EXT. A COMMUNICATION STATION - NIGHT
The night sky sits still and quiet. Not a single cloud. Stars surround a glowing full moon.
The night sky overlooks an open field of large satellites pointing to the sky. A two-story brick building sits off in the distance.
CUT TO:
INT. COMMUNICATION STATION - CONTINUOUS
Two men sit behind a large desk of multiple computer monitors. Both dressed in white button-up shirts, black slacks, and solid color ties.
One of the men takes a sip from a hot cup of coffee on his desk.
Suddenly, alerts pop up on the monitors. Interference. Monitors flicker and go haywire.
The light in the office flicker.
MAN 1 What on earth?
CUT TO:
EXT. A COMMUNICATION STATION - CONTINUOUS
The still and quiet night sky burst with cosmic colors like a rainbow of polar light.
The light dances over the open field of three tall communication towers.
INT. COMMUNICATION STATION - CONTINUOUS
He moves his mouse all over the screen in an effort to do something. Nothing helps.
Outside the window of the room, the bright light flashes into the room.
Both men turn their attention to the open field of satellites.
They watch as the lights transform.
CUT TO:
EXT. A COMMUNICATION STATION - CONTINUOUS
The lights in the night sky shift in their shape and warp into a funnel.
The funnel descends to the ground like a cyclone.
CUT TO:
INT. COMMUNICATION STATION - CONTINUOUS
The men in the station continue to watch this phenomenon from the window.
MAN 2 I think we know what's causing all that interference.
MAN 1 Yeah, but where's it coming from?
He runs back to the monitor.
He looks at the monitor to see if he can pinpoint where the lights came from. But the monitors are still flickering.
MAN 2 Hey, check this out.
He slowly goes back to the window, staring into the lights.
The silhouette of a man appears in the lights.
CUT TO:
EXT. A COMMUNICATION STATION - CONTINUOUS
The man steps out from the lights. This man is the JOKER. A slender man with green hair and a face covered in bizarre clown makeup. Insanity and obsession pulse in his eyes.
The Joker stands in this open field grinning widely. Then looks around and maniacally laughs. It worked.
CUT TO:
INT. COMMUNICATION STATION - CONTINUOUS
From inside the Communication Station, the two men watch the Joker. They hear his creepy laugh through the window.
MAN 1 Is there some kind of costume convention in town?
MAN 2 You're asking me?
END OF TEASER
INT. GOTHAM'S ABANDONED WAREHOUSE - NIGHT
Jay, aka Pandaredd, is tied to a chair. A fluorescent light dangles overhead, shining down on him. Exhausted, not having slept for days.
Across from him stands the Joker, grinning from ear to ear like an apex predator who's caught his prey.
JAY There's no fucking way. There's no way. You're not real.
JOKER Aw, now I'm hurt. I thought someone like you would be overjoyed to see me. Pity.
JAY (to himself)
This is just a dream. You're just dreaming. Wake up. Wake up, Jay!
JOKER Sorry, Dorothy. I'm afraid the good witch lied. There is no going home for you.
Beads of sweat roll down from Jay's forehead.
JAY What do you want with me?
JOKER Now, I'm not the kind of guy who likes to give away the punchline.
Beat.
JOKER Oh, I almost forgot about Toto.
Joker pulls a small remote from his purple suit pocket. He points the remote at a curtain in the distance and pushes a button.
A mechanical buzz resounds. The curtain is pulled back, revealing a room separated by a sheet of glass.
In that room, Jay's dog is caged and held at gunpoint by one of Joker's goons.
JAY You bastard! Don't! Please.
JOKER Let's get down to brass tax, as they say. But before I do, I going to tel l you a little story. That's right, kids, it's storytime with Uncle Joker.
Beat.
JOKER It took a long time to find you, you know? Oh yes, it took a lot more than a tornado to bring you to my world, kiddo.
A television turns on by itself to Jay's left.
The television flickers and then shows a man who looks just like Jay.
The man on the television is wearing a sleek black suit, stepping out of a limousine.
Jay wonders if he's staring in a mirror.
