Batman: The Long Halloween (film)

Last updated

Batman: The Long Halloween
Batman The Long Halloween 4k.jpg
Deluxe Edition 4K Ultra HD cover
Directed byChris Palmer
Written byTim Sheridan
Based on
Batman: The Long Halloween
by
Produced by
  • Jim Krieg
  • Kimberly S. Moreau
Starring
Edited byJohn Soares
Music byMichael Gatt
Production
companies
Distributed by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment
Release dates
  • June 22, 2021 (2021-06-22)(Part 1)
  • July 27, 2021 (2021-07-27)(Part 2)
  • September 20, 2022 (2022-09-20)(Deluxe Edition)
Running time
85 minutes (Part 1)
87 minutes (Part 2)
172 minutes (Deluxe Edition)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Batman: The Long Halloween is a 2021 American two-part animated direct-to-video superhero film produced by Warner Bros. Animation and DC Entertainment, based on the DC Comics storyline of the same name. Part 1 is the 44th film, and Part 2 is the 45th film, of the DC Universe Animated Original Movies, with both parts serving as the third and fourth installments of the DC Animated Movie Universe's second phase, and the nineteenth and twentienth overall. The film is directed by Chris Palmer and stars the voices of Jensen Ackles, Josh Duhamel and Naya Rivera in her final film role. The film is dedicated to Rivera following her death the year prior. In both parts of the film, Batman attempts to unravel the mystery of murders committed on holidays throughout the year, and uncover the true identity of the serial killer Holiday.

Contents

Part 1 was released on June 27, 2021, and Part 2 was released on July 27 the same year. A deluxe edition combining both films was released on September 20, 2022. [1]

Plot

Part One

Hoping to solicit help in laundering his funds, Gotham City mob boss Carmine Falcone meets with billionaire Bruce Wayne under the guise of repairing the relationship between their families. Bruce declines.

On Halloween, someone murders Johnny Viti, Falcone's nephew, and leaves a jack-o'-lantern and the hand gun at the crime scene. Gotham City PD Captain James Gordon suspects Falcone is responsible because Viti was planning to testify against him. Gordon, Batman, and newly elected District Attorney Harvey Dent swear to take down Falcone without breaking the law.

Catwoman leads Batman to Falcone's cash stockpile, with Harvey following. Based on a coin flip, Harvey decides to burn the money rather than move it legally and risk Falcone stopping them. In retaliation, Falcone hires triad member Mickey Chen to bomb Harvey's house. Harvey and his wife Gilda survive but are hospitalized. Chasing Chen down to the sewers, Batman runs into Solomon Grundy. Batman convinces Grundy to spare Chen and takes him to the GCPD for questioning. Lacking evidence of his involvement in the bombing, Batman and Gordon are forced to release him.

On Thanksgiving, Falcone's son Alberto sends roses to Harvey with a mocking "get well soon" card in his father's name. After finding out about this, an angry Falcone tells Alberto to never speak on behalf of the family again, especially to the Dents. Harvey escapes from the hospital and meets Gordon, who gives him a gun for protection. That night, Viti's murderer kills Chen and his associates before leaving the pistol and a Thanksgiving decoration behind.

By Christmas Eve, Gordon and Batman question Calendar Man in Arkham Asylum on the identity of the murderer who has now been nicknamed "Holiday". Calendar Man names Falcone, Sal Maroni, and Harvey as suspects and calls Batman's war on crime a "joke". Batman then realizes that Joker has escaped from Arkham. Not wanting Holiday to replace him as Gotham's most notorious criminal, Joker confronts Harvey in his home and threatens to kill him if he is proven to be Holiday. Batman visits Maroni, who Joker also attacked. Meanwhile, Joker harasses Falcone, asking that he share any new information about Holiday. Falcone's bodyguard Milos Grappa chases Joker out of the building and is killed by Holiday. Batman arrives and finds a Christmas snow globe, the pistol and Joker playing cards next to Grappa's corpse.

