HERE ARE THE FIRST 16 PAGES all in one spot:
DARK JUSTICE
(working title)
Story by: Robin91939
Screenplay by: Robin91939
BRUCE (vo)
I never chose this life. I never wanted it. I had a life. But it was taken. It still feels like a dream, a dream that took all of my dreams.
Sometimes I dream
sometimes. Sometimes theyre good dreams, most of the time it's only the bad one. It's always the same dream. We walked down that alley, that never ending alley. He stepped out of the shadows, the same ones I use today. Then the gun fired twice, they fell almost as if it was in slow motion; they fell to the ground. He starred at me with this look of fear in his eyes; he was scared, scared of MY eyes. He ran and left me there in the cold. Alone in the eternal loneliness that I will never escape. Then, other nights, there is the good dream. The good dream is when he fires three times, and we are together.
ALFRED
Master Bruce
BRUCE
Yes.
ALFRED
I hope that I am not interrupting sir, but there is a situation.
BRUCE
No; not interrupting anything.
BRUCE (V.O)
This is my life
my nightmare
I didnt choose it
it chose me.
BRUCE
I should get to work
-Opening Credits-
BATMAN:
DARK JUSTICE
EXT. Docks. NIGHT.
Outside of a huge warehouse on the docks by the river,
a large cargo ship pulls into the docks. It stops and after
EXT. Docks. NIGHT. (contd)
a few minutes of preparations, men are unloading wooden box crates of the ship. In the distance a large shadow is seen. The men are hauling the remaining boxes onto three eighteen wheel trucks.
MAIN THUG
I want those crates unloaded
And on the trucks in
half an hour!
There are grunts and mutters by the other workers as the look up at the large clock that reads quarter past 3 a.m.
The men pull a large crate off the boat with a fork lift, as two others carry a smaller one to the truck. One of the two thugs loses his handle on the box and it slips to the ground, the lid cracks off, as the contents fall out. An assortment of rifles and handguns
EXT. ROOFTOP. NIGHT
BATMAN
As suspected.
The BATMAN sits atop a nearby ware house roof, with night vision binoculars, crouched down on the edge, with his cape billowing in the wind.
BATMAN (contd) [angrily]
Its time.
EXT. DOCKS. NIGHT.
MAIN THUG
Hey, pick those up, Mista ZUCCO will not want the merchandise if it is damaged. NOW PICK UP THOSE DAMNED-
The MAIN THUGs sentence is cut off by a piercing, shooting pain, in his shoulder. We see that it is a small BATARANG.
MAIN THUG (contd)
What the hell-?
He looks around at the back of his shoulder, and sees the
EXT. DOCKS. NIGHT. (contd)
small BATARANG. Within seconds the shadow of a bat covers the area, and swallows up thug after thug. The MAIN THUG begins to run, banging on the doors of an eighteen wheeler.
MAIN THUG (contd)
Get those trucks outta here!
THUG DRIVER
Right, boss.
The MAIN THUG stops and starts to run around the avenue, and down into a dark alley. He walks, back peddling, with his pistol drawn, breathing deep.
EXT. ALLYWAY. NIGHT.
MAIN THUG (panting)
Alright, Monster, show yourself. SHOW YOURSELF!
The MAIN THUG begins to stammer out of the alleyway. Then he hears a noise, behind him. He turns, and is so startled he fires a round, but nothing is there.
MAIN THUG (to himself)
Get a grip, Tommy. He went after the truck.
After assuring himself that it is safe he begins to turn to leave the alley, he turns right into the demon of the night.
MAIN THUG/ TOMMY (shocked)
Holy ****!
BATMAN grabs the thug by his throat.
BATMAN (mater of fact)
Lets talk.
The MAIN THUG drops his gun to the pavement. The BATMAN lifts the man off of his feet.
BATMAN
Whos your boss?
EXT. ALLYWAY. NIGHT. (contd)
TOMMY
I dont know. I get my instructions by phone.
BATMAN
Well, who do you take the orders from?
TOMMY
I dont know. I never met him.
The BATMAN takes out a small, folded BATARANG from his belt. He holds it up, the BATARANG pops open with a SHNKIT.
TOMMY (contd)
Okay, okay, Ill talk. His name is Zucco, Tony Zucco. Im not even sure if he is the head guy. But the guys got connections. If any ****s goin down, thats who you wanna talk to. He knows it all.
BATMAN
Zucco
TOMMY
Yeah, a real *******, arrogant, used to be an insurance salesmen. Then he got busted for fraud.
BATMAN
Thats all Ill need.
TOMMY
Youre gonna let me go?
