Batman: Knightfall Returns as a Multi-Part Animated Movie for 2026

Warner Bros. Animation, DC, and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment are bringing one of the most defining Batman sagas to life with an ambitious animated adaptation of Batman: Knightfall. Announced during New York Comic Con, this multi-part animated series reimagines the early ‘90s comic arc that forever changed Bruce Wayne’s legacy. Directed by Jeff Wamester and written by Jeremy Adams, the first installment, Batman: Knightfall Part 1: Knightfall, is currently deep in production and slated for release in 2026.

The official synopsis paints a grim picture for Gotham’s protector: when the monstrous genius Bane unleashes every inmate from Arkham Asylum, Batman faces his most brutal challenge yet – a physical and psychological war that pushes him to the edge of collapse. This adaptation aims to capture the raw desperation and moral struggle that defined the original storyline while presenting it with a darker and more cinematic scope.

Behind the project, Rick Morales serves as Supervising Producer, joined by Producers Jim Krieg and Kimberly S.

Moreau. The production also features veterans Sam Register and Michael Uslan as Executive Producers – a lineup that signals Warner’s intent to deliver a faithful, high-quality reimagining of one of DC’s most pivotal stories. Fans can expect visual grit and emotional weight reminiscent of The Dark Knight Returns animated films, with modern animation elevating the tone and action to new heights.

The Batman: Knightfall comic series, crafted by Doug Moench, Chuck Dixon, Alan Grant, Dennis O’Neil, and several others, originally ran in 1993 and chronicled Bruce Wayne’s downfall and eventual rebirth after his spine-shattering battle with Bane. The arc famously introduced Azrael – the violent antihero who temporarily replaced Batman – and explored themes of identity, morality, and what it truly means to be Gotham’s guardian.

While parts of Knightfall inspired Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises, this adaptation promises to dive deeper into the psychological decay and moral tension that the comics only hinted at. Some fans are thrilled, seeing it as a long-overdue tribute to one of Batman’s most defining eras, while others remain skeptical given Warner Bros. Animation’s uneven recent output. Still, the potential is enormous: if executed right, Knightfall could become the next animated classic – a brutal, introspective, and unforgettable chapter in Batman’s ever-evolving mythos.