Batman: Death in the Family
![]() | This article consists almost entirely of a plot summary. (October 2020) |
Batman: Death in the Family | |
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![]() Blu-ray cover | |
Directed by | Brandon Vietti |
Written by |
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Based on |
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Starring | |
Music by | Christopher Drake |
Production companies | |
Distributed by | Warner Bros. Home Entertainment |
Release date | October 13, 2020 |
Running time | 18-30 minutes 95 minutes (Digital) |
Language | English |
Batman: Death in the Family is a 2020 American animated interactive short film based on the storyline of the same name. It is a follow-up to Batman: Under the Red Hood and was released on Blu-ray and DVD on October 13, 2020.
Synopsis
Format
Death in the Family is an interactive film. When presented with a choice point, the user has ten seconds to make a choice or a default decision is made for them. The film has an average viewing of 95 minutes. It is reported that there are 7 alternate endings.
Plot
Believing that Jason Todd is becoming too aggressive in his crime-fighting, Batman decides to suspend him from his active duties as Robin; angered, Jason forsakes Batman and leaves Gotham City. The two end up reuniting in Bosnia to fight Ra's al Ghul and the Joker, who are working together to steal enough uranium to create radioactive dirty bombs. As Batman stops Ra's al Ghul's men from getting the uranium across the border, the Joker captures Robin and brutally beats him with a crowbar, leaving him to die in the warehouse that is rigged to explode.
Robin Dies
If Robin dies, the events of Batman: Under the Red Hood play out naturally. A guilt-ridden Ra's al Ghul uses the Lazarus Pit to resurrect Jason, who becomes the Red Hood and wages a war against Batman and Black Mask, eventually leading to Black Mask releasing the Joker from Arkham Asylum. Red Hood captures Joker and forces Batman to decide between killing the Joker or him. Batman manages to avoid killing either of them, but Red Hood disappears. Bruce provides a recap of the events to Clark Kent, who commends Bruce for his bravery in facing his inner demons and offers his help in finding Jason.
Robin Cheats Death
Jason survives the explosion, but is severely injured, requiring his face to be swathed in bandages. He is also severely traumatized, and blames Batman for his plight. He dons a new Robin suit while keeping the bandages on his head, and becomes a violent vigilante who brutally murders several Gotham criminals, such as Cheetah, Riddler, and Black Mask. He is eventually found by Talia al Ghul, who offers to help him find and kill the Joker in exchange for Jason agreeing to raise her and Bruce's infant son Damian. Jason agrees, secretly planning to eventually turn Damian against both of his biological parents.
Batman Saves Robin
Unlike the other two options, this version offers multiple branching paths. Batman manages to get Robin out of the warehouse, but he is killed by the explosion. With his dying words, he tries to convince Jason not to kill the Joker and to be strong for his family. Jason, Alfred, and Barbara Gordon put Bruce to rest next to his parents, and Dick Grayson succeeds Bruce as Batman. The viewer then has to decide whether Jason chooses to kill the Joker.
Kill the Joker
Jason goes to a local diner and finds the Joker, who now has a new appearance and is attempting to start his life over. Missing his old foe, he tells Jason the same joke he told Batman after he shot Barbara Gordon in the spine. Jason reveals his identity by repeating the parting words Joker said to him back in the warehouse before stabbing the villain to death. Shortly afterwards, two GCPD police officers arrive to arrest Jason. The viewer then has the option to determine if he turns himself in or escapes.
- If Jason turns himself in, he is given a life sentence. He embraces his "Jailbird" persona so he can serve his own form of justice on the inside.
- If Jason escapes, he becomes an anti-hero known as Red Robin and begins a murderous rampage against Gotham's criminals. Eventually, he battles Two-Face at a mall. After gaining the upper hand on Red Robin, Two-Face flips his coin to determine Red Robin's fate. The viewer can decide what side the coin lands on:
- If it lands on the bad side, Two-Face decides to spare Red Robin, as he believes letting Jason live with what he has become is a fate worse than death. Sure enough, Jason is wracked with guilt for what he has done, and retires from crime-fighting.
- If it lands on the good side, Two-Face decides to kill Red Robin, as he believes he would be doing Gotham a favor. Before he can do so, however, he is tased by a young Tim Drake. Tim convinces Jason not to kill Two-Face by reminding him of Batman's dying words. Jason ultimately changes his ways, returns to the Bat-Family, and adopts Tim as his new sidekick, Bat Kid.
Catch the Joker
Jason attempts to fulfill his promise to Bruce not to kill the criminals he fights. To attract the Joker's attention, Jason adopts the Clown Prince of Crime's previous persona of the Red Hood and wages a bloody war on Gotham's criminal underworld. He eventually manages to bring Joker out of hiding and defeats him in a fight. The Joker is overjoyed by what Jason has become, and says that Jason is now more his successor than Batman's. Jason, who has been repressing his memories of killing criminals, suddenly realizes what he has done. The viewer can then decide once again on whether Jason chooses to kill the Joker or not.
Regardless of which option is chosen, Red Hood becomes a wanted fugitive and is pursued by the police and Dick. On top of a Wayne Industries tower one night, Jason is confronted by Talia and an alive Bruce Wayne. Talia reveals that she resurrected Bruce with the Lazarus Pit, but he was driven insane in the process and can only say "Zur-En-Arrh." She offers Jason the chance to join them in the League of Assassins, but he refuses and fights Batman. The viewer can decide whether Jason battles Batman to the death, or tries to save him.
- If Jason fights Batman to the death, Jason fatally wounds Batman with his knife, leading Bruce to activate a hidden bomb that kills Jason, Talia, and himself.
- If Jason tries to save Batman, Jason tases Bruce and defeats Talia. Dick arrives shortly afterward and takes Bruce and Jason back to Wayne Manor. Barbara Gordon returns to crime-fighting as Dick's "Oracle", while Jason pauses to heal from the trauma. Bruce is locked in the Batcave as the Bat-Family attempts to find a way to cure him of the effects of the Lazarus Pit.
Cast
- Bruce Greenwood as Bruce Wayne / Batman
- Vincent Martella as Jason Todd / Robin / Red Robin / Red Hood / Hush
- John DiMaggio as Joker, Thomas Wayne, Reporter #2
- Zehra Fazal as Talia al Ghul, Reporter #3
- Kimberly Brooks as Police Officer #1, Reporter #1
- Nick Carson as Bruce Wayne (young), Tim Drake
- Gary Cole as Commissioner James Gordon, Two-Face, Reporter #4
- Keith Ferguson as Gangster #1
- Nolan North as Clark Kent / Superman, Police Officer #2
Dick Grayson / Nightwing, Alfred Pennyworth and Barbara Gordon make non-speaking cameo appearances. Wonder Woman and Flash also appear in non-speaking cameos but are only partially visible.
Production
Batman: The Animated Series alumni Kevin Conroy (Batman) and Mark Hamill (the Joker) teased producing an animated adaptation of A Death in the Family during a panel at Canada's Fan Expo in 2016.[1] An interactive film based on the comic was released on October 13, 2020 which also serves as a follow-up to the film Batman: Under the Red Hood with the cast from the latter film reprising their roles.[2]
References
- ^ Neuwirth, Aaron (September 5, 2016). "Mark Hamill & Kevin Conroy Tease Hush & Death in the Family Animated Films". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on September 21, 2017. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
- ^ Schedeen, Jesse (July 29, 2020). "Batman: Death in the Family and All the DC Animated Movies in Development". IGN. Retrieved July 29, 2020.