JOKER No parlor tricks here. Yes, there are two of you. Well, there were...
JAY Who is that? And what did you do?
JOKER My dear boy, can't you tell? He is you...
CUT TO:
Seattle, WA.
EXT. ART GALLERY - FLASHBACK - NIGHT
Jay Morton, early 20s, dressed like he's attending the Oscars, closes the limousine door behind him.
There is a red carpet rolled out and flashes of photographer cameras render the outdoor lights useless.
Jay walks down the red carpet, ignoring the shouts of photographers around him.
PHOTOGRAPHER Mr. Morton, over here.
PHOTOGRAPHER 2 Jay, how about a photo?
A reporter approaches Jay.
REPORTER This is Channel 10 and tonight we are here Hynesdale Gala. Tonight, they showcase the brand new work of uprising artist Jay Morton and his latest piece, The Red-Eyed Panda.
(to Jay)
Jay, you've done your best to keep your work secret until tonight.
JAY Well, inspiration is a powerful thing. And one has to protect it, else they run the risk of losing it. I keep my work a secret for many reasons. But the one I'll share with you is,...I hate to ruin a surprise.
REPORTER What can you tell us about the inspiration behind this piece?
JAY Like I said, Inspiration is a powerful thing.
CUT TO:
INT. GOTHAM'S ABANDONED WAREHOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Jay watches what appears to be himself on the screen. His eyes say he's disgusted by what he sees.
The Jay on the Television continues talking to the reporter.
JAY (V.O.)
(on the television)
I'll dive a little deeper into the meaning at the reveal.
JAY (the captive, mentally)
My god, I'm such a pretentious douchebag.
JOKER Once I learned your name, I went straightway to find you. At first, I thought you were an artist living in Seattle. Shame.
The television fast-forwards through the red carpet to the moment where Jay is pulling back the curtain...
CUT TO:
INT. ART GALLERY - FLASHBACK - NIGHT
unveiling his latest work, The Red-Eyed Panda.
The room erupts in applause and camera flashes from a crowd of reporters, prestigious spectators, and photographers.
JAY Thank you.
The applause subsides.
JAY Inspiration. It's a funny word. People use it a lot. Artists use it a lot. I should know...I am one.
The crowd chuckles.
JAY When people ask me about the inspiration behind The Red-Eyed Panda. I admit I'm a bit hesitant to answer the question. Mainly because I'm trying to avoid it.
Beat. The room gets awkwardly silent, as it seems every eye on the globe is on Jay.
JAY If I were honest, I don't know where this idea came from.
A small wave of surprise swept over the crowd.
JAY You talk to artists long enough, you'll hear them go on and on about muses. How their muse brought them inspiration. For the children in the audience, no, I am not talking about the four African American chicks from the Disney movie.
Laughter rumbles through the crowd.
Jay turns and looks back at the painting. He stares into it as if he's in a trance.
JAY Muses were considered to be the source of inspiration behind every art form. Now, I'm not gonna stand here and say a muse gave me this idea. But when this idea came to me, it felt ethereal, in a sense. Almost like it came from another world.
Applause erupts from the crowd.
The applause snaps Jay out of his daze.
Jay turns to the crowd and gives a wave.
INT. GOTHAM'S ABANDONED WAREHOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Jay watches the screen, watching...himself...wave at the crowd and walking offstage.
JOKER Now I know what you're thinking. "If there's a Jay Morton already here, what on earth am I doing here?"
JAY (in his head)
I was getting to that.
JOKER Well, let's just say the Jay in my world wasn't exactly as helpful as I thought. The night his big premiere was the first night I and the young Michaelangelo met.
CUT TO:
INT. ART GALLERY - FLASHBACK - LATER
Jay makes his way toward the restroom, walking through the group and acknowledging those calling his name from the press and other esteemed guests.
Finally, he makes it to the bathroom, entering the bathroom door.
A burly man in a black suit stands off in a dark corner, eyeing Jay as he enters the bathroom.
INT. BATHROOM - FLASHBACK - LATER
Jay washes his hands at the sink, wanting the night to be over.
The door to the bathroom opens.
