Batman Returns was the second (and last) Batman movie directed by Tim Burton. It was released on June 19, 1992 worldwide to critical and financial success although a backlash criticized the movie's dark and mature undertones.

Release Dates

Plot
A couple throws their child into the sewers because he is deformed. 33 years later, the child becomes the supervillain, Penguin. He kidnaps businessman Max Shreck, blackmailing him into helping him become a citizen of Gotham City using evidence of his corporate crimes. Meanwhile, Max finds out his secretary, Selina Kyle, has found out he is planning to build a power plant which will drain Gotham City of its electricity. Max pushes her out of a window, ensuring that she will not tell anyone. However, a flock of alley cats lick her semi-corpse, reviving her. She returns home, suffering a mental breakdown, becoming the supervillain, Catwoman.

Penguin makes one of his costumed henchman to kidnap the mayor's baby while he "saves" him, becoming a hero in the eyes of the people however, billionaire Bruce Wayne is suspicious of the Penguin and finds out that he is the leader of the Red Triangle Circus Gang who commits crimes throughout Gotham. As Batman, Bruce decides to protect Gotham from the gang. After Penguin finds out his parents are dead and his name is Oswald Cobblepot, Max decides to make Penguin the mayor of Gotham City because the current mayor will not approve Max's power plant.

To do this, Penguin makes the Red Triangle Circus Gang create a riot, making the people lose all faith in the mayor but Batman stops it. During the riot, Catwoman vandalizes Shreck's Department Store. When Batman and Penguin confront each other, she intervenes, saying "Meow" before the store blows up(she rigged it to blow). Penguin escapes but Catwoman fights Batman. Batman pushes her off a rooftop but a sandbox on a truck saves her. The next day, Penguin and Catwoman work together to destroy Batman. Bruce and Selina also have a romantic relationship. Penguin and Catwoman kidnap the Ice Princess, an actress chosen to turn on the Gotham City Christmas Tree Lights, framing Batman for it. Batman finds her but Catwoman takes her to a rooftop where Penguin releases a swarm of flying bats which make the Princess retreat backwards, falling off, making the people believe Batman killed her. Catwoman rejects Penguin's advances, prompting him to kill her, unsuccessfully though. Batman enters the Batmobile and finds out that Penguin has control over it. Penguin takes it on a devastating rampage but Batman regains control over it, escaping death.

During the rampage, Batman recorded Penguin's evil plans and plays it during Penguin's election speech, turning the people against him. Penguin goes mad with rage and kidnaps all the first-born sons of Gotham City and Max too. Batman saves all the babies and pushes Penguin into toxic liquid. Catwoman tries to kill Max but Batman stops her. Max shoots Batman, knocking him out and Catwoman claims that she has six of her nine lives left but Max shoots her four times, leaving her with two lives. Catwoman kisses Max with an electrical taser between their lips and connects it to a broken wire, creating an explosion which kills Max but Batman cannot find Selina's corpse. Penguin emerges from the water but the heat kills him.

Afterwards, Alfred, Bruce's butler, drives Bruce home. Suddenly, Bruce spots Selina's shadow in an alley. He investigates the area, only finding her black cat, Miss Kitty, taking her with him. He and Alfred exchange Christmas wishes. Finally, Batsignal lights up in the night sky and Catwoman rises up, staring at it, confirming that she is alive.

Production
Tim Burton was not willing to direct a second Batman. However, when the studio told him if it was a Burton movie, not a Batman movie, it got his attention and he agreed to direct it. They cast Michael Keaton as Batman, Danny DeVito as Penguin and Annette Bening as Catwoman. However, Bening dropped out due to pregnancy and every actress from 20-45 on the plant wanted to be Catwoman. When Michelle Pfeiffer expressed an interest, something clicked to the producers thinking "You know, she's perfect. She also could be both Selina Kyle and Catwoman." The final shot of Catwoman staring at the Batsignal was shot during post-production and cost US$250 000.

Release
The movie was released on June 19, 1992 worldwide. It received a score of 81% approval on Rotten Tomatoes and grossed $282,822,354 worldwide, being the sixth highest-grossing film of 1992. It is then and now, the best reviewed Batman movie from the Burton/Schumacher movie series.

Related pages
 Batman
 Batman (1989 movie)
 Batman Forever

References

Other websites

Movies based on comic book characters
1992 movies
1990s superhero movies
Batman (1989 movie series)
Batman movies
Movies composed by Danny Elfman
English-language movies
Warner Bros. movies
American superhero movies