THE DARK KNIGHT REBORN
A SUNRISE. A NEW DAWN. A BRIGHT shape emerges from the sun, darkening - enigmatic. There is something both familiar and distinctive - it resembles a BAT. The vague bat-like symbol approaches slowly until finally revealed as - the NIGHTWING SYMBOL. Growing. Filling the screen with the unsettling BLOOD-RED DARKNESS of NIGHT.
CUT TO:
MOONLIGHT. Panning down onto the outskirts of downtown Gotham... revealing a parade of Black Vehicles. And we are-
EXT. STREETS, WEALTHY DISTRICT, GOTHAM - NIGHT
The parade of Jet Black Vehicles drives efficiently, methodically, purposefully. In the rear of the parade, a limo, heavily armored - an elongated tank. The train of vehicles turns uniformly into a wealthy subdivision and pulls into the drive of an ostentatious mansion, parking discretely under the nearby trees. The property is so vast that nearby mansions can scarcely be seen. A team of mercenaries emerges from the vehicles, well-trained, well-equipped, and synchronized, as if the soldiers were a single entity. They approach the gate undetected, avoiding sight of the security guard. They easily scale the gate and take out the guard without being discovered, injecting him quickly in the neck with cyanide.
An erudite man remains in the limo, only seen from behind, waiting patiently with his two most trusted men by his side - bodyguards, DEADLY and TERRIFYING. He is elegantly dressed, as if he is prepared for a most indelible reunion. He waits patiently, reading the daily Gotham Times, almost oblivious to the efforts of his men outside. He is CONFIDENT and RESOLUTE.
The Black vehicles move through the gate picking up the team seemingly without even stopping. The cavalcade arrives at the foot of the mansion and disappears into the darkness. The entire team emerges from the darkness as one. Each knows his task as they quickly disarm a sophisticated set of alarms and cameras. They penetrate the mansion, silently taking out all who stand in their way. They have one mission, one target, one goal. They secure the mansion and are stationed at the entrance to the master bedroom as the erudite man checks his watch, calmly steps out of his limousine, and walks serenely up the beautiful grand staircase. Every move that he makes is cold, calculated, sophisticated, and... insidious. Upon arriving at the master bedroom door, he nods to his men.
INT. MASTER BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
As they breach the room, the men secure the wife before she manages to even make a sound, ripping her from the bed and taking her to the side. She is terrified. The Rich Man remains on the bed, frozen with fear.
The erudite man looks up. Oswald Cobblepot. It is clear that he is the one in charge.
RICH MAN 1
(stuttering)
Wwwwhat do you want from me?...do you want money... I, I have a lot of money...
COBBLEPOT
Does it appear as if I need your permission to take your money?
As he speaks, there is an eerie elegance to his words.
RICH MAN 1
Wwwhy then are you here? Who are you?
COBBLEPOT
Do you not remember?
Cobblepot begins to slowly walk closer to him, revealing his penguin-like walk due to his deformity.
COBBLEPOT
Over time I have learned to compensate for my deformity, rendering it almost imperceptible to the naked-eye... but the pain, I could never conceal.
Zooms in on the Rich Man's eyes, a REVELATION.
The canopy closes - and as Cobblepot walks closer to him, the Rich Man remembers -
EXT. BOARDING SCHOOL, NEWCASTLE, ENGLAND - DAY
Kids laughing in the background. RAINING. Zooming in on a wealthy boarding school and panning down to an exterior brick wall of the school.
A group of young kids surround a short, stocky teenager.
YOUNG COBBLEPOT
(crying)
Stop! Leave me alone!
YOUNG RICH MAN 1
Oh, poor little birdie. What's wrong? Daddy not around to protect you?
The Young Rich Man pushes Young Cobblepot in the chest, and he stepped back trying to catch his balance, but his debilitation caused him to stumble and fall to the ground.
YOUNG BOY
Look at the baby, he is still learning how to walk.
Cobblepot tries to get up and another young boy pushes him down, this time face first in the mud.
Several of the kids take turns kicking him.
YOUNG RICH MAN 1
What you gonna do about it? Go cry to mommy?
The Young Rich Man spits on him, and they walk away, leaving Cobblepot lying on the ground. ALONE. He tries to get up again and slips back into the mud. He looks up, tears pouring from his dejected eyes. His only comfort comes as he spots a small Sparrow on a tree branch just a few meters away, the only creature yet to abandon him.
INT. MASTER BEDROOM - NIGHT
Zooms out from the Rich Man, who is even more terrified after realizing the identity of his captor.
PENGUIN
Good... It's all coming back now.
RICH MAN 1
(stuttering)
Oswald?
Penguin turns his head slightly, deliberately, looking into the distance.
PENGUIN
I gave up that name long ago, in favor of another more... desirable name. You should know it. After all...
Penguin turns and looks directly at the Rich Man, grinning. His eyes are daggers, PIERCINGLY SHARP.
PENGUIN
... you gave it to me.
INT. BOARDING SCHOOL, NEWCASTLE, ENGLAND - DAY
Young Cobblepot is being tied to a tree. In the background, a boy is bringing a group of girls toward Cobblepot.
The remaining boys including the Young Rich Man begin throwing eggs at Cobblepot, mockingly waddling around, and calling out "Penguin, Penguin, Penguin." The girls stand by pointing and laughing.
INT. MASTER BEADROOM - NIGHT
RICH MAN 1
Oswald... we were just kids... we didn't know any better. Please...
PENGUIN
Do you think I care what you have to say to me now?
RICH MAN 1
So, what is it that you want then?
PENGUIN
(with a sinister precision)
I want you to die.
The Rich Man 1 is frozen with fear, then glances over at his wife.
PENGUIN
Don't worry. Her own respite will be brief.
RICH MAN 1
(terrified and pleading)
Nooooooo... Why are you doing this?
PENGUIN
Though it will bring me great joy to watch your life taken from you... your death will serve a far greater purpose... as a message to your vainglorious friends. You see, my parents devoted their entire lives to building up their name so that they might earn the respect and approval of their wealthy associates... But despite their ivy league educations, they remained quite ignorant. After all those years of torment, your ridicule served to teach me an important admonition... If you want respect in life...
Penguin turns and looks directly at his eyes.
PENGUIN
you must take it.
The Penguin pauses to let this sink in. He stands up straight, turns to the side.
PENGUIN
(looking at his two bodyguards)
Now. My men here are experts at what they do... and they have been instructed to take their time
Penguin reveals an evil smirk as he speaks
PENGUIN
so that I can savor every moment of your death. Your wife will watch and then she will join you.
Penguin turns to his men, nods, and begins walking away. Penguins two bodyguards, Waylon Jones and Anatoli Knyazev, who create a MENACING PRESENCE, nod in understanding.
RICH MAN 1
(yelling)
no, no, no, no, no, wait!
Penguin pauses, turning his head slightly, revealing a malevolent smile.
PENGUIN
You cry in vain, my friend, for your years of torment also mitigated the onerous need to feel pity and helped me to become inured to the suffering of others, an attribute which I find quite useful in times such as this.
He turns away as Jones and the Russian Knyazev calmly and methodically torture and kill the Rich Man 1. The Penguin has a satisfied grin. His grand scheme is underway, made possible by the foolish attempts at Gotham's destruction by his predecessors. For the Penguin is an opportunist, like a snake, overtaking the tunnels dug by a mole. The timing was perfect. In the aftermath of Bane's carnage, all of the necessary holes now existed in Gotham, allowing the Penguin to fill them with his malevolence - his ultimate goal now finally within his grasp.