Jay doesn't pay any attention to the door, keeping his eyes on his hands.
Jay finally looks up, seeing the burly man in a black suit standing behind him.
Jay is shocked.
The man covers his face with cloth lashed with chloroform.
Jay struggles for a bit but realizes his strength is fading.
Suddenly Jay gets dizzy and is rendered unconscious.
CUT TO:
INT. BASEMENT - FLASHBACK - LATER
Jay, the artist, wakes from his unconscious state. He sits on the floor and looks around.
He finds himself in a large darkened basement.
He looks around confused.
His suit is gone. He sits on the floor in his t-shirt and underwear.
JAY Hello?
His voice echoes across the empty basement.
Suddenly a door opens and a man steps inside.
The light shining through the door creates a silhouette around the man.
A switch is flipped in the distance. Lights come on slowly, one by one.
Jay, the artist, sees the man walking through the door in full lighting.
The Joker.
JOKER Hello. Allow me to introduce myself.
Jay, the artist, is horrified by the Joker's horrid makeup.
JOKER Where I'm from, they call me the Joker.
JAY Did you bring me here?
JOKER Actually, it was one of my men. But he was acting under my order. So, yes. I did bring you here.
JAY What do you want? Money? I have plenty.
The Joker cackles.
JOKER If I want money, I wouldn't have to resort to a desperate attempt like kidnapping. Oh no, you see, I have more creative ways of acquiring loose change. I just have one little question.
The Joker takes out a smartphone and plays Pandaredd's video.
The video is of Pandaredd portraying Bruce Wayne on Jury Duty.
PANDAREDD (in TikTok video)
"Jury number 3,...Bruce. Bruce Wayne..."
JOKER That's you, isn't it?
Jay, the artist, looks back in shock at the video, seeing a person that looks just like him.
PANDAREDD (on the video)
"What is it that you do for work, Mr. Wayne?... I am the owner of a variety of international companies...And not a small one at that."
JAY Is this some kind of joke?
Joker pauses the video.
JAY What is this some form of blackmail? You think you got something on me?
Joker bitch-slaps Jay, the artist.
Jay hits the floor hard.
JOKER I hate it when people talk during the movie. And we were just getting to the good part.
Joker resumes the video.
PANDAREDD (in the video)
"And where do you live?... Wayne Manor...I guess that was sort of a rhetorical question, wasn't it? Anyway, do you believe there is any reason you should not be a part of this jury?... Yes, there is. I am Batman..."
The video freezes.
JOKER Well. Well. Well. Looks like we hit the jackpot.
JAY Look man, I don't know what you want.
JOKER This is your video, I assume.
JAY No, it's not. I don't make videos. If I did, they'd be art videos, not...whatever the hell that was.
JOKER But he had your face, your voice.
JAY That could be an actor, imitating me. I don't know.
Joker snaps his fingers.
Two of the goons walk over to the artist.
JAY I said I don't know anything. You touch me and I will sue your ass back to the stone age.
The goons grab the artist.
JAY Don't touch me.
CUT TO:
INT. CHEMICAL PLANT - FLASHBACK - CONTINUOUS
The Joker leads the goons across the high catwalk.
Jay, the artist, still has no clue what's going on.
JAY Is somebody gonna tell me what's going on?
The Joker stops and turns to the artist.
JOKER I have one question for you. How do you know Bruce Wayne? And what do you know about Batman?
JAY I don't know either of them. I've only heard about them on the news.
JOKER Hmm, you see, I'm having a little bit of a hard believing you. Especially since you announced to the whole world that Bruce Wayne is Batman.
JAY But I didn't. I told you. I don't make videos.
JOKER Yeah, sorry. Don't believe you.
(to the goons)
Boys, if you'd do the honors.
The goons pick Jay up and hoist him over the catwalk.
Down below, chemicals boil at temperatures over 300 degrees.
JOKER Here is my offer to you, a last-chance deal. Delete the video, and I won't have my boys drop you. And speaking from personal experience, it's not pleasant being dropped in a vat of boiling chemicals.
