NOBODY IS LISTENING TO THIS MUSIC PODCAST

In this podcast, we rank the music of Taylor Swift. We consider her discography, focusing on her most popular songs and albums. What makes one song better than another? How does an album rank compared to its individual songs? We talk about it all, and give our opinions on who should rank Taylor Swift higher, and who should rank her lower on the music scale.

all you need to know is in the title. this was actually very fun if you think we should do this more let us know.

Phoebe is on this one that's all you need to know

No Movie this time around. I now wonder if anyone is reading these at all.

JOKER

AN ORIGIN

Written by

Todd Phillips & Scott Silver

13 April 2018

This story takes place in its own universe. It has no

connection to any of the DC films that have come before it.

We see it as a classic Warner Bros. movie. Gritty, intimate

and oddly funny, the characters live in the real world and

the stakes are personal.

Although it is never mentioned in the film, this story takes

place in the past.

Let's call it 1981.

It's a troubled time. The crime rate in Gotham is at record

highs. A garbage strike has crippled the city for the past

six weeks. And the divide between the "haves" and the "have-

nots" is palpable. Dreams are beyond reach, slipping into

delusions.

OVER BLACK:

HEAR LAUGHTER.

The sound of a man totally cracking up.

FADE IN:

1 INT. DEPT. OF HEALTH, OFFICE - MORNING 1

CLOSE ON JOKER (30's), tears in his eyes from laughing so

hard. He's trying to get it under control. His greasy, black

hair is matted down. He's wearing an old, faded red hooded

zip-up sweatshirt, a threadbare gray scarf, thin from years

of use, hangs loosely around his neck.

WE NOTICE TWO FADED OLD SCARS cut at the corners of his

mouth. Almost forming a smile.

He's sitting across from an overworked SOCIAL WORKER (50's),

African American. Her office is cramped and run-down in a

cramped and run-down building. Stacks of folders piled high

in front of her.

She just sits behind her desk, waiting for his laughing fit

to end, she's been through this before. Finally it subsides.

Joker takes a deep breath, pauses to see if it's over.

Beat.

JOKER

--is it just me, or is it getting

crazier out there?

Despite the laughter, there's real pain in his eyes.

Something broken in him. Looks like he hasn't slept in days.

SOCIAL WORKER

It's certainly tense. People are

upset, they're struggling. Looking

for work. The garbage strike seems

like it's been going on forever.

These are tough times.

(then)

How 'bout you. How's the job? Still

enjoying it?

JOKER

Yeah, I mean, it's different each

day, so I really like that. I don't

think I could ever work in an

office. Behind a desk.

(MORE)

2.

JOKER (CONT'D)

(beat)

No offense.

She smiles. Writes something down. Looks at the clock, she's

running late for her next appointment.

SOCIAL WORKER

Have you been keeping up with your

journal?

JOKER

Everyday.

SOCIAL WORKER

Great. Did you bring it with you?

Beat.

JOKER

(dodging the subject)

I'm sorry. Did I bring what?

SOCIAL WORKER

(impatient; she doesn't

have time for this)

Arthur, last time I asked you to

bring your journal with you. For

these appointments. Do you have it?

JOKER

Yes ma'am.

Beat.

SOCIAL WORKER

Can I see it?

He reluctantly reaches into his bag. Pulls out a weathered

notebook. Slides it across to her--

JOKER

I've been using it as a journal,

but also a joke diary. Funny

thoughts or, or observations-- Did

I tell you I'm pursuing a career in

stand-up comedy?

She's half-listening as she flips through his journal.

SOCIAL WORKER

No. You didn't.

JOKER

I think I did.

3.

She doesn't respond, keeps flipping through his journal--

SOCIAL WORKER

Oh yeah. Because of what your

mother said,-- about your purpose.

"To bring laughter and joy to the

world," right?

JOKER

Right.

ANGLE ON JOURNAL, pages and pages of notes, all in neat,

angry-looking handwriting. Also, cut out photos from hardcore

pornographic magazines and some crude handmade drawings.

A flash of anger crosses Joker's face. We see him picking at

his right eyebrow, almost obsessively. Trying to stay calm.

His eyebrow is actually half-gone. Something he does a lot.

JOKER

I didn't realize you wanted to read

it.

The social worker gives him a look, then reads something in

the pages that gives her pause.

SOCIAL WORKER

(reading out loud)

"I just hope my death makes more

sense than my life."

She looks up at Joker. He just stares back. Lets it hang out

there for a beat.

Then he laughs a little, even though he doesn't think it's

funny--

JOKER

Yeah. I mean, that's just--

SOCIAL WORKER

Does my reading it upset you?

He leans in.

JOKER

No. I just,-- some of it's

personal. You know?

SOCIAL WORKER

I understand. I just want to make

sure you're keeping up with it.

She slides his journal back to him. He holds it in his lap.

4.

SOCIAL WORKER

What about your mom? How's she

feeling?

JOKER

She has good days. But mostly bad.

It's been a big help having me

there. She really needs me.

SOCIAL WORKER

Seems like she's been sick a lot

since you got home.

JOKER

(nods)

Yeah, it's good I'm there. When I

was in the hospital, after my last

episode-- she was having trouble

getting over there to visit.

She looks back up at the clock, she needs to get to her next

appointment.

SOCIAL WORKER

All right. So, I'll see you again,

two weeks from today?

He nods. But keeps sitting there for a moment.

She stands up, trying to signal it's time for him to leave--

SOCIAL WORKER

Is there something else I can help

you with, Arthur? My next

appointment is waiting.

He just keeps sitting there.

JOKER

Yeah, I was wondering if you could

ask the doctor to increase the

dosage on my medications? Nothing

seems to make a difference.

SOCIAL WORKER

(looking over his record)

Do you know which ones you'd like

increased?

Shakes his head, no.

SOCIAL WORKER

Have you been sleeping?

5.

JOKER

(lying)

Some.

She glances at his file again.

SOCIAL WORKER

Arthur, you're on seven different

medications. Surely they must be

doing something.

He finally stands up. Zips up his faded red sweatshirt.

Looks at her--

JOKER

I just don't wanna feel so bad

anymore.

CUT TO BLACK:

TITLE:

JOKER

2 EXT. GOTHAM SQUARE, MIDTOWN - KENNY'S MUSIC SHOP - DAY 2

GOTHAM SQUARE IS CLOGGED WITH TRAFFIC. Non-stop honking

horns, pedestrians crowding the sidewalk. Huge billboards,

giant movie marquees, garbage bags piled high everywhere.

Underneath it all we hear a TINKLING PIANO playing something

bouncy and fast-paced.

FROM ACROSS THE BUSY CITY STREET, we see Joker. He's dressed

as a sad-faced HOBO CLOWN. This is his job.

Dressed in tattered clothes, dark five o'clock shadow painted

on his face, big bulbous red nose, his mouth's outlined in

white, turned down at the corners.

He's holding up a sign in front of Kenny's Music Shop that

reads, "EVERYTHING MUST GO!" A banner above the store reads,

"GOING OUT OF BUSINESS!" Behind him, an OLD MAN plays a piano

on the street. Both of them there to draw attention to the

big sale going on in the store.

Joker's doing a little Charlie Chaplin like waddle to the

music. Most people walk right past, ignoring him. A few bump

into him by mistake.

JOKER SEES A GROUP OF FIVE BOYS, no more than 15-years-old,

walking toward him. He moves out of their way. They crack up

laughing when they see him. Start making fun of him.

6.

Joker ignores them, tries to do his job the best he can while

maintaining some dignity. Keeps dancing and holding up the

sign.

One of the kids knocks the sign out of Joker's hands--

KID #1

Suck my dick, clown.

The kids laugh. Joker doesn't say anything. Just bends over

to pick up the sign--

Another kid kicks him in the ass--

KID #2

Whoops.

Joker falls face first onto the sidewalk. Oddly, the old man

playing the piano picks up the pace of the music--

The kids crack up. One of the boys grabs Joker's sign and

takes off running across the street--

The other kids follow, weaving through traffic--

Joker gets up and gives chase. He needs his sign back.

He almost gets hit by a taxi, spinning out of the way just in

time-- Spinning right into another taxi that stops just short

of hitting him.

Joker keeps running through traffic. People stare. A clown

barreling down the street has got to be a joke--

3 EXT. CORNER, SIDE STREET - GOTHAM SQUARE - CONTINUOUS 3

The five boys are booking it down the crowded street laughing

and whooping it up. At the last second they take a sharp

right turn down a cross street--

Joker almost overshoots the corner, slip-sliding in his big

red shoes--

He rights himself and heads down after them--

Sees them running up ahead--

WHAP! Out of nowhere Joker gets hit in the face!

He falls to the ground.

One of the kids was hiding between parked cars and hit Joker

with the "EVERYTHING MUST GO!" sign, splintering it in two--

7.

The other kids turn back and walk up to Joker down on the

ground.

Joker reaches out, still trying to save the sign--

THE KIDS START KICKING AND BEATING THE SHIT out of Joker.

It's brutal and vicious. Nobody on the street stops to help.

CLOSE ON JOKER'S HOBO CLOWN FACE, down on the ground. Sweat

running down his face, smearing his make-up. He doesn't even

look like he's in pain. He just takes the beating.

That stupid frown painted on his face.

4 INT. CITY BUS (PULLING OUT) - HEADING DOWNTOWN - DUSK 4

Joker, makes his way toward the back of the crowded bus, now

walking with a slight limp, but keeping his head held high.

His make-up's washed off, costume and props all shoved into a

big shopping bag slung over his shoulder. Some white grease-

paint still smudged on the sides of his face.

He finds an empty seat in the back of the bus. Sees a sad-

eyed FOUR-YEAR-OLD GIRL, face puffy from crying, sitting on

her knees looking back at him. Her mother's facing forward,

but even from behind you can tell she's angry.

Joker sees the sad-eyed girl staring straight back at him. He

doesn't know where to look, feeling self-conscious and small.

He gets back into "character" smiling like a clown and covers

his face with his hands-- Starts playing the peek-a-boo game

with her.

The girl stares back at him for a moment then giggles--

WOMAN ON BUS

(turns back to Joker;

already annoyed)

Can you please stop bothering my

kid?

JOKER

I wasn't bothering her, I was--

WOMAN ON BUS

(interrupts)

Just stop.

AND SUDDENLY JOKER STARTS TO LAUGH. LOUD. He covers his mouth

trying to hide it-- Shakes his head, laughter pausing for a

moment, but then it comes on stronger. His eyes are sad. It

actually looks like the laughter causes him pain.

8.

People on the bus are staring. The girl looks like she's

going to cry again.

WOMAN ON BUS

You think that's funny?

Joker shakes his head no, but he can't stop laughing. He

reaches in his pocket and pulls out a small card. Hands it to

the woman.

CLOSE ON THE CARD, it reads: "Forgive my laughter. I have a

condition (more on back)"

She turns the card over and there is a bunch of information

in small writing--

"It's a medical condition causing sudden, frequent, uncontrollable laughter that

doesn't match how you feel. It can happen in people with a brain injury or certain

neurological conditions."

She doesn't read it (but if you freeze frame the movie you

could). She just shakes her head annoyed and throws the card

on the ground.

Joker laughs harder. Tears running down his face.

Not wanting to attract any more attention to himself, he

pulls up his red hood, and uses his threadbare scarf to cover

his mouth, trying to muffle the laughter.

He looks out at the city passing him by.

5 EXT. LOWER EAST SIDE, STREETS - GOTHAM - EVENING 5

The bus pulls away, sun almost gone.

Joker heads slowly down the litter-covered streets. Garbage

is piled along the sidewalks, the air thick with smog creates

a haze over everything.