BATMAN (almost smirks)
No.
BATMAN throws him against a wall into a pile of black garbage bags and trash cans. A small silver cell phone falls out into the alley. BATMAN, kneels down cuffs up the hoodlum, and grabs the cell phone, places it into a compartment of his Belt. He reaches around his back, and grabs his grapple launcher from the back of his belt. Aims the launcher up, and fires. The hook catches, and BATMAN rigs the D CEL cable to his belt, and presses a button on his belt. The wire begins to retract and it propels BATMAN skyward onto a 20th story fire escape.
EXT. ALLYWAY. NIGHT. (contd)
Then, presses a small button on his belt and a subtle beep is heard.
BATMAN touches his temple and activates his radio receiver.
BATMAN
Alfred.?
ALFRED (over headset)
Here sir. I trust everything went accordingly.
BATMAN
You could say that. I have a lead. Apparently a TONY ZUCCO had a hand in this. One of his thugs gave me his name.
BATMAN searches numbers on the cellphone.
BATMAN (contd)
I have a business number for a STROMWELL FINANCIAL. Im going to need an address.
INT. BATCAVE. NIGHT.
ALFRED stands next to a large table. On the table is a laptop computer along with a desktop computer, and several other monitors and speakers. A wire connects a headset to the desktop computer. ALFRED wears the headset, and types into the main computer, STROMWELL FINANCIAL. An address appears, Stromwell Financial Group
ALFRED
I have the listing.
BATMAN (over headset)
Im listening.
ALFRED
It is on the on the corner of Dini and 5th. Should I call Lucious and tell him you wont be at the share holders meeting tomorrow morning?
EXT. FIREESCAPE. NIGHT.
BATMAN
Yes, tell FOX I have an early Tee time- BATMAN out.
BATMAN walks to the rail of the platform, surveys the city, and looks up a large clock tower. The tower reads roughly 20 past 4 a.m.
EXT. BUILDING ROOFTOP. NIGHT.
BATMAN walks across the rooftop, and makes his way to the roof access door, it is locked. He pulls out a small lock pick device and opens the lock and enters the building.
INT. BUILDING. NIGHT.
BATMAN continues down the long stairwells -empty- not a sound. He jumps over the railing and glides down the remaining flight. He lands like a gymnast, and arises slowly and continues down the corridor.
INT. HALLWAY. NIGHT (continuous)
BATMAN walks down the empty hall- when suddenly a light is seen and footsteps break the silence. These footsteps are heavy and not of a trained fighter- BATMAN moves fast.
GUARD
Whos there? (pauses) Mr. Zucco
Is that you? Mr. STROMWELL?
BATMAN (mumbles to self)
Zucco
The GUARD shines his light around the room back and forth nothing, and then as he turns the corner in the hallway the light catches something- BATMAN.
GUARD
Who the-??
BATMAN
GUARD
What the hell are you?
INT. HALLWAY. NIGHT (contd)
BATMAN (walks closer)
.
GUARD
Hel
-
BATMANs large hand covers the GUARDs mouth and he goes silent. Moments later the man is cuffed.
BATMAN
Wheres Zucco
GUARD
Who?
BATMAN
Cute
The BATMAN takes out a BATARANG.
BATMAN (contd)
Well do it my way then.
BATMAN starts to trace a line around the guards cheek with the razor sharp bat- not yet breaking the skin.
GUARD
Okay
okay.
BATMAN
Wheres Zucco?!
GUARD
Who?
BATMAN applies pressure to the bat, piercing the skin.
GUARD (contd)
Hes this GUY! Acts real tough thinks hes hard or something.
BATMAN
Where can I find him?!
INT. HALLWAYS. NIGHT. (contd)
GUARD
The a
the Iceberg. Its a lounge. Zucco works with for the owner, I dont know his name.
BATMAN
Thanks.
GUARD
BATMAN throws an elbow to the face of the GUARD. Who falls to the ground. He hears a sound, looks away from the incapacitated GUARD and to the end of the hallway. The shine of a flashlight begins to bend around the corner. Batman fades into the shadows, as the SECOND Guard walks around the corner.
EXT. ROOFTOP. NIGHT.
BATMAN kneels over a skylight, looking down at the SECOND GUARD who discovers the incapacitated GUARD. BATMAN turns, and runs towards the edge of the roof and leaps, he falls into the abyss, then sticks his gloved hands into the pockets of his cape, the electrical current surges through the memory fabric as the cape goes rigid. BATMAN then glides out of sight.
INT. BATCAVE. DAWN.
