Warner Bros. Animation is finally bringing to life one of the most iconic and popular Batman stories of all time: Batman: Knightfall. The first part of a planned trilogy, ‘Part 1’ was recently introduced at Annecy to a thunderous response from fans. DC fans have been waiting for a true adaptation of the comic book, which saw Bane break Batman.
Directed by Jeff Wamester and written by Jeremy Adams, the film premiered at the 2026 Annecy International Animation Film Festival and stars Anson Mount as Batman. Here’s everything confirmed so far about its plot, release date, and voice cast.
| Movie Name | Batman: Knightfall – Part 1 |
| Directed By | Jeff Wamester |
| Written By | Jeremy Adams |
| Based On | Knightfall by Chuck Dixon, Jo Duffy, Alan Grant, Dennis O’Neil, Doug Moench |
| Studio | Warner Bros. Animation |
| Main Cast | Anson Mount, Michael Mando, Pablo Schreiber |
What is the Plot of Batman: Knightfall – Part 1?
The original comic is a classic story of Batman and Bane, and even served as an inspiration for Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises. The official logline of the movie reads, “When the mysterious behemoth known only as Bane frees Batman’s entire Rogue’s Gallery from Arkham Asylum, the Caped Crusader is pushed to his mental and physical breaking point.”
Part 1 of the planned trilogy will follow the first book in the comic book storyline, which focuses on Bane engineering a mass breakout at Arkham Asylum to exhaust the Dark Knight. The trailer confirms that Bane is the one who orchestrated the Arkham breakout. A new Robin is also in the picture, with Tim Drake making an appearance in the film.
In the comic, Bane and Batman engage in combat and Bane famously breaks Batman’s back. After he is incapacitated, Batman chooses Jean-Paul Valley (Azrael) to take up the mantle of Batman to save Gotham. The upcoming films are reported to be R-rated, which is not a first for WB’s Batman animated films, and will have plenty of violent sequences.
When is Batman: Knightfall – Part 1 Releasing?
Batman: Knightfall-Part 1 premiered exclusively for Annecy Festival attendees on June 23, 2026, ahead of a planned digital-first release (via Variety). Warner Bros. has since confirmed physical and digital release windows, with 2026 being the only confirmed release timeline. An actual release date has not been announced for all three films in the trilogy.
Who Stars in Batman: Knightfall – Part 1?
The voice cast leans on genre-familiar names. Anson Mount, known for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, voices Batman/Bruce Wayne, his second time behind the cowl following the Injustice animated film.
Michael Mando, known for Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Better Call Saul, plays the hulking villain Bane, while Pablo Schreiber, of Halo fame, voices Jean-Paul Valley, also known as Azrael, whose role only grows more significant as the trilogy continues.
Behind the camera, the film is directed by Jeff Wamester and written by Jeremy Adams, adapting the original comics by Doug Moench, Chuck Dixon, Alan Grant, Dennis O’Neil, Peter David, Jo Duffy, Jim Aparo, Graham Nolan, Norm Breyfogle, and Jim Balent.
Rick Morales serves as supervising producer alongside producers Jim Krieg and Kimberly S. Moreau. The trailer also teases the presence of classic Gotham villains like Mr. Freeze and Scarecrow among the escaped Arkham inmates, though full supporting cast details have yet to be revealed.
Are you excited for Batman: Knightfall – Part 1? Comment below.
An actual release date has not been announced for the film.
