I Still Can’t Get Over Just How Wildly Different The Dark Knight’s Fourth Movie Is To The Rest Of The Series

Looking back on the era of Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy, I tend to forget that there was actually a fourth film in that DC Universe franchise that is wildly different from the rest of the series. Beginning with Batman Begins, The Dark Knight trilogy made great decisions that hold up to this day, creating one of the best live-action Batman movie series to date. However, it is easy to forget the larger ramifications of that trilogy, and how Warner Bros. looked to extend the series, releasing a connected film in 2008.

While the DCU and Marvel are now dipping their toes in connecting animated films with live-action, several attempts to do this were made previously. This fourth Dark Knight film is a prime example of that, and adds to the world of the franchise. Releasing ten days before The Dark Knight even came to theaters, this mostly forgotten film outlines many of the events between that movie and Batman Begins, adding incredible details and complexity to the Bruce Wayne character in the process.

Batman: Gotham Knight Is Officially Set Between Batman Begins & The Dark Knight

The Animated Film Captures Bruce Wayne’s Crimefighting Journey

Batman: Gotham Knight explores the time between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, and is set in the same world as Christopher Nolan’s trilogy. While the film was not treated by Nolan himself as canon, it was intended to bridge the gap between the two films, and to capture much of Batman’s earlier journey. The animated film was divided into six animated segments, each of which saw Batman facing a different challenge in his journey to become the hero that Gotham would grow to love.

With that said, on a glance, the film does not appear to be well-connected with the rest of its fellow installments in the same universe. Kevin Conroy voices Batman here rather than Christian Bale, and much of the outlook on Gotham appears to be a little different, with some more fantastical details and battles. However, it can be seen to enrich the overall world, as several memorable Batman foes appear in the series, including ᴅᴇᴀᴅsH๏τ and Killer Croc, and the release was generally well-received by audiences. As a secret fourth Dark Knight movie, the film is well worth giving one’s time to.

Batman: Gotham Knight Is So Different To The Dark Knight Trilogy Despite Being A Part Of The Same World

The Animated Film Is Not Nearly As Grounded As The Nolan Films

Batman: Gotham Knight is much different from Christopher Nolan’s trilogy, and I believe that’s due to different understandings of the Batman character. While the film was set to branch the first two Nolan films, it did so with expectations of Batman that also came from the comic books and animated shows. Rather than seeing all that Nolan would do in his grounded version of Gotham, the series had only Batman Begins as a jumping point – something inevitably set to lead to a somewhat different result compared to The Dark Knight itself, especially since Gotham Knight is animated.

As such, with a different Batman actor, a different medium in terms of being animated – and split into several segments – and with several different characters who never appear in the live-action trilogy, it’s no surprise that Batman: Gotham Knight appears quite unlike the other releases in the series. With an altered cast and feel, it can be difficult to imagine these stories being set in Nolan’s world quite the same, although this understanding of it from a different perspective is genuinely compelling, and it’s refreshing to see a different creative team work with this pre-existing world.

I’m Glad The Dark Knight Series Has A Fourth Movie, Even If It’s Very Different

More Batman Is Never A Problem

Continuing various stories from different iterations of the DC hero can be a lot of fun. Just as Batman: Resurrections was a sequel to the Tim Burton Batman films from a different writer, so too can Gotham Knight feel connected to Nolan’s Batman and extend the character’s legacy. It is interesting to imagine how this Batman might have fared against some of his more terrifying foes, and to see more of his development in Gotham. While the film may not theoretically be exactly what Nolan would have made in its place, it is worth watching.

Balancing what’s shown on-screen for heroes like Batman can be a difficult task, and one that naturally leaves viewers often wanting more. That is why I think it is so much fun to allow other creators to come in and add to these worlds. I would love to see less direct continuations of all kinds of superhero stories, from Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man to Josh Trank’s Fantastic Four. With these characters, there are always more stories to tell, and connecting to familiar series in new ways can be incredibly exciting.

Batman: Gotham Knight is not a must-watch, but it is a great addition to the legacy of Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy. The film series remains one of the most revered adaptations in the history of the comic book genre, and any additional pieces can only add to that experience. As audiences continue to hope for an unlikely return to Christian Bale’s Batman, it is comforting to know that there is an extra film in the franchise in Batman: Gotham Knight.