The streets are crowded with the poor, the elderly and

disenfranchised. Women with children in busted strollers.

Homeless people sleeping on subway grates. Stray dogs. His is

one of the few white faces.

Joker makes his way into a run-down drug store, behind him

two drunks fight on the corner, beating the shit out of each

other. Joker, and nobody else for that matter, pays them any

attention.

No one here gives a shit.

9.

6 INT. LOBBY, APARTMENT BUILDING - EVENING 6

A shabby lobby in a building that was once probably pretty

nice, but now it's a dump.

Joker checks his mailbox. He's holding a small white

(prescription) bag in his hand.

The mailbox is empty.

7 INT. ELEVATOR, APARTMENT BUILDING - CONTINUOUS 7

Joker steps onto the wheezing elevator, harsh fluorescent

lights, graffiti on the walls. As the door closes, he hears--

SOPHIE (OS)

Wait!!

He puts his foot out with some panache to stop the closing

door-- He's a romantic at heart. Ding.

And SOPHIE DUMOND (late 20's), tired eyes, hands filled with

grocery bags, steps onto the elevator with GIGI, her 5-year-

old daughter.

SOPHIE

Thank you.

(realizing)

Of course it's you,-- everyone else

in this building is just so fucking

rude.

Joker nods "thanks." Holds his breath, hoping he doesn't

start to laugh.

Floors dinging as the elevator rises.

Joker sees GiGi licking the dirty smudged elevator handrail

behind her mom.

SOPHIE

How's your mom doing?

He takes a deep breath, he's uncomfortable talking to her,

holds up the white prescription bag.

JOKER

It's day to day. I'm doing

everything I can to get her back on

her feet.

(re: pharmacy bag)

Picked up her medicine. Gonna make

her some dinner.

10.

SOPHIE

(smiles; being polite)

She's lucky she has you--

Joker smiles thanks, can't help but glance at GiGi licking

the rail.

Sophie finally notices. She wants to grab her but can't with

her hands full. Tries to kick her away--

SOPHIE

Jesus. Don't do that, GiGi! How

many times have I told you that?

(to Joker)

This building is so awful, isn't

it?

Joker just nods... he doesn't know what to say, but clearly

wants to continue this conversation with Sophie.

The doors open. They all step off.

SOPHIE

Okay. Well, tell your mom I said

hello.

And Sophie and GiGi walk down the hall-- the opposite way of

Joker. He just stands there for a beat. Heart beating fast.

JOKER

(calls out after her)

Hey Sophie--

She turns around.

JOKER

I'll tell my mom you said hello.

She smiles as in "yeah, that's what I said."

8 INT. MOM'S APARTMENT, FRONT DOOR - EVENING 8

Old apartment, worn carpet. Nothing's new inside but it's

fairly neat and well-kept.

Joker closes the door behind him, leans his back against it

and swoons. Hears a deep purring sound. He looks down and

sees an OLD ORANGE CAT, rubbing up against his leg.

Then--

11.

MOM (OS)

(shattering the moment,

calls out)

Happy?! Did you check the mail

before you came up?

JOKER

Yes, Ma. Nothing. No letter.

MOM (OS)

You sure you looked? Sometimes I

don't know where your head is.

Joker glances back down and sees the cat is gone.

JOKER

Yes I'm sure. And my head's right

here. I'm gonna make you some

dinner, okay?

QUICK CUTS:

JOKER TEARS OPEN THE PRESCRIPTION BAG... A FLURRY OF PILL

BOTTLES TUMBLE OUT ONTO THE COUNTER.

SEE HIS NAME, "ARTHUR FLECK" ON THE ORANGE PILL BOTTLES, AND

GLIMPSE THE GENERIC DRUG NAMES, TEMAZEPAM... PERPHENAZINE...

AHENELZINE... AMITRIPTYLINE... BENZEDRINE... DIAZEPAM...

MEPROBAMATE...

TAKES OUT ONE PILL FROM EACH THE TEMAZEPAM AND MEPROBAMATE

BOTTLES.

TWO PILLS BEING CRUSHED UP TO POWDER.

SPRINKLES THE POWDER ON TOP OF A TV DINNER.

SWALLOWS A HANDFUL OF PILLS FROM THE OTHER BOTTLES.

LOOKS DOWN AND SMILES AT THE ORANGE CAT LOOKING UP AT HIM

FROM THE COUNTER.

9 INT. MOM'S BEDROOM, APARTMENT - NIGHT 9

Joker brings the food to his mother, PENNY (70's), lying in

her bed. The TV is on, playing the local news.

Joker sets the food down in front of his mother. He covers

the pain from his beating the best he can-- His mother

doesn't seem to notice anyway.

MOM

He must not be getting my letters.

12.

Joker sits down on a chair next to the bed.

JOKER

He's a busy man.

MOM

Too busy for me? I worked for that

family for 12 years. He always had

a smile for me. Least he could do

is write back.

JOKER

Ma, eat. You need to eat.

MOM

You need to eat. Look how skinny

you are.

Before Joker can say anything, his mother points to the news

on the TV--

MOM

All day long it's more bad news.

That's all there is.

JOKER

Maybe you shouldn't watch so much

television.

MOM

(ignoring)

He's the only hope for Gotham.

He'll make a great mayor. Everybody

says so.

JOKER

(playful)

Everybody who? Who do you talk to?

MOM

Well everybody on the news.

JOKER

Stop it. He's not even gonna run.

Why would Thomas Wayne want to be

mayor? He can do more good as a

businessman.

MOM

Because he cares about this city.

And everyone in it-- that's why I

can't believe he hasn't written me

back.

13.

JOKER

He will. Now eat some dinner.

He feeds her a bite of the food.

JOKER

How you feeling today?

MOM

I don't know. It always hits me

worse at night, you notice that?

He shakes his head.

JOKER

(teasing)

Maybe it's the moon. Maybe you're a

werewolf?

HE HOWLS SOFTLY like a wolf. She laughs.

MOM

It's not funny.

Joker watches her as he cuts up some more of her food.

MOM

Anyway, I wrote a new letter today.

A better one. I want you to hand

deliver it to him.

JOKER

What? Why?

MOM

Cause maybe the mailman is throwing

them away. We should have tipped

him at Christmas time.

JOKER

Who tips their mailman?

MOM

Some people do. Rich people do.

Joker sighs, resigned.

JOKER

Okay. I can try his office.

Tomorrow.

14.

MOM

Thank you.

(she pats the bed)

Come sit. It's almost on.

Joker gets into bed with her.

CLOSE ON TELEVISION, intro to "LIVE WITH MURRAY FRANKLIN!",

and we HEAR THE ANNOUNCER over clips of comedy bits, stars

and Murray Franklin himself--

ANNOUNCER (ON TV)

It's Live with Murray Franklin!

Tonight Murray welcomes, Sandra

Winger, comedian Skip Byron and the

piano stylings of Yeldon & Chantel!

As always, Don Ellis and his Jazz

Orchestra. And now, without any

further ado-- Murray Franklin!

Joker and his mom watch from bed, this is a ritual of theirs.

10 INT. LIVING ROOM, MOM'S APARTMENT - NIGHT 10

Late night. Joker's mom is dead asleep. Joker is alone in the

living room, which doubles as his bedroom. He can't ever

sleep. He opens his worn notebook. Flips to a page titled

"Jokes" and starts writing--

CLOSE ON WORDS, as he slowly writes: "The worst part about

having a mental illness is..."

ANGLE ON JOKER, pausing, thinking it over for a moment. Then

he laughs to himself when he comes up with something.

CLOSE ON WORDS, coming faster now, "...that people still

expect you to behave as if you don't."

CUT TO:

11 EXT. WAYNE TOWER, STREET - MIDTOWN - MORNING 11

Joker's looking up at the intimidating steel and glass tower,

he looks so small, holding his mom's letter in his hand.

Bustle of professionals coming in and out of the company's

corporate headquarters, Joker looks out of place.

He heads inside through the giant glass doors.

15.

12 INT. RECEPTION, WAYNE ENTERPRISES - 25TH FLOOR - MORNING 12

Joker steps off an elevator and walks up to the white marble

reception desk as if he belongs there--

JOKER

Hello. I have a personal letter for

Mr. Thomas Wayne.

RECEPTIONIST

Okay. You can leave it with me.

JOKER

It's kind of important. I need to

make sure he gets it himself.

RECEPTIONIST

Oh, in that case, I'll buzz you

right in.

Joker goes to enter--

RECEPTIONIST

I'm kidding. Leave it here.

He laughs along with her, even though she's not laughing.

JOKER

Oh. Right-- well, my mom used to

work for the Wayne family-- for 12

years. She was their housekeeper.

A couple other business people are now waiting behind Joker,

there for meetings.

RECEPTIONIST

That's great. But you can leave it

with me or you can leave with the

letter. Those are your options. Now

please step aside.

JOKER

Mr. Wayne knows her. Can you maybe

at least call back to him? Tell him

that I'm here.

RECEPTIONIST

Thomas Wayne is away on business.

Joker is getting frustrated.

JOKER

Okay. Well, can I have your name?

So I know who I left it with.

16.

Now Joker sees a GROUP OF MEN walking behind the glass that

separates the reception area from the back offices. Amongst

the group, he catches a glimpse of THOMAS WAYNE (60's), deep

tan, hair dyed so black it's almost blue.

JOKER

Wait. He's right there.

(goes up to the glass,

shouts)

Mr. Wayne! Mr. Wayne.

He starts banging on the glass... but the group keeps moving.

Not noticing him.

RECEPTIONIST

Sir. Please stop. Sir!!

Joker keeps banging on the glass.

13 EXT. WAYNE TOWER, FRONT ENTRANCE - MORNING 13

The glass doors swing open and Joker is forcibly thrown onto

the street. TWO LARGE SECURITY GUARDS stand over him.

He is still holding the letter.

He makes as if he's going to leave peacefully, then at the

last minute, TAKES ANOTHER RUN AT THE DOOR--

The two guards stiff arm him.

CUT TO:

14 INT. HA-HA'S TALENT BOOKING, LOCKER ROOM - DAY 14

The cramped locker room of a small talent booking agency.

This is where Joker works. They "rent out" talent for parties

and events. Clowns, magicians, male strippers.

Joker takes off his shirt, grimaces in pain as he moves. His

body's bruised from the beating he took chasing after his

sign.

RANDALL (OS)

You okay?

He turns. RANDALL (mid 50's), a big bear of a know-it-all,

standing there. He's a party clown as well. He's half-dressed

in his clown suit.

17.

RANDALL

I heard about the beat down you

took. Fucking savages.

JOKER

It was just a bunch of kids. I

should have left it alone.

Randall opens his locker--

RANDALL

It's crazy out there. And it's only

getting worse.

JOKER

(nods)

My mother says that the people

nowadays lack empathy.

RANDALL

What's empathy?

JOKER

It means like "feeling for other

people."

RANDALL

Like sympathy?

JOKER

Kind of. But different.

Randall comes over, hands Joker a brown paper bag-- Joker

looks inside. It's a GUN, a .38 snub-nose revolver.

Joker looks up at him, confused--

RANDALL

Take it. I got a few. You gotta

protect yourself out there, buddy.

Too many wackos.

As Joker stares at it--

RANDALL

(lowers his voice)

It's a .38 snub-nose. Gets the job

done if you ever need to use it.

Usually pulling it out is enough.

JOKER

I, I don't have the money for this,

Randall.

18.

RANDALL

Don't sweat it. You can pay me some

other time. You're my boy.

That lands with Joker, he smiles to himself.

RANDALL

(as he walks away)

But you didn't get it from me,

okay?

Joker nods. Puts the brown paper bag in his locker. Slowly

starts to get dressed-- his eyes darting toward the bag as he

does.

