The Dark Knight Rises screenplay first page

The Dark Knight Rises (2012) — Screenplay

Eight years after taking the fall for Harvey Dent's crimes, an aging Batman must rise from exile to stop the ruthless Bane from destroying Gotham, even as the city he saved has turned against him.

Written by
Christopher Nolan, Jonathan Nolan, David S. Goyer
Genre
Action, Thriller, Superhero
Studio
DC Comics, Warner Bros.
Length
165 pages

This screenplay is a masterclass in long-form superhero storytelling, showing how to escalate stakes while maintaining emotional weight. Nolan's precise control of pacing and parallel editing across multiple plotlines keeps tension tight. The dialogue between Wayne and Alfred carries years of unspoken pain, a model for subtext. Study how the script balances spectacle with intimate character beats.

Read the full The Dark Knight Rises (2012) screenplay in PDF, page by page, right here on Laper — or download the original script to study Christopher Nolan, Jonathan Nolan, David S. Goyer’s scene work, dialogue and structure at your own pace. A free resource for screenwriters and film students learning Hollywood script format.

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