Batman Returns

***Batman Returns*** is a 1992 American superhero film, directed and produced byTim Burton, based upon the Batman character appearing in comics published byDC Comics. It is the second installment of Warner Bros.' initial *Batman* film series, with Michael Keaton reprising the title role of Bruce Wayne/Batman. The film introduces the characters of Max Shreck (Christopher Walken), a business tycoon who teams up with the Penguin (Danny DeVito) to take over Gotham City, as well as the character of Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer).

Burton originally did not want to direct another Batman film because of his mixed emotions toward the previous film in 1989. Warner Bros. developed a script with writer Sam Hamm which had the Penguin and Catwoman going after hidden treasure. Burton agreed to return after he granted him more creative control and replaced Hamm with Daniel Waters. Wesley Strick did an uncredited rewrite, removing the characters of Harvey Dent and Robin and rewriting the climax.Annette Bening was originally cast as Catwoman but was replaced with Pfeiffer following her pregnancy. Filming for *Batman Returns* started in June 1991 at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California.

*Batman Returns* was released on June 19, 1992. The film was nominated forAcademy Awards for Best Visual Effects and Best Makeup, as well as two BAFTAawards. *Batman Returns*‍ '​s budget was an estimated $80 million, grossing $266,822,354 worldwide but Warner Bros. was disappointed as it was still substantially less than the first film. Burton was asked to restrict himself to the role of producer for the third film *Batman Forever*, which led to Keaton vacating the role of Batman in favor of Val Kilmer.

## Plot

Tucker and Esther Cobblepot, an aristocratic couple, throw their deformed infant child in a river, feeling that Gotham City's high society would not approve after witnessing their son kill their pet cat. However, a flock of penguins living in an abandoned zoo's arctic exhibit connected to the sewers rescue and raise him. 33 years later, the child becomes The Penguin (Danny DeVito) and the leader of the Red Triangle Circus Gang, who appear in Gotham City during the annual Christmas tree-lighting ceremony and cause a riot. As the police and Batman (Michael Keaton) deal with the riot, one of the guests at the ceremony, a prominent businessman named Max Shreck (Christopher Walken), is kidnapped and taken to Penguin, who desires to become a citizen of Gotham and blackmails Shreck into helping him by threatening to expose evidence of his corporate crimes.

Meanwhile, Shreck's secretary, Selina Kyle (Michelle Pfeiffer), has learnt of her employer's plan to build a power plant which will drain Gotham of its electricity. When Shreck confronts her after returning from his visit with Penguin, he pushes her out of a window to her death, and a flock of alley cats lick her corpse, reviving her. Selina returns home, suffers a mental breakdown, and designs a black vinyl catsuit to become the costumed vigilante Catwoman.

Penguin sends one of his costumed henchmen to kidnap the mayor's baby while he "saves" him, becoming a hero to the people of Gotham. However, Batman is suspicious of Penguin's true motives. After some time in the Hall of Records, Penguin discovers that his parents are dead and his name is Oswald Cobblepot, though he has secretly been taking notes on the first-born sons that live in Gotham City. Meanwhile, Batman's alter-ego, billionaire Bruce Wayne, is dealing with Shreck's persistence in having his new power plant built. As both Bruce and the current mayor will not approve of the power plant, Shreck decides to pull strings and make Penguin the new mayor. To do this, Penguin has the Red Triangle Gang create a riot, causing the citizens to lose all faith in the mayor. During the riot, Catwoman vandalizes Max's Department Store to gain revenge on him. When Batman and Penguin confront each other, she intervenes just as the store blows up and slips away. Penguin escapes as Catwoman fights Batman and gets pushed off a rooftop, but she is saved when she lands in a dump-truck filled with kitty litter.

Penguin and Catwoman meet and collaborate on a plan to kill Batman out of mutual hatred for the Caped Crusader, but Selina finds herself developing a romantic relationship with Bruce Wayne as the two of them start to spend time together. That night, the Ice Princess, an actress chosen to turn on the Gotham City Christmas tree lights, is kidnapped by Penguin and a Batarang (which one of his henchmen took from a prior fight) is found in her dressing room, framing Batman for the crime. After a fight with Catwoman, Batman finds the Ice Princess on a rooftop where the Penguin releases a swarm of flying bats and makes her fall to her death, further incriminating Batman. As Penguin and Catwoman celebrate their victory, Penguin tries to makes advances towards her, which she rubukes. Angered, Penguin ends their alliance and causes her to fall into a greenhouse. As Batman escapes to the Batmobile, Batman discovers that Penguin has control over it due to a device that his gang installed. The Penguin takes it on a devastating rampage, but Batman regains control over it and escapes death.

The next day, Penguin and Shreck are using Batman's rampage to push for an impeachment of the mayor. Batman, having recorded the Penguin's demeaning attitude of Gotham's people during the rampage, plays it during the speech, turning the people and Shreck against him. Enraged, Penguin takes his notes from the Hall of Records and orders the Red Triangle Gang to kidnap all the first-born sons of Gotham so that he can throw them to their deaths in the sewer like his own parents did to him, and he personally kidnaps Max Shreck as revenge for being manipulated. Batman saves all the children, forcing the Penguin to execute an alternate plan to destroy the entire city with his army of rocket-armed penguin commandos. However, Batman foils the plan by luring the penguins back to the Penguin's sewer base before confronting Penguin directly and knocking him into the sewer water from a great height.

Catwoman appears and again tries to kill Shreck, but Batman stops her and reveals himself as Bruce Wayne, and she does the same as Selina. Shreck then shoots Batman, before shooting Selina four times. She survives all the shots, and once Shreck runs out of ammo, puts an electrical taser between their lips while grabbing an electrical cable. As Batman regains consciousness, a tremendous explosion is caused that kills Shreck but leaves no trace of Selina. As the dust settles, Penguin rises from the water and tries one more time to kill Batman, but fails and dies from his internal bleeding. The emperor penguins hold a funeral for their former master and drag his corpse into the sewer water, his resting place.

Afterwards, Alfred (Michael Gough) drives Bruce home, but Bruce spots a shadow of Catwoman in the alley and has the car stopped so he can check. All he finds is a black cat trying to keep warm, and so Bruce takes her home with him as he exchanges Christmas wishes with Alfred. As they leave, the Batsignal lights up in the night sky as Catwoman watches from afar.

## 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 Murphy as Mayor of Gotham City
* Pat Hingle as Commissioner James Gordon
* Vincent Schiavelli as The Organ Grinder
* Michael Gough as Alfred Pennyworth
* Anna Katarina as The Poodle Lady
* Andrew Bryniarski as Chip Shreck
* Cristi Conaway as The Ice Princess
* Rick Zumwalt as The Tattooed Strongman
* Paul Reubens as Penguin's Father