The TUMBLER roars into the BATCAVE, through the waterfall entrance, causing a huge splash. The cockpit door opens and reveals BATMAN. He jumps out, and walks over to the computer desk. There is a digital clock that reads, 5:47 a.m. Next to the computer monitor is a bowl of soup with a post-it next to it.
Master Bruce, apologize if its cold.
He takes off his cowl. There is still black eye makeup around his eyelids.
INT. WAYNE MANOR STUDY. DAWN.
A grandfather clock swings open and reveals BRUCE WAYNE.
INT. WAYNE MANOR STUDY. DAWN. (contd)
He walks across the oriental area rug wearing only pajama
pants. He passes a large fireplace. Above the mantel is a large portrait of his parents.
[FLASH]
EXT. CIRCUS TENT. DAY.
The sun is shining and the sky is clear. We see a family walking towards the big top. MARTHA and THOMAS WAYNE hold their son BRUCEs hand as they walk towards the tent. A large banner reads. HALYS CIRCUS: THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH, BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE WAYNE FOUNDATION. The young boy looks up to his parents and smiles. They pass by a large poster that shows a picture of two young acrobats, one man and one woman wearing bright red and green costumes. The poster reads THE FLYING GRAYSONS.
[FLASH]
INT. WAYNE MANOR STUDY. DAWN. (contd)
He looks at it and smiles for a second at the memory. Then he sees his own reflection in the portrait and notices the black eye make-up. A scowl re-covers his face, and he wipes it off, along with a tear, and walks away.
EXT. GOTHAM. NIGHT.
The dark sky is disrupted by the shine of the BATSIGNAL. The beam of light comes from the top of the GOTHAM CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT. Standing on the roof is COMMISSIONER JAMES GORDON. He stands there in the silence.
EXT. GOTHAM PD ROOFTOP. NIGHT.
BATMAN
Commissioner?
BATMAN apparently sneaks up behind the commissioner, startling him.
GORDON
Do you have to do that?
EXT. GOTHAM PD ROOFTOP. NIGHT. (contd)
BATMAN
Well?
GORDON
We discovered who was behind that contraband you disrupted last night.
BATMAN
Who?
GORDON
Our investigation has pointed us to an ANTHONY ZUCCO.
BATMAN
Mine also.
GORDON
Oh?
BATMAN
Yes, I...a... chatted with a few of the right people. They all pointed me towards the ICEBURGE lounge.
GORDON
COBBLEPOTs place.
BATMAN
COBBLEPOT?
GORDON
Yeah, OSWALD COBBLEPOT. Hes a very odd character. Runs a nice place though, I took my niece there for her 8th birthday.
BATMAN (to self)
Eight years old
[FLASH]
EXT. ALLEYWAY. NIGHT.
The fog is thick outside the opera house, as the WAYNE family walks down the alley. They are approached by a man with a gun. The rest is so fast it is a blur two shots are fired, both parents fall.
[FLASH]
EXT. GOTHAM PD ROOFTOP. NIGHT.
GORDON
Whats that?
BATMAN
Nothing. Ill get on it. Word is this ZUCCO works for COBBLEPOT. I talk to COBBLEPOT, I find ZUCCO.
GORDON looks away for a second, removes his glasses and wipes his eyes.
GORDON
The ICEBURGE closes at
GORDON looks up. Nobody is there on the roof but him.
GORDON (contd/smiles)
Every time.
INT. ICEBURGE BACK OFFICE. NIGHT.
OSWALD COBBLEPOT, a portly little man, all or 5 and a half feet, stands behind his desk, wearing what appears to be a 500 dollar tuxedo. In his right hand, a martini with an olive floating in it, in the left, He props himself up with an umbrella, holding it like a cane. On the other side of the desk is another man, TONY ZUCCO. Zucco is a sharp dresser and is wearing a brown sports coat with alligator skin shoes. The room is dark, with the only light coming from the antique lamp that sits on the large mahogany desk. A third man in the room, RAMON SINOSIS, stands in the shadows, behind the desk next to his employer COBBLEPOT.
COBBLEPOT
What went wrong, ZUCCO, and keep it short, I have a business to run here.
ZUCCO
The
a
Batman. He showed up. I wasnt there to supervise. But my boys tell me that the Bat showed up.
COBBLEPOT
I see, how much of the shipment made it to the stockhouses?
INT. ICEBURGE BACK OFFICE. NIGHT.
ZUCCO
Almost all of it.
COBBLEPOT
What are our losses?
ZUCCO
A couple grand, but Mista COBBLEPOT we can-
COBBLEPOT (cuts in)
A COULE THOUSAND! Do you know why I was able to come to Gotham and take over this town?
