Batman and Robin

 

 

Screenplay by                     Akiva Goldsman

 

Produced by                       Peter MacGregor-Scott

 

Directed by                        Joel Schumacher

 

 

 

Cast List:

 

George Clooney                        Batman / Bruce Wayne

Chris O'Donnell                        Robin / Dick Grayson

Arnold Schwarzenegger              Mr. Freeze / Dr. Victor Fries

Uma Thurman                  Poison Ivy / Dr. Pamela Isley

Alicia Silverstone              Batgirl / Barbara Wilson

Michael Gough                          Alfred Pennyworth

Pat Hingle                       Commissioner Gordon

Elle MacPherson               Julie Madison

John Glover                     Dr. Jason Woodrue

 

 

 

 

INT. BATCAVE – BATMAN'S COSTUME VAULT

 

Chrome and shadow. A black gauntlet SNAPS into place. A cape WHIPS over a dark rubber back.

 

A bat-shaped buckle LOCKS.

 

 

INT. BATCAVE  ROBIN'S COSTUME VAULT – INTERCUT

 

A silver throwing-bird is chosen from a weapon's array. Gloved hands lift a black eye mask. Tunic armor CLICKS shut, turning to reveal the chest-borne insignia of a Robin.

 

 

INT. BATCAVE

 

BATMAN – CLOSE

 

Emerges from his costume vault.

 

 

WIDER

 

Deeper excavation has doubled the size of the cavern.

 

New state-of-the-art computing systems flash. Surveillance screens monitor news and police FREQUENCIES. Crime's worst nightmare.

 

Batman strides towards the rising steam-obscured pedestal which bears the sleek, redesigned Batmobile.

 

ROBIN appears in the door of his costume vault, dressed in the black and red of his Nightwing costume.

 

Two dark avengers stand suited, ready to take back the night.

 

BATMAN

Nice suit. And today you are?

 

ROBIN

Nightwing. Scourge of darkest evil.

 

BATMAN

This is all about fashion for you, isn't it?

 

ROBIN

It's the gear. Chicks love the gear.

 

ALFRED steps forward, out of the shadows.

 

ALFRED

Do call if you're going to be late for dinner, sir.

 

 

TURBOS – CLOSE

 

ROAR. The Batmobile SHOOTS away through the arches of the cave access tunnel.

 

The compass to of the Batmobile service pedestal splits wide like the opening petals of a flower, revealing a sleek, turbo-charged motorcycle meet Robin's bike: The Redbird.

 

ALFRED

Drive carefully, Master Wing.

 

ROBIN

Don't wait up, Al.

 

 

THE REDBIRD'S TURBO – CLOSE

 

EXPLODES into life.

 

The powerful bike SHOOTS after the Batmobile.

 

Alfred watches them go.

 

Then, he relaxes, lets his weight fall against the main console, a man not as well as he seems.

 

 

INT. BATCAVE ACCESS TUNNEL – BATMOBILE – MOVING

 

Batman is behind the wheel, Robin visible through the window.

 

BATMAN

Ten police cruisers frozen solid on the Gotham Expressway...

 

 

INT. BATCAVE ACCESS TUNNEL – REDBIRD – MOVING

 

Robin is on his bike, data scrolling on his console monitor.

 

ROBIN

... A giant drilling truck burrowing under the city ...

 

BATMAN

Mr. Freeze.

 

ROBIN

The batcomputer tracks him heading for the Gotham Museum.

 

BATMAN

The new antiquities exhibit. The Second Sun of the Sudan.

 

ROBIN

Of course. He's going to steal the giant white diamond.

 

BATMAN

No, Robin. He's going to jail.

 

 

BATMAN'S MONITOR – CLOSE – THE GOTHAM MUSEUM

 

PUSH IN:

 

 

EXT. GOTHAM MUSEUM – NIGHT

 

A stone and glass palace set on the edge of Gotham's Central Park.

 

 

INT. GOTHAM MUSEUM – NIGHT

 

A GIANT DRILLING TRUCK points up through the rubble of the shattered museum floor.

 

 

WIDER

 

A great hall bearing the skeleton of a mighty brontosaur amongst a myriad of other exotic antiquities. All frozen.

 

HOLD on a GIANT DIAMOND CASE

 

The case begins to glow blue, then white, the shatterproof glass EXPLODING into a thousand flying fragments.

 

RACK IN through the storm of ice and glass, ACROSS the frozen floor, PAST exhibits of Aztec ruins peppered now with three FROZEN GUARDS, UP stone steps of a pyramid altar TO REVEAL...

 

... A silver suited figure stands, bald head visible beneath a helmet, A high-tech bazooka in his hand. MR. FREEZE.

