Batman Continues

By Trevor Melton

Disclaimer: I do not own Batman, its characters, aspects, or anything else relating to it. That right belongs to Bob Kane and DC Comics. I am claiming no right to any aspects of this sequel to Batman Begins by David Goyer. I am making this screenplay on the assumption that the ending of the leaked script was changed and that The Joker is no longer the villain. Please do not sue me for I am making no profit from this screenplay what so ever.

Cast of Characters:

Christian Bale……………Bruce Wayne/Batman

Tim Booth……………………….Victor Zsasz

Cillian Murphy……………Jonathan Crane/The Scarecrow

Roselyn Sanchez……..Talia Al Ghul

Gary Oldman………………..Detective James Gordon

Morgan Freeman………….Lucius Fox

Guy Pierce…………………..Harvey Dent/Two-Face

Katie Holmes……………..Rachel Dawes

Michael Caine…………..Alfred Pennyworth

Tom Wilkinson…………..Carmine Falcone

Liam Neeson………………..Ra’s Al Ghul

Ken Watanabe……………..Ubu

Julianne Moore.....Detective Sarah Essen

Colin McFarlane……….Commissioner Gillian B. Loeb

Barry Dowden……………..Detective Flass

Brittany Murphy....Dr. Harlene Francis Quinzel

Susan Sarandon.....Dr. Leslie Thompkins

Rutger Hauer……………..Richard Earle

Jeri Ryan...... Vicki Vale

FADE IN:

EXT. GOTHAM CITY – NIGHT

The camera makes its way toward the dark gothic city. It would almost seem like we’re flying right toward it. We stop on a tall building near the center of the city. WAYNE INDUSTRIES is stenciled on the building’s mid area. At one of the balconies to the building, there are a couple of gargoyles and crouching between them is THE BATMAN, long cape wrapped around his costume as he looks down to the streets below.

BATMAN (V.O.)

“My story is something not for the

Weak at heart. I am Batman. I am

What most people would call a

Vigilante.”

INT. DARK ALLEY - NIGHT

DR. THOMAS WAYNE and MARTHA WAYNE are shot by JOE CHILL in the alley.

BATMAN (V.O.)

“The death of my parents caused a

Sense of dread in me that no one

Could ever fully understand.”

EXT. HIMALAYAS – ICE LAKE – DAY

BRUCE WAYNE is sword fighting with HENRI DUCARD on the ice.

BATMAN (V.O.)

“I was trained in many different

Forms of the martial arts.”

INT. MONORAIL – TRAIN – NIGHT

Batman is fighting Ducard, now in his complete Ra’s Al Ghul attire inside the train.

BATMAN (V.O.)

“But nothing could’ve ever prepared

Me for the trials that I would go

Through when I returned to Gotham

City.”

EXT. WAYNE INDUSTRIES – BALCONY – NIGHT

A flash of lightning strikes in the distance revealing The Batman to us in a very haunting light as he looks in the direction of a sudden police siren’s sound.

BATMAN (V.O.)

“The fear that Gotham has gone

Through continues to this day, but

With my help, I believe that I can

Stop the fears once and for all and

Put an end to the corruption. Only

Time will tell if I am really

Making a difference.”

Batman stands up and pulls out his grappling gun. He fires it and starts off of the building moving at an amazing speed as he begins his pursuit of the police car.

EXT. GOTHAM BRIDGE – NIGHT

LT. JAMES GORDON stands over a dead man’s body. His throat has been slashed. This man is wearing an overcoat and has a hat lying by his side. Gordon sighs as he walks over to DETECTIVE FLASS who is standing off to the side chewing some gum.

FLASS

“Horrible way to go, don’t ya

Think?”

GORDON

“You’re just lucky that you still

Have a job, Detective. If I was

Commissioner...”

FLASS

“But you aren’t, Lieutenant. Loeb

Is. You would do well not to

Infuriate him more then you already

Have.”

GORDON

“Don’t threaten me, Flass. Loeb

Isn’t your real boss in the first

Place. He’s in Arkham.”

FLASS

“Watch what you say, Gordon. You

Might not like the results.”

Flass moves over to a few police officers.

BATMAN (O.S.)

“Having more problems?”

Gordon jumps as he hears the sudden voice from behind him. He turns around to see Batman standing behind him with his cape wrapped around him as he stands in the shadows.

GORDON

“I hate it when you do that. Coming

From out of nowhere.”

BATMAN

“Shouldn’t Detective Flass have

Been relieved of his duties?”