Bruce attends a New Year's Eve yacht party celebrating Gotham's children's clinic, hosted by Falcone, who calls out Bruce during his speech as the son he never had, angering Alberto. Bruce meets with Selina Kyle, who calls off their relationship due to their conflicting secret identities. Joker attempts to gas a concurrent celebration in Gotham Square using a stolen crop duster plane, hoping that Holiday is among the crowd. Meanwhile, Selina meets with Alberto to learn about the Falcone family. Alberto laments about never being respected by his father, who also rejected his fiancée from Oxford University. Batman foils Joker's scheme, and when Joker remarks that he "loves a good puzzle", Batman deduces that Alberto, who would benefit the most from killing his father's enemies and is known for his love of puzzles, is the killer.

At the yacht, Batman accuses Alberto of being Holiday, targeting Falcone's associates to gain power within the family. Alberto denies wanting control of the family business, citing he no longer wishes to be in his father's shadow. As the New Year starts, Alberto is shot dead by Holiday and falls into the water, where the yacht's propellers cut his body to pieces. Batman pursues Holiday, who escapes via speedboat leaving behind the gun and a Champagne glass. As the ship is evacuated, Batman tells Gordon and Harvey to assign a protective detail to Falcone. Facing the fact that Joker and Alberto were not Holiday, the three wonder who Holiday is and who is next on his hit list.

At Alberto's funeral, Falcone again pressures Bruce to help launder his funds. When Bruce refuses, Falcone introduces the woman accompanying him. Vines grip Bruce's arm as they shake hands and cause his eyes to turn green. The woman is Poison Ivy and has taken control of him.

Part Two

In the three months since Alberto's death, the Holiday Killer has targeted the Falcone and Maroni families on Valentine's Day, Saint Patrick's Day, and April Fools' Day. Meanwhile, Bruce has signed much of his assets to Falcone under Ivy's influence. Catwoman subdues Ivy and rescues Bruce. Alfred calls the police and Bruce's lawyers to arrest Ivy and stop the transactions.

On Mother's Day, while investigating the murder of Chong, a black market arms dealer posing as a teahouse owner, the GCPD discovers he was supplying Holiday with firearms. Later that night, Scarecrow escapes from Arkham Asylum and injects Batman with fear toxin during a confrontation. Forced to relive his parents' deaths, Batman is eventually found by Catwoman and taken home.

Gordon and Harvey question Bruce about his family's connections to Falcone. Bruce recalls how, as a boy, he watched his father save Falcone's life following an assassination attempt by Luigi, Maroni's father. Bruce assures Gordon and Harvey that any relationship between his family and Falcone ended after the death of his parents in what he believed was retaliation for saving Carmine.

On Father's Day, Holiday kills Luigi, prompting Maroni to approach Harvey and offer to testify against Falcone in exchange for immunity. Catwoman later follows Falcone to a cemetery and sees him pay a hitman.

On the Fourth of July, Batman is captured by Scarecrow and Mad Hatter as they rob a bank for Falcone. Batman escapes and defeats them as they drop off the cash in the cemetery. Meanwhile, Falcone's hitman attacks Harvey and Gilda. Catwoman intervenes, but the hitman knocks out both of them. Harvey awakens to find the hitman dead and one of Holiday's guns nearby. He flees as the police arrive.

Carla Viti publicly accuses Harvey of being Holiday. While Harvey has Maroni in court, Batman meets Gordon and reveals that he found Holiday's guns in the Dents' basement and an Oxford University Pennant. At the court, Maroni accuses Harvey of being Holiday and throws acid in his face. Harvey is hospitalized but escapes and is picked up by Falcone's men. Harvey realizes it is a trap, and the two men are here to kill him for Johnny and Alberto's death. Harvey kills his guards and flees into the sewers, where he is nurtured by Solomon Grundy. On Falcone's birthday, Carla is killed by Holiday.

