THE DARK KNIGHT TRILOGY: The Complete Screenplays with Storyboards
Page 10
The First Thug looks at Crane. Points at the large hole.
FIRST THUG
You want the cops here?
CRANE
At this point, they can’t stop us. But the Batman has a talent for disruption. Force him outside, the police will take him down. (Indicates inmates.) Get them out of here.
FIRST THUG
(indicates Rachel)
What about her?
CRANE
She’s gone. I gave her a concentrated dose. The mind can only take so much …
SECOND THUG
The things they say about him … Can he really fly?
EXT. ARKHAM ASYLUM – CONTINUOUS 166
Batman’s cape flutters as he swings down two storeys, landing at the high windows of the derelict corridor.
INT. ABANDONED HYDROTHERAPY ROOM – CONTINUOUS 167.
THIRD THUG
I heard he can disappear –
Crane backs into the shadows, smiling at the Third Thug. Rachel lies in the corner, hyperventilating.
CRANE
We’ll find out, won’t we?
The Thugs move either side of the door … glass smashes, across the room – a shadow drops from a high window. Rachel screams. The two Thugs advance through the darkness.
Second Thug is grabbed from above – pulled up, screaming, into the blackness of the rafters.
The First Thug peers up into the darkness, gun aimed.
A shadow descends, shouting – First Thug fires – the shadow crumples onto him. It is the Second Thug – First Thug rolls the body off, scrambles to his feet – Batman strikes him from behind, knocking him unconscious.
Sirens outside, close.
Batman looks at Rachel –
Crane bursts from the shadows, arm high, aimed at Batman’s face – Batman grabs his arm, ducking away from the puff of gas from Crane’s sleeve … Batman spins Crane, ripping off his mask, wrenches his arm around to his own face, rips Crane’s jacket open and pulls out the bladder full of toxin.
BATMAN
Taste of your own medicine, doctor?
Crane’s eyes go wide as Batman squeezes the bladder and a choking cloud of dust sprays into Crane’s face …
Crane falls to the ground, choking.
Batman turns him over, pulls his face up to meet his.
What have you been doing here?! Who are you working for?!
Crane’s eyes are wide with terror –
Batman is a death’s head – black eyes, fangs.
CRANE
Rā’s … Rā’s … al Ghūl …
Batman reacts, pulls Crane tighter.
BATMAN
Rā’s al Ghūl is dead, Crane! Who are you working for?! CRANE!!
But Crane just stares at him, eyes glazing – mind flying – images cascading through his fevered brain … Crane smiles.
CRANE
Dr. Crane isn’t here right now, but if you’d like to make an appointment –
Sirens outside. Batman turns to Rachel. Through her eyes:
Batman is a towering horned, winged demon …
Rachel lashes out at the demon with all her might … Batman applies a grip to her neck that renders her unconscious.
COP
(over bullhorn)
BATMAN. PUT DOWN YOUR WEAPONS AND SURRENDER. YOU ARE SURROUNDED.
Batman rises, carrying Rachel.
EXT. ARKHAM ASYLUM – CONTINUOUS 168
Police cars surround the building. Cops have guns drawn, waiting. Staff emerge, blinking, from the darkened asylum. Flass and Gordon arrive. Flass shouts at the Uniforms:
FLASS
What’re you waiting for?!
UNIFORMED COP
Backup.
FLASS
Backup?
Flass gestures at the dozen police cars outside the building.
UNIFORMED COP
The Batman’s in there. SWAT’s on the way, but if you want to go now … (Smiles.) I’m right behind you, sir.
Flass turns to Gordon. Shrugs.
FLASS
SWAT’s on the way.
Gordon shakes his head. Approaches the front doors.
INT. DERELICT CORRIDOR, DISUSED WING – CONTINUOUS 169
Batman carries Rachel, cloak billowing in his wake.
INT. LOBBY, ARKHAM ASYLUM – CONTINUOUS 170
Gordon moves through the dark, gun drawn, eyes flicking to terrified Nurses who make their way to the front door.
EXT. ARKHAM ASYLUM – CONTINUOUS 171
SWAT Officers pour out of vans, race up the front steps.
INT. CORRIDOR, ARKHAM ASYLUM – CONTINUOUS 172
Gordon tries the elevator – it is dead. He enters the stairs.
INT. LOBBY, ARKHAM ASYLUM – CONTINUOUS 173
The SWAT team bursts in – flashlights on rifles scan the darkness …
INT. STAIRWELL, ARKHAM ASYLUM – CONTINUOUS 174
Gordon looks down the stairwell – the way down to the disused wing is fenced off. He heads up – and is grabbed and swung out into the stairwell. Batman holds him as they rocket upwards.
GORDON
What –!
Batman covers Gordon’s mouth. Down below: the door smashes open – SWAT team lights cross the darkened stairwell. Batman pulls Gordon into the rafters. Gordon turns, furious – sees:
Rachel. Lying in a storage space/open attic. Twitching.
(Whispering.) What’s happened to her?
BATMAN
Crane poisoned her with a psychotropic hallucinogen. (Off look.) A panic-inducing toxin.
