I started this thread, so might as well add in some more stuff, of what I think of how this quadrilogy (yes, a quadrilogy- it's not going to be made like I want it anyway, so might as well go out) would work out:
1.
The Caped Crusader: Batman is a relatively new hero in Gotham, only around for perhaps two or three years. The mobsters and common crooks he fought in his earliest days have been replaced by serial killers, technological criminals, madmen and masterminds such as the Joker, the Penguin, the Riddler and the Scarecrow. But now, strange things have begun to happen in Gotham. Public figures have been acting strangely, only to then claim they weren't even there, often giving perfectly good alibis. The media passes it off as a movie stunt or misunderstandings... until one day a well-known actress is found dead and the security cameras clearly show Bruce Wayne killing her. Avoiding arrest, Bruce Wayne begins to investigate, and what he finds is an opponent unlike anything he's ever seen. The thing about
The Caped Crusader is that it both a drastic change from the Nolan movies (it's far more comic-booky and science-fictional then Nolan's films) but also rather down-to-earth, focusing heavily on Batman's detective work. It also keeps Jim Gordon as an extremely important character.
Villain(s): Clayface (Karlo). Firefly appears at the beginning in a action sequence where Batman stops him from burning down Crime Alley for a crooked politician (Leslie Thompkins also appears in this scene). During the end of the movie, as Clayface is brought in to Arkham, there are cameos by Calendar Man (in a reference to his Long Halloween incarnation), Scarecrow (a cell door marked “Dr. J. Crane”
, Zsasz, and the Joker (you can hear his laugh echo through the halls).
Based on: A mix of
Feat of Clay from BTAS and a bit of thematic stuff from
Bruce Wayne: Murderer/Fugitive.
Supporting characters: Alfred, Commissioner Gordon (just recently promoted), DA Harvey Dent, Harvey Bullock, Renee Montoya, Julie Madison (required-by-the-studio love interest, the co-star of the movie that that the actress “Bruce Wayne” killed was in. Could be mentioned she and Bruce used to date or something), Barbara Gordon, Leslie Thompson
Other nods to Batman and DC comics continuity in the film: Batman briefly pays his respects in Crime Alley with Leslie Thompkins after the fight with Firefly. Jim Gordon's wife is named Sarah (basically combining his two canon wives). A psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum at the end of the film is named “Harleen Quinzel”. Harvey Dent's wife is named Gilda. Barbara Gordon has a book or computer by her basically every time she's seen. References are made to Metropolis, Keystone and Coast City. When Wayne Enterprises stock plummets after “Bruce Wayne” is accused of murder, stock symbols for LexCorp, Kord Enterprises and Queen Industries are seen on the bottom. Lucius Fox is mentioned but not seen. When Bruce goes undercover, he goes by Matches Malone. It's mentioned that Scarecrow once tried to gas the city. The Batcave is basically a giant easter-egg hunt with the Scarecrow's mask, Zsasz's knife, Joker's cards, a giant mechanical dinosaur, the Penguin's umbrella, Riddler's cane and, ominously, the original Red Hood's helmet.
2.
The Darknight Detective: It's been a year and a half since
The Caped Crusader, and the amount of supervillain crime in Gotham continues to increase. Many in Gotham are becoming increasingly sure the GCPD, DA Harvey Dent and the so-called “Batman” are ineffective against this new type of crime, and that more deadly alternatives should be considered. The mayor is breathing down Gordon and Dent's neck, and, amidst this, two new figures have come onto the scene. One is a seemingly phantom vigilante, dubbed “The Reaper”, who is doing what Batman refuses to do: killing low-level supervillains and the remaining members of the Falcone crime family. The other is a crook, stealing chemicals and medication from Gotham's most cutting-edge scientific, medical and technological facilities, then leaving without a single trace. Batman, of course, continues do what he always does, and discovers that the Reaper (a woman!) lost her husband and family at the hands of the Falcone family, and that the man who has been stealing the chemicals and medicine is Dr. Victor Fries, trying to cure his wife, who was placed into suspended animation until a cure could be found. Batman arrives at Fries' laboratory just in time to stop the Reaper from killing Fries, but during the battle something goes horribly wrong: the Reaper heads to jail, and Fries becomes... Mr. Freeze! After this, the movie turns into almost two stories, connected by a theme: when do the ends justify the means? Are the actions that the Reaper undertakes justified, perhaps even noble? Are Mr. Freeze's? Are Batman's?
Villain(s): The Reaper (a combination of the Reaper, the Phantasm and all the other deadlier vigilantes) and Mr. Freeze. The Falcone family is an off-screen villainy, especially during the trial of the Reaper. In a interesting twist on the usual origin, Harvey Dent ends up scarred by acid-in-the-face that is meant for the Reaper... he jumps in the way of the assailant (the assassin then just shoots the Reaper). Clayface, Killer Croc, Poison Ivy (“P. Isley” on cell door), and the Ratcatcher appear in Arkham Asylum as Freeze is brought in.
Based on: A mix of
Heart of Ice and
Mask of the Phantasm, along with some bits of
Year One and
The Long Halloween.
Supporting Characters: Alfred, Commissioner Gordon, DA Harvey Dent, Harvey Bullock, Renee Montoya, Barbara Gordon, Vicki Vale (more of an extended cameo), Leslie Thompkins
Other nods to Batman and DC comics continuity in the film: Leslie Thompkins appears on a TV program to voice her support for Batman, stating that if he were to kill, he'd be no worse than the people he would be killing. She then later gives Bruce/Batman a pep-talk. The Bat-Cave has added the Ratcatcher's costume, the Mad Hatter's hat and Ventriloquist's Scarface dummy. There are advertisements around Gotham for Haley's Circus. Harleen Quinzel doesn't appear, but it's mentioned in Arkham near the end (as Fries tells the doctors in Arkham- correctly- that he's not insane and doesn't belong there) that her “great progress with the Joker” is proof of Arkham's reputation for rehabilitation.