On Labor Day, Harvey and Grundy attack Maroni's prison convoy. Batman, disguised as a guard, subdues Grundy, but Maroni is shot by Holiday from another building, and all three criminals escape. Batman asks Catwoman about her obsession with the Falcone family. She confesses that Falcone is her father and only wants to know her mother's name.

Harvey, now calling himself Two-Face, and Grundy attack Arkham and free several inmates; Poison Ivy, Scarecrow, and Mad Hatter engage the GCPD while Two-Face, Grundy, Joker, and Penguin attack Falcone's building. They overwhelm Falcone's guards and his daughter Sofia. Two-Face prepares to flip a coin to decide whether Falcone will live or die. Batman and Catwoman arrive and defeat the rogues but cannot prevent Two-Face from shooting Falcone. Distraught, Sofia tries to kill Two-Face with his own gun, but fails. She then trips over Poison Ivy's vines and despite Catwoman's efforts, falls out a window to her death. Catwoman reveals her face to Falcone, who mentions the name "Louisa", and Batman inadvertently reveals his identity while offering medical help, which Falcone declines before dying in Bruce's arms. Two-Face turns himself over to Gordon, claiming responsibility for the murders.

Batman confronts Gilda, who was both Holiday and the woman Alberto spoke of the night he died. She hated Falcone, who forced Alberto into annulling their marriage and forced her into getting an abortion which ultimately rendered her infertile. Seeking justice, she married Harvey, believing he was her best chance at taking down Falcone, but decided to take matters into her own hands after realizing he could not embrace his demons as she did. Assured that Holiday is finished, Batman leaves, not answering Gilda when she asks if he plans on telling Gordon the truth.

On Halloween, children start trick-or-treating again. That night, Flash [N 1] and Green Arrow [N 2] visit Bruce. [N 3]

Cast

Appearing in both parts

Appearing in Part One

Appearing in Part Two

The Flash and Green Arrow make non-speaking cameo appearances during the second part's post-credit scene.

Production

The film was officially announced in August 2020, during the Superman: Man of Tomorrow panel at DC FanDome. [2]

Release

Part One was released on June 22, 2021, on digital download, DVD, and Blu-ray. [3] Part One was delayed due to the release of the live-action Batman film The Batman , and was originally supposed to launch the new animated continuity that originated in Superman: Man of Tomorrow . [4]

Part Two was made available for online streaming on July 27, and was released on DVD and Blu-ray on August 10. [5]

The deluxe edition released in September 2022 combined the two parts into one. [6]

Reception

Commercial performance

Part One earned $659,774 from domestic DVD sales and $2,950,796 from domestic Blu-ray sales, bringing its total domestic home video earnings to $3,610,570. [7] Part Two earned $454,659 from domestic DVD sales and $2,100,180 from domestic Blu-ray sales, bringing its total domestic home video earnings to $2,554,839. [8]

Critical reception

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, Part One has an approval rating of 100% based on 19 reviews, with an average rating of 7.7/10. [9] Part Two has an approval rating of 100% based on 13 reviews, with an average rating of 7.9/10. [10]

Jesse Schedeen of IGN rated Part One an 8 out of 10: "Batman: The Long Halloween, Part One may not quite meet the high standard of Justice Society: World War II , but it's a well-crafted addition to the revamped DC Universe Movies line. It faithfully adapts the comic book source material while still veering in its own direction at times. It's difficult to imagine this adaptation working nearly as well if Warner Bros. Animation had tried to cram the entirety of The Long Halloween into one movie. With any luck, Part Two will be just as successful." [11]

Zaki Hasan of IGN rated Part Two a 9 out of 10: "It's a compelling story adapted with care and performed with conviction. Taken together, both parts make for not merely one of the best Batman animated movies, but one of the best Batman movies, period." [12]

