THE DARK KNIGHT TRILOGY: The Complete Screenplays with Storyboards
Page 13
BATMAN
If they hit the whole city with the toxin, there’s no one to stop Gotham tearing itself apart in mass panic.
EXT. NARROWS – CONTINUOUS 278
Rā’s al Ghūl’s Ninjas climb the monorail support, the microwave emitter sitting on the ground beneath, guarded by two more Ninjas …
EXT. NARROWS – CONTINUOUS 279
Gordon looks at the raised bridge.
GORDON
How could they do that? There’s no way to get the machine off the island. Except –
BATMAN
They’ll be using the train.
GORDON
How do you know?
BATMAN
The monorail follows the water mains right into the central hub beneath Wayne Tower. If they drive their machine into Wayne Station, it’ll cause a chain reaction that’ll vaporize the entire city’s water supply …
GORDON
Covering Gotham with a fog of fear toxin.
Batman looks up to the monorail tracks overhead.
BATMAN
I’m going to stop them loading that train …
GORDON
And if you can’t?
Batman considers.
BATMAN
Can you drive stick?
EXT. NARROWS – CONTINUOUS 280
Rachel and the Little Boy hug the side of a building, picking their way through the fog. Suddenly, Crane’s Inmates emerge in front of them.
Rachel darts back, grabs the Little Boy and tries to lift him up to a fire escape, but he can’t quite reach …
Rachel drops to the ground, covers the Little Boy protectively.
LITTLE BOY
(whispered, crying)
The Batman will rescue us. I know him, he’s my friend – he’ll come …
The Lunatics draw closer, smiling … Rachel sees a Cop’s body lying in front of her – darts forward – grabs the gun from his holster – fumbles the safety, takes a deep breath –
RACHEL
Don’t peek, okay?
Victor Zsaz steps forward, smiling … Rachel closes her eyes … starts squeezing the trigger – a voice from above.
VOICE
(o.s.)
Grab the boy.
Rachel opens her eyes – Zsaz looks up: a winged wraith drops out of the fog, kicking Zsaz to the ground – Rachel grabs the Little Boy – Batman grabs her and shoots up …
EXT. SHANTY ROOF – CONTINUOUS 281
They climb onto the roof. Rachel wraps her coat around the Little Boy. Batman turns to the Narrows: the maze of streets filled with fog, glowing from street lights and flickering fires down below.
As Rachel rubs the Little Boy’s arms, he looks past her at Batman and manages a small smile.
LITTLE BOY
Told you he’d come …
Rachel glances at Batman, then smiles at the Little Boy.
Batman turns to the city, stares at the wide sweep of the monorail tracks. The ‘spokes’ that lead into Wayne Tower …
He steps up to the ledge …
RACHEL
Wait!
Batman turns.
You could die. At least tell me your name.
Wayne’s eyes stare out from the black cowl.
BATMAN
It’s not who I am underneath … (Touches his chest.) But what I do that defines me.
Rachel steps forward, recognizing her own words, realizing.
RACHEL
Bruce –
But he is already falling …
EXT. OVER GOTHAM – CONTINUOUS 282
Batman falls, sliding his gloves into the activating pockets … the cloak goes rigid – smashing the wind like a parachute … Batman’s arms control his cloak, gliding …
He noses down, accelerating into one of the fogbound channels of the maze … Buildings whip by, fire escapes and lamp-posts burst out of the fog – Batman steers, but he’s dropping so fast he can’t help but take a few knocks … he whips around a turn, dropping and dropping into an alley …
Inhabitants of the Narrows stare up, cowering or screaming as they see a black dragon streaking overhead …
EXT. ROOFTOP BY MONORAIL SUPPORT – CONTINUOUS 283
Ninjas are hoisting the emitter up to the train. Rā’s al Ghūl looks up at the sound of the screams. Curious.
BATMAN
(o.s.)
It ends here.
Batman emerges from the fog. Rā’s marvels.
