On Halloween night, Gotham City finds itself in shock as Mayor Don Mitchell Jr. is brutally murdered by a serial killer calling himself The Riddler. For two years, billionaire Bruce Wayne has donned the cape as the vigilante known as Batman, and he teams up with the Gotham City Police Department (GCPD) to unravel this chilling case. During the investigation, Lt. James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) uncovers a cryptic message left for Batman, but he's quickly reprimanded by Commissioner Pete Savage for allowing a vigilante onto the crime scene, which leads to Batman's forced departure. Tragically, the Riddler strikes again, eliminating Savage and leaving further clues behind.
As the plot thickens, Batman discovers a thumb drive hidden in the Mayor's car, containing incriminating images of him with a woman named Annika. This leads Batman to the Iceberg Lounge, a swanky nightclub run by mobster Carmine Falcone’s lieutenant, Oz, The Penguin. Upon interrogating the Penguin, who claims ignorance, Batman learns that Annika's roommate, Selina Kyle, played by Zoë Kravitz, is a waitress at the lounge. Things take a dark turn when Annika goes missing, prompting Batman to send Selina back to investigate further. Her findings reveal that Savage was on Falcone's payroll, along with District Attorney Gil Colson.
In a heart-stopping twist, the Riddler abducts Colson, attaching a bomb to him and forcing him to solve three riddles during Mayor Mitchell's funeral. Batman arrives just in time but, despite helping with the first two riddles, Colson faces a chilling third challenge concerning the informant involved in dismantling mobster Sal Maroni's operations. When Colson opts not to answer, tragedy strikes as the bomb detonates, resulting in his death and leaving Batman reeling from the blow.
The investigation then leads Batman and Gordon to a former orphanage tied to Bruce's parents, Thomas and Martha Wayne. They realize the Riddler harbors a deep vendetta against the Wayne family. Meanwhile, as shocking secrets come to light, including potential collusion between Thomas Wayne and Falcone, Bruce confronts his butler Alfred regarding the truth, only to find that Thomas had plans to bring Falcone to justice, which may have ultimately led to their demise.
In a gripping confrontation, Selina reveals that Falcone is her estranged father. Learning that Annika was killed due to her own actions at Mitchell’s funeral does not sit well with her, leading to a pact for revenge. However, Batman intervenes just in time to stop Selina from murdering her father, arguing that such an act would ruin her future. Instead, he turns Falcone over to the police, but fate throws a wrench into their plans when the Riddler assassinates Falcone from a distance.
As the Riddler, now revealed to be Edward Nashton, is captured and imprisoned in Arkham State Hospital, he expresses envy towards Batman for the support he received after his parents' tragedy and proposes a twisted alliance. But Batman, disgusted by Nashton's vicious methods, rejects him, leading to a furious outburst from Nashton. In his vengeful state, he gives Batman a vital clue about his final plan, suggesting an assassination plot targeting mayor-elect Bella Reál.
Realizing he must act swiftly, Batman discovers hidden maps in Nashton's apartment, revealing a series of bombs planted around Gotham. The chaos unfolds as the Riddler's followers attack Bella Reál, leaving citizens in peril as Gotham begins to flood. Though Batman and Selina fight valiantly against the chaos and their foes, they narrowly avoid disaster. In a climactic showdown, with lives hanging by a thread, Batman finds himself at a moment of reckoning.
After overcoming numerous barriers, Batman smashes through adversity, lighting a flare to lead survivors to safety. As he aids in recovery efforts, he learns that his brand of fear has only empowered greater darkness, prompting him to inspire hope instead. In the end, while Selina contemplates leaving Gotham behind altogether, Selina Kyle offers Batman one last chance to escape together, but he ultimately declines her offer. Their paths diverge, and they part ways, a poignant image captured in the glow of the setting sun.