GORDON
Let me take her down to the medics –
BATMAN
They can’t help her. But I can.
The lights come on – bleaching the stairwell – Batman, Rachel and Gordon are in the shadow of the attic.
Batman reaches down to his boot. Presses a switch in the heel, producing a barely audible high-frequency whine.
(Indicates Rachel.) I need to get her the antidote before the damage becomes permanent.
GORDON
How long does she have?
BATMAN
Not long.
EXT. ARKHAM ASYLUM – CONTINUOUS 175
A strange squealing sound rises. Flass looks around, curious. A dark cloud crosses the moon … not a regular cloud …
INT. STAIRWELL, ARKHAM ASYLUM – CONTINUOUS 176
Batman hands Rachel to Gordon. Gordon looks back at Batman.
BATMAN
Get her downstairs, meet me in the alley on the Narrows side.
GORDON
How will you get out?
BATMAN
I called for backup. (Indicates boot.) Crane was the third man at the docks. He’s been smuggling his toxin hidden in Falcone’s drugs. Refining and testing it here in the asylum … then dumping it into the water supply.
GORDON
What was he planning?
BATMAN
I don’t know.
GORDON
Was he working for Falcone?
BATMAN
Someone else. Someone worse.
Gordon frowns at the loud squealing noise.
GORDON
What is that?
BATMAN
Backup.
EXT. ARKHAM ASYLUM – CONTINUOUS 177
Flass screams – Cops dive for cover as bats – thousands upon thousands – descend on the asylum, heading for the windows.
INT. CORRIDOR, ARKHAM ASYLUM – CONTINUOUS 178
Windows shatter inwards as bats pour into the building
EXT. ARKHAM ASYLUM – CONTINUOUS 179
Gordon covers Rachel as he carries her down the steps.
INT. ARKHAM ASYLUM – CONTINUOUS 180
Bats flood into the bright stairwell, soaring up past the cowering SWATs, a black mass rising, darkening the stairwell.
Batman amidst the bats. Calm. Pulls the sounder out of his heel, leans over the stairwell and drops it …
Bats cyclone down the stairwell, following the si
gnal. Batman jumps into the center of the black cyclone – hidden, falling …
Batman opens his cloak with a jolt – lands hard. He moves calmly through the bats, slipping past cowering SWATs. Batman turns to a cell door, pulls a packet from his utility belt …
INT. CELL – CONTINUOUS 181
Two Inmates flinch as the door lock blasts open and the door is kicked in – Batman strides across the cell between them …
BATMAN
Excuse me –
And blasts the window of their cell. He slides out … one Inmate turns to the other.
INMATE
What’d I tell ya?
EXT. SIDE STREET – CONTINUOUS 182
Gordon lowers Rachel to the asphalt. She stirs.
BATMAN
(o.s.)
How is she?
Gordon looks up to see Batman standing there.
A searchlight from a chopper blasts them. Batman grabs Rachel. Gordon points back to the street.
GORDON
Take my car.
BATMAN
I brought mine.
Batman has disappeared into the dark end of the alley.
GORDON
Yours?
Blinding headlights flare. A massive engine roars.
Gordon dives out of the way as –
The Batmobile comes flying out of the darkness … the matt-black muscularity of the stealth-finished ‘car’ blows by. Gordon’s jaw drops.
I gotta get me one of those.
INT. BATMOBILE – CONTINUOUS 183
Batman drives. Rachel, coming to, hangs on, terrified. A cop car pulls across the alley – Batman hits the accelerator.
EXT. ALLEY – CONTINUOUS 184
The Batmobile speeds towards the cop car –
INT. COP CAR – CONTINUOUS 185
The Cops gawp at the Batmobile, bracing –
EXT. ALLEY – CONTINUOUS 186
The Batmobile smashes into the cop car, huge front tires crushing the bonnet, bouncing the Batmobile right over the cop car in a messy display of brute force.
EXT. BRIDGE TO ARKHAM/NARROWS – CONTINUOUS 187
The Batmobile races across the bridge to Gotham proper.
INT. CRUSHED COP CAR – CONTINUOUS 188
The Cops are scrunched down. One of them grabs the radio.
COP 1
He’s in a vehicle!
DISPATCHER
(over radio)
Make and color?
COP 1
It’s a black … (Turns to partner, who shrugs.) … tank.
DISPATCHER
(over radio)
Tank?
EXT. SURFACE STREETS, GOTHAM – CONTINUOUS 189
The Batmobile weaves around traffic, dodging freeway supports.
INT. BATMOBILE – CONTINUOUS 190
Rachel braces against the dash, breathing fast, staring at the road ahead … through her eyes:
Speed: pure, visceral sensation – lights streaking, columns flashing past at unthinkable velocity.
BATMAN
You’ve been poisoned. Stay calm.
He looks at an intricate GPS display, then at the road ahead.
EXT. SUBTERRANEAN STREETS, GOTHAM – CONTINUOUS 191
The Batmobile races along – two cop cars join the pursuit from the cross streets, lights blazing, sirens blaring.
