Batman 3

**Batman 3** is a 2013 superhero film based on the DC Comics superhero Batman. The film is a sequel to *Batman: Year One*, *Batman 2*, and *Justice League*. It was directed by Christopher Nolan and stars Tom Pelphrey, Scarlett Johansson, Jared Leto, Emma Stone, Brenton Thwaites, Amanda Seyfried, Ruby Rose, Jeremy Irons, and Gary Oldman. It was released on May 3, 2013 and grossed $793.2 million against a $200 million budget. It ran 135 minutes and received generally favorable reviews from critics who praised the film's acting performances (particularly Pelphrey and Thwaites), visuals, musical score, and action sequences, while some felt its storyline was predictable.

## Plot

Three years after the events of the last film and two years after the Battle of Metropolis, Bruce Wayne/Batman operates with the help of his girlfriend Selina Kyle/Catwoman, adoptive son Dick Grayson/Robin, and the daughter of GCPD Commissioner Jim Gordon, Barbara Gordon/Batgirl. Wayne uses the technology developed at Wayne Enterprises to guide his team in decreasing crime around Gotham City. When a new, female vigilante shows up, the team begins investigating to find her. Wayne becomes suspicious when his cousin, Kate Kane, arrives in Gotham at the same time as the "Batwoman". Kane takes Wayne's offer to work at Wayne Enterprises after she was discharged from the Military Academy for being a lesbian. As Kane shows signs of being heavily trained in combat, Wayne deduces she is Batwoman and confronts her about it, in which she denies it.

Wayne has also secretly been working with Gordon to uncover the culprit behind his parents' murder nineteen years ago. Gordon is able to learn what gun was used by the bullets taken from the crime scene. He and Wayne track the gun license back to the Falcones. Visiting Carmine Falcone in prison, Gordon agrees to let him out if they find the culprit. Falcone reveals that a rogue hitman named Joe Chill killed his parents in retaliation for Wayne Enterprises forcing his family out of their house due to their operations. Wayne is devastated to learn of what his father did to Gotham, but learns that Chill died five years after the murder. In Arkham Asylum, Dr. Harleen Quinzel continues to have therapy sessions with Harvey Dent/Two-Face. Dent purposely begins making her go insane by turning the sessions on her. Elsewhere, at Ace Chemicals, Wayne shows up as Batman due to word of a mob fight happening. Wayne is able to stop the fight, but one of the men falls into a vat of chemicals, distracting Wayne long enough for the criminals to go free. Wayne escapes but informs Gordon of the death. The man awakens in the chemicals, though his hair is now green and his skin has turned pale white. The chemicals have turned him insane and he cuts a smile onto his face, calling himself the Joker.

Batman and his team discover that the Joker has begun killing the criminals that were at Ace Chemicals and is leaving Joker cards at each murder. Wayne realizes that he is the man from Ace Chemicals and becomes bent on catching him. Meanwhile, Barbara and Dick contemplate leaving their vigilante life behind to live in Keystone City. At Arkham, Quinzel finally snaps and turns into "Harley Quinn". Harley joins the Joker and becomes his accomplice.  Wayne is dismayed to learn that Harley is actually Quinzel and interrogates Dent, suspecting he had something to do with it. While he is interrogating, the Joker and Harley show up and break Dent out of prison, though Wayne chases them through the city. Eventually, Batwoman shows up and stops them. The two vigilantes fight the criminals, but only Harley is taken in. The Joker and Dent begin making a plan to take over Gotham due to the city's treatment of both of them. Dent also reveals Wayne's identity to the Joker, and they set Wayne Enterprises as the center for their attack.

Harley insists that she has no idea what Joker or Dent is up to, but Selina does not believe her. This causes a fight between her and Bruce, which ends in Bruce not returning to Wayne Manor that night. The Joker makes a list of Wayne's closest allies, including Selina, Dick, Barbara, Gordon, and Kane, and comes up with a way to torment each person on the list. He attacks Barbara in her apartment and paralyzes her, while Dent kidnaps Gordon and forces him to watch Barbara's torture. Wayne, Selina, and Dick show up and nearly kill the Joker. Dick takes Barbara to a hospital, where she is treated for her injuries, though it is concluded that she will not be able to walk ever again. Dent still has Gordon and reveals that Wayne Enterprises is set to blow that night, which will also take out the entire block. Dick stays with Barbara, while Wayne, Selina, and Kane, revealing her identity as Batwoman, go to Wayne Enterprises. They manage to rescue Gordon. Dick shows up and is guided by Alfred Pennyworth through disarming the bombs. Dent sets off the explosives, though they don't go off due to Dick's work. Dent is taken down, just as Joker and Harley show up once more.

Wayne, Selina, Kane, and Dick fight the couple off, though Joker reveals that he is Joe Chill and he faked his death fourteen years ago. Wayne has Joker pinned down and prepares to kill him, but Selina reminds him of his vow to never kill. Wayne instead arrests Joker, though Harley escapes and is now on the run. Joker and Dent are taken back to Arkham and put in maximum security. Wayne and Selina reconcile, and he promotes her to Co-Business Director. Kane joins Wayne's team, while Dick renames himself Nightwing, and Barbara becomes "Oracle", to help the team at Wayne Manor. In a post-credits scene, Harley is found by A.R.G.U.S., and Amanda Waller offers her a position in "Task Force X".

## Cast

* Tom Pelphrey as Bruce Wayne/Batman
* Scarlett Johansson as Selina Kyle/Catwoman
* Jared Leto as the Joker
* Emma Stone as Barbara Gordon
* Brenton Thwaites as Dick Grayson
* Amanda Seyfried as Harleen Quinzel
* Ruby Rose as Kate Kane/Batwoman
* Jeremy Irons as Alfred Pennyworth
* Gary Oldman as Jim Gordon

James Franco reprises his role as Harvey Dent/Two-Face.

## Reception

### **Box office**

**Batman 3** grossed $260.2 million (32.8%) in the United States and Canada and $533 million (67.2%) in other territories for a total of $793.2 million. Worldwide, it is the sixth highest-grossing 2010 film. It achieved a worldwide opening weekend of $190.6 million. *Deadline Hollywood* calculated the net profit of the film to be $229.1 million, making it the seventh most profitable release of 2013.

### **Critical reception**

On review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, *Batman 3* has an approval rating of 70% based on 442 reviews, with an average rating of 6.39/10.