BATMAN (1989) Storyboard Shows Robin the Boy Wonder

Here's a video someone made from the storyboards for the 80's Batman film directed by Tim Burton. David Russell (Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, X-Men Origins: Wolverine) has an uncredited role as storyboard artist.

The fact that you can string the panels together and have them look like a movie shows his amazing work.

Here's the description from Youtube.
"The sequence introducing the Boy Wonder - ultimately cut before filming began - was taken from an early draft of the 1989 'Batman' movie, put together using original pre-production storyboards and voiced by Batman: The Animated Series' Kevin Conroy (Batman) and Mark Hamill (the Joker)."

You can check out David Russel's site is http://www.storyboardart.com/index1.php

A sample from the original script is after the jump
 Script by Sam Hamm

http://www.dailyscript.com/scripts/batman_early.html

EXT. STREET - EVENING - OVERHEAD ANGLE

From high above the street we see the JOKER'S VAN pulling
out of VICKI's building. We're up on the roof, with BRUCE.
He hits a button on his utility belt, and a RED SIGNAL

LIGHT begins to flash.

BRUCE clamps the utility belt around his waist. Pulls the
BLACK NYLON STOCKING over his head. And suddenly, he's
BOUNDING ACROSS THE ROOFTOPS in pursuit of the JOKER.

EXT. CROSS STREET - A MOMENT LATER - EVENING

The VAN turns right at the intersection. Nothing unusual.
But for some reason, PEDESTRIANS are pointing at the sky,
staring goggle-eyed at the rooftops.

Far above them, a MAN -- dressed in a suit, a tie, a yellow
belt and a BLACK STOCKING MASK -- is gliding across the
intersection on a ROPE.
INT. VAN - A MOMENT LATER

The VAN DRIVER guns through a red light. BRAKES SQUEAL on
either side. In the back of the van, the JOKER GROWLS:

JOKER
Slow down, you maniac!

EXT. INTERSECTION - THAT MOMENT - EVENING

As the VAN ROARS PAST, a MOUNTED POLICEMAN shakes his fist.
His horse shies, rears back, turns in a circle. He's just
about gotten the beast calmed down when a MAN IN A STOCKING
MASK plummets down on a rope from nowhere and lands
directly behind him on the horse's back.
BRUCE elbows the startled COP. Now there's only one rider.

The VAN turns left. BRUCE gallops straight ahead through
the intersection, hoping to cut the JOKER off.
INT. ALICIA HUNT'S APARTMENT - THAT MOMENT

ALICIA peers out through the window. On the street below,
UNMARKED CARS are converging.

INT. VAN - THAT MOMENT

The JOKER and co. are two blocks away from ALICIA's. They
see a POLICE SWAT TEAM sealing off the building.

DRIVER
Boss! Jesus! They've --
JOKER
They'll be sorry. They'll be
sorry. -- GET OUT OF HERE!
EXT. SIDE STREET - THAT MOMENT - EVENING

BRUCE on horseback, charging past elegant old brownstones,
drawing stares from passersby. We get a quick look at the
FLASHING RED SIGNAL LIGHT on his belt.
EXT. RIVERVIEW DRIVE - THAT MOMENT - EVENING
A YELLOW VW BUG rips up the street at 70 mph.
INT. VOLKSWAGEN BUG - THAT MOMENT
We can't see the driver. But we do see, on the seat
beside him, a VIDEO DISPLAY with a shifting grid map of the
city -- and on it, a FLASHING SIGNAL blinking in perfect
sync with the one on BRUCE's belt.
EXT. SIDE STREET - THAT MOMENT



BRUCE sees the VW bug rounding the corner and STREAKING

TOWARD HIM. He reins in the horse; it rears back on its

hind legs in a classic western pose; the BUG zooms past --



-- and ALFRED THE BUTLER heaves out a BROWN LAUNDRY BUNDLE,

neatly tied in string.



BRUCE snatches it out of the air, gives ALFRED a quick

salute -- and the BUG is gone.



INT. JOKER'S VAN - EVENING



The JOKER and his boys are stalled in heavy traffic at the

southern border of Gotham Park. POLICE BARRICADES are

everywhere; the surrounding streets have been roped off for

the birthday gala. HORNS HONK in anger.



