Batman: Battle for the Cowl is the next DC Universe Original Animated film based on the storyline of the same name taken from the Batman comics.
Plot[]
In Gotham City, Bruce Wayne, AKA Batman, has gone missing and is presumed dead for quite some time. His former protege, Dick Grayson, the first Robin, is now Nightwing and defends the city of Bludhaven. Tim Drake, the third Robin, remains active in Gotham, working in conjunction with faithful butler Alfred Pennyworth. However, a new mystery soon begins in Gotham. A vigilante, dressed as Batman, is hunting criminals down and slaying them. Catching word of the Batman murders, Nightwing returns to Gotham to help Robin investigate. Robin approaches Nightwing with the idea of him becoming the Batman, but Nightwing refuses.
Meanwhile, the villainous Jeremiah Arkham releases a gang of Arkham Asylum inmates in hopes of taking control of the city. Amongst the group is the Scarecrow (Johnathan Crane), Firefly, Killer Croc, Victor Zsasz and Poison Ivy. While Nightwing and Robin battle the escaped villains, the impostor Batman continues to use lethal force against the criminal forces of the city. Nightwing and Robin encounter a masked vigilante battling criminals and give chase, where they corner him and unmask him as Damian Wayne, the son of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul. He tells him that his suit design is the "Red Robin" and he is trying to help them. They soon welcome him to the team.
With the rest of comrades down, Scarecrow tries to lure the group into a trap and defeats Damian, but before he can end it he is shot, non fatally, by the Batman impostor, hiding on an adjacent rooftop. Robin watches the impostor kidnap Arkham and chases him to the catacombs beneath the city, where he uncovers a twisted version of the Batcave. The impostor then gets the jump on Robin and captures him.
While captive, Robin learns the identity of the impostor; Jason Todd, the second Robin. He explains that he will be the one to take up the Bat mantle. Robin also witnesses Jason torturing Arkham, much to his horror. While Jason returns to the city to continue patrolling, Nightwing and Damian make their way to the catacombs to rescue Robin. However, after freeing them, Arkham, now insane, arms himself with Jason's arsenal and a fight breaks out, destroying the faux Batcave and causing the catacombs to collpase, leaving Arkham's fate unclear while the others escape.
Jason, in his disguise, watches Gotham from a rooftop when suddenly he spots Robin running across an adjacent building, and quickly leaps into action. He corners Robin, only to learn that it is in fact Damian. Suddenly, Jason is punched across the face and his cowl is ripped off. He turns to face his attacker; Dick Grayson, dressed as Batman. A brawl breaks out between the two, while Damian is confronted by Killer Croc, who has once again escaped. Damian ultimately prevails while the fight between Dick and Jason brings them to the top of a moving train, where Jason asks Dick who he thinks he is, to which Dick replies "I am...Batman!" Jason is then knocked off of the train. Returning to the Batcave, Dick stands triumphantly as Batman, with Damian now dressed as Robin and Tim wearing the Red Robin costume.
Cast[]
Neil Patrick Harris - Dick Grayson/Nightwing/Batman
Jensen Ackles - Jason Todd
Charlie Schlatter - Tim Drake/Robin/Red Robin
Jesse McCartney - Damian Wayne/Red Robin/Robin
Kevin Conroy - Bruce Wayne/Batman
Ron Perlman - Dr. Jeremiah Arkham
Jeffrey Combs - Johnathan Crane/Scarecrow
Dee Bradley Baker - Killer Croc
Tasia Valenza - Poison Ivy
Mark Rolston - Firefly
Steve Blum - Victor Zsasz
Jeff Bennet - Alfred Pennyworth