Batman: Bad Blood | |
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Directed by | Jay Oliva |
Screenplay by | J.M. DeMatteis |
Based on | Batman Incorporated by Grant Morrison Cameron Stewart Frazer Irving |
Produced by | James Tucker |
Starring | |
Edited by | Christopher D. Lozinski |
Music by | Frederik Wiedmann |
Production companies | |
Distributed by | Warner Home Video |
Release dates |
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Running time | 72 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Batman: Bad Blood is a 2016 American animated superhero film which is the 25th film of the DC Universe Animated Original Movies and the sixth film in the DC Animated Movie Universe. It serves as a sequel to the 2015 film Batman vs. Robin . [1] The film was released on January 20, 2016 for iTunes and the Google Play Store, and on DVD and Blu-ray on February 2. While not a direct adaptation of a particular storyline, it derived from Grant Morrison's run on Batman , primarily the Leviathan story arcs.
Jason O'Mara, Sean Maher, and Stuart Allan reprise their roles from the previous films as Batman, Robin, and Nightwing, with Morena Baccarin returning from Son of Batman as Talia al Ghul, while Yvonne Strahovski joins as Batwoman. [2]
Six months after the defeat of the Court of Owls, [N 1] Batwoman intercepts a crowd of criminals in Gotham City that includes Electrocutioner, Tusk, Firefly and Killer Moth. When a fight ensues, Batman arrives. They are confronted by the apparent leader of the criminals, a masked man calling himself "Heretic", who reminds Batman of his vision of Damian Wayne as Batman. Alongside his subordinate Onyx, Heretic detonates explosives planted within the facility. Batman flings Batwoman to safety and apparently dies in the explosion.
Two weeks later, a concerned Alfred Pennyworth sends a distress signal to Nightwing. Meanwhile at a monastery in the Himalayas, Bruce's twelve-year-old son Damian Wayne watches a news report of Batman's disappearance and sets out to return to Gotham. Batwoman's civilian alter-ego Kate Kane meets with her father Jacob Kane explaining she feels responsible for Batman's apparent death. In the past, Katherine was traumatized by an incident in which her sister Elizabeth and mother Gabrielle were abducted, held for ransom, and eventually killed when her father attempted to rescue them, with her being the sole survivor. After time in the military, she became a promiscuous drunkard whom Batman saved from street thugs, which motivated her to become Batwoman.
Batman apparently resurfaces and is quickly noticed by Robin and Katherine. Both of them intercept Batman and deduce that it is Nightwing wearing an older version of the Batsuit. They begin their own investigations into the Heretic, unconvinced that Bruce is truly dead. The Heretic and his henchmen attack Wayne Enterprises, forcing Lucius Fox to open the way into the vault by threatening his son Luke. Though Nightwing and Damian arrive, they are unable to prevent the Heretic from escaping with Wayne technology, and Lucius is injured. Before they leave, the Heretic kills Electrocutioner when he is about to kill Robin.
The Heretic returns to his headquarters where it is revealed that he is working for Damian's mother Talia al Ghul. [N 2] They are holding Bruce prisoner and the Mad Hatter is slowly trying to brainwash him. The Heretic breaks into the Batcave and kidnaps Damian, revealing himself as a clone of Damian created by a genetics program run by Ra's al Ghul and the League of Shadows. He wishes to have Damian's memories and personality to feel like a real person, but Talia arrives and kills him for defying her orders. Nightwing and Batwoman then arrive, having located Damian through a tracker in his costume. They are joined by Luke, clad in an exosuit designed by his father and styling himself as Batwing. The three rescue Bruce and Damian, but Talia and most of her henchmen escape.
A week passes and Bruce seems to have recovered, though he remains adamant that Katherine and Luke should not be involved. After Katherine is forced to fight her father after he suddenly attacks her for no reason, Dick realizes that Bruce is still under the effects of the Mad Hatter's mind control. Luke realizes that the League of Shadows are planning to brainwash world leaders at a tech summit held by Bruce.