JOKER

MOVE! Can't you do something??



DRIVER

It's some kind of detour. They're

backed up for blocks!



The JOKER snorts. He happens to glance into the side-view

mirror. What he sees there... CURDLES HIS BLOOD.



JOKER

Oh my God. How does he do it... ?



EXT. STREET - A BLOCK AWAY - THAT MOMENT



THE BATMAN, IN FULL COSTUMED GLORY, GALLOPING UP THE STREET

ON HORSEBACK -- passing stunned COPS, weaving in and around

the stalled autos, GAINING FAST on the JOKER.



INT. VAN - THAT MOMENT



THE JOKER climbing all over the DRIVER. He HITS THE GAS,

RUNS THE VAN UP ON THE SIDEWALK, and -- at the first

opening he sees -- CRASHES THROUGH A POLICE BARRICADE INTO

GOTHAM PARK ITSELF.



BATMAN is half a block behind him now. As he follows hot on

the JOKER's heels, TWO HELICOPTERS swing into the park from

overhead.



EXT. GOTHAM PARK - EVENING



CROWDS EVERYWHERE. On the central platform where we saw the

FREE CONCERT earlier, an EMCEE mans the microphone:



EMCEE

-- the most spectacular, most death-

defying aerial stunt ever devised.

Tonight -- for the first time

anywhere -- THE FLYING GRAYSONS!



He points up at the two approaching HELICOPTERS, flying

side-by-side in tight formation some forty feet apart.



ANGLE ON HELICOPTERS



ONLOOKERS GASP as TWO TRAPEZES drop from the bellies of the

twin copters. Dangling from the trapezes are the FLYING

GRAYSONS -- a husband-and-wife aerialist team in spangled

red-and-green suits. They begin swinging toward each other

in a plane perpendicular to the path of the copters.



EXT. GOTHAM PARK - GROUND LEVEL



PANIC DOWN BELOW as the JOKER's van barrels through the

crowd, HORN BLARING. BATMAN is moving up swiftly.



On each wrist he's wearing a MINIATURE ROCKET LAUNCHER. He

lets fly with TWO SALVOS. The first explodes harmlessly

against a tree. The second HITS THE REAR DOOR OF THE VAN --

driving it off the access road down into the brush, where

it nearly topples over sideways.



ANGLE ON FLYING GRAYSONS



GRAYSON has just completed a double somersault in midair,

landing in the capable hands of his wife. Now they're

swinging again, building momentum as he prepares to make

the return leap back to his own trapeze.



INT. HELICOPTER - THAT MOMENT



In the bay of the helicopter stands a kid, fifteen,

compact, tough, and wiry: DICK GRAYSON. Like his parents,

he's wearing a red-and-green suit. From the copter, he's

got a perfect bird's-eye view of the BATMAN-JOKER chase.



PILOT

Ready to go, Dick?



DICK

What's all the ruckus down there?



EXT. PARK - GROUND LEVEL - THAT MOMENT



The VAN bounces over rocks and bushes, narrowly avoiding

trees, with BATMAN in hot pursuit.



INT. VAN - THAT MOMENT



At the foot of a hill, the JOKER spies a truck. On its

side, in bright red letters, a WARNING: "DANGER -

FIREWORKS. FLAMMABLE LOAD."



The JOKER reaches into the back for a HIGHWAY FLARE.

JOKER
Head for the truck!

INT. HELICOPTER - THAT MOMENT

Hovering over the chase scene, DICK catches sight of the
JOKER. He GASPS IN SHOCK as a LIT FLARE flies from the back
of the VAN... directly into the FIREWORKS TRUCK.

EXT. PARK - GROUND LEVEL - A MOMENT LATER

THE BATMAN is thrown off his horse by the shock of a
massive EXPLOSION. All at once, THE SKY IS FULL of
BURSTING, INCANDESCENT COLORS!!

THE JOKER hangs out of the rear of the van, looking up, an
expression of PURE DELIGHT on his face.

JOKER
I love fireworks!

ANGLE ON HELICOPTERS

LURCHING AND SPINNING IN THE SKY as FIREWORKS rocket past.

One of them takes a dead hit on the rotor. JOHN GRAYSON
falls to his death instantly; a moment later, the COPTER
plummets into the trees with a resounding, fiery CRASH.