GORDON

“I’m afraid that no one has

Anything on him except for your

Accusations.”

BATMAN

“He was at the drug drop the same

Night that Dr. Crane and Falcone

Were there.”

GORDON

“Agreed, but until there’s some

Concrete evidence, Commissioner

Loeb isn’t going to budge.”

Batman comes a little closer to Gordon, but remaining in the shadows so that the other officers don’t see his presence.

BATMAN
“What’s the case with this one?”

GORDON

“One lone man, throat slashed, and

Left for dead after the attack.

From what the other officers have

Said this guy was a common

Criminal. I actually remember

Seeing his face in lock up. I have

A feeling that the victim was

Trying to mug the killer and was in

Turn killed himself. Our guys found

Some hand prints on the railing and

Boot prints on the other side of

The bridge. It’s possible that the

Killer was trying to kill himself

Before the mugger arrived.”

BATMAN

“Think the prints will bring up

Anything?”

GORDON

“No telling. This city doesn’t have

A very good print system as no one

Ever cared to register prints to

Us.”

BATMAN

“I’ll see what I can do on my end.”

GORDON
“You think this might be related to

The kidnapping of Gotham University

Students?”

BATMAN

“At this point I wouldn’t rule

Anything out.”

Gordon turns away from Batman for a moment to see the ambulance coming their way.

GORDON

“Well, let’s hope that something

Comes up in...”

Gordon turns back to where Batman was, but sees that he has disappeared.

GORDON (Cont’d.)

“...a while... I hate it when he

Does that.”

INT. SMALL HOUSE – BATHROOM – NIGHT

A dark figure stands at the mirror in his bathroom. There is little light in the house so it’s hard for anyone to make out a certain person. A hand brings up a sharp knife that has dried blood on it and turns the knife over in his hand. He smiles a little before he takes the knife and makes a long cut on his arm with the knife, causing blood to flow out. He has no pain on his face as he does this as if it isn’t even registering. This is VICTOR ZSASZ.

ZSASZ

“My family should’ve never died.

They will be avenged. I will be

Avenged. I should’ve never gambled

My money away... I know my mistake

Now. The life at the dock...Oh,

Yes... I only helped to end his

Suffering... I will end all

Suffering from all of those who

Feel that they are so perfect...

They have not met perfection, until

They meet me...”

A smile creeps across Zsasz’s face as he looks at the knife with complete admiration.

INT. WAYNE MANOR – BATCAVE – NIGHT

Batman sits at the large computer in the Batcave typing away. ALFRED PENNYWORTH walks down the stairs with a tray in his hand. The tray is holding some type of meat on it with vegetables on the side and a glass of tea. Batman seems to almost ignore him as he continues to type on the computer console.

ALFRED
“If I may be so bold, sir, please

Do take some rest before you pass

Out. You have had many restless

Nights since the GCU students

Started disappearing.”

BATMAN

“No time to talk, Alfred.”

ALFRED
“And he says I’m stubborn.”

Batman smiles and turns to face Alfred.

ALFRED (Cont’d.)

“Sir... of all the bats in Gotham,

Did they really need a bigger one?”

Batman just looks at Alfred.

BATMAN

“Size does matter, Alfred.”

ALFRED

“Very well, sir.”

Alfred sets the tray down and looks at the screen. There are several shots of the students that were abducted.

ALFRED (Cont’d.)
“Sir, you’ve looked through those

Articles and photographs a million

Times. Please eat.”

BATMAN

“Alfred, I think I’ve made a break

Through though.”

ALFRED

“And that would be?”

BATMAN
“Before Dr. Jonathan Crane started

Working at Arkham Asylum as head

Psychiatrist, he was actually a

Leading Psychologist at Gotham

University specializing in fears

And phobias. He was fired for those

Strange teaching methods. Now, If

I’ve looked at the old schedules

Correctly it reveals that all the

Kidnapped students had taken one of

Professor Crane’s classes at one

Point.”

ALFRED
“Heavens! Have you alerted Lt.

Gordon yet?”

BATMAN

“No. I just have discovered this,

But I will make sure at our next

Meeting. I think that the murderer

Earlier tonight could just have

Been Dr. Crane.”

ALFRED

“But you said that the killer was

Trying to commit suicide before he

Killed the mugger.”

BATMAN

“Exactly. Crane was hit with his

Own gas and was infected with it.

It’s logical to believe that the

Fear gas finally got the best of

Him and he couldn’t take the fears

Anymore.”

