Or maybe you’re being unrealistic
about what’s really in your pants
other than your wallet.
WAYNE
Ouch.
SELINA
You think all this can last?
Wayne glances around at the sumptuous party.
SELINA
There’s a storm coming, Mr. Wayne.
You and your friends better batten
down the hatches, because when it
hits you’re all gonna wonder how
you ever thought you could live so
large and leave so little to the
rest of us.
WAYNE
Sounds like you’re looking forward
to it.
45.
SELINA
I’m adaptable.
WAYNE
These pearls do look better on you
then they did in my safe...
Wayne rolls her into his shoulder - reaches up to the back
of her neck, unclasps the necklace.
But I still can’t let you keep
them.
The pearls slide off her neck into his other hand. Selina
looks at him. Angry. Then kisses him, hard, and disappears
into the crowd. Wayne’s cane reappears.
RICH TWIT
(annoyed)
You scared her off.
WAYNE
Not likely.
Ratings
Scene 14 - Wayne's Return to the Batsuit
Wayne approaches the Valet. Pats down his pockets.
WAYNE
I must have lost my ticket -
VALET
Your wife said you were taking a
cab home, sir.
WAYNE
My wife?
INT./EXT. LAMBORGHINI RACING DOWN STREETS - CONTINUOUS
Selina permits herself a little smile as she guns the
engine.
INT. ROLLS ROYCE - LATER
Alfred watches in the mirror as Wayne climbs into the back.
ALFRED
Just you, sir?
Wayne gives him a withering glare.
(MORE)
46.
ALFRED (cont’d)
Don’t worry, Master Wayne. Takes a
little time to get back into the
swing of things.
Wayne dials his phone.
FOX (O.S.)
This is Fox.
WAYNE
Remember those ’unusual requests’ I
used to make?
FOX (O.S.)
I knew it!
Up front, Alfred listens. Concerned.
INT. BATCAVE - DAY
Wayne pushes a button on a hi-tech carbon fiber brace
strapped to his good knee - the brace tones. As Wayne starts
moving his knee, bending, stretching, Alfred puts down a
Thermos.
ALFRED
You’ve got the wrong leg, sir.
WAYNE
You start with the good limb so it
learns your optimum muscle
patterns.
Wayne swaps the brace to his bad knee. Puts his weight on it
- the knee bends, kicks. He sits again. Cautious.
Now we tighten it up.
Wayne gingerly pushes a button - the brace starts to shrink
tight to his leg, digging in. Wayne grits his teeth.
ALFRED
It is terribly painful?
WAYNE
(gritted teeth)
You’re welcome to try it, Alfred.
ALFRED
Happy watching, thank you, sir.
Wayne shouts as the brace clicks home. He gets to his feet.
47.
WAYNE
Not bad -
Wayne executes a perfect roundhouse, knocking out a brick.
Not bad at all.
Alfred picks up the brick. Considers it. Uneasy. He follows
Wayne across the bridge to the cube.
ALFRED
Master Wayne, if you’re considering
going back out there you need to
hear some rumors surrounding Bane.
WAYNE
I’m all ears.
ALFRED
There is a prison. In a more
ancient part of the world. A pit.
Where men are thrown to suffer and
die. But sometimes, a man rises
from the darkness. Sometimes...the
pit sends something back.
WAYNE
Bane.
ALFRED
Born and raised in a hell on earth.
WAYNE
Born in a prison?
ALFRED
No one knows why. Or how he
escaped. But they know who trained
him one he did...Rā’s al Ghūl. Your
mentor.
Wayne takes this in. Shocked.
ALFRED
He plucked Bane from a dark corner
of the earth and trained him in the
blackest disciplines of combat,
deception and endurance. Just like
you.
WAYNE
Bane was a member of the League of
Shadows.
48.
ALFRED
Until he was excommunicated. And a
man considered too extreme for Rā’s
al Ghūl is not to be trifled with.
WAYNE
I didn’t realize I was known for
trifling with criminals.
ALFRED
That was then. And you can strap up
your leg and put the mask back on.
But it won’t make you what you
were.
WAYNE
Which was?
ALFRED
Someone whose anger at death made
him value all life. Even his own.
WAYNE
If this man is all the things you
say he is, then this city needs me.
The Batsuit emerges from the cube.
ALFRED
Yes, this city needs Bruce Wayne.
Your resources, your
knowledge...not your body. Not your
life. That time has passed.
WAYNE
I tried helping as Bruce Wayne,
Alfred. And I failed.
ALFRED
You can fail as Bruce Wayne. As
Batman, you can’t afford to.
WAYNE
That’s what you’re afraid of - that
if I go back out there I’ll fail.
ALFRED
No. I’m afraid that you want to.
Wayne looks at Alfred. Then turns to examine the Batsuit.
49.
Ratings
Scene 15 - Stock Exchange Heist
A frenzy of trading on the packed floor...
Two Traders sit on a shoeshine stand in the lobby.
TRADER 2
You can’t short the stock because
Bruce Wayne goes to a party -
TRADER 1
Wayne coming back is change. Change
is either good or bad.
TRADER 2
On what basis?
TRADER 1
I flipped a coin.
Near the front entrance: a Food Delivery Guy is standing
there negotiating with a Trader.
TRADER 3
No. Rye. I told ’em rye.
Trader 3 spots bad news on a screen.
Alright, I’ll take it.
He thrusts Food Guy a tip and grabs the bag, distracted...
At the rear secure entrance: a Motorcycle Courier enters,
wearing his helmet - a Female Security Guard gets in his
face.
FEMALE SECURITY GUARD
Rookie! Lose the helmet! (Points at
a camera.) We need faces for
cameras.
In the rest room: a Janitor mops the floor, shifting out of
the way of two Traders who rush in to pee.
At the shoeshine stand, Trader 1 waves a bill down at the
man shining his shoes without a glance. Shoeshine Man takes
the bill, then, as the Traders step off, he reaches into a
gym bag and checks an automatic weapon. He clicks the slide
home, then hoists the gym bag and heads for the trading
floor.
At the secure entrance: the Courier pulls off his helmet.