3.
The Man who Laughs: Shortly after Harvey Dent was scarred (he remains in the hospital in a coma, it's believed the acid may have damaged part of his brain) and the Reaper murdered, there was a massive breakout at Arkham Asylum. That was two days ago, and several of Gotham's rogues (Joker, Riddler, remain at large, although Arkham itself is now under control. But how the riot started is disturbing: Batman and Gordon discover that Arkham psychiatrist Harleen Quinzel, apparently having fallen in love with him, freed the Joker, who then freed basically everyone else (except for Calendar Man, who he thinks is too lame to let loose, and Mr. Freeze, because he thinks it's funny that Freeze is there in the first place when he's sane). Joker and Quinzel, now going by the name “Harley Quinn” then begin a reign of terror across Gotham City: sniper attacks, laughing gas terrorism, robbery and good-old fashioned murder seem to strike randomly and unhindered. Meanwhile, just outside of town, a low-level criminal named Tony Zucco uses the chaos as a reason to raise the price of “protection” for Haley's Circus. Haley won't pay, and he intends to go through with the week's worth of shows. The city breathes a sigh of relief when the Joker announces he's going to take a few days off, citing an obscure holiday. Bruce doesn't believe it and wants to go out to search for the Joker and Quinn, but Alfred forces him to honor the date he had made to go to the Circus with Vicki Vale. Despite Bruce pointing out that it was going to also include Harvey and Gilda Dent, he reluctantly goes. By the end of the night, another boy sees his family die, Gilda decides to leave Gotham and Harvey forever... and Bruce Wayne finds himself with Richard Grayson in his charge. Now, Batman must stop the Joker without having his new charge discovering his secret.
Villain(s): Joker and Harley Quinn, with various small cameos sprinkled throughout, most notably an extended cameo by the Penguin, who Batman interrogates in the Iceberg Lounge. Tony Zucco is also an antagonist. Near the end, Harvey Dent wakes up, and he is very angry when he is told of what has happened since he was attacked.
Based on: A mix of
Mad Love, the Joker's story in
Gotham Central,
The Man Who Laughs, with bits of
The Laughing Fish,
Five-Way Revenge and
The Killing Joke. Dick Grayson's story borrows from
Dark Victory.
Supporting Characters: Alfred, Dick Grayson, Commissioner Gordon, Harvey Bullock, Renee Montoya, Vicki Vale (studio-required love interest), Barbara Gordon, Leslie Thompkins
Other nods and notes to Batman and DC continuity: Haley's office has an old poster up for a trapeze artist named Boston Brand, as well as another which features a special one-time appearance by the magician Zatara. The Joker breaks the fourth wall on at least one occasion. When Gilda leaves the comatose Dent, she leaves him his lucky coin. Barbara Gordon, after seeing Dick Grayson on TV, tells her father that she thinks he looks kind of cute. Haley's Circus' next stop is Bludhaven. The Joker claims to have been the Red Hood, but then claims to have been a mob boss, then claims to have been a stand-up comedian, before finally saying he prefers multiple choice. Leslie Thompkins visits Wayne Manor to speak with Dick Grayson about his loss. At the end of the film, Dick Grayson finds the Bat-Cave (which has had the Reaper's scythe and one of Mr. Freeze's guns added to the trophy collection).
4.
The Dynamic Duo: The Joker's rampage has been stopped, but Batman's problems aren't done. Dick Grayson has discovered his secret and wants in, and Harvey Dent, now scarred, has decided to let his fate and decisions be left to chance. And the coin is telling him to hurt people and do horrible things. Harvey Dent no longer truly exists like he once was, he is now Two-Face. Using some of the knowledge he had from his days as DA, Two-Face has swiftly and brutally united the remnants of Gotham's crime families, including the Zucco gang. Batman needs to stop him, Grayson wants to join him. And thus begins the end of Batman's career... and the start of the career of Batman and Robin!
Villain(s): Two-Face, with Zucco also being featured prominently. The Riddler appears at the end, having used the chaos to kidnap Barbara Gordon to be used in a deadly puzzle he wants Batman to do. He doesn't know what hits him. Joker makes a cameo near the beginning as he mocks Batman in Arkham about what happened to Dent, and the Penguin reprises his informer role.
Based on:
Robin: Year One,
Dark Victory,
Long Halloween and DCAU episodes about Robin and Two-Face.
Supporting Characters: Alfred, Dick Grayson (by the end he's Robin), Commissioner Gordon, Harvey Bullock, Renee Montoya, Vicki Vale (studio-required love interest, although it's more like an extended cameo), Barbara Gordon, Leslie Thompkins
Other Nods and notes to Batman and DC continuity: Vicki Vale breaks up with Bruce very early on, stating that she can't be so close to the story (after all, a billionaire taking in an orphan is a big story). Batman stops at Leslie Thompkins' clinic after receiving an injury fighting Two-Face's gang alone (one of the guys scored a lucky shot). One of the names that Dick Grayson considers for a superhero name is “The Teen Titan” (then Alfred points out it doesn't exactly roll off the tongue quickly). After Batman and Robin save Barbara Gordon, Robin tosses Barbara a batarang as a souvenir, she looks at it and gives a bit of a “maybe one day...” smile.
Anybody who wants to know more about some of this stuff, just ask. I mean, it's not like it'd actually happen.