ALFRED

“How convenient for him.”

BATMAN

“I have to find his lair, Alfred. I

Owe it to those missing students.”

ALFRED
“Just consider trying to get some

Sleep tonight. Remember, you have

That luncheon with D.A. Harvey Dent

Tomorrow.”

BATMAN

“That’s right. I almost forgot.

Thank you, Alfred. I’ll take your

Thoughts in mind.”

ALFRED
“Good night, sir.”

BATMAN
“Good night, Alfred.”

INT. D.A.’S OFFICE – DAY

D.A. ASSISTANT RACHEL DAWES sits at her desk writing something on a notepad. She looks up as she hears a yelling sound coming from the next room.

VOICE (O.S.)

“I’m telling you that you’re making

A mistake!”

Rachel gets up and walks to the office and opens the door revealing DISTRICT ATTORNEY HARVEY DENT pacing around his office with the phone at his ear.

DENT
“Carmine Falcone is not insane! He

Is making this up in order to stay

Away from the justice that he

Deserves! You had better expect a

Meeting later this afternoon. Do

You understand me?”

Rachel leans against the door and crosses her arms as she looks on. Dent slams the phone down on the receiver and screams as he slams his hand on his desk. Rachel runs over to him.

RACHEL

“Harvey!”

Rachel takes Dent’s hand into hers and looks at it. Dent quickly moves his hand away and looks away in anger.

RACHEL (Cont’d.)

“Harvey, what’s wrong?”

DENT
“It’s Falcone. They still won’t

Release him from Arkham Asylum.”

RACHEL

“Well, after what Jonathan Crane

Did to him I wouldn’t think so

Either.”

Dent turns around grabbing hold of Rachel’s shoulders and shakes her as he says the next lines.

DENT
“That’s not the point! We had him,

And they’re letting him slip

Through our figures!”

RACHEL

“Harvey, stop it!”

Dent finally stops realizing what he’s doing. He pulls away from her and turns around again.

DENT
“I’m sorry, Rachel. I didn’t mean

To lash out at you like that.”

Rachel places an arm on his shoulder.

RACHEL

“It’s alright, Harvey. Don’t worry.

We’ll get him one way or another.”

Dent turns back to Rachel and places a hand on her face.

DENT
“You’re so beautiful, Rachel. I

Want you to know that without you I

Don’t think I’d be able to get

Anything done around here.”

RACHEL (Smiling.)

“That’s just silly, Harvey.

Seriously, you shouldn’t think such

Things.”

DENT
“It’s hard to help but to say such

Things to you. I do love you after

All.”

RACHEL

“And the feeling is of course

Mutual, but let’s not let our

Feelings get in the way of our

Duties. We do have a drug lord to

Put away after all.”

DENT (Nodding.)

“Agreed. Let’s get on to the asylum

And see what we can do from that

End.”

Dent starts to walk out of the office, but stops when Rachel turns to his exiting direction and speaks her next line.

RACHEL

“You’re forgetting something.”

Dent turns back around and looks at her oddly.

DENT

“And that would be?”

RACHEL

“Your luncheon with Bruce Wayne

Today.”

DENT
“Oh, yes. Forgot all about it.

Cancel it, will you?”

RACHEL

“Sir, Bruce is a very close friend

Of yours, and mine. I think we

Would benefit from this meeting.

Perhaps he may be able to help out

As well.”

DENT
“You know as well as I do that

Bruce is a playboy. He’s far from a

Police officer or a lawyer.”

Rachel smiles a little to herself for she knows better.

RACHEL
“If you say so, but still, it would

Help us a great deal to have Wayne

Industries on our side.”

DENT (Nodding.)

“You’re right as usual. Alright,

We’ll keep to the meeting.”

RACHEL (Smiling.)

“I was hoping you would.”

INT. RESTURANT – DAY

Bruce, Dent, and Rachel all sit together at a table in a busy, elegant restaurant. They all have a quick laugh as we arrive on them.

BRUCE

“It was quite hilarious. The look

On Alfred’s face was priceless.”

DENT (Smiling.)

“How is the old fellow doing?”

BRUCE

“He’s been quite well actually.

Very happy lately.”

DENT
“I’m glad to hear it. What about

You? Have you been able to fully

Readjust to life in Gotham again?”

BRUCE

(Quick glance to Rachel.)

“For the most part.”

Rachel smiles and places a hand on Dent’s hand. He looks to her and smiles at her. Suddenly a cell phone rings. Dent pats his jacket pocket and takes out the phone from his interior breast pocket.