The Female Security Guard’s eyes go wide.
50.
In the rest room: the Janitor reaches into his bucket and
pulls out a machine pistol in a Ziploc bag.
Near the front entrance: Food Guy pulls an automatic pistol
- clubs Trader 3 with it, pastrami flying. Shoeshine Man
moves onto the floor, pulls out his weapon.
Under the Courier’s helmet - a mask. Bane. He grabs the
Female Security Guard and throws her into her colleagues,
lashing out in four directions with rapidfire lethality.
Shoeshine Man fires into the large trading screens. The
floor erupts into a different frenzy - traders hit the deck,
screaming. Bane moves onto the floor...
TRADER 1
This is a stock exchange, there’s
no money you can steal -
He dries up as Bane stops. Turns to him...
BANE
Why else would you people be here?
Bane grabs Trader 1 by the throat and drags him across the
floor to an online automated trades terminal... He puts the
man’s thumb onto the print reader - the screen lights up.
BANE
Enter your password. Or I send
these men to your home.
Trader 1, terrified, types in his password. Outside, sirens.
Shoeshine man pulls out a USB drive with an antenna - plugs
it into the computer - figures race across the screen...
EXT. STOCK EXCHANGE - CONTINUOUS
Police vehicles screech into the narrow street -
construction vehicles are blocking. Blake argues with a
burly Construction Worker.
BLAKE
Move it, now! We’ve got a
situation.
CONSTRUCTION WORKER
Where can I move it?!
BLAKE
That way!
Blake points - but SWAT vehicles pile in, blocking.
51.
BLAKE
Get in your vehicle and stay there!
Foley and the SWAT Commander, Allen, approach the entrance.
The Market Security Chief walks up, frantic.
SECURITY CHIEF
You’ve gotta get in there!
FOLEY
This is a hostage situation -
SECURITY CHIEF
It’s a robbery! They’ve got direct
access to the online trading desk.
FOLEY
I’m not risking my men for your
money -
SECURITY CHIEF
It’s not our money, it’s
everyone’s!
ALLEN
Really? Mine’s in my mattress.
SECURITY CHIEF
If you don’t shut these guys down,
the stuffing in that mattress might
be worth a whole lot less, pal.
FOLEY
Cut the fiber line - shut down the
cell tower. That’ll slow them down.
INT. STOCK EXCHANGE - CONTINUOUS
Shoeshine Man looks up from the laptop.
SHOESHINE MAN
They cut the fiber. Cell’s working.
BANE
For now. How much longer does the
program need?
SHOESHINE MAN
Eight minutes.
52.
BANE
Time to go mobile.
Shoeshine Man picks up the laptop, slips it into his pack...
EXT. STOCK EXCHANGE - CONTINUOUS
Allen shouts at his men.
ALLEN
Get the barriers up - no more in
and out on this street!
Steel wedge-shaped barriers rise up at the mouth of the
street. A Sniper watches the doors through a thermal scope.
Six large heat signatures bloom, too big for people...
SNIPER
I’ve got something -
The door explodes. SWATs duck, six sportbikes race out and
leap the ramp-like barricades, sending SWATs scattering.
Cops scramble to pull their vehicles out to give chase.
EXT. GOTHAM STREET - CONTINUOUS
The bikes weave through traffic, Traders strapped to the
back, facing backwards - screaming, ties flying in the wind.
A cruiser falls in behind.
ROOKIE COP
Shoot the tires!
A Veteran Cop sights a shot, but the Traders are in the way.
VETERAN COP
No shot!
EXT. STOCK EXCHANGE - CONTINUOUS
Foley is barking into his radio.
FOLEY
Back off, back off! They’ve got
hostages!
53.
INT./EXT. CRUISER ON GOTHAM STREETS - CONTINUOUS
The cruiser follows the bike into a large tunnel. A Rookie
Cop looks up into his rear-view.
ROOKIE COP
What’s going on with the lights?
The Veteran Cop looks back - streetlights and headlights are
dying one after another. The darkness is chasing them - the
darkness hits them. Their lights, sirens, and engine die...
And, out of the silence, a dark shape roars past -
VETERAN COP
It can’t be...
ROOKIE COP
The hell was that?!
VETERAN COP
Oh boy. You’re in for a show
tonight, son.
Ratings
Scene 16 - The Batman Pursuit
Food Guy drives the rear bike. He looks back - sees
streetlights explode behind him - darkness catching him up.
The engine chokes and dies. The Trader jumps off, shouting
for the cops. Food Guy turns, pulling his gun. SMASH! - Food
Guy is thrown backwards off his bike by a dark wing as
BATMAN races by on the Bat-Pod.
EXT. STOCK EXCHANGE - CONTINUOUS
Foley rushes to Blake’s cruiser.
FOLEY
Let’s roll, they’ve spotted the
Batman!
EXT. HIGHWAY INTERSECTION - CONTINUOUS
The remaining bikes split up as they reach a high overpass.
54.
EXT. HIGH OVERPASS - CONTINUOUS
Batman pulls up, overlooking the intersection - pulls a
rifle-shaped device. A tone builds - he aims it at the bike
and fires.
EXT. HIGHWAY OFF-RAMP - CONTINUOUS
Janitor’s bike sparks and dies. Sirens as Cops move in,
Another bike splutters and dies - the Hostage breaks for
cover.
EXT. HIGH OVERPASS - CONTINUOUS
Batman sees the last two bikes disappear beneath an
overpass. He holsters his EMP rifle and guns the Bat-Pod.
INT. BLAKE’S CRUISER - CONTINUOUS
Foley, in the back, is using the cruiser as a mobile command
station.
FOLEY
(into radio)
Call everyone in - every car
patrol, beat cop, off-duty, too!
Pull ’em in, close every street!
Now!
Foley looks out at Gotham rushing by.
FOLEY
I’m gonna do what Gordon never
could.
BLAKE
What’s that?
FOLEY
I’m gonna take down the Batman.
BLAKE
Sir, what about the armed robbers?
Foley ignores him.
55.
EXT. GOTHAM - CONTINUOUS
All around the city, cops mobilize - cars, vans, choppers...