As the brainwashing takes place, Nightwing, Robin, Batwoman, Alfred, and Batwing arrive and fight Talia and her henchmen. During the fight, the Calculator is killed, interrupting the mind control and killing the Mad Hatter in the process as well. Bruce, still brainwashed, defeats Nightwing. Talia orders him to kill Nightwing and Damian, but thanks to a speech Nightwing gave, Bruce resists the brainwashing. Incensed, Talia escapes in a vessel only for Onyx to confront and attack her to avenge Heretic's death. The vessel crashes and explodes, with the two being presumed dead. Bruce is later seen comforting Damian over Talia's supposed death. Alfred remarks to Dick that despite Talia's madness, she was still Damian's mother.
As the Bat-Signal shines in Gotham City, Batwoman, Batwing, and Nightwing meet Batman and Robin on top of the police station for their nightly patrol, the former two now officially part of the team. When everyone arrives, they notice a robbery in progress down the street being committed by the Penguin, and head off to stop him. On a nearby building, Batgirl observes the group and prepares to join the pursuit. [N 3]
Voice actor | Character |
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Jason O'Mara | Bruce Wayne / Batman |
Yvonne Strahovski | Kate Kane / Batwoman |
Stuart Allan | Damian Wayne / Robin |
Sean Maher | Dick Grayson / Nightwing / Batman II |
Morena Baccarin | Talia al Ghul |
Steve Blum | Black Mask Firefly |
Gaius Charles | Luke Fox / Batwing |
John DiMaggio | Blockbuster Tusk |
Robin Atkin Downes | Jervis Tetch / Mad Hatter Electrocutioner |
James Garrett | Alfred Pennyworth |
Ernie Hudson | Lucius Fox |
Christine Lakin | Reporter |
Vanessa Marshall | Renee Montoya |
Richard McGonagle | President of the United States |
Matthew Mercer | Hellhound Chuckie Sol |
Geoff Pierson | Colonel Jacob Kane |
Jason Spisak | Noah Kuttler / Calculator Killer Moth Male Reporter |
Bruce Thomas | Commissioner James Gordon |
Kari Wahlgren | Kori Ms. Bannister |
Travis Willingham | Heretic |
The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 100%, with an average score of 7.6/10, based on 5 reviews. Critics praised its engaging characters, thrilling fight scenes, and nods to long-time fans. The film's complex storyline and intense action were also highlighted. [3] Scott Mendelson's review for Forbes highlights the film's strong action sequences and the introduction of new characters. He finds the film entertaining and sees potential in its approach for future DCAU and DC Extended Universe projects, though he criticizes the repetitive use of certain villains and wishes for more exploration of Gotham's reaction to Batman's presumed death. [4] Andrew Pollard of Starburst applauds Batman: Bad Blood for its cinematic style, action-packed scenes, and the introduction of Batwoman. Pollard praises the film for its strong character dynamics, particularly between Dick Grayson and Damian. While Pollard acknowledges the sharp dialogue and atmospheric portrayal of Gotham, it critiques the potential overcrowding of characters and a perceived lack of focus on Batman himself. [5]
The film earned $4,806,737 from domestic home video sales. [6]
Robin is the alias of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger, and Jerry Robinson to serve as a junior counterpart and the sidekick to the superhero Batman. As a team, Batman and Robin have commonly been referred to as the Caped Crusaders and the Dynamic Duo. The character's first incarnation, Dick Grayson, debuted in Detective Comics #38. Conceived as a way to attract young readership, Robin garnered overwhelmingly positive critical reception, doubling the sales of the Batman titles. Robin's early adventures included Star Spangled Comics #65–130 (1947–1952), the character's first solo feature. He made regular appearances in Batman-related comic books and other DC Comics publications from 1940 through the early 1980s, until the character set aside the Robin identity and became the independent superhero Nightwing.
Ra's al Ghul is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly as an adversary of the superhero Batman. Created by editor Julius Schwartz, writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Neal Adams, the character first appeared in Batman #232's "Daughter of the Demon".