INT. BATMOBILE – CONTINUOUS 192
Batman spots the Cops on a rear-view monitor, flips a switch.
EXT. SURFACE STREETS, GOTHAM – CONTINUOUS 193
The Batmobile drops spike strips onto the road … The cop cars hit them – tires explode – rims light sparks as they grind, skidding sideways, one laying into the other.
Up ahead: the Batmobile slaloms outside of the pillars.
INT. CRUISER – CONTINUOUS 194
An impatient Cop is on the radio.
COP 3
At least tell me what it looks like …
His eyes widen: the Batmobile roars past. A shadowy monster.
Never mind.
EXT. SURFACE STREETS, GOTHAM 195
The Batmobile comes up onto the surface street and is hit by a spotlight from a chopper.
INT. BATMOBILE – CONTINUOUS 196
Batman glances at a row of buttons – each one a tiny screen showing different views. Batman pushes one – that view flicks on to the main display. Rachel is hyperventilating.
BATMAN
Breathe slowly. Close your eyes.
She does so. For an instant.
RACHEL
That’s worse!
EXT. STREETS, GOTHAM – CONTINUOUS 197
Three cop cars pull across the intersection in a roadblock.
INT. BATMOBILE – CONTINUOUS 198
Batman spots the roadblock in front. Touches the GPS screen – the map becomes three-dimensional (heights of buildings, levels of streets). Batman skids into a turn –
EXT. SURFACE STREETS – CONTINUOUS 199
The Batmobile skids through the entrance to a multi-level parking garage – taking out the ticket machine and barrier.
INT. BATMOBILE – CONTINUOUS 200
Rachel flinches.
RACHEL
What’re you doing?!
BATMAN
Short cut.
EXT. ROOF, PARKING GARAGE – CONTINUOUS 201
The Batmobile roars out onto the top level, and is lit up by the chopper.
The Batmobile reverses into a spot marked ‘Compact’, crushing the cars either side, then races forward … Cop cars emerge onto the roof, blocking the only way down … The Batmobile screeches to a halt.
INT. BATMOBILE – CONTINUOUS 202
Batman glances at his 3D GPS. Then looks at Rachel.
COP 3
(over loudspeaker)
TURN OFF YOUR ENGINE!
She recoils, terrified by his mask, clawing at her harness. Batman puts his gloved hand on her frantic arms.
BATMAN
Trust me.
Batman slides into the front driving position, body prone as if riding a motorcycle, head in a glass pod between the front wheels. He hits a button.
EXT. ROOF, PARKING GARAGE – CONTINUOUS 203
Cannons on the nose of the Batmobile blast the far wall … the massive jet at the back ignites, mouth adjusting … Flaps flare out like a python spreading its neck …
The Cops stare. The Batmobile rockets forward … heading for the gap in the far wall … accelerating …
INT. BATMOBILE – CONTINUOUS 204
Rachel screams. Batman hits another button –
EXT. ROOF, PARKING GARAGE – CONTINUOUS 205
An inverted spoiler jams into the airstream at the front of the car, bumping it just off the ground, a rampless jump.
EXT. ROOFTOPS – CONTINUOUS 206
The Batmobile jumps off the parking garage, soaring over a thirty-foot gap to land heavily on a neighboring flat roof.
The Cops stare at one another, open-mouthed.
EXT. ROOFTOPS – CONTINUOUS 207
The Batmobile turns – rockets for the edge of the roof – shoots over the gap to the next roof, chopper in pursuit.
INT. BATMOBILE – CONTINUOUS 208
Batman checks his 3D GPS, rockets forward, aiming at the next roof, a pitched chateau-style tile roof.
EXT. STREETS BELOW – CONTINUOUS 209
Cop cars shoot along, paralleling the rooftop chase …
From below: the chopper swoops low over the buildings – a glimpse of the Batmobile as it leaps across to the next building …
COP 4
(over radio)
We’re on him, we’re on him …
EXT. ROOFTOPS – CONTINUOUS 210
The Batmobile lands on the pitched roof, racing along at a precarious angle, tiles sliding off the roof in its wake.
INT. BATMOBILE – CONTINUOUS 211
Batman’s forward-slung position is gyroscopically balanced – he is the only vertical element in the angled car.
EXT. ROOFTOPS – CON
TINUOUS 212
Chased by the low-flying chopper, the Batmobile swerves up over the gables, roof crumbling in its wake, racing for the end of the roof, which parallels an elevated freeway.
The Batmobile rockets forward – jumps the last gable … Drops onto the elevated freeway, traffic swerving to avoid it.
EXT. SURFACE STREETS – CONTINUOUS 213
Cop cars see the Batmobile disappear onto the freeway above.
COP 4
(over radio)
Dammit!
INT. BATMOBILE – CONTINUOUS 214
Batman’s display shows a radar sweep. and plots a course through the differing speeds of the lanes. He pilots, leaning left and right like a motorcyclist …
EXT. FREEWAY – CONTINUOUS 215
The Batmobile swerves – the Chopper’s light stays trained. Traffic gets heavier. Cop cars are closing in from behind …