EXT. HIGHWAY - CONTINUOUS
Bane pulls up at speed alongside Shoeshine Man. Shoeshine
Man glances inside his pack - signals ’2’. Bane turns, sees
darkness approaching, reaches back and grabs his Hostage,
lifting him onto the back of Shoeshine Man’s bike. Bane
peels off - Batman stays on Shoeshine Man.
INT. CHOPPER - CONTINUOUS
A Spotter watches Bane peel off, hits the radio.
SPOTTER
(into radio)
One bike’s pulled off, no hostage -
INT. BLAKE’S CRUISER - CONTINUOUS
Foley listens to the radio, hungry -
SPOTTER
(over radio)
Should we pursue?
FOLEY
Negative! Stay on the Batman!
BLAKE
But he’s getting away!
FOLEY
(annoyed)
Who do you want to catch? Some
robber, or the son-of-a-bitch who
killed Harvey Dent?
INT. DAGGETT’S PENTHOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Coverage of the pursuit blares from all the TVs, as Daggett
and Stryver watch. Tense.
TV ANNOUNCER
People aren’t saying much -
frankly, they’re too busy - but all
signs suggest that what we’re
(MORE)
56.
TV ANNOUNCER (cont’d)
seeing is, in fact, the return of
the Batman...
INT. INNER OFFICE, DAGGETT’S PENTHOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Moving in on a shadow, crouched in front of Daggett’s safe,
working the dial... The shadow slides up a pair of goggles
onto the top of its head creating the silhouette of cat
ears. It is Catwoman. She turns to the TV, watching the
pursuit.
CATWOMAN
Well, what do you know?
Catwoman opens the safe. Nothing inside. She frowns.
EXT. GOTHAM STREETS - CONTINUOUS
Bane slips between two cruisers who tear after the Batman.
He jumps up onto a concrete barrier, then down to the mouth
of an outflow pipe. He glances at the entire Gotham Police
Department descending on one man. Disappears into the pipe.
EXT. GOTHAM STREETS - CONTINUOUS
Shoeshine Man glances into his pack - the program beeps,
finished. He looks back to see the Bat-Pod racing at him,
ducks as it comes alongside...riderless. Shoeshine Man looks
up, confused. WHUMP! His hostage is ripped off the bike by a
low-flying dark shape.
Shoeshine Man lays down the bike in a shower of sparks,
rolls off dazed. Batman grabs him.
BATMAN
WHAT WERE YOU STEALING?!
Shoeshine Man stares. Unafraid. Batman rips the computer
from his pack. The screen reads:
APPLICATION COMPLETE
Blinding light and noise as police choppers descend - sirens
everywhere. Batman grabs the USB drive from the laptop. He
jumps on the Bat-Pod - pauses, taking in the sight of
thousands of police, cars, choppers, dogs, closing in.
57.
POLICE VOICE
(over loudspeaker)
STEP AWAY FROM THE BIKE!
Batman looks at the line of stopped traffic. An empty car
transporter is below the on-ramp... Batman fires the cannons
at the transporter, the near ramp crashes down, and Batman
roars towards it - mounts it and jumps onto the on-ramp...
INT. DAGGETT’S PENTHOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Daggett angrily grabs some ice cubes for his drink.
DAGGETT
After eight years he has to pick
tonight...
STRYVER
He’s drawing the cops off Bane...
Daggett watches, intrigued.
INT. BLAKE’S CRUISER - CONTINUOUS
Foley shouts down the phone.
FOLEY
How did you let him go?!
COP
(over radio)
He’s got a lot of firepower -
FOLEY
And you don’t?! We’re not letting
one nut with a bad attitude and
some fancy gadgets run this town
down, you hear me?!
COP
(over radio)
He’s heading back downtown...
FOLEY
(excited)
Then he’s as dumb as he dresses -
close it down, gentlemen!
58.
EXT. GOTHAM STREETS - CONTINUOUS
Thousands of police jockey to pursue the Batman as he races
back into the downtown area.
Ratings
Scene 17 - The Bat-Pod Escape and Catwoman's Heist
The Bat-Pod tears along, pursued by a phalanx of cruisers,
choppers overhead. More cops appear at the far end of the
boulevard.
The Bat-Pod executes a ninety-degree turn, flipping over as
it goes, then guns into the darkness of a large blind alley.
Cruisers and choppers block the mouth of the alley. Blake
arrives last, his cruiser sealing the bottleneck. Foley
swaggers out.
FOLEY
Like a rat in a trap, gentlemen...
Foley reaches for a loudhailer. VARRROOOOM!! A noise from
the alley that none of the cops have heard before...
VETERAN COP
You might have the wrong animal
there, sir -
Spotlights smash on and a massive dark cyclone roars out of
the alley, spinning the choppers sideways, dual rotor
downdraft forcing all the cops to the ground.
The Bat, now black, thunders up and over the entire Gotham
PD. Blake slides up to Foley. Dry.
BLAKE
Are you sure that was him?
Foley looks at Blake. Thrusts the loudhailer at him.
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Gordon, still hooked up to machines, watches TV. He smiles.
ANNOUNCER
(on TV)
Police are keeping quiet about the
prospect of a return by the Batman,
but eyewitness accounts seem the
clearly suggests the type of...
59.
INT. DAGGETT’S PENTHOUSE - NIGHT
Daggett watches the TV coverage, concerned. Stryver enters.
STRYVER
Bane says the Batman interfered,
but the task was accomplished.
DAGGETT
What about the men they arrested?
STRYVER
He says, and I quote, they would
die before talking.
DAGGETT
(grins)
Where does he find these guys?
Daggett gets to his feet, relieved, moves to his inner
office.
Open the champagne...
INT. INNER OFFICE, DAGGETT’S PENTHOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Daggett comes through the door, calling back.
DAGGETT
And can we get some girls in here?
CATWOMAN (O.S.)
Careful what you wish for.
Catwoman grabs him, throws him across the room. His back
slams against the wall - he draws a gun, but - WHACK! -
Catwoman pins his wrist to the wall at shoulder height using
the high heel of her boot. He whimpers as she leans in.