RĀ’S AL GHŪL
You took my advice about theatricality a bit literally, don’t you think?
Two Ninjas step forward in front of Rā’s.
Sorry, friend, but I’ve done you the honor of killing you once today already, and I can’t save the world by killing one man at a time.
BATMAN
I can’t beat two of your pawns?
Four more Ninjas rappel out of the fog on ropes.
RĀ’S AL GHŪL
As you wish.
Rā’s smiles, loops a hand around a rope and swings up …
Batman tackles the Ninja nearest him – both fly over the edge, drop into the fog – the other Ninjas dive after …
Batman and the Ninja drop through the fog, obstacles jump up through the white … Batman uses the Ninja as a human shield to bounce off a fire escape, rolling him to cushion his landing on the next roof down.
The other Ninjas land on the roof. Crouched around him …
EXT. STREET, NARROWS – CONTINUOUS 284
Gordon runs out of an alley to the parked Batmobile. He looks at the car, then at the key. He pushes a button – nothing. He moves closer, leaning in, hitting the button.
GORDON
How the hell –
Gordon recoils as the canopy flips open with a hiss. He smiles, keys his radio.
This is Gordon – prepare to lower the bridge.
EXT. ROOFTOP, NARROWS – CONTINUOUS 285
Batman draws a Batarang, flies it from the hip, kicks right, sending a Ninja off the roof – Batman aims his grappling gun, fires – but a cord wraps his wrist and jerks the gun out of his hand, over into the fog … A Ninja flings something at Batman’s feet – a small explosion sends him tumbling towards the edge – he grabs a Ninja’s arm as he goes over …
EXT. STREET, NARROWS – CONTINUOUS 286
Batman and the Ninja smash through corrugated iron and drop to the street, painfully. Batman struggles to his feet …
Across the street, a Baffled Resident picks up Batman’s grappling gun and looks it over. The length of monofilament wire stretches off into the fog …
INT. MONORAIL TRAIN – CONTINUOUS 287
Rā’s moves past the microwave emitter which fills the front compartment, humming. Rā’s starts the train moving.
EXT. STREET, NARROWS – CONTINUOUS 288
The Ninjas land beside Batman … an enormous mob appears through the mist behind them. Batman rises – in their eyes: Batman is a towering demon with eyes of black fire …
The mob swarms Batman, pulling at his arms and legs … The train overhead is gathering speed …
The Baffled Resident holding the grappling gun pulls its trigger – the wire retracts at frightening speed … the grapple hook pops into view, hurtling towards him – snaps back into the gun with such velocity that it pushes him off his feet, and slides across the street – through the forest of legs …
Batman dives at it – rolls onto his back – shoots for the sky –
The grappling hook catches the moving train, ripping Batman out of the arms of his attackers, dragging him into the air … the Ninjas watch him go. Look at one another.
EXT. STREET, NARROWS – CONTINUOUS 289
The Batmobile’s enormous rear wheels begin spinning – the front wheels are locked up – the spinning wheels belch smoke as the car begins to rotate …
INT. BATMOBILE – CONTINUOUS 290
Gordon frowns. His eyes dart as he looks for the front brakes. He hits a switch – the car bolts …
EXT. S
TREET, NARROWS – CONTINUOUS 291
The Batmobile rockets forward, taking out a police cruiser …
EXT. BRIDGE TO ARKHAM/NARROWS – CONTINUOUS 292
Loeb and the Lieutenant watch in astonishment as the train emerges from the fog, trailing Batman, who skims overhead …
Loeb and the other Cops dive for cover as manhole covers and fire hydrants explode in the train/emitter’s furious wake.
INT. CONTROL ROOM, WATER BOARD – CONTINUOUS 293
Alarms sound – the Technicians look at the map – lights flash.
YOUNGER TECHNICIAN
What’s that?
OLDER TECHNICIAN
The pressure’s moving along the mains … blowing all the pipes … some kind of chain reaction …
YOUNGER TECHNICIAN
Where is it moving?