William Fischer of Collider negatively compared the film's visual design to the more detailed and stylized artwork of the comics story arc, while acknowledging that the film's animators worked under different constraints than illustrators. [13]

Future

Ackles reprised his role as Bruce Wayne / Batman in Legion of Super-Heroes and in the film Justice League: Warworld , both of which are also set in the Tomorrowverse continuity. [14]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Barry Allen previously appeared in Justice Society: World War II .
  2. ↑ Green Arrow later appears as a member of Justice League in Green Lantern: Beware My Power .
  3. ↑ It is later explained in Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part One that Flash and Green Arrow asked for Bruce's help after Superman was injured in a fight with the android Amazo. This is the catalyst for the four men forming the Justice League.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Poison Ivy (character)</span> Comic book character

Poison Ivy is a character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Carmine Infantino, she debuted in Batman #181, and has become one of the superhero Batman's most enduring enemies belonging to the collective of adversaries that make up his rogues gallery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arkham Asylum</span> Fictional psychiatric hospital in DC Comics

The Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane, commonly referred to as Arkham Asylum, is a fictional forensic psychiatric hospital appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in stories featuring the superhero Batman. It first appeared in Batman #258, written by Dennis O'Neil with art by Irv Novick. Located in Gotham City, the asylum houses patients who are criminally insane, as well as select prisoners with unusual medical requirements that are beyond a conventional prison's ability to accommodate. Its high-profile patients are often members of Batman's rogues gallery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scarecrow (DC Comics)</span> Supervillain in the DC Universe

The Scarecrow is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, the character first appeared in World's Finest Comics #3. He has become one of the superhero Batman's most enduring enemies belonging to the collective of adversaries that make up his rogues gallery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Two-Face</span> Comic book supervillain

Two-Face is a supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, commonly as an adversary of the superhero Batman. The character was created by Bob Kane and first appeared in Detective Comics #66. As one of Batman's most enduring enemies, Two-Face belongs to the collective of adversaries that make up Batman's rogues gallery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Batman: Hush</span> Story arc in Batman comics

"Batman: Hush" is an American comic book story arc published by DC Comics featuring the superhero Batman. It was published in monthly installments within the comic book series Batman, running from issue #608–619 in October 2002 until September 2003. The story arc was written by Jeph Loeb, penciled by Jim Lee, inked by Scott Williams, and colored by Alex Sinclair, under the editorship of Bob Schreck.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bat-Signal</span> Distress signal device to call Batman

The Bat-Signal is a distress signal device appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, as a means to summon the superhero, Batman. It is a specially modified searchlight with a stylized emblem of a bat affixed to the light, allowing it to project a large bat symbol onto cloudy night skies over Gotham City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carmine Falcone</span> Fictional DC Comics character

Carmine Falcone is a fictional supervillain in DC Comics, portrayed as a powerful mob boss, an enemy of Batman, and a friend of the Wayne family. He has also been depicted in some versions as the illegitimate father of Catwoman.

<i>Batman: The Long Halloween</i> Limited comic book series by Jeph Loeb (1996-1997)

Batman: The Long Halloween is a 13-issue American comic book limited series written by Jeph Loeb with art by Tim Sale. It was originally published by DC Comics in 1996 and 1997. It was the follow-up to three Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Halloween Specials by the same creative team. The series' success led to Loeb and Sale to reteam for two sequels, Batman: Dark Victory and Catwoman: When in Rome, which are set concurrently.