CATWOMAN
Cat got your tongue?
She plucks the gun from his trembling hand.
DAGGETT
You dumb bitch.
CATWOMAN
Nobody ever accused me of being
dumb.
60.
DAGGETT
Dumb to show up here tonight.
CATWOMAN
I want what you owe me -
Click - Stryver has a gun to her head.
DAGGETT
’I want’ never gets...
Stryver looks appreciatively at Catwoman as she lowers her
leg...
STRYVER
Nice outfit...those heels make it
tough to walk?
Catwoman digs her stiletto into his calf, hard. He screams.
CATWOMAN
I don’t know, do they?
Catwoman spins, disarms Stryver, grabs Daggett.
CATWOMAN
So where is it?
DAGGETT
Where’s what?
CATWOMAN
The program. The ’Clean Slate’.
DAGGETT
Oh, yeah - the ultimate tool for a
master thief with a record. I don’t
have it.
The Bodyguard bursts in, gun drawn. Catwoman, holding
Daggett, spins, kicking the window with the point of her
heel. The glass shatters. She pulls Daggett through the
window. He screams - they drop...
EXT. WINDOW-CLEANING PLATFORM - CONTINUOUS
...ten feet onto the window-cleaning platform. Catwoman uses
her bladed heel to cut a rope - the platform plunges down
the side of the building.
61.
Ratings
Scene 18 - Batman and Catwoman Fight Bane's Men
Catwoman dumps Daggett onto the roof, towering over him.
CATWOMAN
Where is it?
DAGGETT
The ’Clean Slate’? Type in a name
and date of birth and within a
couple hours that person ceases to
exist in any database? Little too
good to be true.
CATWOMAN
You’re lying. Rykin Data took it to
prototype stage -
DAGGETT
That’s why I bought them. But they
had nothing. It was a gangland
myth.
Catwoman leans back from Daggett, taking this in... Shapes
drop onto the rooftop. Emerge from fire exits. They’re not
Daggett’s bodyguards, these are Bane’s men... Catwoman holds
Daggett by the throat, threatening him.
CATWOMAN
Stay back!
They continue to approach. One of them screws a silencer
onto his gun.
CATWOMAN
I’m not bluffing!
VOICE (O.S.)
They know...
All eyes search for the source of the voice. Catwoman spots
it - a dark shape, crouched on the roof above: Batman.
BATMAN
They just don’t care.
As the Mercenary with the silencer looks up, Catwoman leaps
forward, grabs his gun. Batman drops into the middle of the
fray, fighting back Mercenaries at Catwoman’s back - she
fires at one, clipping him, he drops. She spins aiming at
another’s head - Batman yanks her arm down, forcing her to
miss the Mercenary. Batman takes him out with a kick.
62.
CATWOMAN
You’ve got to be kidding.
BATMAN
No guns. No killing.
CATWOMAN
Where’s the fun in that?
As more mercenaries come out onto the roof, Batman runs for
the far edge.
BATMAN
Come on!
Catwoman follows, confused, as Batman leaps off the roof.
She gets to the edge, pauses to look down into the alley -
sees the black angular roof of the Bat, cockpit open.
Shots impact around her - she leaps, landing hard, but
gracefully on the back of the vehicle, slides into the
cockpit. As the engines thunder into life, and the canopy
hisses shut, taking bullets from above.
CATWOMAN
My mother warned me about getting
into cars with strange men -
BATMAN
This isn’t a car.
Catwoman flinches as the Bat thunders into the sky,
downdraft forcing the Mercenaries down onto the roof, all
but one, who walks slowly across the roof, strong against
the wind...Bane. He watches the Bat roar off into the night.
EXT. ROOFTOP, SKYSCRAPER, GOTHAM - MOMENTS LATER
The Bat lands - the canopy opens. Catwoman jumps out.
CATWOMAN
See you around -
Batman steps down after her.
BATMAN
You’re welcome.
CATWOMAN
I had it under control.
63.
BATMAN
Those weren’t street thugs - they
were trained killers. I saved your
life. In return I need to know what
you did with Bruce Wayne’s
fingerprints.
Catwoman looks at him. Considering.
CATWOMAN
Wayne wasn’t kidding about a
’powerful friend’. I sold his
prints to Daggett. For something
that doesn’t even exist.
BATMAN
I doubt many people get the better
of you.
CATWOMAN
Hey, when a girl’s desperate...
BATMAN
What were they going to do with
them?
CATWOMAN
I don’t know. But Daggett seemed
pretty interested in that mess at
the stock market.
Batman considers this. A police chopper sweeps past,
searching. Batman turns to it. Then turns back.
BATMAN
Miss Kyle -?
But she is gone.
So that’s what that feels like.
Ratings
Scene 19 - Introducing Bane and Analyzing the Situation
Alfred is studying security camera footage of Bane killing
at the stock exchange. A roar builds - the waterfall glows
brighter until...SMASH! The Bat breaches, downdraft spraying
water. Two cubes rise - the Bat lands, Batman jumps out.
Alfred brushes water off his suit.
ALFRED
Very inconspicuous. Shall I tell
the neighbors you got yourself a
new leaf-blower?
64.
WAYNE
We bought all the neighbors.
Alfred takes the cowl from him, then the cape, as they walk.
ALFRED
From the look of the television
coverage, you seem to have your
taste for wanton destruction back.
WAYNE
(pulls out USB drive)
I retrieved this.
ALFRED
Shouldn’t the police be gathering
the evidence?
WAYNE
They don’t have the tools to
analyze it.
ALFRED
They would if you gave them to them
-
WAYNE
One man’s tool is another man’s
weapon.
ALFRED
In your mind, perhaps. But there
aren’t many things you couldn’t
turn into a weapon.
WAYNE
Alfred. Enough. The police weren’t
getting it done -
ALFRED
Perhaps they would’ve if you
haven’t made a sideshow of
yourself.
WAYNE
Perhaps you’re upset you were
wrong.
ALFRED
Wrong?
65.
WAYNE
You thought I didn’t have it in me.
Alfred looks at him. Puts down the cape and cowl.