Another clown, GARY (30's), a dwarf, pops his head into the

locker room.

GARY

Arthur,-- Hoyt wants to see you in

his office.

JOKER

What for?

GARY

No clue.

15 INT. FRONT OFFICE, HA-HA'S TALENT BOOKING - DAY 15

Joker still half-dressed, walks into the cramped office.

His boss, HOYT VAUGHN (60's) sits behind a metal desk. The

office is a complete mess, newspapers and files litter the

desk. A giant ashtray filled with cigarette butts. A calendar

of booking hangs on the wall. A scribbled, jumbled mess.

JOKER

Hey Hoyt. Gary said you wanted to

see me?

HOYT

(without even looking up)

How's the comedy career? Are you a

famous stand-up yet?

JOKER

Not quite. Haven't even performed

yet. Just been working my material.

This business is all about fine-

tuning.

Now Hoyt looks up. Takes a drag from his cigarette.

19.

HOYT

Right.

Joker goes to sit down--

HOYT

Don't sit. This will be quick.

Joker stops in his tracks.

HOYT

Look, I like you, Arthur. A lot of

the guys here, they think you're a

freak. But I like you. I don't even

know why I like you. I mean, you

don't say much.

(beat)

It's probably that stupid laugh. It

gets me every time. Kills me.

Unsure how to respond, Joker just nods.

HOYT

But I got another complaint. And

it's starting to piss me off.

Joker takes a deep breath, maybe picks at his eyebrow.

HOYT

Kenny's Music. Sunday. The guy said

you disappeared. Never even

returned his sign.

JOKER

No. I got jumped. I told you about

that.

HOYT

For a sign? Bullshit. It makes no

sense, just give him his sign back.

He's going out of business for

god's--

BANG! Out of nowhere, Joker slams his head into the wall.

Head-butting it hard.

HOYT

(taken aback)

Hey!

BANG! BANG! He does it two more times. Breaking the plaster

on the wall--

20.

HOYT

What the fuck, Arthur?!

JOKER

(voice tightens)

I don't have his sign.

And Joker just stares at Hoyt, some blood forming on his

forehead--

CUT TO:

16 EXT. BACK ALLEY, OUTSIDE HA-HA'S - AMUSEMENT MILE - DAY 16

WE'RE AT THE FAR END OF AN ALLEY, about halfway down, catch a

glimpse of Joker still half-dressed on the other side of a

dumpster. From this vantage, all we can see is him furiously

KICKING and STOMPING on something... or somebody.

We don't hear anything. And we can't make out what it is that

he's so violently beating down.

It could be a cat... a cardboard box... a homeless person...

We don't know.

Joker just continues unleashing his rage--

17 INT. CITY BUS (MOVING) - DUSK 17

Joker at the end of his work day, sitting in his spot toward

the back of the bus.

Across the aisle from him, he's innocently watching a young

couple, playfully teasing each other.

18 EXT. GOTHAM, LOWER EAST SIDE - EVENING 18

Joker heading back home down the litter-covered streets like

he does every night. Garbage still piled along the sidewalks,

air still thick with smog.

He's carrying the paper bag that Randall gave him.

19 INT. LOBBY, APARTMENT BUILDING - EVENING 19

Joker checks his mailbox. Empty.

21.

20 INT. ELEVATOR, APARTMENT BUILDING - CONTINUOUS 20

Joker is on the elevator, as the door closes, he sticks his

foot out to stop it.

The door limps back open. Ding.

He looks to see if anybody, if Sophie, is coming. He waits.

Hoping.

The door starts to close on him again-- Right before it does,

he stops it with his foot again. Ding.

21 INT. MOM'S APARTMENT, BATHROOM - NIGHT 21

JOKER'S GIVING HIS MOM A BATH, being careful with her as he

shampoos her hair.

MOM

--so what did he say when you gave

him the letter?

JOKER

They wouldn't let me see him.

(lying)

But they promised me it would get

to him.

MOM

It's good they promised. He only

works with the best. We should hear

something soon.

He fills an empty plastic container with some bath water.

JOKER

Look up.

She tilts her head back and he rinses her hair with the water

from the container...

JOKER

Why are these letters so important

to you, Ma? What do you think he's

gonna do?

MOM

He's gonna help us.

JOKER

Help us how?

22.

MOM

Get us out of here, take me away

from this place and these-- these

awful people.

JOKER

You worked for him over 30 years

ago. What makes you think he would

help you?

She looks at him with conviction.

MOM

Because Thomas Wayne is a good man.

If he knew how I was living, if he

saw this place, it would make him

sick. I can't explain it to you any

better than that.

Joker nods. Annoyed, but not worth the argument. He stands up

to get her a towel.

JOKER

I don't want you worrying about

money. Everyone's been telling me

they think my stand-up is ready for

the big clubs. It's just a matter

of time before I get a break.

She steps into the towel. He's helping dry her off.

MOM

Happy, what makes you think you

could do that?

JOKER

What do you mean?

MOM

I mean, don't you have to be funny

to be a comedian?

Beat.

22 INT. MOM'S BEDROOM, APARTMENT - LATE NIGHT 22

Joker's mom is out cold in her bedroom, a half-eaten plate of

food is next to her on the bed.

23.

23 INT. LIVING ROOM, MOM'S APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS 23

Joker sits on the couch. The TV is on, but the sound is off.

He holds the .38 SNUB-NOSE REVOLVER Randall gave him in his

hand. He's never held a gun before, looks uncomfortable with

it, the weight of it in his hand...

He points it at the TV, hand trembling a bit... Points it at

the cat... Points it at his head.

Looks closely at the grip. The barrel. The cylinder. Now he

casually pulls the trigger--

BLAMMMMMMM!

He jumps up off the couch. What the fuck!? He looks around in

a panic. His hands shaking.

He shot a hole in the wall.

MOM (OS)

(awoken by the shot)

HAPPY!? What was that?

JOKER

What?!

He quickly turns up the TV volume. REALLY LOUD. Shoves the

still smoking gun under the couch cushions.

MOM (OS)

THAT NOISE! DID YOU HEAR THAT

NOISE?

He's inspecting the hole in the wall. Shouts back over the TV

noise--

JOKER

I'M WATCHING AN OLD WAR MOVIE.

MOM (OS)

TURN IT DOWN!

He heads for his mother's bedroom.

24 INT. MOM'S BEDROOM, DOORWAY - CONTINUOUS 24

Joker looks in on his mom in her dark bedroom, can make out

the outline of her body sitting up.

MOM

It's so loud.

24.

JOKER

I know. The Americans are really

giving it to the Japs.

He walks over to her in the darkness. Kisses her on the

forehead.

JOKER

(softly)

I'm sorry. I'll turn it down.

25 INT. KITCHEN, MOM'S APARTMENT - LATE NIGHT 25

Joker is writing in his journal. He speaks softly to himself

as he writes...

JOKER

Why didn't Randall tell me the gun

was loaded? He's my friend. With my

luck, I could have killed someone.

(beat)

I could have killed myself.

CLOSE ON THE LAST LINE, he crosses out "could"...

Writes... "should".

JOKER

(still to himself)

I should have killed myself.

CLOSE ON JOKER as he crosses out something again...

JOKER

(louder to himself)

I should kill myself.

Beat.

26 EXT. STREET, LOWER EAST SIDE - MORNING 26

HANDHELD POV, see the run-down building where Joker lives

from across the street.

REVEAL, Joker is watching his own building on the far side of

a parked truck. Red hood pulled up, covering his head. He

waits. Watches.

Now we see Sophie exiting the building with her daughter

GiGi. Sophie's dressed more conservatively than when we

previously met her.

25.

Joker starts following them.

27 EXT. PUBLIC SCHOOL - MORNING 27

Sophie drops GiGi off at school. Joker's still watching.

Following.

28 EXT. ELEVATED SUBWAY PLATFORM - MORNING 28

Sophie waits on the platform. Lights a cigarette.

We see Joker, hidden behind a steel support beam-- watching

her from a distance.

29 INT. SUBWAY (MOVING) - MORNING 29

Joker stands at the window between two subway cars. Just

watching Sophie as she reads a book in the next car.

The train comes to a stop and she exits. Joker exits as well.

30 EXT. STREET, UPPER EAST SIDE - MORNING 30

Nicer part of Gotham. Joker follows Sophie from a distance,

watches as she walks into Gotham First National Bank.

Sees her say hello to the guard. This is where she works.

Joker just watches and waits.

31 INT. GOTHAM FIRST NATIONAL - LATER 31

A large, mid-level bank. Sophie is one of THREE BANK TELLERS

working behind the plexiglass windows.

Joker pulls the hood back off his head, takes a deep breath

before he walks up to her window. She is looking down,

counting her drawer.

Takes another deep breath. Then--

JOKER

Hello. I'd like to open an account.

She looks up.

SOPHIE

(surprised)

Hey, what are you doing up here?

26.

JOKER

Oh, hi. That's weird.

(pausing to see if he's

gonna laugh; he's good)

I didn't know you worked at a bank.

SOPHIE

Pretty glamorous, right?

Not getting the sarcasm, Joker nods. Looks around.

JOKER

Very glamorous. Look at this place.

She laughs.

He stands there awkwardly for a moment looking around to see

what she's laughing about.

Realizes she thought he was making a joke.

Beat.

JOKER

I'm a comedian. I do stand-up

comedy.

SOPHIE

Really? I had no idea.

JOKER

Yeah. You know, I'm always making

funny observations. Always on the

look out for my next bit-- so it

makes sense.

SOPHIE

Right. Anyway, is there something I

could help you with?

Beat.

JOKER

I said hi to my mom.

SOPHIE

Excuse me?

JOKER

Last week. You said to say hi to my

mom. I did. Made her day.

They are interrupted by the BRANCH MANAGER (50's), white,

heavy-set, who has come up behind Sophie--

27.

BRANCH MANAGER

Everything okay here?

He puts his heavy hand on Sophie's shoulder. She practically

shudders from his touch.

SOPHIE

Everything is fine Mr. Slotnick.

Now he leans down and whispers something in her ear-- Joker

just watches through the glass.

SOPHIE

(shakes her head; to her

manager)

No. He's not. He's interested in

opening an account.

BRANCH MANAGER

(to Joker)

Great. You just need to fill out a

form. They are back there-- against

the wall.

As the manager talks, Sophie makes wide eyes at Joker, like

"I almost got in trouble."

JOKER

(covering; trying to act

cool)

Okay. Thank you, sir. And thank you

as well, Miss.

Joker walks back to the wall by the forms.

He fumbles around for a minute, clearly not there to open an

account. He begins filling out a form. Then--

JOKER

(shouts out, to no one in

particular)

YOU KNOW WHAT?! I FORGOT MY ID!

I'LL BE BACK. THANK YOU.

He walks out of the bank. Head in the clouds.

32 INT. GOTHAM COMEDY CLUB, CHINATOWN - NIGHT 32

Joker sitting in the middle of a dark, crowded comedy club.

People on dates. Groups of friends. All here to watch the

stand-up. He sits at a small table by himself, watching the

act on stage.

28.

The comic on stage is killing it. The whole room is laughing

and applauding. Everyone except Joker.

He's watching. Studying. Diligently jotting down notes in his

notebook.

33 EXT. GOTHAM COMEDY CLUB, STREET - CHINATOWN - NIGHT 33

People are piling out of the club, onto the narrow street,

jumble of lit-up signs, most glowing yellow or red. Joker

walks out alone, carrying his notebook. He sees a FLYER taped

to the entrance of the club.

CLOSE ON THE FLYER, "Open mic night. Thursdays. 10pm."

