Warner Bros. Animation, DC, and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment announced a new, multi-part animated film event adapting one of the most iconic sagas in Batman history: Batman: Knightfall. The announcement was made at New York Comic Con, confirming the long-awaited adaptation is officially in production.
The first installment, titled “Batman: Knightfall Part 1: Knightfall,” is slated for release in 2026.
The Knightfall storyline, which originally ran in the comics from 1993 to 1994, is famous for its brutal depiction of the Dark Knight’s downfall and subsequent replacement.
The official synopsis for the first film confirms the core conflict:
Plot Synopsis: “When the mysterious behemoth known only as Bane frees Batman’s entire Rogues Gallery from Arkham Asylum, the Caped Crusader is pushed to his mental and physical breaking point.”
The original comic book arc saw the villain Bane systematically wear down Batman physically and psychologically, culminating in the infamous scene where he breaks the hero’s back, forcing Bruce Wayne out of the costume and leading to Jean-Paul Valley (Azrael) temporarily taking on the Batman mantle.
The first installment is currently in production, with Jeff Wamester set to direct and Jeremy Adams writing the screenplay. The project is an explicit adaptation of the comic book event created by writers Doug Moench, Chuck Dixon, Alan Grant, and Dennis O’Neil, among others. The multi-part nature of the event suggests that the entire sprawling saga, which includes Batman’s recovery and eventual return, will be covered in detail.