ALFRED
You don’t. You lead a bloated
police force on a merry chase with
some fancy new toys from Fox. What
about when you come up against him.
What then?
Alfred points to the monitor - Wayne sees Bane killing...
WAYNE
I’ll fight harder, I always have.
ALFRED
When you had something to fight
for. What are you fighting for now?
Not your life.
Wayne moves to switch off the monitor. Alfred grabs his
hand.
ALFRED
Take a good look. At his speed, his
ferocity, His training. I see the
power of belief. Of the fanatic. I
see the League of Shadows
resurgent.
WAYNE
You said he was excommunicated.
ALFRED
By Rā’s al Ghūl. Who leads them
now?
WAYNE
Rā’s al Ghūl was the League of
Shadows. And I beat him. Bane’s
just a mercenary, and we have to
find out what he’s up to.
Wayne plugs the USB in, hits keys. Text scrolls.
WAYNE
Trades of some kind. Coded...
The screen blanks, a thumb print appears.
66.
ALFRED
Is that -?
WAYNE
Mine. Courtesy of Selina Kyle.
Wayne pulls out the USB, rises.
Get this to Fox - he can crack the
code and tell us what trades they
were executing.
Alfred looks at Wayne. Takes the USB.
Ratings
Scene 20 - Alfred's Ultimatum
As Wayne hits the bottom of the stairs, Alfred calls.
ALFRED
I’ll get this to Fox. But no more.
Waynne hears his tone of voice. Turns to him.
ALFRED
I’ve sewn you up and set your
bones...but I won’t bury you. I’ve
buried enough members of the Wayne
family.
WAYNE
You’d abandon me?
ALFRED
You see only one end to your story.
Leaving is all I have to make you
understand: you aren’t Batman
anymore - you have to find another
way. You used to talk about
finishing. About life beyond that
awful cave -
WAYNE
Rachel died knowing we’d decided to
be together. That was my life
beyond this cave and I can’t just
move on. She didn’t. She couldn’t.
Alfred considers this. Looks away.
ALFRED
What if he had? What if she wasn’t
intending to make a life with you?
67.
WAYNE
She was, I can’t change that -
ALFRED
What if, before she died, she’d
written a letter? Explaining that
she’d chosen Harvey Dent over you?
Wayne watches, confused, as the old man prepares to say -
ALFRED
And what if, to spare you
pain...I’d burned that letter?
Wayne stares at Alfred, shocked.
WAYNE
Why would you say such a thing?
ALFRED
Because I have to make you
understand.
WAYNE
You’re lying.
ALFRED
Because you are as precious to me
as you were to your own mother and
father and I swore to them that I
would protect you and I haven’t.
WAYNE
You’re lying!
ALFRED
I’ve never lied to you. Except when
I burned Rachel’s letter.
Wayne turns on the old man, furious.
WAYNE
How dare you use Rachel to stop me!
ALFRED
I’m using the truth, Master Wayne.
Maybe it’s time we all stopped
trying to outsmart the truth and
just let it have its day. I’m
sorry.
68.
WAYNE
Sorry?! You expect to destroy my
world, then shake hands?!
ALFRED
No. I know what this means -
WAYNE
What does it mean, Alfred?!
ALFRED
It means your hatred. It means
losing the person I’ve cared for
ever since I heard his first cries
echo through this house. But it
might also mean saving your life.
And that is more important.
Wayne looks at Alfred. Furious. Summons the worst thing to
say and says it quietly and calmly.
WAYNE
Goodbye, Alfred.
ALFRED
(quiet)
Goodbye, Bruce.
Wayne mounts the stairs...Alfred watches him go. Turns.
INT. MASTER BEDROOM, WAYNE MANOR - MORNING
Wayne is woken by the doorbell.
INT. STAIRCASE, WAYNE MANOR - MOMENTS LATER
As Wayne moves through the empty house, tying his dressing
gown, he can’t resist one tentative.
WAYNE
Alfred?
But Alfred is gone.
INT. FRONT HALL, WAYNE MANOR - CONTINUOUS
Wayne opens the front door the find Fox. Fox is surprised.
69.
FOX
Answering your own door?
WAYNE
Yes. Could you decode the trades on
that drive?
Fox hands Wayne a newspaper - the main headline:
BATMAN BACK TO FOIL OR MASTERMIND STOCK RAID...
FOX
I didn’t need to. Page three.
Wayne turns the page:
WAYNE DOUBLES DOWN - AND LOSES...
FOX
It seems you made a series of large
put options on the futures
exchange. Verified by thumb print.
The options expired at midnight
last night.
Wayne looks up from the newspaper, reeling.
FOX
Long term we may be able to prove
fraud, but for now...you’re
completely broke. And Wayne
Enterprises is about to fall into
the hands of John Daggett.
WAYNE
The weapons - we can’t let Daggett
get his hands on Applied Sciences -
FOX
Applied Sciences is shut up tight,
and off the books. The energy
project is a different story.
WAYNE
Miranda Tate. We need to convince
the board to get behind her. Let’s
show her the reactor -
FOX
We’re meeting her there in
thirty-five minutes. You better get
dressed.
70.
EXT. WAYNE ENTERPRISES RECYCLING PLANT - DAY
A scrapyard on the Gotham river. Across the water, the
towers of Gotham. Lucius leads Miranda from her car.
MIRANDA
You brought me out here to show me
a rubbish dump, Mr. Fox?
FOX
Bear with me, Miss Tate.
They arrive at a Portakabin and enter.
INT. PORTAKABIN - CONTINUOUS
Miranda looks around the derelict office. Fox smiles at her.
FOX
Keep your hands and feet inside the
car at all times.
He hits a button and the floor descends, Miranda is shocked
as the office becomes an elevator into -
Ratings
Scene 21 - Wayne's Last Stand
They descend diagonally into a massive concrete tunnel...
MIRANDA
This is it, isn’t it?
FOX
The reactor is beneath the river so
that it could be instantly flooded
in an event of a security breach.
MIRANDA
Is Bruce Wayne really that
paranoid?
FOX
I’m gonna plead the fifth on that
one.