OLDER TECHNICIAN
Towards us.
INT. MONORAIL TRAIN – CONTINUOUS 294
Rā’s pulls off his mask, watching the city speed around him.
EXT. SURFACE STREETS BELOW THE MONORAIL – CONTINUOUS 295
A small crowd outside a store watch news on stacked TVs. The train streaks overhead. People look up, shocked to see –
Batman hanging from the train by his grappling cable, flying along, fifteen feet in the air, dodging stoplights and awnings …
The train crosses over a busy intersection – Batman flies over cars, between tall trucks … behind him, in the train’s wake, manhole covers explode, fire hydrants burst …
Batman struggles to fasten his grappling gun into his utility belt, but he’s being tossed too violently. The train is heading for a tunnel …
Batman latches the grappling gun into his belt – shoots up, skirting the lip of the tunnel.
INT. MONORAIL TRAIN – CONTINUOUS 296
Batman smashes through a side window …
RĀ’S AL GHŪL
You!
INT. CONTROL ROOM, WATER BOARD – CONTINUOUS 297
The Technicians stare at the map: blinking lights reach closer and closer to Wayne Tower …
OLDER TECHNICIAN
Pressure’s building underneath us … we’d better evacuate the building …
YOUNGER TECHNICIAN
Why?
OLDER TECHNICIAN
Because Wayne Tower sits right on the central hub, if that pressure reaches us, the water supply across the whole city will blow.
The Technician, worried, looks at a pressure gauge: the needle is moving steadily higher, towards the red zone.
EXT. STREETS, GOTHAM – CONTINUOUS 298
The Batmobile, racing, sideswipes a row of parked cars …
INT. BATMOBILE – CONTINUOUS 299
Gordon winces. Mouths ‘Sorry’.
INT. MONORAIL TRAIN – CONTINUOUS 300
Rā’s al Ghūl moves back past the emitter, draws his sword from his cane. Batman advances, cloak flapping. The train streaking through the canyons of Gotham …
Rā’s lunges, swinging his sword – Batman parries with his gauntlet, sparks striking off the metal scallops.
INT. CONTROL ROOM, WATER BOARD – CONTINUOUS 301
Alarms: the Technicians watch the blinking lights move close to the hub … the pressure gauge needle tips into the red.
OLDER TECHNICIAN
Everybody out! We’re sitting on the hub – and she’s gonna blow big!!
The Younger Technician looks at the Older Technician. Then grabs his coat.
INT. MONORAIL TRAIN – CONTINUOUS 302
Rā’s swings his cane – Batman traps it in his scallop – twists his arm – sends the cane spinning away.
RĀ’S AL GHŪL
Familiar …
Rā’s thrusts his sword at Batman’s chest, Batman dodges left, ducks at Rā’s, who knees him sideways
Batman regains footing – Rā’s strikes down at his head … Batman crosses his arms, catching the sword in the scallops of both gauntlets, holding fast …
RĀ’S AL GHŪL
Don’t you have anything new?
BATMAN
How about this?
Batman yanks his arms in opposite directions, breaking Rā’s al Ghūl’s sword in two. Rā’s stumbles back – Batman jumps over him to the train control panel – looks ahead to Wayne Tower …
INT. CONTROL ROOM, WATER BOARD, WAYNE TOWER – CONTINUOUS 303
The Older Technician watches the pressure gauge needle slide up through the red. He closes his eyes.
INT. TRAIN – CONTINUOUS 304
Batman reaches for the controls – Rā’s jams his broken sword into the brake. Sparks explode as the train’s brakes die – Rā’s smashes Batman to the ground – Rā’s is choking Batman, thumbs pushed deep into the flesh above Batman’s neckpiece … Batman looks up at Rā’s …
RĀ’S AL GHŪL
Don’t be afraid, Bruce … you hate this city as much as I do, but you’re just an ordinary man in a cape. That’s why you couldn’t fight injustice in this city … and that’s why you can’t stop this train …
BATMAN
Who said anything about stopping it?