<i>Batman: Dark Victory</i> Limited series by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale (1999-2000)

Batman: Dark Victory is a 14-part American comic book limited series published by DC Comics, featuring the superhero Batman. The series, which ran from 1999 until 2000, was written by Jeph Loeb and drawn by Tim Sale, and it serves as a sequel to Batman: The Long Halloween. Batman: Dark Victory takes place primarily four to five years into Batman's career as a vigilante crimefighter. The plot centers on a series of murders involving Gotham City police officers by a mysterious serial killer only known as the Hangman. Central to the storyline is a territory war between Two-Face and the remnants of the Falcone mob, led by Sofia Falcone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calendar Man</span> Comic book character

Calendar Man is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, as an enemy of the superhero Batman, belonging to the collective of adversaries that make up Batman's rogues gallery. Calendar Man is known for committing crimes that correspond with holidays and significant dates. He often wears costumes to correlate with the date of the designated crime. His name is a reference to the Julian and Gregorian calendars. In his debut, the character was presented as a joke villain, but in later years, writers developed Calendar Man as a dark, disturbed criminal who toys with Batman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sofia Falcone</span> Comics character

Sofia Falcone is a villain appearing in DC Comics, primarily in association with the character Batman. Debuting in the 1996–97 comic book limited series Batman: The Long Halloween by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale, she is introduced as a member of the Falcone crime family, who assists her father Carmine Falcone in unearthing the identity of the "Holiday Killer"—later revealed to be Sofia's own brother Alberto Falcone, a mass-murderer who had been indiscriminately killing Gotham City's citizens in correlation with holidays in the yearly calendar. In the 1999-2000 limited series Batman: Dark Victory which served as a continuation of the arc established in The Long Halloween, Sofia is revealed as the identity behind the murderer known under the alias the Hangman, who had spent over a year targeting and eliminating various members of the Gotham City Police Department, notably in association with former district attorney-turned criminal, Harvey Dent / Two-Face, who ends up killing her during a lengthy confrontation with Batman himself.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gilda Dent</span> Comics character

Gilda Dent, occasionally referred to as Grace, is a fictional character who has appeared in Batman comic books since Detective Comics #66. Associated with her fiancé Harvey Dent, who becomes the criminal mastermind Two-Face, she has since been a recurring character throughout various Batman stories involving him. Her largest role is in the Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale collaboration Batman: The Long Halloween and she was voiced by Julie Nathanson in the animated adaptation. Her role as Dent's fiancé in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight was instead filled by the original character of Rachel Dawes, portrayed by Katie Holmes and Maggie Gyllenhaal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alberto Falcone</span> Comics character

Alberto Falcone is a fictional comic book villain appearing in books published by DC Comics, in particular the Batman books. In addition to being a mobster, he has also made appearances as the Holiday Killer, a serial killer featured in Batman: The Long Halloween and Batman: Dark Victory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sal Maroni</span> Fictional DC Comics character

Salvatore Vincent Maroni is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with Batman. The substantial character is portrayed as a powerful mob boss and gangster of Italian descent in Gotham City and an enemy of Batman. Maroni is most famous for disfiguring Harvey Dent, setting the stage for the young district attorney's transformation into the supervillain Two-Face.

<i>Batman: Year One</i> (film) 2011 film directed by Lauren Montgomery, Sam Liu

Batman: Year One is a 2011 American animated superhero film based on the four-issue story arc of the same name printed in 1987. It was directed by Lauren Montgomery and Sam Liu. The film premiered at Comic-Con on July 22 and was officially released on October 18, 2011.

Mario Falcone is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is the son of Gotham City mob boss Carmine Falcone, the brother of Alberto Falcone and Sofia Falcone, and the uncle of Kitrina Falcone.

Catwoman is a fictional character first appearing in issue 1 of the Batman comic book. After her debut she would appear in many forms of media including live-action and animated film, radio, live-action and animated television, records, video games, web series, live performance, and podcasts. The character has made live-action appearances in the Batman television series (1966–68), its film adaptation Batman (1966), Batman Returns (1992), Catwoman (2004),The Dark Knight Rises (2012), Gotham (2014–19), and The Batman (2022). The character has also appeared in numerous animated television series and movies, most notably Batman: The Animated Series (1992–95) and The Lego Batman Movie (2017), as well as video games such as the Batman: Arkham series.