He rips the flyer off the wall.

34 INT. HA-HA'S TALENT BOOKING, LOCKER ROOM - DAY 34

Joker is working on his "Mr. Jingles" clown look, using the

small mirror in his locker. Behind him a couple of other

clowns are eating their lunch at a small table, not paying

Joker any attention.

Joker pauses half-finished, and stares at himself for a beat.

He starts to examine the two small scars on the corners of

his mouth, we really notice how they form a smile. Joker

hooks the corners of his mouth down with his index fingers,

turning his smile into a frown--

He lets go and his smile returns.

Does it again, up and down, up and down, his face a living

comedy/tragedy mask.

And then he pulls his fingers wider, stretching his smile

into a grotesque parody, pulling his mouth so wide tears come

to his eyes--

AND WE HEAR JOKER SINGING "If You're Happy and You Know It"

at his next gig.

JOKER (PRE-LAP)

(singing)

--if you're happy and you know it

and you really want to show it, if

you're happy and you know it clap

your hands.

29.

35 INT. GOTHAM GENERAL - CHILDREN'S WARD - EVENING 35

Joker is performing for a ward full of sick children, wearing

an oversized white lab coat over his "Mr. Jingles" clown

costume. A few nurses and doctors watch as well.

His white clown face, mouth outlined in black and filled in

with red, his green wig frizzy and worn out. Joker plays a

UKULELE along with the song.

JOKER

If you're happy and you know it,

stomp your feet.

Joker and the kids stomp and sing along.

JOKER

If you're happy and you know it,

stomp your feet.

(stomp, stomp)

If you're happy and you know it and

you really want to show it, if

you're happy and you know it stomp

your feet.

As the song winds down, the KIDS and NURSES clap.

Joker takes an exaggerated and ridiculous bow--

And as he does, his .38 SNUB-NOSE REVOLVER slips out of his

pants and slides across the floor.

Everyone stops. Looks at the gun on the floor.

36 INT. LOBBY, GOTHAM GENERAL - LATER 36

Joker is on a payphone in the lobby of the hospital. He's in

his street clothes, wig in his hand, clown-face still painted

on.

JOKER

(into phone)

Hoyt, let me explain.

HOYT (OVER PHONE)

Oh, this'll be good. Please tell me

why you brought a gun into a sick

kid's ward?

JOKER

(into phone)

It was, it was a prop gun. It's

part of my act now.

30.

HOYT (OVER PHONE)

Bullshit. Jingles would never carry

a fucking gun. Besides, Randall

told me you tried to buy a .38 off

him last week.

Joker's taken aback that Randall would do that to him.

JOKER

(into phone)

Randall told you that?

HOYT (OVER PHONE)

He was with me when the call came

in. You're a fuck up, Arthur. And a

liar. You're fired.

JOKER

(into phone)

Hoyt--

HOYT (OVER PHONE)

Say it, Arthur.

(beat)

Let me hear you say it.

JOKER

(into phone)

Say what?

HOYT (OVER PHONE)

I'm a fuck up and I'm fired.

Joker picks at his eyebrow.

JOKER

(into phone; low)

--I'm a fuck up and I'm fired.

HOYT (OVER PHONE)

Louder.

JOKER

(into phone; louder)

I'm a fuck up and I'm fired.

HOYT (OVER PHONE)

Yes. You are.

Click. He hears Hoyt hang up.

Beat.

31.

37 INT. SUBWAY (MOVING) - NIGHT 37

JOKER SITS ON THE SUBWAY CONTEMPLATING WHAT JUST WENT DOWN,

face still painted, his bag on the seat next to him, along

with his wig.

There's only one other person on the subway car, a YOUNG

WOMAN (30's) sitting at the far end-- reading a book.

The train comes to a stop and THREE WALL STREET GUYS enter.

They are being loud and obnoxious, clearly drunk. One of them

is eating some french fries out of a greasy McDonald's bag.

He flops down on the bench across from the girl and checks

her out. The other two guys start getting into it with each

other--

WALL STREET #1

--I'm telling you, she wanted my

number. We should have just stayed.

The train starts moving again...

WALL STREET #2

You're dreaming, man. She wasn't

interested-- at all.

WALL STREET #1

Are you nuts? Did you see how close

we were dancing!? She was in love,

bro.

He starts dancing a bit with himself, mimicking what he

remembers. Wall Street #2 takes a swig from the brown bag he

is carrying.

WALL STREET #2

She couldn't wait to get away from

you.

Joker is watching them closely, impressed by their confidence

and easy-going camaraderie.

WALL STREET #1

(to the third guy)

Ryan, am I crazy? Tell him what you

saw.

But the third Wall Street guy isn't paying his friends any

attention. He has his eyes set on the young woman sitting

across from him, reading her book.

WALL STREET #3

(to the girl)

Hey. You want some french fries?

32.

He holds out his McDonald's bag and shakes it to get her

attention. The other two share a look. Joker watches from his

seat.

WALL STREET #3

Hello? I'm talking to you. You want

some fries?

She looks up and shakes her head, polite smile.

YOUNG WOMAN

No thank you.

The other two guys crack up at this apparent blow-off. The

third Wall Street guy shakes his head, embarrassed, and

starts softly flinging fries at the young woman.

WALL STREET #3

You sure? They're really good.

She just buries her face deeper in her book--

WALL STREET #2

Don't ignore him. He's being nice

to you.

One of the french fries lands in her hair. She looks down

toward Joker, looking to see if he's going to do something or

say something--

Joker just sits there nervous. Not sure what to do, or even

if he wants to do anything at all.

AND HE JUST BURSTS OUT LAUGHING. He covers his mouth with his

hand as they continue to harass the woman.

They all look over-- What the fuck is this clown laughing at?

WALL STREET #1

Something funny, asshole?

With their attention diverted, the young woman rushes out

through the door between subway cars, glancing back at Joker

before she goes--

WALL STREET #3

(shouts after her)

BITCH!

Joker laughs even harder through his hand. The Wall Street

guys turn to him sitting by himself at the end of the car--

33.

Joker sees them staring. Looks down at the ground, hand still

covering his mouth, face turning red. Subway swaying, lights

flickering on and off.

Beat.

One of the guys heads down the car toward Joker, starts

singing "Send in the Clowns" as he approaches--

WALL STREET #1

(singing)

Isn't it rich?

Are we a pair?

Me here, at last on the ground

You in mid-air

Send in the clowns.

The others crack up and follow after him. The guy plops down

next to Joker, puts his arm around his shoulder as he sings--

JOKER

(shakes his head, stifling

the laughter)

Please. Don't.

WALL STREET #1

(continues singing to him)

Isn't it bliss?

Don't you approve?

One who keeps tearing around,

One who can't move.

Joker starts to get up-- The lead guy pulls him back down.

WALL STREET #1

Where are the clowns?

There ought to be clowns.

As he finishes the song, Joker's laughing fit is coming to an

end. One of the other guys sits down on the other side of

him. He's now sandwiched in between them--

WALL STREET #2

So tell us, buddy. What's so

fucking funny?

JOKER

Nothing. I have a condition--

Joker reaches into his bag to get one of his "Forgive my

laughter" cards, the third guy sees him reaching and tries to

grab the bag from him---

Joker pulls on it--

34.

JOKER

No. It's just my stuff. I don't

have anything.

The guy rips the bag from his hand--

WALL STREET #3

I'll tell you what you have,

asshole.

Joker gets up from between them to go grab his bag back. The

two guys are cracking up.

WALL STREET #3

You want it back? Here--

Joker reaches out to grab the bag--

And the guy tosses it over his head to one of his friends.

Keeping it away from Joker.

Three guys in suits tossing a bag around, playing 'monkey in

the middle' with a clown. THE LIGHTS ON THE TRAIN SEEM TO

GLOW BRIGHTER AND WE HEAR the drum roll opening to BOBBY

SHORT singing "Send in the Clowns" Live at the Caf� Carlyle.

Joker keeps trying to catch his bag until suddenly--

WHAP! Out of nowhere one of the guys punches him hard in the

face.

Joker goes down as if in slow motion. Blood coming from his

nose. He tries to get up, but his feet slip from under him

and he falls back down--

WALL STREET #1

Stay down you freak.

And the third Wall Street guy starts kicking him--

The others join in. Surrounding Joker on the ground, kicking

him deliberately, sadistically, and the music swells--

BLAM!

SUDDENLY THE LIGHTS GO BACK DIM, and one of the guys stops

kicking and falls back dead. Blood splattering on the subway

wall behind him--

And we HEAR Bobby Short sing out, picking up from where the

Wall Street Guy left off--

35.

BOBBY SHORT (SINGING)

Just when I'd stopped opening doors

Finally knowin' the one that I

wanted was yours

BLAM! BLAM! Wall Street #2 goes down--

Revealing Joker on the ground, opening his eyes to see what

he did, smoking gun in his hand--

BOBBY SHORT (SINGING)

Making my entrance again with my

usual flair

Sure of my lines

No one is there

The third guy takes off running for the doors that separate

the cars.

Joker starts after him, but then stops... turns back to grab

his bag and his wig, his hands shaking from the adrenaline.

The train is coming to a stop.

BOBBY SHORT (SINGING)

Don't you love farce?

My fault I fear...

Joker picks up his bag between the two dead bodies, blood

everywhere...

The subway doors wheeze open and Joker steps halfway off the

train, waiting to see if the third Wall Street guy gets off

in the car ahead of him. Joker sees him run off--

38 EXT. SUBWAY PLATFORM - CONTINUOUS 38

The platform is empty, the Wall Street guy is running toward

the stairs--

Joker follows--

Behind them, the train pulls away--

BOBBY SHORT (SINGING)

I thought that you'd want what I

want.

Sorry, my dear.

The guy makes his way to the stairs, unaware that Joker is

behind him--

BLAM!

36.

The third guy falls, tumbling down the stairs. Joker walks

over to the body and empties the chamber-- BLAM! BLAM!

BOBBY SHORT (SINGING)

But where are the clowns?

Quick, send in the clowns

Don't bother they're here.

And as "Send in the Clowns" ends, Joker fires the last shot--

BLAM! He's got nothing left.

39 EXT. STREET, ROBINSON SQUARE PARK - NIGHT 39

Joker hauls ass out of the subway and makes a mad dash across

a busy street, horns honking--

Running as fast as he can past piles of garbage, he takes a

sharp turn high-tailing into a small, run-down needle park,

disappearing into the darkness.

40 INT. PUBLIC BATHROOM, ROBINSON SQUARE PARK - NIGHT 40

Joker runs into the bathroom, locks the door behind him and

SUDDENLY EVERYTHING HITS HIM ALL AT ONCE--

He throws up into the dirty toilet, puking his guts out--

He finishes, wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. And

pulls the gun out of his waist, looking around for someplace

to throw it out. Under the sink he sees a rusted, metal grate

hanging off the wall covering some pipes.

Before he bends down, Joker catches his reflection in the

smudged mirror. Sees himself holding the gun in his hand--

Beat.

He raises the gun to his head and pulls the trigger--

Click.

It's empty.

He gets down on his knees, sweat dripping off his face, pulls

the grate away from the wall. And tosses the gun away inside.

Moves the grate back in place.

Joker stands back up and turns on the faucets. Rinses out his

mouth.

Looks at his smudged reflection as he starts washing the

clown make-up off his sweaty face--

37.

JOKER

Hi. Do you like to laugh?

Water dripping, white grease paint running off his face--

JOKER

Remember how I told you that I'm a

stand-up comedian?

(again)

Hi. How are you?

Beat.

41 INT. APARTMENT BUILDING, LOBBY - LATER 41

Joker enters his building with great urgency. No time for the

elevator, he takes the stairs. Two at a time.