ZUCCO
COBBLEPOT (contd)
Because I dont make bad investments. And I dont involve myself with those who are not competent to get the job done, like the FALCONES, the VITTIS or the MARONIS did. I keep things quiet, the last thing we need is you faltering my shipments, and getting the BATMAN involved.
ZUCCO
It wont happen again Mista COBBLEPOT.
COBBLEPOT
See to it that it doesnt. You know how I greet failure here Mr. ZUCCO. I am trying to run a business here and you are destroying it. We cant use the harbor any more to smuggle the arms. BATMAN knows too much. We have to find another way.
ZUCCO
I think I have an answer. I made a few contacts when I was doing that insurance **** with my uncle. I think I have a way to transport the guns.
COBBLEPOT pulls his desk chair out and sits in the swivel chair. He grabs a black cigarette holder out of his inner coat pocket, and a lighter. He places a cigarette from the box on his desk into the holder and lights it, takes a puff, exhales.
INT. ICEBURGE BACK OFFICE. NIGHT. (contd)
COBBLEPOT
Im listening.
ZUCCO
Alright, there was this one client I had. HARRY HALY, owned a traveling circus. Very old-school guy, they come through GOTHAM every few months or so. We can place our stuff on the rigs and transport it from city to city.
COBBLEPOT
Hmmm
I do like that idea, it would open our market up to new buyers. However, how will you get him to allow the contraband on the rig?
ZUCCO
Insurance.
COBBLEPOT
I beg your pardon?
ZUCCO
Ill show him how useful his insurance can be, if there were say
an accident. I can be very persuasive Mista COBBLEPOT.
COBBLEPOT
Call me on the private line. RAMON, escort MR. ZUCCO to the back entrance.
RAMON
Yes, sir.
RAMON steps out of the shadows and is wearing a grey and black pinstripe suit, and a black fedora. His face is concealed by an ebony mask, carved of wood. He walks over to ZUCCO, and escorts him out.
Alone in the office, COBBLEPOT stands and begins to walk out. A shadow blocks the door. The shadow is the BATMAN.
BATMAN
COBBLEPOT.
INT. ICEBURGE BACK OFFICE. NIGHT. (contd)
COBBLEPOT sees the black figure as it steps into the dim light. He gasps, and lets out a little squawk like gasp. He drops his martini glass and it cracks as it hits the wooden floor.
COBBLEPOT
Ah, BATMAN. So the Legends are true.
BATMAN
Cut the crap COBBLEPOT, whats youre connection to TONY ZUCCO?
COBBLEPOT
ZUCCO? He is quite the scoundrel. The only pretense for his employment is that his uncle is my lounges biggest patron.
BATMAN
ZUCCO is connected to a smuggling ring, and to you.
COBBLEPOT
I know nothing of the sort. He is an errand boy. His uncle asked me to keep him out of trouble due to the fraud investigation he was under at his uncles company.
BATMAN
What kind of errands.
COBBLEPOT
Look, as much as I enjoy entertaining guests, Id advice you to see yourself out. I have a business to tend to.
COBBLEPOT turns to the door and turns the handle, turns back and sees that the BATMAN is gone. COBBLEPOT walks out into the plush nightclub/restaurant.
EXT. CIRCUS GROUNDS. NIGHT.
Two men, HARRISON HALY and TONY ZUCCO walk across the empty fair grounds. A dry wind rolls over the cool AUGUST night and GOTHAM skyline is seen in the distance. They walk as ZUCCO puts his arm around HALY like a crooked car salesman selling a heap out of a chop shop.
EXT. CIRCUS. NIGHT. (contd)
ZUCCO
Common HARRY, its not like Im askin you to change the name to the ZUCCO circus.
HALY
But
ZUCCO
You got some nice trucks, I got a LOT of nice trucks.
HALY
But
ZUCCO
You get to cross state lines every which way, cause like I said, EVERYBODY loves the circus.
HALY
But
ZUCCO
HARRY, you worry too much. I have stuff that has GOTTA get across those lines.
The two men walk by a big billboard. HALY CIRCUS PRESENTS, THE FLYING GRAYSONS. A mother and father standing next to their son, all wearing bright red and yellow acrobat costumes.
ZUCCO (looks at the billboard)
The FLYIN GRAYSONS. SO thats you star attraction huh? Be a shame if anything happened to them, ya know? I mean Id hate for you to have to use uncle Stromwells insurance. With them being way up there, and the ground way down here.
HALY
But
ZUCCO
I know youll do the right thing HARRY.
The tow men walk away. A child, the one from the BILLBOARD about 15 steps out of the shadows from behind the billboard.
-R
!