MARY GRAYSON hangs from the second copter as it bobs and
weaves out of control. ONLOOKERS SCREAM IN TERROR.

EXT. STREET - THAT MOMENT

THE JOKER'S VAN bursts out of the park and speeds up a
wide, cordoned-off avenue. Overhead, THE SECOND COPTER
veers wildly, out of the park now, swinging dangerously
close to the tall buildings along the avenue.

INT. HELICOPTER - THAT MOMENT

DICK GRAYSON at the mouth of the bay, hanging on by a
canvas strap. He watches helplessly as his MOTHER swings
into a POWER LINE and drops three stories to the pavement.

DICK
NO! NOOOOOOOO!!!!

His face is contorted with rage and pain. The PILOT
struggles desperately to right the copter, barely avoiding
a collision with the nearest building. And then -- before
THE PILOT can make a move to stop him -- DICK HAS JUMPED
OUT OF THE COPTER.

ANGLE ON DICK

With astonishing physical grace, he DIVES. GRABS A
FLAGPOLE. Executes a perfect somersault. FLIPS onto a
nearby fire escape. VAULTS to the next fire escape down.
And LEAPS OUT OVER THE STREET --

-- MAKING A PERFECT TWO-POINT LANDING on his intended
target... THE ROOF OF THE JOKER'S VAN!!

INT. VAN - THAT MOMENT

THE JOKER hears a THUNK overhead. He casually lifts his gun
and BLOWS A HOLE THROUGH THE ROOF OF THE VAN.

EXT. ROOF OF VAN - MOVING - THAT MOMENT

The blast just misses DICK. He sprawls flat, YANKS at the
chrome luggage rack on the roof of the van, and BREAKS OFF

A FOUR-FOOT SHAFT OF METAL.

ANOTHER SHOT through the roof. DICK rolls forward, hoists
his chrome spear over the windshield.

INT. VAN - THAT MOMENT

SPLINTERED GLASS flies everywhere as DICK RAMS THE SHAFT
THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. THE DRIVER dodges left and LOSES
CONTROL OF THE WHEEL.

EXT. ROOF OF VAN - MOVING - THAT MOMENT

The VAN careens wildly toward an OVERPASS. DICK rises up
into a crouch just in time to see a sign which reads
"DANGER -- LOW CLEARANCE." He's about to get his head taken
off!

ONE SECOND BEFORE IMPACT a BLACK-CAPED SHADOW swings across
the street and SCOOPS DICK OFF THE ROOF OF THE VAN.

EXT. STREET - NIGHT

BATMAN AND DICK tumble to the pavement. THE VAN knocks over
a fire hydrant and STOPS. DICK is already on his feet,
ready to CHARGE THE VAN, when BATMAN throws a powerful arm
around his waist.

DICK
LET ME GO! LET ME --

THE JOKER steps casually out of the van. TWO GOONS with
MACHINE GUNS emerge behind him. PEDESTRIANS SCREAM as the
GOONS level their guns at the CROWD.

DICK (cont.)
YOU PIECE OF -- YOU MOTHERF--

DICK is kicking, screaming, clawing, biting. BATMAN has his
hands full restraining the kid.

JOKER
Like your boyfriend. He's kinda
hot.

(glowering at BATMAN)
Hands off the belt.

BATMAN
Take me. Let the boy go.

JOKER
Gosh, I could kill you, but then
you'd miss my party. And I'd be
real, real sad if you couldn't make
it.

BATMAN
What are you talking about?

JOKER
Batman! Don't you even recognize
your old pal Jack? After all...

(cackling insanely)

You made me what I am today.

BATMAN cocks his head in puzzlement as DISTANT SIRENS

BLARE. The JOKER and his HOODS -- guns still aimed at the
crowd -- back away and race off on foot, vanishing into the
night.

DICK BREAKS FREE and BOLTS AFTER THEM. BATMAN throws him to
the street with a flying tackle. The boy is hysterical.

DICK
HE KILLED MY PARENTS! HE KILLED
MY --

BATMAN flinches at the sound of the words. He reaches into
his belt and -- mercifully -- breaks a KNOCKOUT CAPSULE
under DICK's nose.

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Write by: Arek - Tuesday, February 1, 2011