<i>Batman: Hush</i> (film) 2019 animated film directed by Justin Copeland

Batman: Hush is a 2019 American animated superhero film featuring the DC Comics superhero Batman and loosely based on the 2002 comic book story arc of the same name. It is the thirteenth installment of the DC Animated Movie Universe and the 37th overall film of the DC Universe Animated Original Movies. In the film, Batman forms an alliance with Catwoman to defeat a new villain named Hush, who knows all of Batman's secrets and targets key figures in his life.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Two-Face in other media</span> Fictional character Two-Face in media

The character Two-Face was created by Bob Kane and first appeared in Detective Comics #66. However, he did not appear outside comics until half a century later in Batman: The Animated Series. Two-Face has since been substantially adapted from the comics into various forms of media, such as feature films, television series and video games. Two-Face has been voiced by Richard Moll in the DC Animated Universe, Troy Baker in the Batman: Arkham series, Billy Dee Williams in The Lego Batman Movie, and William Shatner in Batman vs. Two-Face. His live-action portrayals include Billy Dee Williams in Batman (1989), Tommy Lee Jones in Batman Forever, Aaron Eckhart in The Dark Knight, and Nicholas D'Agosto in the television series Gotham. In 2009, Two-Face was ranked #12 on IGN's list of the Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time.

<i>Batman: Dying Is Easy</i> 2021 film by Aaron Schoenke

Batman: Dying Is Easy is a 2021 superhero fan film directed by Aaron and Sean Schoenke, based on the Batman franchise. It stars Kevin Porter as Batman and Aaron Schoenke as The Joker. The film is the third Batman fan film by the Schoenke brothers after City of Scars (2010) and Seeds of Arkham (2011).

References

  1. ↑ Harvey, James (July 7, 2022). ""Batman: The Long Halloween – Deluxe Edition" Hits 4K UltraHD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, Digital On September 20, 2022" . Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  2. ↑ Couch, Aaron (March 31, 2021). "'Batman: The Long Halloween, Part One' Sets Voice Cast (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved April 16, 2021.
  3. ↑ Baumgartner, Drew (April 8, 2021). "'Batman: The Long Halloween, Part 1' Gets Release Date, Blu-ray Cover Art". Collider . Retrieved April 16, 2021.
  4. ↑ Holmes, Adam (June 17, 2021). "How Matt Reeves' The Batman Affected The Long Halloween's Release". CinemaBlend . Retrieved June 20, 2021.
  5. ↑ Lane, Carly (May 19, 2021). "'Batman: The Long Halloween, Part Two' Trailer Reveals Release Date for R-Rated Conclusion". Collider . Retrieved July 29, 2021.
  6. ↑ Church, Ricky (September 30, 2022). "Batman: The Long Halloween - Deluxe Edition (2022) - 4K Ultra HD Review". Flickering Myth. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Batman: The Long Halloween Part One (2021) The Numbers Listing". The Numbers . Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Batman: The Long Halloween Part Two (2021) The Numbers Listing". The Numbers . Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Batman: The Long Halloween, Part One (2021)". Rotten Tomatoes (m). Retrieved March 28, 2022. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  10. ↑ "Batman: The Long Halloween, Part Two". Rotten Tomatoes (m). Retrieved March 28, 2022. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  11. ↑ Schedeen, Jesse (June 22, 2021). "Batman: The Long Halloween, Part One Review". IGN . Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  12. ↑ Hasan, Zaki (April 8, 2022). "Batman: The Long Halloween, Part Two Review". IGN .
  13. ↑ Fischer, William (August 1, 2021). "Why Do DC Animated Movies Keep Disregarding the Art of the Graphic Novels?". Collider . Retrieved August 4, 2021.
  14. ↑ Couch, Aaron (October 13, 2022). "DC's 'Legion of Super-Heroes' Sets Voice Cast With Meg Donnelly and Harry Shum Jr. to Star (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved October 17, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.