THE MANTLE - TRAILER #1

By

thorney33

INT. STUDIO

ADAM WARD, early 40s, balding man with a sharp nose, watches

pensively as JACK RYDER, mid 30s, cocky son-of-a-bitch with

perfect hair, leads a smutty chat show. He walks away,

disgusted; ROXANNE THORNE, early 20s, stunning brunette with

large breasts bounds along behind him.

WARD

This isn’t entertainment...this is

filth.

ROXANNE

So why don’t you just can him?

WARD

Because filth attracts filth...and

Gotham is a cultural wasteland.

FLASH - GARFIELD LYNNS, mid 20s, wide eyed with spiky brown

hair, watches in glee as a room is quickly enveloped in

flames, screams crying out through the chaos.

WARD (V/O)

...the madness that spreads through

its citizens like a knife through

butter...

FLASH - PAMELA ISLEY, late 20s, beautiful red-head sits in

her Arkham cell, staring blankly into the camera.

WARD (V/O)

...the indescribable horrors that

we have locked away, eagerly

awaiting their chance at escape...

FLASH - A dark room. A long table set up for a mad tea

party. A dead girl sitting at the end, empty eye sockets and

decaying flesh beginning to come off the bone.

HATTER (V/O)

(singing)

Twinkle, twinkle, little bat...how

I wonder where you’re at...

WARD (V/O)

...and, worst of all...the monsters

that remain on the streets...just

waiting for their moment to strike.

CUT TO - INT. STUDIO

Ward smashes his fist against the wall and Roxanne jumps

back, startled.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: 2.

ROXANNE

Gee...so...why live here, then?

WARD

(determined)

Somebody has to clean up Gotham.

ROXANNE

Batman?

WARD

Ha! Since Batman has begun his

crusade of justice, Gotham has more

freaks than ever.

ROXANNE

Isn’t that a good thing?

Ward pauses and stares at Roxanne. She indicates towards

Ryder, who is finishing up his broadcast.

ROXANNE

I mean, more freaks means more

stories, right?

Ward stares at Roxanne menacingly before walking away. She

shivers and walks away herself.

FADE TO BLACK

’THE MANTLE’ - COMING SOON FLASHES ACROSS THE BLACK SCREEN

CUT TO - EXT. ALLEYWAY - NIGHT

In the rain, Batman smashes his fist into the face of a man,

struggling on the ground, as stunning blonde HARLEEN

QUINZEL, mid 20s, watches on in disgust. Batman stands up

tall, turning towards Quinzel.

HARLEEN

Don’t ya ever...I don’t know...try

reasoning with your victims?

Batman, mostly hidden in shadow, narrows his eyes.

BATMAN

Victims?

HARLEEN

Well...look at what you did to him.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: 3.

BATMAN

You’re inexperienced...and naive.

In this town, that’s a dangerous

combination.

Batman grapples away into the night as the howls of police

sirens close in. Quinzel looks down at the unconcious man

and shakes her head in disbelief.

HARLEEN

Sure...I’m the dangerous one.

END TRAILER