Miranda marvels as they step off the elevator. She spots a
figure deep within: Bruce Wayne.
WAYNE
I thought you might like to see
what your investment built.
71.
MIRANDA
No radiation, no fossil fuels.
Free, clean energy for an entire
city.
WAYNE
If it worked. It doesn’t.
Wayne leads Miranda to the core. Two perpendicular rings of
electromagnets suspend a bowling-ball-sized mass of metal.
Wayne hits buttons - the ball glows, then dies to cold.
WAYNE
Ignition, yes. But no chain
reaction.
MIRANDA
You’ve built a lot of security
around a damp squib.
Nothing.
About three years ago a Russian
scientist published a paper on
weaponized fusion reactions. One
week later your reactor started
developing problems... (Looks at
Wayne.) I think this machine works.
WAYNE
Miranda, if it were operational,
the danger to Gotham would be too
great.
MIRANDA
Would it make you feel better to
know that the Russian scientist
died in a plane crash six months
ago?
WAYNE
Someone else will work out what Dr.
Pavel did. Someone else will figure
out how to turn this power source
into a nuclear weapon. I need you
to take control of Wayne
Enterprises and this reactor.
MIRANDA
And to do what with it?
WAYNE
Nothing. Until we can find a way to
guarantee its safety.
72.
MIRANDA
And if we can’t?
WAYNE
Decommission it. Flood it.
MIRANDA
Destroy the world’s best chance for
a sustainable future?
WAYNE
If the world’s not ready. Yes.
MIRANDA
Bruce, if you want to save the
world you have to start trusting
it.
WAYNE
I’m trusting you.
MIRANDA
Doesn’t count. You have no choice.
WAYNE
I could’ve flooded this chamber any
time in the last three years. I’m
choosing to trust you, Miranda, and
that’s not the easiest thing for
me. Please.
His eyes are genuine. Pleading. Miranda nods.
FOX
We have a board meeting to get to.
INT. BOARDROOM, WAYNE ENTERPRISES - DAY
The Board Members, including Daggett and Miranda, take their
seats. Fox at one end of the table, Wayne at the other.
DAGGETT
I’d like to point out that we have
a non-board member here. Highly
irregular, even if it is his family
name above the door...
All eyes go to Wayne. An older member of the board pipes up.
FREDERICKS
Bruce Wayne’s family built this
company -
73.
BOARD MEMBER 2
And he himself has run it -
DAGGETT
Into the ground, sir. Anybody
disagree? Check the value of your
shares this morning. Gambling on
crazy futures didn’t just lose Mr.
Wayne his seat, it’s lost us all a
lot of money. He needs to leave.
FOX
I’m afraid he has a point, Mr.
Wayne.
WAYNE
I understand. Ladies and gentlemen.
Wayne glances at Miranda who nods at him. Wayne leaves.
DAGGETT
Let’s get down to business.
FOX
Right away.
INT. LOBBY, WAYNE ENTERPRISES - CONTINUOUS
Wayne exits the building. There is an angry mob of
Shareholders and a pack of hungry Reporters.
REPORTER
Wayne, how’s it feel to be one of
the people?!
COMPANY VALET
I’m sorry, sir, they had paperwork
-
Wayne looks over to see his Lamborghini being towed.
BLAKE (O.S.)
Looks like you need a lift.
Wayne turns to see Blake standing by his patrol car. Nods.
74.
Ratings
Scene 22 - Daggett and Bane meet
Daggett bursts in, furious. Stryver tries to placate him.
DAGGETT
How the hell did Miranda Tate get
the inside track on the Wayne
board?! Was she meeting with Wayne?
Was she sleeping with Wayne?
STRYVER
Not that we know of -
DAGGETT
Clearly you don’t ’know of’
anything, do you?! Where’s Bane?!
STRYVER
We told him it was urgent -
DAGGETT
Then where is the masked -
BANE (O.S.)
Speak of the devil...
Daggett turns. Bane is already there.
BANE
...and he shall appear.
DAGGETT
What the hell’s going on?
BANE
The plan is proceeding as expected.
DAGGETT
You see me running Wayne
Enterprises?! (Moves towards Bane.)
Your stock exchange hit didn’t
work, friend. And now you’ve got my
construction crews working all
hours around the city? How’s that
supposed to help my company absorb
Wayne’s?
BANE
(to Stryver)
Leave us.
75.
DAGGETT
You stay right there! I’m in
charge!
Bane places a gentle hand on Daggett’s shoulder.
BANE
Do you feel in charge?
Daggett is taken aback. Stryver leaves.
DAGGETT
I’ve paid you a small fortune -
BANE
And that gives you power over me?
Daggett considers the heavy hand on his shoulder. Nervous.
DAGGETT
What is this?
BANE
Your money and infrastructure have
been important. Till now.
DAGGETT
What are you?
BANE
Gotham’s reckoning. Come to end the
borrowed time you’ve all been
living on...
Bane gently takes the terrified Daggett’s head in his
hands...
DAGGETT
You are true evil...
BANE
I am necessary evil.
Stryver, on the steps outside the living room, flinches.
SCENE OMITTED
76.
INT./EXT. CRUISER ON GOTHAM STREETS - MOMENTS LATER
Wayne stares out the window. Blake glances across.
BLAKE
When you began...why the mask?
WAYNE
To protect the people closest to
me.
BLAKE
You’re a loner with no family.
WAYNE
There are always people you care
about. You just don’t realize how
much until they’re gone. (Collects
himself.) The idea was to be a
symbol. Batman could be anybody,
that was the point.
BLAKE
It was damn good to see him back.
WAYNE
Not everybody agrees.
BLAKE
They’ll figure it out in the end.
WAYNE
Got anything on Bane’s whereabouts?
BLAKE
Yeah, I’ve got five hundred pages
of tunnel records and a flashlight.
I could use some help.
WAYNE
(thinks)
You know what? Drop me in Old
Town...
EXT. SELINA’S BUILDING, OLD TOWN, GOTHAM - DAY
Blake drops Wayne off.
WAYNE
Don’t wait. I’ll get a cab.
77.
BLAKE
You got money?