He races up the stairwell.

42 INT. HALLWAY, APARTMENT BUILDING - CONTINUOUS 42

When he gets to his floor, instead of making a left toward

his apartment-- He makes a right, toward Sophie's. He stops

at her door. Out of breath.

Knocks.

He hears footsteps. Quickly pulls the folded-up flyer out of

his pocket.

The peephole in the door goes dark and then light again. He

hears locks unlocking. Sophie opens the door halfway--

Joker looks down at his feet--

JOKER

Hi. Do you like to laugh?

SOPHIE

What?

JOKER

(continuing without taking

a breath)

Remember the other day when I told

you about my stand-up comedy. Well,

I'm doing a set next Thursday and

I'm inviting a bunch of my friends

and I was wondering if maybe you

wanted to come and check it out.

38.

He reaches out to give Sophie the flyer, she opens the door

wider-- He notices her face, sees her eyes are red.

JOKER

Were you crying? Why are you

crying?

Beat.

SOPHIE

I had a bad day.

JOKER

I'm sorry. I, I didn't--

SOPHIE

It's okay. How would you know.

JOKER

What happened?

SOPHIE

I got fired. From the bank.

Joker takes a deep breath and smiles without realizing it,

hoping he doesn't start to laugh.

JOKER

What for?

SOPHIE

Because,-- I don't know. It doesn't

fucking matter. I don't know what

I'm gonna do.

And she starts crying again. Joker doesn't move. Just stands

in the doorway awkward.

JOKER

(finally)

Okay. Well, all the info is right

there on the flyer.

He starts to walk away, then turns back to her--

JOKER

You know they say laughter is the

best medicine.

Sophie wipes her eyes and manages a smile.

SOPHIE

Is that what they say?

39.

Joker just nods yes and walks back toward his mother's

apartment.

43 INT. DEPT. OF HEALTH, OFFICE - MORNING 43

JOKER SITS ACROSS from the same Social Worker from the

opening scene. Same depressing office.

She stares at him for a beat, clearly annoyed.

SOCIAL WORKER

We spoke about this last time,

Arthur. You're supposed to bring

your journal with you.

JOKER

Well I didn't think you were going

to read it.

SOCIAL WORKER

You said it didn't bother you.

JOKER

I lied. Everything bothers me.

SOCIAL WORKER

What about it bothered you?

JOKER

It's personal. It's my private

thoughts. Plus it contains original

comedy material that I don't feel

comfortable handing over to you.

She looks at him and shakes her head. Not in the mood to deal

with this.

SOCIAL WORKER

Arthur, I have some bad news for

you.

He looks up, intrigued.

SOCIAL WORKER

They've cut our funding. We're

closing down our offices next week.

He looks around, just noticing some MOVING BOXES stacked

against the wall.

JOKER

So where will we be meeting?

40.

SOCIAL WORKER

We won't be. The city's cut funding

across the board. Social services

is part of that.

Joker nods, not hating the idea.

JOKER

Okay.

SOCIAL WORKER

They don't give a shit about people

like you, Arthur. You don't have a

voice and they don't really care

what happens to you or to us for

that matter.

He sits there for a moment. And then it dawns on him--

JOKER

How am I gonna get my medication?

Beat.

44 INT. MOM'S APARTMENT, KITCHEN - MORNING 44

CLOSE ON A COUPLE OF PILLS, as they get crushed up.

CLOSE ON THE RESIDUE, as it's sprinkled on top of a bowl of

oatmeal.

MOM (OS)

Happy! Come in here. Thomas Wayne

is on TV.

Joker takes a couple of pills for himself. Looks inside. Not

many left. He looks over at the orange cat sitting on the

counter, purring loudly, watching him.

MOM (OS)

Quick! Come.

45 INT. MOM'S BEDROOM, APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS 45

Joker walks in carrying her breakfast. She waves him over to

her bed.

MOM

They're interviewing him about

those horrible murders on the

subway last week.

41.

JOKER

Why are they talking to him?

His mother shushes him. Joker sits on the end of the bed next

to her. It's one of those "Good Morning, Gotham" shows.

THOMAS WAYNE (ON TV)

--as you know, Jerry, all three of

them worked at Wayne Investments,

and they were the best of the best.

Solid young men.

A small smirk registers on Joker's face when photos of the

THREE WALL STREET GUYS come up on the screen.

THOMAS WAYNE (ON TV)

And while I didn't know them

personally, like all Wayne

employees, past and present, they

were family.

Joker's mom perks up at that--

MOM

You hear that! I told you. We're

family.

ANGLE ON TELEVISION, footage of GRAFFITI around the city.

"KILL THE RICH" spray painted on a storefront. "F CK WALL

STREET" written on a subway wall. "RESIST" scrawled across a

billboard.

"GOOD MORNING" HOST (ON TV)

There now seems to be a groundswell

of anti-rich sentiment in the city.

It's almost as if our less

fortunate residents have taken the

side of the killer.

THOMAS WAYNE (ON TV)

Yes and it's a shame. It's one of

the reasons I'm considering a run

for mayor. Gotham has lost its way.

"GOOD MORNING" HOST (ON TV)

Are you announcing your candidacy?

THOMAS WAYNE (ON TV)

(smiles)

No comment.

We hear his mother gasp, excited.

42.

"GOOD MORNING" HOST (ON TV)

What about the eyewitness report of

the suspect being a man in clown

make-up or a clown mask-- Care to

comment on that?

Joker leans in, intrigued. The camera zooms in closer to

Thomas Wayne on the screen...

THOMAS WAYNE (ON TV)

It makes total sense to me. What

kind of coward would do something

that cold-blooded? Someone who

hides behind a mask. Someone who's

envious of those more fortunate

than themselves, yet too scared to

show their own face.

(to camera)

And until that jealousy ends, those

of us who've made a good life for

ourselves will always look at those

who haven't as nothing but clowns.

CUT TO:

46 INT. COMEDY CLUB, BACKSTAGE HALLWAY - NIGHT 46

JOKER'S POV, slowly walking down the hall -- as if in slow

motion -- toward a curtain at the end, spotlight bleeding

through, other wannabe comics looking at him as he passes--

CLOSE ON JOKER, eyeing the others, sweat beading on his

forehead--

He gets to the curtain, the light, pulls his worn joke-

notebook out of his back pocket. Glancing into the room he

sees it's a pretty good crowd. Sees Sophie taking a seat in

the back.

Wheeling back into the dark hallway, he catches his breath in

the shadows--

And starts BANGING HIS HEAD BACK against the wall--

He hears the EMCEE from the stage.

EMCEE (OS)

This next comic describes himself

as a lifelong Gotham resident who

from a young age was always told

that "his purpose in life was to

bring joy and laughter into this

cold, dark world." Ummm. Okay.

43.

He hears the crowd laugh.

EMCEE (OS)

Please help me welcome Arthur

Fleck!

There is a smattering of applause.

CUT TO:

JOKER STEPPING ON STAGE, out under the spotlight, lifts the

microphone in front of his mouth, the light so bright he

can't see faces in the dark audience, his hand trembling

holding onto his worn notebook--

He takes a deep breath, looks out at the dark crowd, and

opens his mouth.

And starts to laugh. His eyes go wide. God no, not now. A

terrified look comes to his face under the laughter. He just

keeps laughing. The crowd is just staring back at him.

Finally he composes himself--

JOKER

(trying to stop himself

from laughing)

-- good evening, hello.

(deep breath; trying to

stop laughing)

Good to be here.

(keeps cracking up)

I, I hated school as a kid. But my

mother would always say,--

(bad imitation of his mom,

still laughing)

"You should enjoy it. One day

you'll have to work for a living."

(laughs)

"No I won't, Ma. I'm gonna be a

comedian!"

Dead silence. Except for Joker, who's still cracking up.

CUT TO:

47 EXT. COMEDY CLUB, CHINATOWN STREET - NIGHT 47

Joker and Sophie walking out of the club after the show, the

audience trickles out around them. Nobody looking in Joker's

direction, nobody says anything to him, maybe one or two even

cracking up at him behind his back. Garbage bags crowding the

narrow street, lit up by the bright signs.

44.

Joker and Sophie walk a ways without saying a word. Awkward

silence.

Then--

JOKER

So, did you laugh? Really couldn't

see much from up there.

Sophie pauses, doesn't know what to say. She lights up a

cigarette.

SOPHIE

(trying to be nice)

Of course. Yeah. You couldn't hear

anything?

JOKER

All I heard was my heart pounding.

SOPHIE

It was good. I really needed to get

out of my apartment so, thanks.

(beat)

What happened to the rest of your

friends?

JOKER

What friends?

SOPHIE

Didn't you say some of your friends

were coming?

JOKER

(he forgot; recovers)

Yeah, I decided not to invite them.

As a performer sometimes you want

to see how a "real" crowd reacts.

People who don't already love me,

or, or have a notion of who I am,

you know?

SOPHIE

(nodding)

Yeah. I get that.

Joker smiles at the connection. They walk past a newsstand--

a wall of Chinese language newspapers mixed with local papers

and tabloids, screaming headlines about the three Wall Street

Guys gunned down on the train.

Joker stops and stares at the headlines--

45.

CLOSE ON HEADLINES, "Subway Vigilante"... "Yuppie Slaughter"

"Killer Clown On The Loose?"...

SOPHIE (OS)

(re: the headlines)

You believe that shit?

JOKER

Yeah,-- I don't know how something

like that happens.

SOPHIE

Please. I'll bet you five bucks

those rich assholes deserved it.

He turns to her.

JOKER

You think?

SOPHIE

Look at their faces. Those smug

smiles. I've seen that look. Fuck

them.

Sophie flicks her cigarette away and starts walking.

SOPHIE

The guy who did it is a hero. Three

less pricks in Gotham City. Woo-

hoo! Only a million more to go.

Joker watches her walk for a beat.

JOKER

(calls out to her)

Hey. You want to get some coffee?

Sophie turns around and smiles. She looks great, even in

front of the mounds of garbage bags that line the sidewalk.

AN AMBULANCE SCREAMS BY, SIRENS BLARING as Sophie says

something that Joker doesn't hear. She keeps walking.

Joker chases after her and trips over a TIN GARBAGE CAN LID--

CLANG. CLANG. He falls down flat on his face.

Sophie turns and bursts out laughing. She can't help but

laugh. It's the first time she's laughed all night.

46.

48 INT. SZECHUAN ACE RESTAURANT, TABLE - NIGHT 48

Table covered with plates of half-eaten Chinese food.

Joker and Sophie sitting across from each other, middle of

conversation. Crowded room, brightly lit, looks more like a

casino. Almost everybody eating there is Chinese. It's loud.

SOPHIE

--I'm telling you, it's across the

board. Wall Street, the banks,

politicians. They've been making a

killing for years. Fuck them.

Joker takes a moment to think about what she said.

JOKER

I don't know.

SOPHIE

What don't you know?

JOKER

Not all of them are awful. Take

someone like Thomas Wayne for

example. He's a hero.

SOPHIE

Oh c'mon, he's the worst!

Joker is taken aback--

JOKER

Sophie, he's the only one who can

save this city.

SOPHIE

You can't be serious!? He's a

complete narcissist. Brags about

his money. Meanwhile, the rest of

us can barely make rent. Or feed

our kids.

Joker nods. Thinking about it.

Then--

JOKER

What happened?

SOPHIE

With what?

47.

JOKER

With your job. At the bank?

SOPHIE

(suddenly uncomfortable)

Oh. Yeah, I was, um,--

JOKER

We don't have to talk about it.

Beat.

SOPHIE

Have you ever been fired before?

Joker thinks it over for a moment.

JOKER

Every time.

