Batman Returns

"*The Bat, The Cat, The Bird.*"
―Tagline
***Batman Returns*** is a 1992 film directed by Tim Burton and produced by Burton and Denise Di Novi, based on the character of the same name from DC Comics. It is the second installment in what would later be referred to as the *Motion Picture Anthology* and the sequel to *Batman*.

The film would mark the end of Tim Burton directing Batman, with the next installment *Batman Forever* being directed by Joel Schumacher. Since 2021, the time following *Batman Returns* has canonically been established as a point of divergence in the Burtonverse franchise, with the original *Motion Picture Anthology* residing in the Earth-97 continuity, while the new Earth-789/Flashpoint continuity incorporates the *Batman '89* comic series as well as the upcoming DC Extended Universe film *The Flash*, which will release on June 16, 2023 and feature Keaton reprising his role as Batman.

## Plot

In 1952, a deformed baby boy is thrown into Gotham City's river by his terrified parents. In 1992, the child, Oswald Cobblepot, resurfaces as a criminal, the Penguin. Gotham has been very quietsince batman ended the Joker's reign of terror. the penguin kidnaps millionaire industrialist and business tycoon Max Shreck. With evidence of his corporate crimes, Cobblepot blackmails Max into helping him leave the sewers to become part of Gotham's elite. The Penguin arranges for the Mayor's child to be kidnapped, whom he then 'rescues' in order to set himself up as a heroic figure.

Max Shreck later pushes his secretary, Selina Kyle (Michelle Pfeiffer), out of a window from his company's building after she discovers that his proposed power station for Gotham actually will drain electricity from the city. Selina survives the fall but it causes a psychotic breakdown and her personality changes. Having an affinity for cats, Selina returns home and designs a costume, becoming Catwoman and focusing on revenge against her boss.

Shreck then hatches a plan to recall Gotham City's current mayor and elect Cobblepot in his place, in order to cement his control over the city and complete his power plant project. The Penguin's gang of circus performers cause chaos around Gotham to reduce the popularity of the Mayor. Meanwhile, Batman continues to have confrontations with Catwoman as well as Penguin's gang known as the Red Triangle Gang.

Selina, meanwhile, falls in love with Batman's alter-ego Bruce Wayne, a situation complicated by Catwoman's teaming with the Penguin in an effort to rid Gotham of Batman. They kidnap the Ice Princess, a woman chosen to light the Gotham Plaza Christmas tree, and frame Batman for the crime. Batman finds her tied up in a nearby building. He learns that the Penguin kidnapped her, but she is then taken by Catwoman to the top of the building. The Penguin causes the woman to fall off the building, but Batman is seen by the crowd, who now think he killed her. Catwoman is upset because she did not intend to kill the Princess, and then rejects the Penguin's advances on her, whereupon the Penguin tries to kill her. In the midst of Batman's attempt at rescuing the Ice Princess, the Red Triangle Gang sabotage the Batmobile. When Batman returns to the car, the Penguin takes control of it, wreaking havoc on the streets of Gotham until Batman manages to disable the Penguin's control. Amidst this Batman manages to make a recording the Penguin's taunts about framing Batman and fooling the city.

When Bruce exposes the Penguin's villainous ways, thereby ruining his election chances, the Penguin initiates a plan to kidnap all of Gotham's first-born sons of the city's upper class. He personally attempts to take Max's son, Chip, but agrees to take Max instead. Batman foils the Penguin's kidnapping scheme, whereupon the Penguin then decides to launch missiles at Gotham Plaza using mind-controlled penguins. However, Batman is able to jam the frequency used to control the penguins and has missiles launched at the Penguin's base. Batman confronts the Penguin, which culminates in the Penguin falling into the toxic waters in his lair.

Batman attempts to persuade Catwoman to turn Shreck over to the police, even unmasking himself in the process, but Shreck draws a gun. Catwoman claims that she still has six of her nine lives remaining, and stays standing up after Shreck fires his gun at her four times. Only hitting her shoulder and limbs, he stares at his revolver in disbelief. Catwoman uses a transformer cable to cause a generator to explode, electrocuting Shreck and apparently sacrificing herself in the process. The Penguin then emerges from the toxic water and tries to kill Batman, but he succumbs to his wounds. His body is taken by the Elder Penguins into the sewer waters as a final resting place.

Later, Bruce is being driven around the city at night with his butler Alfred and thinks he sees Selina's shadow on a wall. Alfred stops the car, and Bruce finds her cat, which he takes with him and leaves. As the Bat-signal lights up the night sky, a silhouette of what appears to be Catwoman is seen gazing at it.

## Cast

* Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne/Batman
* Danny DeVito as Oswald Cobblepot/Penguin
* Michelle Pfeiffer as Selina Kyle/Catwoman
* Christopher Walken as Max Shreck
* Michael Gough as Alfred Pennyworth
* Michael Murphy as Mayor Roscoe Jenkins
* Cristi Conaway as the Ice Princess
* Andrew Bryniarski as Charles "Chip" Shreck
* Pat Hingle as Commissioner James Gordon
* Vincent Schiavelli as Organ Grinder
* Steve Witting as Josh
* Jan Hooks as Jen
* John Strong as Sword Swallower
* Rick Zumwalt as Tatooed Strongman
* Anna Katarina as Poodle Lady
* Gregory Scott Cummins as Acrobat Thug One
* Erika Andersch as Knifethrower Dame
* Travis McKenna as Fat Clown
* Doug Jones as Thin Clown
* Branscombe Richmond as Terrifying Clown #1
* Paul Reubens as Tucker Cobblepot
* Diane Salinger as Esther Cobblepot
* Stuart Lancaster as Penguin's Doctor
* Cal Hoffman as Happy Man
* Joan Jurige as Happy Woman
* Rosie O'Connor as Adorable Little Girl
* Sean M. Whalen as Paperboy
* Erik Oñate as Aggressive Reporter
* Joey DePinto as Shreck Security Guard
* Steven Brill as Gothamite #1
* Neal Lerner as Gothamite #2
* Ashley Tillman as Gothamite #3
* Elizabeth Sanders as Gothamite #4
* Henry Kingi as Mugger
* Joan Giammarco as Female Victim
* Lisa Coles as Volunteer Bimbo
* Frank DiElsi as Security #1
* Biff Yeager as Security #2
* Robert Gossett as TV Anchorman
* Adam Drescher as Crowd Member
* Robert N. Bell as Emperor Penguin
* Niki Botelho as Emperor Penguin/Baby Penguin
* Susan Rossitto as Emperor Penguin
* Margarita Farrell as Emperor Penguin
* Denise Killpack as Emperor Penguin
* Felix Silla as Emperor Penguin
* Debbie Lee Carrington as Emperor Penguin

## Locations

* Earth
	+ United States of America
		- Gotham City
			* Cobblepot Manor
			* Gotham Plaza
				+ Gotham City Hall
				+ Shreck's
			* Hall of Records
			* Old Gotham Zoo
				+ Arctic World
			* Wayne Manor
				+ Batcave

## Items

* Batmobile
* Bat-signal
* Batskiboat
* Batsuit
* Catwoman suit
* Super-batarang

## Organizations

* G.C.P.D.
* Gotham Globe
* Red Triangle Gang

## Trivia

* *Batman Returns* heavily inspired *Batman: The Animated Series*, which itself spawned the DC Animated Universe under producer Bruce Timm.

## External links

* Batman Returns on Wikipedia
* Batman Returns on IMDb