New R-rated Batman trilogy begins this year

Batman is getting an R-rated trilogy, with the first film, Batman: Knightfall Part 1: Knightfall, debuting at the Annecy Festival alongside a trailer released June 23. The series leans into darker, bloodier moments than most previous Batman films. The movies are a faithful adaptation of the 1993–94 Knightfall comics arc that introduced Bane.

That storyline sends Bane to Arkham Asylum as part of a plan that unleashes nearly the entire rogue’s gallery on Gotham. Bane has been tricky to adapt on screen: he was reduced to a joke in 1997’s Batman & Robin, and Christopher Nolan drew only partly on Knightfall for The Dark Knight Rises.

Director Jeff Wamester says he intends to use the R rating to make Bane a truly fearsome presence who rips people apart. Studio Mir animates the trilogy, bringing the violence to life with the same panache shown in Devil May Cry. A release date for Knightfall hasn’t been announced, but the trailer hints at future events, including Nightwing in action and Batman’s new suit after his fight with Bane.

batman, knightfall, bane, r-rated, annecy festival, jeff wamester, studio mir, arkham asylum, nightwing, trailer