SOPHIE

And have you ever wanted to torch

the place?

JOKER

(thinks it over again)

Every time.

Sophie smiles.

SOPHIE

Right. And this was like the first

good job I had in like, years. Not

waitressing or anything like that.

It was 9-5. I had benefits. You

know what that means when you have

a kid?

Joker just looks at her, he doesn't really know what that

means. He just smiles.

SOPHIE

But from the very first day, the

manager guy starts smiling at me,

whispering in my ear, touching me,

trying to get me to sleep with him--

JOKER

(interrupting)

Did you do it? Did you go to bed

with him?

48.

SOPHIE

Fuck no. The guy's a fucking pig.

So finally I complained to his

boss, and they fired me... And now,

now I don't know what to do with

myself.

JOKER

Right. Wait, what do you mean?

SOPHIE

I finally felt good. Like I had a

future. A purpose. And now I don't

even know how I'm gonna pay my

rent.

AND JOKER STARTS LAUGHING. He puts a hand over his mouth

trying to cover it, but he can't stop cracking up--

It's unsettling and disturbing for Sophie. People eating,

waiters in red vests, busboys, all look over and stare at

him. A few laugh. Joker turns away embarrassed, he looks out

the plate-glass window, face turning red from laughing so

hard--

AS HE LOOKS OUT, HE SEES A GROUP OF ROWDY KIDS walking down

the street. One of them glances back before he turns the

corner-- HE'S WEARING A CLOWN MASK THAT LOOKS JUST JOKER'S

CLOWN FACE. And then he's gone. The group disappears around

the corner--

Joker can't believe his eyes, still laughing-- He turns to

Sophie who didn't see them. Just sits there awkwardly waiting

for it to stop.

Finally, it subsides--

JOKER

(catching his breath)

I'm sorry. I have this thing--

SOPHIE

I know.

Awkward beat.

SOPHIE

How did you get it?

JOKER

I don't know. I read you can get it

from a brain injury or, or a lesion

in there. My mom said I was born

this way. Born laughing.

49.

SOPHIE

Is that why she calls you Happy?

JOKER

Kind of. That actually started when

I was a kid. The other kids made

fun of me, called me Happy-- but

not in a good way. I got so sick of

it, one day when I was about ten,

I, I,--

He smiles.

SOPHIE

What?

JOKER

I took a razor and cut this smile

onto my face.

(she's taken aback as he

points to the scars)

Sort of like "You want happy? Here,

how's this for happy?"

He looks down, still smiling. She just watches him for a

beat.

SOPHIE

You okay?

JOKER

I've been thinking about this night

my whole life.

They just sit there for a beat. Quiet.

49 INT. MOM'S APARTMENT, LIVING ROOM - NIGHT 49

Joker opening the door to his mother's apartment, holding a

doggie bag in his hand, sees the flickering blue light of the

TV on in the living room, hears the end of "LIVE WITH MURRAY

FRANKLIN!" He locks the locks, drawing the security chain

high on the door.

TURNS TO CATCH A GLIMPSE OF HIS MOTHER PASSED OUT in the

living room, the cat jumping up next to her on the chair.

Joker watches for a beat as Murray does his signature sign

off, the one he's been doing for years--

50.

MURRAY FRANKLIN (ON TV)

(looking into camera)

Good night! And always remember,--

That's life.

JOKER

(quietly)

"That's life."

He hears Don Ellis and his Jazz Orchestra playing the show's

closing song-- the instrumental version of Frank Sinatra's

"That's Life".

As the music continues, Joker puts his face up against his

mom's nose, to see if she's breathing or if she's dead.

He feels her breath against his cheek.

Now he picks his mother up in his arms and carries her into

her bedroom to the music, almost as if he's dancing with her

as he leaves the room...

We stay behind.

"That's Life" still playing from TV.

He comes back into the living room and turns off the TV.

Takes off his jacket and throws it on the couch. Notices

something sticking out of his jacket pocket. He pulls it out.

It's the envelope he was supposed to deliver to Thomas Wayne.

He stares at it for a beat. And then--

Quietly rips it open, starts to read the letter:

CLOSE ON WORDS, "Dearest Thomas, I don't know where else to

turn..."

"Need your help..."

"You have a son. We have a son. His name is Arthur."

Stops reading, stays on--

"You have a son."

JOKER STARING DOWN AT THE LETTER, reading those words over

and over again -- "You have a son."

CUT TO:

51.

50 INT. MOM'S BEDROOM, APARTMENT - EARLY MORNING 50

JOKER'S SITTING IN A CHAIR in his mother's room watching her

sleep. He has clearly been up all night. Still wearing the

same clothes.

He's holding her letter in his hand as the sun is just

starting to rise outside the windows, light just beginning to

crack the gloom.

THE ORANGE CAT SITS AT HIS FEET staring up at him, won't take

her eyes off of him.

Joker impatiently sits there for another moment waiting for

his mother to wake up, then suddenly--

SHRIEKS OUT AT THE TOP OF HIS LUNGS like a teapot, kicking

his back on the chair like an excited toddler--

His mother wakes with a start, looking around half asleep and

confused--

Joker turns and sees the cat run out of the room--

MOM

--what, what time is it?

He doesn't answer.

MOM

What happened? Did you hurt

yourself again?

Joker holds her letter up in his hand.

JOKER

What is this? How come you never

told me?

MOM

Is, is that my letter? Is that my

letter, Happy?

JOKER

How could you not tell me, Ma?

MOM

You told me you dropped it off.

You have no right opening my mail.

Who do you think you are?

JOKER

(raising his voice;

excited)

(MORE)

52.

JOKER (CONT'D)

Apparently I'm Thomas Wayne's son!

How could you keep that from me?

His mother slowly getting up out of bed.

MOM

Stop yelling at me, you're gonna

kill me, give me a heart attack!

She goes into the bathroom.

JOKER

(shouts after her)

I'm not yelling! I'm just, excited.

How can any of this be real!? How

can Thomas Wayne be my father?

MOM (OS)

(shouts back from behind

the door)

I'm not talking to you until you

calm down.

Joker sits for a minute then gets up and goes to her bathroom

door. Talks to his mother from the behind the closed door.

JOKER

(lowers his voice; trying

to sound calm)

Okay. How's this, Mom? Better? Will

you please talk to me?

Joker leans in closer to the door. Leaning against it with

just his head--

JOKER

Please.

MOM (OS)

He is an extraordinary man, Arthur.

We had a connection. I was so

beautiful then. We were in love.

Joker just leans there, listening. He closes his eyes, it's

all too much.

MOM (OS)

His wife could see it. She was

jealous from the moment I started

working there. She fired me before

I even knew I was pregnant with

you.

(hear her crying now)

(MORE)

53.

MOM (OS) (CONT'D)

And, I never told him or anybody

because, well, you can imagine what

people would say about Thomas and

me, and, and what they would say

about you.

JOKER

(eyes still closed, head

leaning against the door)

What would they say, Ma?

MOM (OS)

That I was a whore, and Thomas

Wayne was a fornicator, and that

you're a little, unwanted bastard.

AND THE BATHROOM DOOR SUDDENLY SWINGS OPEN, and Joker falls

face first into the bathroom--

Just missing his mother, crashing down onto the floor--

CUT TO:

51 EXT. BOARDWALK, AMUSEMENT MILE - MORNING 51

Joker heads down the boardwalk toward Ha-Ha's, a bounce in

his step.

Looming behind him like the skeletons of monsters, a

sprawling rickety-looking wooden roller coaster and the

gigantic steel Wonder Wheel in the amusement park by the

ocean. Sound of waves crashing, seagulls squawking.

52 INT. HA-HA'S TALENT BOOKING, LOCKER ROOM - MORNING 52

Joker walks into the locker room, sees Randall half-dressed

for work, red nose, big pants, big shoes, no wig yet, sitting

with Gary, TWO OTHER CLOWNS AND A MAGICIAN around the small

table, shooting the shit, drinking coffee.

They nod hello at Joker or give him a perfunctory wave, most

of his co-workers think he's a freak.

GARY

Hey Art, I heard what happened--

I'm sorry man.

RANDALL

Yeah, Hoyt did you wrong, buddy.

Doesn't seem fair.

54.

Joker looks hard at Randall for a moment, just slowly nods,

and continues on to his locker.

He starts to clean it out, stuffing all of his clown gear

into an old brown paper shopping bag. Hears them talking

about him behind his back, about why he got fired, laughing

at him--

HA-HA CLOWN #1 (OS)

Did you really bring a gun to the

kid's hospital, Artie? What the

fuck would you do that for?

Joker doesn't answer them, just continues emptying his

locker, a bag of balloons, a magic wand, some trick flowers--

HA-HA CLOWN #2

No, I heard he pulled it out and

waved it around like a cowboy.

His co-workers crack up. Joker answers the guy without

looking back--

JOKER

It was a prop gun. And I didn't

pull it out, it fell out.

MAGICIAN

So is that part of your new act? If

your singing doesn't do the trick,

you just gonna shoot yourself?

More laughter.

HA-HA CLOWN #2

I thought Jingles was a lover not a

fighter.

Joker turns and looks at all of them, nods at Randall--

JOKER

Why don't you ask Randall about it?

It was his idea.

GARY

(to Randall)

Since when do you use a prop gun?

RANDALL

What? I don't. Stop talking outta

your ass, Art!

(to the guys)

(MORE)

55.

RANDALL (CONT'D)

I think all his stupid laughing

musta scrambled his brain or

something.

The guys laugh and keep jawing. Joker doesn't say anything.

Just finishes packing his bag and closes his locker door--

53 EXT. HA-HA'S, BACK ALLEY - AMUSEMENT MILE BOARDWALK - MORNING

53

Joker exits the back door holding onto his brown shopping bag

under his arm, starts down the alley.

Behind him, Randall hustles out and chases down the alley

after him, still half-dressed for work.

RANDALL

(calling out)

Art! Hold up,--

As he catches up with Joker his red nose falls off, but he's

so out of breath he doesn't realize he lost it--

RANDALL

What the fuck was that about?

Beat.

JOKER

What?

RANDALL

Why would you say that? That, that

it was my idea.

Joker just looks back at Randall. Sees his red Styrofoam nose

bouncing down the alley behind him.

JOKER

...

RANDALL

You don't get it, do you, buddy,

that shit that went down on the

subway, that's no joke. They got

clown sketches on the front of

every fucking paper. It's just a

matter of time before the cops come

around.

Beat.

JOKER

I don't know anything about it.

56.

RANDALL

(leans in close; lowers

his voice)

Art, you know you're my boy. I'm

not gonna say shit. I just hope you

got rid of that gun. That can't

come back on me, okay?

JOKER

Randall, I didn't shoot anybody.

That wasn't me. And I don't have

time for this, I got somebody real

important I gotta go see.

Joker turns to go--

RANDALL

You know they're sellin' masks.

JOKER

(turning back around)

What?

RANDALL

They're selling masks of your clown

face,-- based off the description I

guess. It's like a thing now.

JOKER

What are you talking about?

RANDALL

There's a lot of people in this

city who are happy you did what you

did. If you did it.

JOKER

Randall. Your nose.

RANDALL

What?

Randall touches his face. Realizes his nose is not there.

Joker points to Randall's clown nose tumbling back down the

alley. And Randall hustles after it, chasing after his red

nose blowing skipping away in the wind--

54 INT. METRO TRAIN (MOVING) - COUNTRYSIDE, OUTSIDE GOTHAM - 54

NEXT AFTERNOON

CLOSE ON NEW "KILLER CLOWN" SKETCH ON FRONT PAGE OF THAT

DAY'S TABLOID, a more detailed drawing.

57.