EXT. GOTHAM STREET, BELOW MONORAIL SUPPORT – CONTINUOUS 305
A Pedestrian ducks back as the Batmobile smashes into a monorail support. The canopy flies open, ejects Gordon.
PEDESTRIAN
Nice ride, man.
Gordon pulls him away, glances up at the approaching train …
INT. MONORAIL TRAIN – CONTINUOUS 306
Rā’s looks up at the track ahead, confused …
BATMAN
You’ll never learn to mind your surroundings …
EXT. GOTHAM STREET, BELOW MONORAIL SUPPORT – CONTINUOUS 307
Gordon twists the electronic key in two halves. The Batmobile explodes, tearing apart the monorail support …
INT. MONORAIL TRAIN – CONTINUOUS 308
Rā’s sees the track ahead obliterated – looks at his own sword sticking out of the destroyed brake panel …
BATMAN
… as much as your opponent …
Batman smashes his gauntlet across Rā’s al Ghūl’s face – knocking him aside – forcing him to the floor … Batman grabs Rā’s’ hair in one hand, Batarangs clasped in his fist, steel points protruding like claws, poised to strike a killing blow …
Rā’s looks up at him with scorn …
RĀ’S AL GHŪL
Have you finally learned to do what’s necessary?
Batman flings the Batarangs at the front windscreen, shattering it …
BATMAN
I won’t kill you …
Batman pulls a mini-mine from his belt and flings it at the back door, blowing it apart, uncoupling the rear cars. Wind howls, funneled through the train …
BATMAN
But I don’t have to save you …
Batman’s cloak goes rigid – catches the wind – like pulling a ripcord. Batman, yanked from Rā’s al Ghūl’s hands, flies back through the car … And out …
Rā’s looks up to see the exploding monorail tower ahead …
EXT. MONORAIL STATION – CONTINUOUS 309
The train derails … crashing down into Wayne Plaza – digging through the concrete – metal shredding, marble shattering, dust clouds flying, parked cars exploding …
The train has disintegrated into burning rubble just short of the entrance to Wayne Station …
INT. CONTROLS ROOM, WATER BOARD, WAYNE TOWER – CONTINUOUS 310
The Older Technician opens one eye. Then the other. And starts breathing again.
EXT. GOTHAM STREETS NEAR WAYNE PLAZA – CONTINUOUS 311
Gordon lifts his head up to see the massive fiery destruction. And, further up, above it all …
Batman soars in a high bank, riding the thermals, staring down at Rā’s al Ghūl’s funeral pyre …
And we dissolve to –
INT. CORRIDOR, WAYNE ENTERPRISES – DAY 312
Earle strides towards the boardroom, tossing his coat at his Assistant, who cat
ches it, awkward.
ASSISTANT
Ah, Mr. Earle, the meeting’s started –
EARLE
What?
INT. BOARDROOM, WAYNE ENTERPRISES – CONTINUOUS 313
Earle throws open the doors. Fox is standing at the head of the table, holding some paperwork.
EARLE
Fox, what are you doing here? I seem to remember firing you.
FOX
You did, but I found a new job. Yours. (Relish.) Didn’t you get the memo?
Fredericks watches Earle, smiling. Earle’s lips are thin with rage.
EARLE
Whose authority?
Fox leans forward to the intercom.
FOX
Jessica, put Mr. Wayne on the line, please.
Intercut with:
INT. ROLLS ROYCE (PARKED) 314
Alfred leafs through a newspaper. Holds it up to show Wayne.
ALFRED
Batman may have made the front page, but Bruce Wayne got pushed to eight …
Wayne looks at the paper: DRUNKEN BILLIONAIRE BURNS DOWN HOME. Wayne smiles. Shakes his head. The phone rings.
EARLE
(over phone)
What on earth makes you think you have authority to decide who runs this company, Bruce?