JAY I can't take down a video I didn't make. For god's sake, I don't know Bruce Wayne. I don't know Batman. Please! You're making a mistake.
The Joker nods to his goons.
The goons drop Jay.
Jay plunges into a massive boiling vat of chemicals. His screams echo for a moment, then diminish.
CUT TO:
INT. GOTHAM'S ABANDONED WAREHOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Jay, Pandaredd, watches a video of Jay's, the artist, death on security footage played on the television.
JAY You're crazier than I thought.
JOKER Aw, I'm touched.
JAY How did...when did you realize...he wasn't from here?
JOKER Well, as it turns out, the poor boy was telling the truth after all. A week after his death, another one of your videos popped up.
JAY How did you find me?
JOKER Let's just say, I know a guy.
The Joker cackles strangely and loudly.
EXT. GOTHAM STREETS - NIGHT
Bill is currently working for Joker. He sprints through the streets of Gotham, making his way into Crime Alley.
Once he reaches a good distance inside the Alley, they slow down to a halt.
BILL (to himself)
Where is he? Did I lose him?
Batman emerges overhead, watching him from a high roof that looks down into the alley.
Batman dives down into the Alley, landing across from the Bill, pinning the thug between himself and a brick wall.
Bill backs into a corner with nowhere left to run.
Batman grabs Bill by the collar and hoisted him 3 feet above the ground.
BILL No, please! Don't hurt me.
BATMAN Where's your boss?
BILL Who? Joker? You know as well as I do, I can't answer that. He'll kill me.
BATMAN Answer my question or dying will be the least of your worries.
BILL I don't know, okay.
BATMAN Something tells me you're lying.
Batman's free hand moves toward his utility belt.
Bill watches Batman's hand.
BILL Okay. Okay!
Batman's hand stops moving.
BILL He mentioned something about finding him at the old chem lab.
BATMAN Why is he there?
BILL I don't know. He never tells us anything.
BATMAN What do you know about the missing physicist?
BILL Who?
BATMAN Where is Dr. Khatril?
BILL Look, man. I don't know nothing about no missing...doctor.
BATMAN If I find out you're lying, you'll be seeing me again. And I will not be happy.
Batman drops Bill.
Bill falls to his knees.
Batman starts to walk away.
BILL You're not going send the cops, are ya?
BATMAN They're already here.
Sirens blare outside Crime Alley, as lights from patrol cars light up the alley.
Batman pulls out his grappling gun and fires it toward the rooftop.
Batman is hoisted upward out of sight.
EXT. GOTHAM STREETS - NIGHT
Red Robin rides his motorcycle, making his way towards a bank.
He pulls into a dark alley, parks, and shuts off the bike.
He takes out his grappling hook and points toward the roof, grappling onto a rooftop.
On the rooftop, Red Robin walks over to the edge and overlooks the bank.
Two armed thugs stand outside the entrance, carrying AK-47s.
THUG 1 You think seven banks is enough? Or is the Joker gonna have us break into another one.
THUG 2 Look, I'm just here following orders, okay? We do this job, we get paid. Plain and simple.
THUG 1 Oh, please. You and I both know the drill. We rob a bank, the bat or the cops show up, then it's Black Gate for the both of us.
Red Robin activates his comlink to Oracle.
THUG 2 Look, you don't wanna be here leave! I'll gladly take your cut.
ORACLE (on comlink)
What's up?
RED ROBIN I made it. I'm at Gotham Central Bank. Got two armed guards on the outside. I need a layout of the inside.
ORACLE Copy that. Give me a second to hack the database. Can you buy me some time?
Red Robin draws his staff.
RED ROBIN I can buy you a few minutes.
ORACLE Over and out.
Red Robin looks over the rooftop down at the thugs, measuring the distance between the roof and their position.
THUG 1 Look, this doesn't feel right. None of this feels right.
Red Robin positions himself along the edge of the rooftop.
Red Robin jumps off the roof and glides down toward the thugs
THUG 1 Any minute, I feel like something's gonna jump up out of nowhere.
The Thug catches a glimpse of Red Robin's descent.
THUG 1 Oh my god!
THUG 2 What?!