HEADLINE, "KILLER CLOWN STILL ON THE LOOSE!"

SUB-HEAD, "'Kill the Rich' -- A New Movement?"

ANGLE ON JOKER LOOKING DOWN AT HIS NOTEBOOK, STARING AT A

PHOTOGRAPH OF THOMAS WAYNE RIPPED OUT FROM A MAGAZINE, taped

to a page. He glances at his distorted reflection in the

window, takes his hand and parts his hair to the side, more

like Thomas Wayne's hair. Maybe there is a resemblance.

WIDER ANGLE, train is packed with wealthy white businessmen

and a couple businesswomen heading home after work, many of

them reading the same tabloid. The "Killer Clown" sketch of

Joker's clown face dots the train. No empty seats -- except

the one next to Joker.

55 INT. TAXI CAB (MOVING), COUNTRYSIDE - AFTERNOON 55

JOKER IN THE BACK OF A TAXI STARING OUT AT THE COUNTRYSIDE,

at the trees and green grass and blue sky and open spaces

whizzing by. The sun is getting low, bathing everything in a

golden light.

He doesn't see garbage anywhere.

56 EXT. WAYNE MANOR, FRONT LAWN - MAGIC HOUR 56

Joker walking along an intimidating wrought iron fence,

surrounding the estate like prison bars, the brown paper

shopping bag stuffed under his arm. The big house set up a

small hill, evergreens dot the lush grounds. As he walks

around looking for the front entrance, Joker catches a

glimpse of an innocent looking EIGHT-YEAR-OLD BOY tracking

him from behind the trees, hiding as he follows.

Joker stops.

He sees the boy stop behind a tree.

Joker continues walking until he gets to the front gate. He

digs into his bag and pulls out the magic wand--

He holds it up for the boy to see.

The boy steps out from behind a tree to get a closer look.

Joker puts the brown bag down on the ground, looks over the

wand, pretending like he's trying to figure out what it does.

He waves the wand over the front gate lock to "try and see"

if it will open-- It doesn't.

58.

The little boy walks down toward the fence, face like an

angel.

Joker waits until he gets closer and then reaches his hand

through the fence and hands the kid his magic wand so he can

try and figure out what it does--

The boy takes the wand and it goes limp in his hand before he

can wave it-- He laughs, surprised. He hands it back to

Joker.

The boys sees Joker's face up close, staring at his scarred

smile--

Joker straightens the wand back out, and reaches in through

the fence again so the kid can give it another try.

AND AGAIN THE MAGIC WAND DROOPS IN THE BOY'S HAND. He laughs

and gives it back to Joker--

Joker examines the wand as if its "broken", stiffens it one

last time, crouches down lower, and...

Ta-da! A bouquet of flowers bursts out the end of the wand--

Joker smiles and hands him the wand bouquet of flowers--

The little boy takes the flowers. Keeps staring at Joker, at

the scars around his mouth.

Now, he reaches his hand out through the fence and touches

Joker's face, tracing his finger around the edges of Joker's

mouth, over his scarred smile--

Joker closes his eyes -- embarrassed -- but it feels good to

him, nobody ever touches him besides his mother.

He starts to smile, when a man's voice shatters the moment--

ALFRED (OS)

(shouting; slight English

accent)

Bruce! What are you doing? Get away

from that man.

The little boy pulls his hand back. Turns and runs away--

Joker looks up and sees a balding, tired-looking, ALFRED

PENNYWORTH (50's) bounding down the hill toward them.

Joker stands back up.

59.

ALFRED

(still shouting)

What are you doing? Who are you?

Little Bruce runs behind Alfred, hiding behind his legs.

JOKER

My name's Arthur. I'm here to see

Mr. Wayne--

ALFRED

(interrupting)

You shouldn't be talking to his

son. Why did you give him those

flowers?

Alfred takes the flower-wand away from the kid--

JOKER

I, I was just trying to make him

laugh.

He hands it back to Joker.

ALFRED

Well it's not funny. Do I need to

call the police?

JOKER

No, please. My mother's name is

Penny Fleck. She used to work here,

years ago. Can you tell Mr. Wayne

that I need to see him?

ALFRED

(color drains from his

face; beat)

You're her son?

JOKER

Did you know her?

Alfred doesn't say anything.

Joker puts his face right up against the bars, whispers so

the boy can't hear him--

JOKER

You don't need to cover for them.

I'm sure Mrs. Wayne was very upset

when she found out.

60.

ALFRED

There was nothing to find out

about. Your mother was, was

delusional. She was a sick woman.

JOKER

No. No, just let me speak to Mr.

Wayne.

Now Alfred leans in closer to Joker, almost looks like he

feels some pity for him--

ALFRED

Please just go, before you make a

fool of yourself.

Beat.

JOKER

(blurts out)

Thomas Wayne is my father--

Alfred looks at Joker, and can't help but crack up laughing

at him.

AND JOKER REACHES THROUGH THE BARS AND GRABS HIM. Pulls him

in close, trying to choke him, still holding the wand of

flowers in one hand--

AS HE CHOKES ALFRED, Joker sees little Bruce, wide-eyed in

the shadows, looking out at him in horror.

Joker stops.

Lets go of Alfred... Takes off running back down the street

away from Wayne Manor, magic wand in hand, leaving the rest

of his clown gear behind.

CUT TO:

57 EXT. LOWER EAST SIDE, STREETS - NIGHT 57

JOKER'S BACK IN HIS PART OF TOWN, garbage everywhere here.

The neighborhood at night is alive. Loud kids on the street

corners... A drunk seemingly fights no one... Hookers working

the street... He hears a wailing siren...

As Joker turns the corner, he sees AN AMBULANCE PARKED in

front of his building. Lights flashing. Hit with a sense of

dread, he runs toward the building--

61.

58 EXT. STREET, APARTMENT BUILDING - NIGHT 58

A SMALL CROWD OF GAWKERS have gathered around watching the

drama unfold. Shouting and laughing, loud dance music blaring

out an open window, feels like an impromptu block party.

Joker runs up, sees his mother being wheeled down the front

steps unconscious on a stretcher, AN EMT holding an oxygen

bag on her face. TWO DETECTIVES IN PLAIN SUITS following

behind them. It's a chaotic scene.

FROM ABOVE, Joker pushing through the crowd, rushes to his

mother's side. We don't hear what he says to the paramedics

over the music and the crowd, just see them nod okay and

Joker follow after them into the back of the ambulance--

59 INT. CITY AMBULANCE, BACK (PARKED) - NIGHT 59

Joker looking out the back doors as they start to shut close--

CATCHES A GLIMPSE OF SOPHIE, coming out of the building. He

stares at her through the small back door window. Casually

waves at her, trying to connect with her--

Joker sees the two detectives approaching Sophie as the

ambulance pulls away. Speeding away down the street, siren

wailing--

CUT TO:

60 INT. CITY HOSPITAL, EMERGENCY TREATMENT ROOM - NIGHT 60

Joker's standing near the doorway of a large overcrowded

treatment room. Watching a sleep-deprived ER RESIDENT (late

20's), and an EMERGENCY NURSE start to intubate his mother.

He hears shouts and cries of pain from around the crowded

room.

Joker turns away when he sees them insert a thin endotracheal

tube into her mouth and down through her larynx. It makes him

gag--

61 EXT. CITY HOSPITAL, ER - NIGHT 61

Joker sits on a bench outside the bustling emergency room.

He's getting some fresh air, but he picked a weird spot to do

it.

He watches the sick and dying being rushed through the glass

doors. Opening and closing. This happens in the background

throughout the scene.

62.

The two detectives walk up to Joker, interrupting him

watching the doors. Gotham police detectives, GARRITY (50's),

grey hair, and BURKE (30's), his partner.

DET. GARRITY

Mr. Fleck, sorry to bother you, I'm

Detective Garrity, this is my

partner Detective Burke.

Joker looks up at them. Doesn't say anything.

DET. GARRITY

We had a few questions for you, but

you weren't home. So we spoke to

your mother.

JOKER

You did this to her?

DET. GARRITY

What? No. We just asked her some

questions and she started getting

hysterical-- hyperventilating,

trouble speaking-- then she

collapsed. Hit her head pretty

hard.

JOKER

They told me she had a stroke.

Beat.

DET. GARRITY

Sorry to hear that.

AND JOKER BURSTS OUT LAUGHING, he can't stop it.

The detectives are taken aback. They don't know what to make

of him laughing. They share a look.

DET. BURKE

(confused)

I'm lost. Is something funny?

JOKER

(laughter choking up in

his throat)

No I,-- I have a, a--

Tears rolling down his face, he takes out one of his cards

and hands it to Det. Burke. Burke glances over the card, a

skeptical look on his face.

63.

DET. BURKE

Okay. But we have some questions

for you.

DET. GARRITY

About those subway killings from a

few weeks ago.

Joker pauses for a moment, his laughter subsiding. He holds

his breath.

JOKER

I don't know anything about that.

DET. GARRITY

We have an eyewitness who described

a white male, about 6 feet tall, in

clown make up. Or a clown mask.

Spoke to your boss at Ha-Ha's, Mr.

Vaughn, and he said you were on a

job the day of the shooting.

Joker's still holding his breath, he nods yes.

DET. GARRITY

(just continues)

He also said you got fired that

day,-- For bringing a gun into the

children's hospital.

And Joker cracks up again, his laughter coming back harder--

He covers his mouth with his hand, shaking his head no, his

face now turning red.

DET. GARRITY

You weren't fired?

Joker catches his breath as the intensity of his laughter

starts to wane, petering out.

JOKER

Not for having a gun. That was prop

gun. Part of my act.

Joker's laughter finally stops for good.

DET. BURKE

So why were you fired?

JOKER

They said I wasn't funny.

The detectives share another look.

64.

Joker stands up.

JOKER

Now, if you don't mind, I have to

go back and look after my mother.

Detective Burke steps close to him, holds up the card that

Joker handed him--

DET. BURKE

Hey lemme ask you a question? This

condition of yours,-- Is this real

or is this like some sorta clown

thing?

JOKER

Clown thing?

DET. BURKE

I mean, is it part of your act?

JOKER

What do you think?

And Joker walks away-- heads for the sliding glass doors.

Only the motion detector doesn't engage--

AND HE SLAMS RIGHT INTO THE GLASS DOOR.

HARD.

He bounces back.

62 INT. HALLWAY, NURSE'S STATION - CITY HOSPITAL - NIGHT 62

Joker walking down the hallway, ER flooded with the poor and

uninsured. Overwhelmed doctors and nurses trying their best

to keep up. He stops at the busy nurse's station, and stands

there for a moment, trying to get a nurse's attention--

JOKER

Excuse me, I was wondering how I

could check my mother out of here?

One of the nurses at the desk looks up at him, seems slightly

annoyed.

ER NURSE

What's your mother's name?

JOKER

Penny Fleck. I'd like to take her

home.

65.

The sleep-deprived ER RESIDENT who was working on his mother

overhears Joker, comes over to talk to him with a clipboard

in his hand. Joker recognizes him--

ER RESIDENT

Mr. Fleck, your mother had a

stroke. It's very serious. You

can't "check her out." She's gonna

be here for at least a week.

JOKER

She's not gonna wanna stay that

long. She doesn't like hospitals.

Or doctors.

ER RESIDENT

I'm sorry to hear that. But she

can't just leave.

JOKER

I don't like hospitals either.

Beat.

The resident just nods okay. Looks down at his clipboard--

ER RESIDENT

Listen, I wanted to talk you about

something we noticed in her tox

report. We found heavy traces of

multiple medications in her system.

JOKER

Okay. Thanks.