 

FREEZE

The Iceman Cometh.

 

 

WIDER

 

A gang of Thugs in thermal suits, THE ICEMEN, skate to the base of the steps. Two hold a MOANING, shivering GUARD captive.

 

GUARD

Please. Show some mercy.

 

Freeze begins down the altar steps. A SHIMMERING, TERRIFYING GOD.

 

FREEZE

I'm afraid my condition has left me cold to your pleas of mercy.

 

Freeze FIRES his weapon, the beam of cryonic energy engulfing the Guard, turning him to ice.

 

FREEZE

(knocks on the guard's cheek)

Copsicle.

 

Freeze closes, now, on the shattered case.

 

FREEZE

In this universe, there is only one absolute. Everything...

 

Freeze swipes away the shattered glass and steel, from the debris lifts a tremendous diamond.

 

FREEZE

... Freezes.

 

Freeze holds the diamond high over his head, the light hitting the gem like a star.

 

 

THE SKYLIGHT – CLOSE

 

EXPLODES.

 

Batman free-falls into the room, hitting the brontosaurus and sliding down its neck, SMASHING Freeze with his feet, the diamond sliding across the frozen floor.

 

FREEZE

(aiming his pistol)

Bat on ice, anyone?

 

Batman KICKS the pistol high in the air, catches it.

 

BATMAN

Didn't your mother ever tell you not to play with guns?

 

Freeze cartwheels across the room, kicking the gun away from Batman, catching it in mid air.

 

FREEZE

You're not sending me to the cooler.

 

Freeze FIRES. Batman dodges the blast. Freeze takes aim again.

 

 

THE FRONT DOORS – CLOSE

 

BLOW OPEN.

 

Robin, on the Redbird, flies into the room.

 

Batman uses the distraction, flying-kicks the gun into the air.

 

Robin soars over Freeze’s head, kicks the airborne gun to the altar atop the giant pyramid.

 

ROBIN

Score. And the crowd goes wild.

 

Robin lands, laying his bike sideways in a slide, KNOCKING a precious vase into mid air. he grabs a statue, using it to whip around in a dismount.

 

Batman catches the falling vase, replaces it, as Robin skates beside him. The two heroes race for Freeze.

 

FREEZE

Grab the gem. Kill the heroes.

 

MORE INCEMEN in hockey masks, sticks in hand, rush the caped crusaders from both sides.

 

ROBIN

It's the hockey team from hell.

 

Freeze is racing towards the altar and his fallen gun. SIX GUARDS rush in through a side door and swarm the unarmed Freeze. Mistake.

 

Freeze begins wailing on the Guards. It's a straight display of fisticuffs executed with unbelievable speed and precision, hooks, jabs, upper and lower cuts all perfectly delivered, felling the assault force.

 

FREEZE

Cop-suey.

 

He begins racing again for his gun.

 

Batman and Robin begin a martial arts extrordinaire, blocking stick blows, punching and kicking the Icemen.

 

THE GEM lays on the ice behind the wall of advancing ICEMEN.

 

Batman and Robin grab two assailants, slipping between their legs, skates popping out of their boots, as they snatch the Icemen's sticks and trip the villains.

 

Freeze has made it to his gun. He turns, FIRES, creating an ice bridge to the floor.

 

FREEZE

Caution. Bridge may ice over.

 

He slides down the ice bridge to the floor below. Starts racing for his giant drilling truck.

 

Batman begins skating towards Freeze.

 

BATMAN

You get the ice. I'll get the iceman.

 

Robin skates through the Thugs, double sticking, CHECKING them wildly into the boards, reaches  down and scoops up the diamond.

 

ROBIN

Sweet.

 

Freeze is racing towards his truck, Batman closing fast behind him. Freeze spins and FIRES.

 

Batman ducks, using his cape as an ice shield, deflecting the beam into a closing Iceman behind him, freezing the villain solid.

 

Freeze disappears behind the giant brontosaurus.

 

Robin skates into line with Batman, both heading fast for Freeze.

 

ROBIN

(shows the diamond)

I got mine. Where's yours?

 

Freeze FIRES his gun.

 

Freezing the legs of the mighty Brontosaur.

 

FREEZE

What killed the dinosaurs? The ice age.

 

Freeze pushes on the belly of the beast, the mighty creature toppling forward, EXPLODING in front of Batman and Robin.

 

ROBIN

He's definitely extinct.

 

Batman and Robin skate fast to avoid the debris.

 

An ICEMAN flies in from the side, hitting Robin's hand, sending the gem flying free.

 

ANOTHER ICEMAN skates to the gem, HITTING it with his stick, sending the diamond flying up onto the landing by the front doors.

 

Freeze has made it to his truck, is climbing towards the hatch.