The other thug turns and sees Red Robin gliding down.
They both open fires.
Their bullets miss Red Robin.
Once he's close enough, he performs a dive kick on one of the thugs.
The other thug's gun jams, mid-fire. He tries to unjam it quickly.
Red Robin knocks out the thug he kicked over.
The thug continues to unjam his gun, to no avail.
Red Robin walks over toward the thug.
The thug becomes frantic, fussing with the gun. As Red Robin draws closer, he grows hysterical. Frustrated, he throws the gun down. He squares up and throws a punch at Red Robin.
Red Robin ducks and counters with a series of blows, knocking the thug against the wall of the bank.
The thug staggers back, colliding against the wall. Groggy from the blows, he pulls a knife from a sheath hidden on his belt. He squares up again.
Wildly in a frenzy, the thug swings the knife at Red Robin.
Red Robin focuses and dodges the knife to the best of his ability, but gets a cut in the arm.
Red Robin flinches just a little.
The thug continues swinging the knife and loses his balance.
Red Robin capitalizes, grabbing his arm and snapping it.
The knife falls to the ground.
Red Robin knocks out the thug.
The unconscious thug falls to the ground.
Red Robin activates his comlink again.
RED ROBIN That buy you enough time?
ORACLE Sending you a digital feed now.
Red Robin's eye covers change to a digital screen.
He sees a digital blueprint of the bank.
RED ROBIN Looks like the best way to get inside is through the window at the top of the building. That should put me right above the lobby.
ORACLE I'm looking at the security feed right now. Looks, like you have six armed guards scattered all over.
RED ROBIN Just six?
ORACLE Hey, you're going in there alone, Tim. Now's not the time to get cocky.
RED ROBIN "Oh, ye of little faith."
ORACLE Just be careful, hotshot.
RED ROBIN Aren't I always?
ORACLE You want me to answer that out loud?
Red Robin grabs his grappling hook and shoots it toward the highest point of the building.
Red Robin is hoisted into the air.
CUT TO:
INT. GOTHAM CENTRAL BANK - CONTINOUS
Thugs down in the bank lobby gather bank teller in the center of the room.
Red Robin cuts a large hole in the window with a glass cutter. He pulls the cut piece of glass away with a suction device. Red Robin crawls through the hole.
A balcony sits below the window, leading to offices on the top floor of the bank. Red Robin jumps down from the window onto the balcony, crouching down to stay out of sight.
THUG 3 is the stockier of the group, armed with a CZ USA Scorpion EV S1 9mm. He goes behind the bank counter and walks to a frightened bank teller, sitting against the counter.
THUG 3 Let's go! On your feet.
He grabs the teller by the collar, yanking them onto their feet.
He walks them over to the center of the lobby and throws the teller to the floor.
Red Robin watches.
He gets a call on his comlink and he answers.
RED ROBIN I'm inside.
ALFRED (O.S.)
Master Drake, have you arrived at Gotham Central?
RED ROBIN Alfred? What happened to Oracle?
ALFRED (O.S.)
Don't worry, sir. She's still active. I'm monitoring a situation on the west end of town, as well as another on the east end. Oracle and I have been getting multiple police reports of Joker's men infiltrating several banks across Gotham.
RED ROBIN Is infiltrating your word for robbery?
ALFRED (O.S.)
That's just it, sir. They're not robbing anything. Just holding bank-goers and workers hostage.
RED ROBIN Okay...that's interesting.
Red Robin monitors the situation in the lobby closely. The armed guards are simply moving about, like their keeping guard. No one is stealing anything.
RED ROBIN Yeah, I can see what you mean. Have you gotten ahold of Batman?
ALFRED (O.S.)
He's still searching for the Joker.
RED ROBIN Right. Let me do a quick clean-up of this bank and I'll move in and check out the others.
ORACLE (O.S)
No need. Dick and Stephanie are already on it.
RED ROBIN It's becoming a family affair. Alright. Drake out.
He hangs up the call, keeping his eye fixed on the lobby.
RED ROBIN (to himself)
Alright, Joker. What are you planning?
TO BE CONTINUED...