Just finished reading the second draft of Mankiewicz's script that I got out of the script library here at college. It's better than the first draft that's online, in my opinion.
I pretty much envisioned this cast for it:
Bruce Wayne/Batman: Val KilmerHe would've been at the right age. His Batman Forever protrayal would fit this script better since he'd have better material.
Alfred Pennyworth: Peter O’ToolePart of me envisions this as a prequel to the sixties series. O'Toole reminds me a bit of Alan Napier, not to mention that O'Toole is a great actor himself who would've definitely pulled this off.
The Joker: Jack NicholsonCan't think of anyone else that would've been at the right age.
Silver St. Cloud: Daryl HannahRupert Thorne: Albert FinneyCommissioner David Gordon: Clint EastwoodThe script has Gordon in his mid-fifties, which is pretty much the age Eastwood would've been in the mid eighties. Mankiewicz's Gordon has a tough attitude, yet I also think that Eastwood would've pulled off Gordon's softer sides.
Here is a link to the first draft:
www.scifiscripts.com/scripts/batmanscript1.txtAs for the differences between that and the second draft (Do NOT read unless you've read the Mankiewicz's first draft):
The pearl necklace is shown in the first scene. Thomas gave it to Martha on their first anniversary.
The whole matter with Joe Chill is handled differently. While Rupert Thorne is preparing for his speech, it is mentioned that Bruce Wayne has identified the killer’s face and police have connected him to Joe Chill.
In the Joker’s lair, Joe Chill survives his encounter with Joker. Chill and Joker make an exchange: Chill hands over everything he stole from the Wayne murders and Joker pays him. The “Confederate” of Joker’s, named Humphrey, questions Joker’s decision of paying Joe ten grand. It is Humphrey who gets Joe Chill’s death of drinking the clear liquid that causes him to laugh himself to death and die with a smile. In turn, Joker tells different jokes (better ones, too) and actually manages to finish his last one after Humphrey dies.
Then, Batman has his first night out. He then changes into a disguise and goes into a bar, where other crooks are gathered, to spread the word on Batman. In the bar, he sees Joe Chill, except older.
He follows Joe to his hotel room and appears as Batman to him. Basically the classic scene from Batman #46 is played out here in which Batman reveals himself as Bruce Wayne to Chill, after accusing him of the Wayne murder. Batman also shows his knowledge that Chill was hired by someone in pointing out that Joe called Thomas “doc.” In a nice twist on the comic book story, Chill actually dies of a heart attack upon seeing that Batman is Bruce Wayne. Bruce’s jaw twitches in rage and he wears the same expression that he did when he looked up at Chill. Chill echoes his words, “Stop looking at me like that!” and then realizes that Batman was the little boy and then dies. Later, when Bruce returns to the Batcave, he talks to Alfred about it. It’s quite similar to the idea in Begins in which Joe Chill dies before Bruce can avenge his parents, which causes Bruce to realize that his mission is more than his own personal vendetta. “It’s not about me anymore. That’s what I realized looking down at him. This…is what I have to do, Alfred. After all those years of searching – this was always what I had to do.”
The Penguin is cut out entirely, as well as the scene at the zoo, leading up to his introduction, between Bruce and Silver. To replace the Bruce-Silver scene, Silver calls the house and Alfred goes down to the Batcave where Bruce is working on making the Batmobile (this is a revised version of a scene that comes later in the first draft in which Bruce and Alfred test the force field). The red Bat Phone is introduced and Bruce and Silver have a conversation. Unlike the scene at the zoo in the other draft, Silver is mad at Bruce for not calling her. An argument ensues and she hangs up on him. Bruce is visibly upset, but goes back to work on the car.
Joker’s dialogue with Thorne (after attacking Silver) incorporates some of the dialogue that he had with Penguin in the previous draft.
The scene with Thorne, Silver, Gordon, and Batman is extended. The Joker has left his loot from previous years at the scene as well as a huge playing card (probably for Batman to put in the Batcave later) and a banner saying “YREBBOR.” Among the loot that is left is Martha Wayne’s necklace. Silver looks at it, interested, and Rupert notices. When neither Silver nor Gordon are looking, Rupert slips the necklace into his pocket. Batman’s entrance is much better and displays the detective side: Thorne asks what “yrebbor” means and Batman is heard saying that it’s robbery spelled backwards.
The ensuing elevator sequence and car chase is similar, except it’s Joker suspended by a one-man helicopter hooked to the back of his belt instead of the Penguin.
After Bruce has discovered thingy’s goal to kill Batman, we cut to a new scene between Rupert Thorne and Silver in which Thorne gives her Martha Wayne’s necklace. Silver refuses to accept it. Thorne figures that there is someone else and concludes that it is Batman. Silver tries to give it back to Thorne, who tells her that he wants her to wear it on their wedding day. He leaves (to the scene where he talks to the Joker through a mailbox) as she admires the necklace. This is what further prompts him to tell Joker to use Silver as bait for Batman.
Silver puts on the necklace before being kidnapped by Joker. When Batman comes to rescue her, he recognizes it.
Right after she is shot, Batman asks her where she got the necklace. She tells him it was Rupert. Enraged, Batman goes after Thorne and kills him.
Instead of impaling Thorne, the thumbtack whistles by him, causing Thorne to loose his balance and fall into the giant pencil sharpener.
Silver does not die from the bullet wound. The paramedics put her in a van in which one of the medics explains that the bullet went “straight through.” Even though she lost a lot of blood, Silver is going to make it. After Gordon mentions Bruce Wayne, Silver seems to call out to Batman, calling him that. Batman looks over her and asks her “What about…Bruce Wayne?” Silver tells him to give him a message that she loves him and not to worry about anything. He squeezes her hand gently for one last time before she is wheeled off and Gordon’s conversation with Batman continues.