The Mad Hatter is a supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, commonly as an adversary of the superhero Batman. He is modeled after the Hatter from Lewis Carroll's novel Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, a character often called the "Mad Hatter" in adaptations of Carroll. A scientist who invents and uses technological mind control devices to influence and manipulate the minds of his victims, the Mad Hatter is one of Batman's most enduring enemies and belongs to the collective of adversaries that make up Batman's rogues gallery.
Lucius Fox is a character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Bruce Wayne / Batman. He is Wayne's business manager at Wayne Enterprises who runs the business interests that supply his equipment needs as well as financing his operations, and is the father of Luke Fox / Batwing, Tiffany Fox / Batgirl, and Jace Fox / Batman.
Talia al Ghul is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with Batman. The character was created by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Bob Brown, and first appeared in Detective Comics #411.
Timothy Jackson "Tim" Drake is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Batman. Created by Marv Wolfman and Pat Broderick, he first appeared in Batman #436 as the third character to assume the role of Batman's crime-fighting partner and sidekick Robin. Following the events of Batman: Battle for the Cowl in 2009, Drake adopted the identity of Red Robin. In 2019, Tim returned to his original Robin persona and briefly used the mononym "Drake".
The League of Assassins is a group of supervillains appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The group is depicted as a collective of assassins who work for Ra's al Ghul, an enemy of the superhero Batman. The group appeared in Strange Adventures #215, but did not become officially known as the League of Assassins until Detective Comics #405.
The Electrocutioner is an alias used by three fictional characters in the DC Universe, all minor enemies of the superhero Batman.
Damian Wayne is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, created by Grant Morrison and Andy Kubert, commonly in association with Batman. Damian Wayne is the biological son of Bruce Wayne/Batman. His mother is Batman's love interest Talia, and his grandfather is the Batman villain Ra's al Ghul. With the al Ghuls citing Bruce Wayne as the optimal successor to their empire, after faking a miscarriage to his father and calling off their marriage, Talia has kept his existence hidden from Batman until Batman #656 (2006). In turn, the character is revealed to have originally been intended to "kill and replace his famous father," as well as serving as a host body for Ra's al Ghul, thus, in theory, unifying the Wayne and Demon factions as intended by the al Ghuls. Damian is Bruce's youngest and only biological child in mainline DC continuity, with him having four older adopted siblings: Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, and Cassandra Cain.
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"Batman: Battle for the Cowl" is a 2009 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, three-issue miniseries written and penciled by Tony Daniel, as well as a number of tie-in books. The central story details the chaos in Gotham City following the "Batman R.I.P." and "Final Crisis" story arcs, due to Batman's absence. His disappearance is caused by the character's apparent death at the hands of Darkseid in Final Crisis, which causes dissension in the ranks of his allies and enemies who fight for the right to become the new Batman.
Batman and Robin is an American comic book ongoing series, created by Grant Morrison and featuring Batman and Robin. The debut of the series followed the events of "Batman R.I.P.", Final Crisis, and "Battle for the Cowl" in which the original Batman, Bruce Wayne, apparently died at the hands of DC Comics villain Darkseid and features the winner of the "Battle for the Cowl" as the new Batman. The conclusion of Battle for the Cowl shows Dick Grayson ascending to the role of Batman, while Damian Wayne becomes the new Robin.
This article is about the publication history of the DC Comics fictional character Dick Grayson, who has been portrayed in comic books alternatively as Robin, Nightwing, and Batman.
Batman Incorporated is an ongoing American comic book series published by DC Comics, featuring the superhero Batman. Written by Grant Morrison, the series debuted following the events of Batman R.I.P, Final Crisis, Batman and Robin, and The Return of Bruce Wayne where, after being stranded in the distant past and believed dead, Bruce Wayne has returned to the present day DC Universe. Now, he is prepared to take his war on crime to the next level by essentially "franchising" it and drafting, training and commanding a global team of heroes who will answer to Batman himself, known as Batman Incorporated.
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