The future of Batman on the big screen is currently uncertain. There haven’t been any confirmed updates on the current state of the Batman: The Brave and the Bold film since Deadline covered it over a month ago, and The Batman: Part II has been infamously plagued with production delays. However, a Gorilla Grodd show is officially in the works. While the DC Universe is still finding its footing regarding when we’ll see everyone’s favorite pupil-less superhero on the big screen, there’s one comic book storyline that has the makings of a fantastic Batman film — more specifically, a fantastic final Batman film, with stakes that could surpass The Dark Knight Rises and almost reach the dramatic heights of an Avengers film. Ironically enough, it’s called Batman: Endgame.
Written by the great Scott Snyder and drawn by the equally excellent Greg Capullo, the story follows Batman as he faces off against the Justice League, who are all out for blood and seemingly not in control of their minds (yes, even Superman). This starts a chain reaction that leads to Gotham City being locked down and under siege by an airborne virus threatening to destroy the entire city. With few options, even less time, and circumstances that keep getting worse, this might be the thing that finally beats the Caped Crusader and kills everyone in the city.
Batman vs. The Justice League…Allegedly
Image via Jonathan Olley / © Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection
At the time of its release, the plot of Endgame was kept highly under wraps, and all that was known leading up to issue #35 was its cover, which showed Batman facing off against the Justice League. That’s exciting on its own, assuming it’s going to be a Batman vs. Justice League story, but at the end of the first issue, it’s revealed that it was all a red herring and that the story follows the return of everyone’s favorite clown: The Joker! The story is actually a sequel to the fan-favorite Death of the Family, following a stint in Zero Year, and sees The Joker back with a new haircut and his skin attached to his face (instead of being worn as a mask). It’s also revealed that the previously mentioned airborne virus affecting the city is a new strain of Joker toxin that’s turning citizens into lunatics mindlessly attacking one another with trademark smiles on their faces—almost turning this into a zombie outbreak. And within hours, it’s going to kill everyone it infects. That’s already intense, considering that the Justice League are among those who are incapacitated, so Batman’s completely on his own. But the story also takes a new angle with The Joker and makes it clear that not only is he completely in control . . . he might not even be human.
This isn’t just another “Joker’s back” storyline. It plays up the otherworldly presence and allure that the character often exudes, dialing it up to make the audience wonder if he might actually be something more — maybe even something ancient. Endgame plays itself up as a horror story, with moments that feel like something out of Sinister — or more appropriately, IT, as characters find clues suggesting that The Joker might actually be completely unstoppable and perhaps even an entity that brings chaos rather than just being human. It brings into question Batman’s relationship with him, re-evaluates everything he thought he knew, and treats The Joker like a threat he’s faced for years rather than just another “Villain of the Week.”
The Joker Might Be An Eternal Being
Image via DC Comics
The feeling of being in uncharted waters adds to the uncertainty of Endgame. Every Batman movie has him being out of his element and having to overcome whatever obstacle he faces, but it’s usually more on an ideological or personal level. Very rarely is he COMPLETELY outmatched, outmanned, and running out of time. Even in The Dark Knight Rises, he’s certainly an underdog but has thousands of cops to help him fight Bane. In this case, it feels like it’s him versus an entire city. Because of that, he has to turn not just to members of the Bat Family but also his enemies to stop The Joker.
While Batman: Endgame may not yet be recognized as a classic comic book storyline that films could use as blueprints like The Long Halloween, Knightfall, or The Dark Knight Returns, it laid groundwork for what a great conclusion to the character could look like. Endgame is a harrowing six-issue run that pushes its titular character both mentally and physically in ways we’ve never seen on screen. It places him dead center in an overrun Gotham City reminiscent of something out of Resident Evil, blending action and horror (leaning into supernatural, borderline Lovecraftian territory) while giving resolution to his dynamic with The Joker. All this is done in a way that’s fulfilling both as a standalone narrative and as a conclusion to their long rivalry (for now). It’s a story showcasing comic books’ scope and grandeur that film adaptations aspire to replicate on screen.