DENT

“Just a moment.”

Dent answers the phone.

DENT (Cont’d.)

“Dent. Go.”

Dent listens in on the other line as he looks back and forth between Bruce and Rachel.

DENT (Cont’d.)

“Alright. Hold on just a sec.”

Dent stands up and places his hand on the phone.

DENT (Cont’d.)

“If you two would excuse me for a

Minute. This is important.”

BRUCE
“Of course.”

Dent nods and walks away from the table going toward the restroom. Bruce and Rachel look at each other.

RACHEL

“He does that a lot.”

BRUCE
“Any idea what the calls are

About?”

RACHEL

“Probably more problems with

Putting Falcone away.”

BRUCE

“Harvey’s been working really hard

On that hasn’t he?”

RACHEL
“Too hard. Sometimes he gets

Violent over it.”

BRUCE
“Violent?”

RACHEL

“Yeah... Tell me something, Bruce.

You’ve known him longer then I

Have... Has he ever had any anger

Management problems?”

BRUCE
“I wouldn’t really know... I never

Went to school with him. I was in

And out of every private school you

Could think of and well, he made

Sure to stay in one place. Sorry I

Can’t really help you there... But

I can say that he looks really

Tense of late.”

RACHEL
“Arkham Asylum won’t release

Falcone into police custody.”

BRUCE
“And I thought the Asylum was in

Connection with the police

Station.”

Rachel leans forward some as she lowers her voice.

RACHEL

“Just because Gordon is a

Lieutenant now and Falcone is in

The Asylum doesn’t mean that there

Isn’t still corruption in the

Police department.”

BRUCE (Nodding.)
“Detective Flass.”

RACHEL (Nods.)

“But from what I hear, it isn’t

Just him. Commissioner Loeb isn’t

Much better. The Commissioner can

Overthrow decisions of the Asylum

In emergency situations, but Loeb

Isn’t budging when it comes to

Falcone.”

BRUCE
“I had my suspicions of him when he

Ordered a task force after me.”

RACHEL

“That did happen just after you

Took out Falcone and Crane’s drug

Ring.”

BRUCE

“But Loeb may have just been

Responding to vigilantism. It is

Illegal after all.”

RACHEL

“After what I’ve seen you do, I

Think a lot differently about it.

You stopped Ra’s Al Ghul from

Taking over Gotham City.”

BRUCE

“I just hate that he died in that

Train wreck. He deserved to rot in

A cell for what he was trying to

Do.”

RACHEL

“You did the best you could in the

Situation.”

BRUCE (Nodding.)

“Perhaps.”

RACHEL

“You do more then anyone would ever

Ask of you. Remember that.”

BRUCE
“I will.”

RACHEL

“So, is there anything that you can

Do about Carmine Falcone?”

BRUCE (Smiling.)
“I’ll see what I can do on my end.”

EXT. NARROWS – STREET – NIGHT

The TUMBLER rolls its way down the streets of the Narrows in Gotham City.

INT. NARROWS – TUMBLER – NIGHT

Batman sits in the tumbler driving down the road. A small screen lights up as Alfred comes on the screen from inside the bat cave.

ALFRED
“Sir, Bambi called. She said that

She was quite sad that you decided

To reschedule your meeting this

Evening.”

BATMAN

“She’ll survive, Alfred. Just keep

A watch on my vital signs if you

Will. There’s no telling what is

Going on in Arkham these days. Last

Thing I need is to end up captive

In there.”

ALFRED
“Of course, sir, oh, and don’t

Forget the new feature that Mr. Fox

Added to the Tumbler for you.”

BATMAN
“The shields, Alfred. Yes, I know.”

Batman switches off the screen and turns back to his driving.

EXT. NARROWS – ALLEY – NIGHT

The Tumbler stops in an alley. Batman climbs out of the vehicle and jumps down. He turns to the exit of the alley seeing the entrance of Arkham Asylum straight ahead. Batman brings up a small electronic device.

BATMAN

“Shields.”

The shields on the Tumbler come up around the vehicle. Batman walks away from his ride and pulls out his grappling gun. He shoots the gun up to the roof of the Asylum. It takes hold of a side of the building and pulls Batman up to the roof.

EXT. ARKHAM ASYLUM – ROOF – NIGHT

Batman lands on the roof of the Asylum and walks over to a window looking down into the Asylum. Inside the window a single person walks past. She has blond hair as she continues walking down the hallway. Batman lifts up the glass.