BATMAN CRUSADER

Written by

Jonathan Nolan & Christopher Nolan

Story by

Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer

Batman created by

Bob Kane
DIGITAL. A map of the Gotham City FLICKERS with pulsing white and blue lines.
Throughout the city, brown-outs DARKEN the screen. Conversely, the remaining
lines BRIGHTEN. Together they produce the dark shape of -the BAT SYMBOL.
Grows. Filling the screen with BLACKNESS.

CUT TO:

INT. APARTMENT, FIFTH AVE. -- NIGHT

CLOSE UP: An LCD computer monitor streaming live television.

ON SCREEN:
INT. CHANNEL 7 NEWSTATION -- NIGHT. News anchor VICKIE VALE.

VICKIE VALE

Despite repeated calls for greater public accountability,

authorities are still silent about their lack of success in
arresting the vigilante and murder suspect known as the Batman.
Leading the public outcry for more transparency in police
operations is Dr. Thomas Eliot.

A hand GRIPS a gyroscopic mouse. The hand TRIGGERS the button and...

... the channel CHANGES.

ON SCREEN:
INT. CHANNEL 5 NEWSTATION -- NIGHT. MIKE ENGEL reporting. In the
corner, an image of a teenage STREET THUG - 17 years old. He is wearing CLOWN
MAKEUP. An anarchy symbol decorates the corner.

MIKE ENGEL

Next, reports of petty crimes and vandalism in Westfield Park.

Increased sightings of teenagers wearing white, green and red
makeup thought to be inspired by the terrorist acts of the Joker of
last summer. This gang does not otherwise appear to be directly
connected with the Joker himself who remains incarcerated in
solitary confinement at Arkham Asylum.
The channel changes...
ON SCREEN:
INT. CHANNEL 7 NEWSTATION -- NIGHT. CONTINUOUS Vickie Vale with
the banner "Missing Children" in red above her head.

VICKIE VALE

An unusually high number of missing children have panicked many

families in the Upper East side- a traditionally secure
neighborhood. With no clear increase in criminal activities
regionally, authorities believe that children are being lured from
their homes through the Internet. News correspondent Al Driebel
advises parents how to protect their children from online
predators.

ON SCREEN:
EXT. GOTHAM BOYS' AND GIRLS' CLUB -- NIGHT. AL DRIEBEL has some
informational pamphlets in his hand. He raises them up to display.

AL DRIEBEL

Thanks, Vickie. I'm here at the Gotham Boys' and -

The hand with the mouse lifts and PAUSES the video footage. A progress bar
appears with a label that reads "SAVING..."

ZOOM OUT:
INT. APARTMENT, FIFTH AVE. -- CONTINUOUS

The original LCD screen is surrounded by four other computer screens on a

desk in the center of a dark room. The desk is covered in newspapers,
handwritten notes, printouts. There is a map of Gotham on the wall above the
screens, covered in pins. The rest of the room is in disarray and dimly lit.
Paper, pens, highlighters and post-its litter the floor.

A SHADOWY MAN sits in front of the screens, his face is hidden from sight. He
is 20ish, intelligent, wearing an olive-green collared shirt. He has a pair
of round spectacles.

His cellphone RINGS.

He PICKS UP, but KEEPS TYPING with his left hand. The original screen now
shows all three news clips in smaller windows. The Shadowy Man types in a
TAGGING LABEL for each window. The first spells out BATMAN. The other two:
GOTHAM.

On a different screen, he is initiating a TRACE on the current phone call.

The Shadowy Man TILTS his head as if to say, "I'm listening."
 MAN ON THE PHONE (O.S.):

Edward?

BEEP - The computer finishes its trace...

The source of the phone call is...

... the GOTHAM POLICE DEPARTMENT.

MAN ON THE PHONE (O.S.):

What do you know about

(beat)
the Batman?

The Shadowy Man SMILES.

CUT TO:
EXT. HAUSER BUILDING -- NIGHT
Helicopters in the sky... SPOTLIGHTS... The police have cordoned off a brick
building, the HAUSER Building. Near the entrance, 10 JOKER THUGS are tied to
a pillar. They are unconscious. A small crowd is gathering at the periphery.
A lone PROTESTER holds up a sign that reads: NO MORE TERROR. Officers are
PUSHING pedestrians back and DIRECTING traffic away from the scene.

A police car ROARS in and comes to hard stop. COMMISSIONER GORDON and
STEPHENS emerge from the car. LIEUTENANT LOUIE, LIEUTENANT WONG, and SERGEANT
GIFFORD approach.

GORDON

What's the situation?

LIEUTENANT LOUIE

We have cornered the Batman in the basement of the old Hauser

building. All three exits are blocked and we have marksmen watching
the windows.
 LIEUTENANT WONG

Air support is covering the roof. Say the magic words and we can
drop men down the stairways and the elevator shafts.

