While it's been several years since The Dark Knight trilogy ended, it impact is still felt on superhero movies and TV shows today. Whether it be the more grounded take on Gotham City, Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker, or even the quotable dialogue, many of the elements seen in the films are still applied today.
Christopher Nolan crafted an impressive version of Gotham in these movies. To do that, there were many things he chose to change from the source material. Here are 5 big changes from the comics and 5 things kept the same in The Dark Knight trilogy.
10 CHANGE: JOKER'S DESIGN
Joker was one of the biggest changes from the comics. He had a very different design than what most people were used to. While fans were certainly apprehensive at first, they were quickly on board when Heath Ledger proved that this was still the Joker through and through.
The Joker wore face paint in The Dark Knight as opposed to having permanently white skin in the comics. This, somehow, presented a greater air of theatricality and mystery to the character that would have otherwise been lost if he were closer to the comics. It also helped fit the character better in Nolan's Gotham.
9 SAME: BATMAN AND CATWOMAN
Batman and Catwoman have always had this on and off relationship in the comics. Catwoman steals some stuff, which puts her right in the sights of the Dark Knight. When she was introduced in The Dark Knight Rises, their relationship was kept largely the same.
They start off as adversaries when Catwoman robs Bruce Wayne in his own home, but become lovers by the end of the film. With both of them wanting to live their vigilante lives behind, they found peace on a pleasant island somewhere far away from Gotham City. Her introduction gave Bruce his happy ending that he craved.
8 CHANGE: THE TUMBLER
Batman is always associated with having the Batmobile. Past movie versions of Batman have incorporated this vehicle no problem. Batman Begins took a different approach, though. While it was important for Batman to have a Batmobile, it had to be presented in a more realistic way.
That's when the movie introduced Lucius Fox and his tech that was never placed in mass production. One such item was the Tumbler, designed to easily help build bridges. This vehicle was designed for use during combat, making it nearly indestructible from every turn, which made it perfect for Batman. It could also jump across rooftops.
7 SAME: ALFRED AS A FATHER FIGURE
After Bruce Wayne's parents died, it was Alfred Pennyworth, the family butler, who took care of him and raised him. As a result, Alfred became a father figure for Bruce, always trying to teach him the right path and help him move forward with his life. This was a relationship kept in The Dark Knight trilogy.
Alfred was almost always at Bruce's side in the films. When Bruce was prepared to become Batman again, Alfred could no longer stay and watch his surrogate son sacrifice his own live, leading to an emotional confrontation between the two. It's no coincidence that the lost shot of the trilogy includes Alfred.
6 CHANGE: LEAGUE OF SHADOWS
One of the key organizations in the DC Universe is the League of Assassins. Led by Ra's al Ghul, this league was known for toppling governments and killing when necessary. This presented a stark conflict for Bruce Wayne, who ended up contesting them from time to time.
In Batman Begins, it's revealed that this league served as the organization that trained him. On top of this change, the league was also renamed the League of Shadows (League of Assassins was probably a bit on the nose). The League of Shadows proved to be less like scary villains and more like radical idealists.
5 SAME: CORRUPT GOTHAM
One of the reasons Bruce Wayne decided to become Batman was because the law enforcement in Gotham City was corrupt. Gang leaders and crime lords essentially had the city eating out of the palm of their hand, and that sentiment was carried over in The Dark Knight trilogy.
Characters like Falcone and Maroni were practically in charge of Gotham before Batman arrived to shake things up. This corruption also made it easy for villains the Joker to infiltrate and set their plans into motion. Its arguable that the more grounded setting of the movies helped to show how corrupt Gotham had become.
4 CHANGE: BANE'S ORIGIN
Bane is a smart and strong villain. He knew how to exploit Batman and even figured out his identity. While these traits were kept for his appearance in The Dark Knight Rises, there was a significant change made to him: his origin and powers. In the comics, Bane had a history of gangs and prison, but the most memorable trait was his use of the Venom chemical.
This chemical made him extremely powerful and practically monstrous. In The Dark Knight Rises, Bane was instead someone who lived in the prison where Bruce was held later in the film. Venom never appeared in the movie either.
3 SAME: FEAR TOXIN
Scarecrow was a supporting villain in Batman Begins with smaller appearances in the other two films. In the comics, he was known for using his special fear toxin to give people nightmares and cause them to see their greatest fears come to life. While Scarecrow has a much different design in the movies, the fear toxin functions essentially the same way.
A heavy dose of that toxin would even be fatal if not treated right away. The fear toxin was later used as part of Ra's al Ghul's master plan to try and bring Gotham City to its knees, just like it would in the comics.
2 CHANGE: ROBIN
While Batman is almost always associated with Robin in the comics, the same can't be said for Christopher Nolan's films. Robin was never even hinted at in Batman Begins or The Dark Knight. In The Dark Knight Rises, it was John Blake, an optimistic member of the GCPD, who helped out Batman.
His real name was Robin, and Bruce passed down the Batcave to him. He never becomes the vigilante in the movies, and even his name isn't shared by any Robin in the comics. He's a much more original take on the character that doesn't involve roping a young boy into crime fighting.
1 SAME: RA'S AL GHUL'S IDEOLOGY
While the League of Assassins got a few notable changes in Batman Begins, Ra's al Ghul remains consistent throughout the comics and films. As the leader of the League of Shadows, Ra's believed that it was important to topple governments when they became too powerful. He attacked Gotham because of how overrun it was with corrupt cops and bureaucrats.
Of course, by taking matters into his own hands, that presented a conflict with Bruce Wayne, who was forced to fight him to save the city. This conflict was very similar to how it often is in the comics, with Ra's reaching extremes to see his will done.