Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman
Three women take turns as Batwoman in Gotham.
Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman is a 2003 American animated superhero film based on The New Batman Adventures. It was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and is the fourth film in the DC Animated Universe.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Curt Geda
- Producer
- Margaret M. Dean
- Writer
- Michael Reaves
- Story
- Alan Burnett
- Based on
- Batman created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane
- Music
- Lolita Ritmanis
- Editing
- Margaret Hou
- Distributor
- Warner Home Video
Facts from the source article.
Plot
Batman and Robin investigate a new vigilante, Batwoman, who operates outside Batman's no-kill rule. The Penguin and Rupert Thorne are selling illegal weapons to the fictional nation of Kasnia, with protection from gangster Carlton Duquesne. Batman, with Robin, tries to stop Batwoman from making lethal mistakes while uncovering her identity. Bruce Wayne becomes romantically involved with Kathy Duquesne, the crime boss's daughter. The Penguin hires Bane for support. It is revealed that all three women are Batwoman: Kathy, Sonia, and Rocky. They met through college and roommates, each holding grudges: the Penguin framed Rocky's fiancé, Thorne burned Sonia's family store, and Carlton's war killed Kathy's mother. Rocky built the gadgets, Kathy financed the operation, and Sonia created the persona inspired by Batman saving her life. Kathy plants a bomb on the weapons ship. Bane unmasks her, but she and Batman escape as the bomb detonates. Carlton saves his daughter, and Bane falls into the Gotham River.
Production
In September 2002, a new direct-to-video Batman film was reported in development. Kelly Ripa had been erroneously reported to be playing Batwoman after announcing on her talk show that she was working on a Batman project. The character animation is brighter and more lively than in The New Batman Adventures, though most returning characters retain their series designs. Rupert Thorne, absent from The New Batman Adventures, received a streamlined new appearance. Animation was outsourced to DR Movie. David Ogden Stiers voiced the Penguin, replacing Paul Williams from the series; Alan Burnett decided to experiment with a different voice to bring a more threatening ambience. Bruce Timm, not involved with the film, said he would not have recast Williams but respected the decision. The script was written by series writers Alan Burnett and Michael Reaves. The film shows continuity: Barbara Gordon's romantic relationship with Bruce Wayne is ending, Dick Grayson has left for Blüdhaven as Nightwing, and Robin and Batgirl are older than in the series but have not yet quit as in Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker.
Chase Me
The silent short film Chase Me was included as a bonus feature on the US DVD release of Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman. Set in the world of The New Batman Adventures, it depicts Batman pursuing Catwoman through Gotham City without any dialogue. The soundtrack blends a quiet piano with jazz-style music. Paul Dini and Alan Burnett wrote the short, Curt Geda directed it, and Geda, Burnett, Margaret M. Dean, Benjamin Melniker, and Michael Uslan co-produced. Lolita Ritmanis composed the score. Streaming services like Amazon Video also include Chase Me as part of the main feature.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack album, composed by Lolita Ritmanis, was produced by John Takis and mastered by James Nelson, released on March 29, 2016, by La-La Land Records. It includes bonus tracks and the score to the animated short Chase Me. The track list features 26 tracks for the main film, with a total score time of 54:13, plus a Chase Me section totaling 6:28.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman?
Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman has a running time of 74 minutes.
Who distributed Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman?
Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman was distributed by Warner Home Video.
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