SERGEANT GIFFORD

I have heavy artillery and SWAT on standby.

GORDON

Maintain the perimeter, I want a walkie-talkie and immediate notice

if the Batman's location changes.

INT. SWAT VAN PARKED NEAR HAUSER BUILDING -- NIGHT

SNIPER 1 and SNIPER 2 are preparing their gear.

SNIPER 2

Another "bust"?

SNIPER 1

(sarcastic)
Are you suggesting that Gotham's Finest isn't up to the job of
catching the Batman?

SNIPER 2

All I'm saying is close as we get each time, we never quite close
our hands around him.
(beat)
And, we all know he and Gordon partnered way back when Gordon's
badge read
(taps his insignia twice)
Lieutenant.

Interruption: TIRES squeal in the distance, the Snipers TURN their heads to
the sound which is ...
EXT. HAUSER BUILDING -- CONTINUOUS

...another COP CAR arriving on scene. Gordon watches the vehicle come to a
stop at his feet.

The door opens...

Out steps the Shadowy Man who is...

...EDWARD NIGMA. Head down, Nigma STRIDES up to Gordon. He TWITCHES and gives
Gordon a smirk. Nigma holds out his hand. Gordon looks down at the hand and
looks up at Nigma.

NIGMA

Dr. Edward Nigma, Police Consultant on the warrant for the arrest
of Batman.

(smiles)
What is tonight's conundrum?

Gordon shoots a suspicious look at Nigma. Shakes it briefly. Then turns to

Louie.

GORDON

Agent Nigma. If I have to personally walk every new consultant

through this operation, you'll be piecing together the clues about
how the Batman escaped. We can get to know each AFTER tonight is
over, meanwhile...

(to Louie)
YOU answer his question.

(shouting orders to other officers)

Get me blueprints of the Hauser building. I want EVERYONE on
standby.

LIEUTENANT LOUIE

(to Nigma)
Just before midnight, 911 got a call about a robbery in progress
and a hostage situation. Suspects fit the description of the JOKER
GANG.
EXT. ENTRANCE TO HAUSER BUILDING -- NIGHT
The JOKER THUGS are laying unconscious, tied together.

LIEUTENANT LOUIE (S.O.)

By the time we arrived, we knew that HE had gotten there first. So

we followed the standing orders on a Batman sighting and called in
the Commissioner.

EXT. 3RD AVE. ACROSS FROM HAUSER BUILDING -- NIGHT

A MOTHER is comforting her CHILD. The boy is dirty, teary, but calm.
NIGMA (S.O.)

(bored, but quick)

Tell me why you decided that he remains in the building now.

EXT. HAUSER BUILDING -- CONTINUOUS

Louie motions with his hands and looks at the building.
LIEUTENANT LOUIE

If you listen you can here it.

NIGMA

(sarcastic)
You're the leader.

SOUNDS of hand to hand combat come from the direction of the building.

INT. HAUSER BUILDING STAIRWELL -- NIGHT

LIEUTENANT LOUIE (S.O.)

Listen. ...the sounds of the FIGHT.

A JOKER THUG drops to the ground, unconscious. His partner, MIKEY, is wirey
and scared. The sweat on his forehead DRIPS OVER his clown makeup. Mikey
BOLTS. A GLOVED HAND snags his collar. Mikey's FEET go out from under him.
The gloved hand has CURLED UP as if lifting a dumbbell. Mikey reaches for a
knife, but his captor disarms him. LOCKED in this position, the person
holding up Mikey BARRELS forward into the light.
Jumping into the light is the masked face of the BATMAN. He is bloody,
sweaty, and ANGRY.

Batman SWINGS Mikey forward THROUGH a glass door...

EXT. HAUSER BUILDING -- CONTINUOUS

...the sound of breaking glass ECHOES outside. A police officer looks at

Gordon and then looks at the entrance. Gordon holds up one hand.
GORDON

2 minutes.

Nigma NARROWS his eyes and sidles up next to Gordon.

NIGMA

Good decision, Commissioner. After all, why interrupt the Batman

when he's saving civilians? It would be so inconvenient if you
blocked his way out.
...
(to himself)
What eats and eats, but still starves?

Gordon stares at Nigma for a second, assessing him.

NIGMA

(innocently)
What? It's not obvious that there are still hostages in the
building? Who always goes for seconds, but never comes in first?

INT. HAUSER BUILDING STAIRWELL -- CONTINUOUS

BATMAN

The other hostage, WHERE IS SHE?

MIKEY

You don't get out of jail free for saving people. Not when you're
the one they want.

In a rough motion, Batman LIFTS Mikey to the ceiling with one hand. With his
other hand, Batman reveals Mikey's knife. Mikey's eyes go wide.