Wednesday 8 August 2012

The Dark Knight Rises Script - Deleted Scene 1



EXT. DESERT, MIDDLE OF NOWHERE - DUSK

Wayne, carrying a raggedy shoulder bag, staggers across the sand and barren wasteland toward a dusty road, the sky dark to show the hours that have passed since escaping from the pit.  Close up on his feet, blistered and dirty.  Wide shot of Wayne approaching the road then back to a close up on his feet as his toe strikes a rock and he stumbles, falling to the ground.

WAYNE
Baaaaallllllssssss

He nurses his foot, sits up and opens his bag.  He takes out a picture of Rachel, looking longingly at it and running his finger across her face.  He rests the picture under the rock which he tripped over.

WAYNE
Fucking rock.

He reaches back into his bag and pulls out a piece of paper, unfolds it and reads.

V.O. PRISONER
I never doubted that you would escape, Bruce.  I could tell from the moment you came in here with a severed spine that you would be the one who could accomplish such a physically demanding feat as climbing the wall and make the impossible jump that was somehow accomplished by a child with much shorter arms and legs and inferior physical strength.  Now that you are free and on your way, make sure you stay hydrated. 

Wayne looks into the bag and starts pulling out items  and examining them as they are mentioned by the voiceover.

V.O PRISONER
I have packed you a lunch, just some simple salmon and cucumber sandwiches and a packet of Skips, and a few apples and 2 bottles of water.  If you should have a showdown with Bane at any point, can you do me a favour?  Eat one of these apples in front of him.  Eat it right in his fucking face.  That guy loves apples but he can’t eat a damn thing, with that messed up face of his.  When you reach the road, you will find that not much traffic comes by this way, but once every six hours there is a bus that operates specifically for anyone who manages to escape from the pit, and it runs from here all the way to Gotham, which should be sufficient explanation for people wondering how you got back with no money and no cell phone.  But also, I have packed you a cell phone.

Wayne takes the mobile phone out of the bag excitedly.

V.O PRISONER
If you need to make a call, then go ahead, but there isn’t much credit on there and I don’t even know if you’ll get reception out there.  Once you’ve used it, could you top it up and then drop it back into the pit.  To be honest, as I write this I’m wondering why I didn’t use that phone when I had it to contact anyone for help.  I think you’re better off without my company, actually.

Wayne screws the letter up and throws it down beside him, where the evening sun sets it alight.  He drinks half the bottle of water in one gulp and then looks down at the ashes left by the paper - the shape of a bat.  He takes out the phone and starts to dial a number.

INT. SCARECROW’S COURT

Fox and Gordon are being escorted out of the building while Tate is being taken to Bane.  Fox’s phone starts to vibrate in his pocket, and one of Bane’s henchmen who is standing very close to him also feels it.  He smiles suggestively at Fox.

HENCHMAN
(huskily) You gonna get that?

FOX
(shudders) May I?

HENCHMAN
(giggles) Sure, sugar.  I like you.  Your head looks like a pint of Guinness.

Fox stares at him in disbelief for a few seconds and then hurriedly answers the phone.

FOX
Hello? 

EXT. DESERT

WAYNE
Lucius, listen to me.  I need you to charter a flight for me, I’ll send you my co-ordinates.  I’ll need a change of clothes, too.  And... maybe hook me up with some big booty bitches for the plane journey.  I’ve been in that pit a long time, man.

INT. COURTROOM

FOX
I can’t do that right now, and no-one can get in or out of Gotham, Mr W-

He notices the creepy henchman listening intently to the phone conversation. 



FOX
Sir. 

EXT.  DESERT.
The bus approaches in the distance and Wayne sticks his hand out, hailing it to stop.

WAYNE
Make it happen, Fox.

The doors of the bus, which is old and battered, creaks open.  As the bus stops, the exhaust bangs and steams and the bus looks like a smashed up tin can on wheels.  Wayne ends the call and steps onto the bus.

INT. COURTROOM

Fox holds the phone out to look at the display, the dialling tone audible.

FOX
Prick.

He is led out with Commissioner Gordon and the others to their fate.

INT. A DILAPIDATED DINING ROOM

Bane sits at a long wooden dining table on a large chair, leaning forward on his forearms and twirling a silver butter knife in his right hand.  A henchman approaches him.

HENCHMAN 1
Bane?  We have, uh, we’ve got Ms Tate waiting for you in the other room.  Is there anything else I can do?

Bane sighs and closes his eyes.

BANE
Bring me…an apple.

HENCHMAN 1
Sir?

BANE
An apple...that I may smell it. 
 
HENCHMAN 1
I...uh...

Another henchman in the room looks at him and shakes his head furiously, signally at him not to pull at that thread.

HENCHMAN 1
Sure, I’ll get you, uh, I can get you an apple.

He exits the room, and Bane places the knife on the table.

BANE
Now that the Batman is out of the way, there is no-one who is even close to capable of standing up to me.  The fear that the bomb could be detonated is enough to keep the people of Gotham under my thumb.  We have created a society that is free from the shackles of the Dent legislation, where chaos is second in command to me.  Perhaps, then, I should disarm the bomb.

HENCHMAN 2
But, Bane, you killed the only man who could do that.  With all due respect sir -

Bane raises his eyes to look at the henchman.

HENCHMAN 2
- Uh, well, you aren’t a nuclear physicist, and you cut off all the roads into and out of Gotham, so we couldn’t even get someone here to do it.

BANE
I cut off the roads, not all the connections.  I’ll just Google that shit, how hard can it be?

The first henchman arrives back in the room carrying a bag of green and red apples.

HENCHMAN 1
I got a mix for you. 

He places the bag on the table in front of Bane.

HENCHMAN 1
Hey, Bane, hey.

BANE
What?

HENCHMAN 1
Hey, listen to this, haha, hey.

BANE
What - is - it?

HENCHMAN 1
(pauses then points to apples)
How’d you like THEM apples?

As the henchman finishes the last word, Bane smashes his fist into his face causing his skull to cave in with a sickening crack.  He calmly sits down, takes an apple from the bag and holds it close to his mask.  He inhales deeply, then proceeds to peel the apple with the butter knife.

BANE
I like them.  I like them very, very much.

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