WAYNE
(smiles, sheepish)
Actually, no.
Blake hands him some bills, watches him cross the street.
The radio squawks. Blake reacts - drives off.
INT. SELINA’S APARTMENT - MOMENTS LATER
Selina is packing a bag. She hears voices in the stairwell.
JEN (O.S.)
I told you, money first.
WAYNE (O.S.)
I don’t think so.
INT. STAIRWELL OUTSIDE SELINA’S APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS
Selina finds Wayne standing there with Jen.
SELINA
He’s not a mark.
Jen looks at Selina. At Wayne.
SELINA
And he doesn’t have a cent to his
name, anyway.
Ratings
Scene 23 - A Night of Losses
Wayne looks at the cramped space. Selina shifts,
embarrassed.
SELINA
Yeah, it’s not much. (Smiles.) But
it’s more that you’ve got right
now.
WAYNE
Actually, they’re letting me keep
the house.
SELINA
(shakes head)
The rich don’t even go broke same
as the rest of us, huh?
78.
WAYNE
(spots her bag)
Vacation?
SELINA
Let’s just say that I’ve incurred
the wrath of some people less
susceptible to my charms than you.
WAYNE
My powerful friend hopes to change
your mind about leaving.
SELINA
And how would he do that?
WAYNE
By giving you what you want.
SELINA
It doesn’t exist.
WAYNE
He says it does. He wants to meet.
Tonight.
SELINA
Why?
WAYNE
He needs to find Bane. He thinks
you’d know how.
SELINA
Tell him I’ll think about it.
Wayne nods, starts to leave.
SELINA
Mr. Wayne? I’m sorry they took all
your money.
WAYNE
No, you’re not.
INT. HOSPITAL CORRIDOR - DAY
Blake moves through the hospital corridor, looking for -
79.
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Blake enters. Gordon is sitting up in bed, talking to Foley.
FOLEY
Can we help you, officer?
BLAKE
John Daggett’s body was found in a
dumpster an hour ago. I thought you
might like to know.
GORDON
Why?
BLAKE
Because Daggett’s name is all over
the permits I pulled to map the
tunnels under Gotham.
Blake hands Gordon a stack of files. Foley glares at Blake.
BLAKE
MTA maintenance, sewer
construction...
GORDON
(to Foley)
Where did you get to with the
tunnel searches?
FOLEY
(to Blake)
Remind me to tell the detail to
keep hotheads out. (To Gordon.)
We’ve had teams down there, but
it’s a huge network -
GORDON
Get more men, work a grid. I want
him found.
FOLEY
Yeah, yeah - the masked man. We’re
on it.
Gordon eyes the files hungrily - glances up at Blake.
GORDON
This is good work. Lose the uniform
- you’re working for me now. We
could use some hotter heads around
here.
80.
BLAKE
This could just be a coincidence.
GORDON
You’re a detective now, son, you’re
not allowed to believe in
coincidence anymore.
Blake tries to conceal his excitement from Foley.
EXT. WAYNE MANOR - EVENING (END OF DAY)
Wayne, covering his head with a newspaper, hurries up the
driveway in the rain. Steps into the alcove. Hits the bell.
MIRANDA (O.S)
Nobody’s answering.
Wayne turns to find Miranda there.
WAYNE
No. I’m on my own now.
MIRANDA
Do you have keys?
Wayne looks a little helpless all of a sudden.
WAYNE
Never needed them...
She takes his hand.
MIRANDA
Let’s find a window.
INT. GREAT ROOM, WAYNE MANOR - CONTINUOUS (END OF DAY)
They force the French windows - enter, brushing off the
rain.
MIRANDA
Fox worked the board like you’ve
never seen - I’m in, Daggett’s out
and he’s not happy.
Wayne sets down the newspaper:
FROM BILLIONAIRE TO BUM
81.
WAYNE
Hope you don’t like me for your
money.
Miranda kicks off her shoes. Glances at the paper.
MIRANDA
Suffering builds character.
Then at a photo of Wayne’s parents.
MIRANDA
I’ll take care of your parents’
legacy, Bruce.
Miranda picks up a photo of Rachel.
MIRANDA
Who’s this?
Wayne looks at her. Can’t find words...
MIRANDA
Where’s Alfred?
WAYNE
He left. Taking everything.
Miranda puts the photo down. Kisses him. Passionately. Then
again. He kisses back. Suddenly the lights go out.
MIRANDA
What’s that?
WAYNE
(sheepish)
I think my power’s been shut off.
Ratings
Scene 24 - Wayne's Choice
Wayne watches as Miranda tends to a roaring fire.
WAYNE
You’re pretty good at that.
MIRANDA
When I was a child we had almost
nothing. But on the nights we had a
fire, we felt very rich indeed.
She returns to him, pulling a blanket around both of them.
82.
WAYNE
I assumed your family was wealthy.
MIRANDA
Not always. Not when I was young.
He traces a scar on her shoulder.
MIRANDA
An old mistake.
WAYNE
I’ve made a few myself.
She turns to him, tracing the scars across his chest.
MIRANDA
More than a few... (Smiles.) We
could leave. Tonight. Take my
plane. Go anywhere we wanted.
WAYNE
Someday perhaps. Not tonight.
She pulls him close. He kisses her. They fold into each
other, the warm heart at the center of a vast, cold room.
INT. GREAT ROOM, WAYNE MANOR - NIGHT
Miranda is sleeping, wrapped in the blanket. Wayne studies
her for a moment, then slips out...
INT. BATCAVE - MOMENTS LATER
Wayne moves to the Batsuit. Picks up the cowl.
EXT. SKIES ABOVE GOTHAM - NIGHT
The Bat roars towards downtown. Batman kills the lights and
main engines - the Bat quietly autorotates into the canyons.
INT. MIA TUNNEL - LATER
Catwoman on a wall, watching trains go by. She senses...
CATWOMAN
Don’t be shy.
...Batman is there.
83.
CATWOMAN
Wayne says you can get me the
’Clean Slate’.
BATMAN
That depends.
CATWOMAN
On what?
BATMAN
On what you want it for. I acquired
it to keep it out of the wrong
hands.
