For comic book fans of a certain age, “Knightfall” is one of the biggest Batman story arcs ever published by DC Comics. The arc is infamous for having the Caped Crusader’s back broken by the super steroid-enhanced genius Bane. It served as a major source of inspiration for Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight Rises,” and has been adapted as episodes of several animated shows. It’s a big storyline that hasn’t been given its due, until now.
When Peter Girardi, executive VP Warner Bros. Animation, took the stage at the 2026 Annecy Animation Festival to introduce the film, he recognized the magnitude of the source material.
“You all know this is a very important story in the Batman mythology,” Girardi told an enthusiastic festival crowd. “It is so big and it was so consequential to the Batman story that it takes place over three films. So this is a trilogy of films. All animated.”
The first of the trilogy, titled “Part 1: Knightfall,” premiered at Annecy to thunderous applause, with audiences responding to the humor, the gnarly action and the prominent role of the third Robin, Tim Drake.
“It’s a story that we’ve held on to for many years because we really wanted to get it right. We needed the right team together,” Girardi added.