 

The Icemen are a rushing wall between the caped crusaders and the gem. Batman and Robin skate toward the villains, pulling flagpoles from a display as if they are about to joust the Icemen.

 

At the last second, Batman and Robin drive their poles into the ice, vaulting over the heads of the Icemen towards the landing and the waiting gem above.

 

Freeze has climbed to the hatch of his vehicle.

 

FREEZE

Hit me boys.

 

Batman and Robin land on the landing inches from the gem. An Iceman skates from the wings, with a SLAPSHOT, sends the diamond flying.

 

 

FREEZE'S GLOVE – CLOSE

 

The diamond HITS. A perfect catch.

 

FREEZE

Thanks for playing.

 

Freeze drops into the cab of his giant drilling truck. The hatch starts to slide closed.

 

BATMAN

Round up the thugs. I'll get Freeze.

 

Batman leaps onto the banister, slides standing down the rail and jumps, dropping into the closing hatch after Freeze.

 

 

INT. DRILLING TRUCK – CONTROL CAPSULE

 

A bank of control panels are set inside the giant glass head of the drill. Batman falls in to find Freeze standing at the main console.

 

BATMAN

Stop the insanity.

 

FREEZE

Nice of you to drop in.

 

Freeze hits a button. A tremendous ROAR.

 

 

INT. MUSEUM

 

The capsule, set on the end of an ejection cylinder, BLASTS out of the drilling truck, rising like a rocket towards the roof.

 

Robin jumps on another banister, slides down, grabs a banner and swings himself onto the side of the cylinder, clutching a porthole ledge and hanging fast.

 

 

EXT. GOTHAM MUSEUM

 

The capsule BLOWS through the top of the museum, ROCKETING towards the starry night sky above.

 

 

ZOOM IN

 

Robin clings to the side of the rocket for dear life.

 

 

INT. CAPSULE

 

Batman is thrown to the floor by the powerful acceleration. Freeze stays upright, protected by his mighty suit.

 

BATMAN

You were a great scientist once. Don't squander your genius on evil.

 

FREEZE

I hate being lectured.

 

Freeze throws Batman, hard, into the bulkhead, uses his pistol, to Freeze Batman's ankles and wrists to the wall in chunks of ice.

 

FREEZE

Watch the numbers, Batman. For they are the harbingers of your doom.

 

 

ALTIMETER CLOSE

 

10,000 feet and climbing fast.

 

FREEZE

Can you feel it coming? The icy cold of space. At 30,000 feet your heart will freeze and beat no more.

 

 

THE ALTIMETER CLOSE

 

15,000 feet and rising.

 

 

EXT. CAPSULE

 

Robin has climbed onto the nose-cone. Is struggling against the acceleration, using bat-magnets to crawl towards the escape hatch.

 

 

INT. CAPSULE

 

Freeze steps into a glide-wing backpack mounted on the wall.

 

FREEZE

After you have frozen, your icy tomb will plummet back to Gotham.

 

BATMAN

Freeze, you're mad. This capsule will slaughter thousands.

 

Freeze releases the door behind him, the sky WHIPPING past beyond.

 

FREEZE

Ain't it grand? Freeze well.

 

Freeze leaps out into the night.

 

 

EXT. NIGHT SKY

 

Freeze begins to plummet towards the lights of Gotham below.

 

 

FREEZE'S BACKPACK – CLOSE

 

A sleek wing extends from its housing. Freeze angles himself downward in mid air, using his glide wing to control his fast flight towards the distant city.

 

 

INT. CAPSULE

 

The controls, the glass nose-cone, the capsule itself are all frosting over. The hatch opens. Robin drops in.

 

ROBIN

I was just hanging around.

 

BATMAN

I thought you were going to stay in the museum and round up the thugs.

 

ROBIN

How about, nice to see you? Glad you're here to save my life.

 

Robin pulls a laser from his utility belt, FLASH MELTS one of his ice-shackles.

 

BATMAN

When we get home, we're having a little communication workshop.

 

Robin FLASH METLS the other ice gauntlet. Batman is free.

 

ROBIN

Is it cold in here or is it just me?

 

 

ALTIMETER – CLOSE

 

20,000 and rising. Ice is forming everywhere.

 

BATMAN

Got to make sure this rocket doesn't turn Gotham into a crater.

 

Batman whips a bat-shaped charge, throws it onto the ceiling. An armed light on the charge flashes green.

 

ROBIN

Now what? We call a taxi?

 

Batman grabs a handle marked "CAUTION: EXPLOSIVE BOLTS". Robin smiles, grabs a similar handle on the opposing metal door.

 

BATMAN

Watch the first step.

 

ROBIN

Surf's up.