CATWOMAN
Still don’t trust me, huh? How can
we change that?
BATMAN
Start by taking me to Bane.
CATWOMAN
(shrugs)
You asked.
Catwoman jumps down. Batman follows. Catwoman leads him down
into a service tunnel...
INT. SERVICE TUNNEL - CONTINUOUS
Catwoman speaks over her shoulder as she walks.
CATWOMAN
From here, Bane’s men patrol the
tunnels...and they are not your
average brawlers.
BATMAN
Neither am I.
Catwoman swings into a -
INT. SEWER TUNNEL - CONTINUOUS
A Mercenary patrols. Catwoman comes up behind.
CATWOMAN
He’s behind you.
84.
MERCENARY
(spins)
Who?
Batman hangs upside down behind him.
BATMAN (O.S.)
Me.
Darkness smashes onto the Mercenary. Gunfire in the tunnel.
Catwoman races along, pursued by a Mercenary. He is yanked
off his feet by darkness - he screams...
Batman picks off more and more Mercenaries. Screams echo...
Batman follows Catwoman through the dark tunnel.
CATWOMAN
Just a little further.
A grate slams down, separating them - the lights come on. He
is deep inside.
Ratings
Scene 25 - Batman vs Bane
Mercenaries look down on him from above. Catwoman turns.
CATWOMAN
I had to find a way to stop them
trying to kill me.
BATMAN
You’ve made a serious mistake.
BANE (O.S.)
Not as serious as yours, I fear.
Batman turns. Bane emerges from behind the waterfalls.
BATMAN
Bane.
BANE
Let’s not stand on ceremony here,
Mr. Wayne.
Catwoman hears the name. Less sure of what she’s done.
Batman moves at Bane - strikes powerful blows - Bane catches
his fist.
BANE
Peace has cost you strength.
Victory has defeated you.
85.
Bane SMASHES Batman back - kicks him off the catwalk -
Batman drops, uses his cape to land. Bane climbs down on a
chain - his men watch in disciplined silence - Batman hurls
flashbangs at Bane, who doesn’t flinch.
BANE
Theatricality and deception are
powerful agents...to the
uninitiated.
Batman lashes out at Bane - Bane counters - they separate.
BANE
But we are initiated, aren’t we,
Bruce? The League of Shadows. And
you betrayed us...
BATMAN
Us? You were excommunicated. From a
gang of psychopaths.
BANE
Now I am the Legue of Shadows, here
to fulfill Rā’s al Ghūl’s
destiny...
Batman hurls himself at bane, throwing his into the
waterfall, where he smashes his fists and gauntlets into
Bane’s mask again and again, water cascading over them.
Bane is not moving. Just taking the blows. Batman pauses.
Bane’s arms SHOOT OUT, SMASHING Batman aside - Bane RISES...
BANE
You fight like a younger man.
Nothing held back. No reserves.
Admirable. But mistaken.
Batman hits a switch on his belt - the lights go out - Bane
turns slowly addressing all the shadows at once.
BANE
You think darkness is your ally.
But you merely adopted the dark. I
was born in it. Formed by it...
In the shadows, Batman circles, looking to strike...
BANE
I didn’t see the light until I was
already a man. And by then it was
nothing to me but blinding...
86.
Bane lunges backwards into the darkness - Batman’s throat in
his grasp.
BANE
The shadows betray you, because
they belong to me...
Bane SMASHES him into the ground, POUNDING, pounding,
pounding the hard cowl with his bare fists until it CRACKS.
Bane RISES from Batman, gestures to the ceiling of the
chamber - explosive charges have been drilled into holes...
BANE
I will show you where I’ve made my
home while preparing to bring
justice. Then...I will break you.
A Mercenary tosses Bane a detonator - Batman watches through
cracked cowl - Bane hits the detonator - explosions BURST
over his head as the ceiling CRUMBLES revealing:
Applied Sciences - Bane has dropped the bottom out of Fox’s
weapons store...a camouflage Tumbler rests in the rubble.
BATMAN
No...
BANE
Your precious armory. Gratefully
accepted. We will need it.
INT. APPLIED SCIENCES - CONTINUOUS
Mercenaries race through the stacks of equipment...
INT. BANE’S LAIR, SEWERS - CONTINUOUS
Batman climbs to his feet, swaying. Bane approaches.
BANE
I wondered which would break first
- your spirit...
Batman SWINGS at him - misses - Bane GRABS him, lifts him
HIGH.
...or your body.
Bane brings Batman down onto his knee, BREAKING his back
with a horrific CRACK.
87.
In the shadows, Catwoman looks on. Shocked. Bane crouches to
pull the broken cowl off the broken Wayne. Mercenaries lift
Wayne’s body and carry him off... Bane stares into the
hollow eyes of his trophy...
Catwoman slinks back into the shadows, and we -
FADE TO BLACK.
FADE IN:
EXT. WAYNE MANOR - DAY
Blake’s cruiser pulls up. He noses up to the windows.
Nothing.
EXT. SELINA’S BUILDING, OLD TOWN, GOTHAM - DAY
Blake sits in his cruiser. Selina exits, wide-brimmed hat,
bags. Blake recognizes her. She hails a cab.
BLAKE
(into radio)
Get Commissioner Gordon. Tell him
I’ve got a line on the
Congressman’s kidnapping.
Blake pulls out to follow.
INT. TERMINAL, GOTHAM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - DAY
Selina moves through the terminal. She clocks a Uniform Cop
staring at her - ducks down a service hallway.
INT. SERVICE HALLWAY, AIRPORT - CONTINUOUS
The Uniform rounds the corner to find Selina applying
make-up.
UNIFORM
Excuse me, Miss. I need to see your
ticket and identification, please.
Selina, surprised, fumbles with her purse.
SELINA
Would you mind?
88.
She hands the Uniform her had - punches him through the
brim, stuffs him in a closet - plants her mangled hat on his
head.
INT. JETWAY, AIRPORT - MOMENTS LATER
Selina makes her way down the jetway - spots Security at the
far end - turns - Blake smiles at her. Badge in hand.