He turns to go, but the resident continues--

ER RESIDENT

One of them's perphenazine. It's a

powerful anti-psychotic. If she was

taking that regularly and then

suddenly stopped, the withdrawal

could have contributed to her

stroke. Did you notice any

symptoms?

JOKER

Symptoms?

ER RESIDENT

Withdrawal symptoms. Nausea...

anxiety... hallucinations.

Joker shakes his head, no.

66.

ER RESIDENT

Do you know how long she's been

taking it?

Joker shakes his head no again, leans in closer to the

resident--

JOKER

Can you tell me what those symptoms

are again?

CUT TO:

63 INT. PATIENT BAY, EMERGENCY TREATMENT ROOM - NIGHT 63

CLOSE ON TV, Murray Franklin is in the middle of doing his

monologue.

MURRAY FRANKLIN (ON TV)

So I told my youngest son, Tommy,

remember he's the 'not so bright'

one,--

(laughter)

I told him that the garbage strike

is still going on. And he says, and

I'm not kidding, Tommy says, "So

where are we gonna get all our

garbage from?"

Murray Franklin cracks up at his own joke. Studio audience

laughs.

JOKER LAUGHS, LYING IN BED NEXT TO HIS UNCONSCIOUS MOTHER in

the large overcrowded treatment room.

Blue curtain dividers separate the bays. He's watching the

show on a TV bolted high on the wall. He glances over at his

mother, laughing over the sounds of her labored breath, the

pain and suffering of those around him.

He looks back up at the television.

MURRAY FRANKLIN (ON TV)

And finally, in a world where

everyone thinks they could do my

job, we got this videotape from the

Gotham Comedy Club. Here's a guy

who thinks if you just keep

laughing, it'll somehow make you

funny. Check out this joker.

67.

EXTREME CLOSE ON TV, GRAINY VIDEO OF JOKER'S STAND-UP

PERFORMANCE. Joker on stage smiling behind the microphone,

under the harsh spotlight.

Joker watching himself on TV, his jaw drops--

JOKER (ON TV)

(trying to stop himself

from laughing)

-- good evening, hello.

(deep breath; trying to

stop laughing)

Good to be here.

(keeps cracking up)

I, I hated school as a kid. But my

mother would always say,--

(bad imitation of his mom,

still laughing)

"You should enjoy it. One day

you'll have to work for a living."

(laughs)

"No I won't, Ma. I'm gonna be a

comedian!"

Back to Murray Franklin shaking his head, trying not to

laugh.

MURRAY FRANKLIN (ON TV)

You should have listened to your

mother.

The studio audience erupts into laughter.

ANGLE ON JOKER, watching Murray Franklin make fun of him on

TV. He gets up and starts walking toward the TV set as if in

a trance. Unsure if this is really happening.

MURRAY FRANKLIN (ON TV)

One more, Bernie. Let's see one

more. I love this guy.

The tape continues of Joker at the comedy club.

JOKER (ON TV)

It's funny, when I was a little boy

and told people I wanted to be a

comedian, everyone laughed at me.

(opens his arms like a big

shot)

Well no one is laughing now.

Dead silence. Nobody is laughing. Not even him.

CUT BACK CLOSE ON MURRAY FRANKLIN, just shaking his head.

68.

MURRAY FRANKLIN (ON TV)

You can say that again, pal!

Murray cracks up and the studio audience laughs along with

him.

CLOSE ON JOKER, looking up at the television, hearing them

all laughing at him.

Beat.

JUMP CUT:

Joker is dragging a chair to the television set.

In a rage, he gets up on the chair and tries to pull the TV

out of the wall, as the show continues to play--

But the set is firmly secured to the wall, and Joker pulls so

hard the chair flips from underneath him and he goes flying

up the air, crashing down hard onto the floor.

64 INT. CAFETERIA, CITY HOSPITAL - EARLY MORNING 64

Joker walks with a plastic tray of food. Some runny eggs and

a coffee. He keeps his head down so no one can see his face.

There are a few DOCTORS AND NURSES sitting and chatting at

one table. A group of ORDERLIES are sitting together at

another table.

He goes and sits down in the far corner, far away from

everyone else. Sees a tabloid newspaper left on the table,

and picks it up to read so he doesn't seem so alone.

ANGLE ON FRONT PAGE HEADLINE, "Thomas Wayne Announces Run",

over a full-page campaign-style photograph of Thomas Wayne

waving to a crowd standing next to his wife, MARTHA (50's), a

severe looking, well-preserved former model, and little Bruce

Wayne standing in front of them. Photo catches Bruce looking

into camera, eyes wide, scared by the crowd.

SUB-HEADLINE READS, "Protest Planned at Wayne Hall Opening

Tonight"

Joker stares at the family photo.

CLOSE ON BRUCE WAYNE IN PHOTO, Joker's fingers ripping his

picture out of the front page.

YOUNG DOCTOR (OS)

-- I'm sorry to bother you, but can

you settle an argument for us?

69.

CLOSE ON JOKER LOOKING UP, interrupted from ripping out the

picture. One YOUNG DOCTOR and TWO NURSES are standing around

him. We stay with Joker, don't see their faces. Just their

bodies, all dressed in green scrubs, uniforms.

JOKER

Excuse me?

YOUNG DOCTOR (OS)

You were the guy on Murray Franklin

last night, right?

He hears the nurses giggle.

JOKER

No, sorry. Wasn't me.

NURSE #1 (OS)

Of course it was you. You were the

comedian.

YOUNG DOCTOR (OS)

Except you weren't funny. You

didn't tell any jokes.

He hears the nurses giggle again.

STAY CLOSE ON JOKER, getting upset. He just shakes his head.

JOKER

I don't know what you're talking

about.

YOUNG DOCTOR (OS)

No. It was definitely you, buddy.

You're the guy who couldn't stop

laughing. Murray killed you.

More laughter. Joker looks up at them.

JOKER

If I were you, I'd walk away from

this table before I strangle all

three of you with that fucking

stethoscope hanging from your neck.

Beat.

65 EXT. CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS, WAYNE HALL - UPTOWN - DUSK

65

Joker crosses a busy street heading to the Center for

Performing Arts. Light falling. Storm clouds gathering.

70.

Joker stops when he sees--

A CROWD OF PROTESTERS SCREAMING AND SHOUTING IN FRONT OF

WAYNE HALL, behind steel barricades. Many wearing Joker's

"clown face" mask... A few wave homemade signs, "CLOWN FOR

MAYOR"... "KILL THE RICH"... "MR. WAYNE, AM I A CLOWN?"

A LINE OF POLICEMEN AND SECURITY GUARDS stand between the

crowd and the lit-up white marble building.

Joker watches the protest for a moment, then continues across

the street. It starts to rain.

66 EXT. WAYNE HALL, FRONT ENTRANCE - EVENING 66

A FIGHT BREAKS OUT between a "clown" masked protester and two

cops. The crowd goes crazy, pushing through the barricades

toward the building in the driving rain. The police and Wayne

Hall Security fight to keep them out--

Amidst all the chaos, we glimpse Joker slipping into the

building unnoticed--

67 INT. LOBBY, WAYNE HALL - EVENING 67

Joker walks through the massive multi-level lobby. It's

completely empty since the performance has already begun and

whatever security was available is outside helping the police

deal with the protesters.

He looks up in awe at the crystal chandeliers... The shiny,

marble floor beneath his feet. He's never seen anything this

opulent in his entire life.

68 INT. BACK OF THEATER, WAYNE HALL - EVENING 68

JOKER MAKING HIS WAY THROUGH THE DARK SHADOWS ALONG THE BACK

WALL OF THE AUDITORIUM, looking for Thomas Wayne in the sold-

out black-tie audience--

He catches bits of Chaplin's MODERN TIMES projected on a

screen behind the Gotham Philharmonic playing the silent

movie's score... the Tramp roller skating blindfolded on a

date with the Gamin (Paulette Goddard) in a department store.

He continues moving along the wall from aisle-to-aisle

looking for Thomas Wayne...

The audience laughs as the Tramp skates blindfolded, skirting

along the edge of a balcony with no rail, orchestra playing

the bouncy score. Joker can't find Thomas Wayne in the dark--

71.

He moves to the top of the next aisle, pausing to watch more

of the film. Suddenly somebody bumps into Joker--

He looks up and sees it's one of Thomas Wayne's TWO SECURITY

GUARDS, escorting Thomas Wayne out of the auditorium--

Joker turns and watches them lead him out. Behind Joker on

screen, the Tramp is rescued by the girl before he falls off

the edge, orchestra swelling--

69 INT. LOBBY, WAYNE HALL - CONTINUOUS 69

Joker peeks his head out of the auditorium, sees Thomas Wayne

heading into the men's room, his two security guards waiting

by the door, still hear the orchestra playing the score--

Joker glances back into the auditorium--

Sees a lobby broom and upright dustpan tucked in the back

corner--

70 INT. HALLWAY, MEN'S ROOM - WAYNE HALL - SECONDS LATER 70

Joker's sweeping up the hallway with his head down, hear the

orchestra playing the melancholy "Smile" from the film's

score. He sweeps along to the music like Emmett Kelly's

famous hobo clown... Sweeping around the two security guards'

feet... Annoyed, they move a bit away from the bathroom

door... And don't give Joker a second look as he heads

inside...

71 INT. MEN'S ROOM, WAYNE HALL - CONTINUOUS 71

Joker sweeps his way into the cavernous, black & white tiled

bathroom, ornate gold fixtures. It's empty save for Thomas

Wayne peeing at the far end of a long line of urinals.

Joker takes a deep breath, and walks down the line of urinals

right up next to Thomas Wayne--

He stands there for a beat while Thomas urinates, lobby broom

and upright dustpan in hand--

THOMAS WAYNE

(glances over; annoyed)

Can I help you, pal?

JOKER

What? Yeah. No I, I--

72.

THOMAS WAYNE

(interrupting)

You need to get in here or

something?

Thomas Wayne finishes and zips his fly back up. Joker is not

sure what to say to him, just says--

JOKER

Dad. It's me.

Beat.

But Thomas Wayne doesn't hear him, he was flushing the

urinal. He walks toward the sink.

THOMAS WAYNE

Excuse me?

Joker follows after him.

JOKER

My name is Arthur. I'm Penny's son.

(beat)

I know you didn't know about me,

and I don't want anything from you.

Well... maybe a hug.

And Joker smiles, it's all very emotional for him. Thomas

looks over at him like he's fucking crazy.

THOMAS WAYNE

Jesus? You're the guy who came by

my house yesterday.

Joker nods, relieved he finally broke through.

JOKER

Yes. But they wouldn't let me in,

wouldn't let me see you. So I came

here. I have so many questions.

Thomas Wayne just laughs to himself and turns on the gold

faucets at one of the sinks.

THOMAS WAYNE

Look pal, I'm not your father.

What's wrong with you?

JOKER

How do you know?

Thomas Wayne just keeps washing his hands, doesn't even look

over at Joker.

73.

THOMAS WAYNE

Cause you were adopted. And I never

fucked your mother. What do you

want from me, money?

JOKER

No. What? I wasn't adopted.

Thomas starts drying his hands.

THOMAS WAYNE

She never told you? Your mother

adopted you before she even started

working for us. She was arrested

when you were four years old and

committed to Arkham State Hospital.

She's batshit crazy.

Joker starts to smile, feels a laugh coming on.

JOKER

No. No, I don't believe that.

Thomas finishes drying his hands. Turns to Joker, his tone

way more serious now.

THOMAS WAYNE

I don't really give a shit what you

believe.

(steps in closer)

But if you ever come to my house

again, if you ever talk to my son

again, if I ever even hear about

you again, I'll--

AND JOKER CRACKS UP LAUGHING, interrupting his threat.

Laughing right in his face--

THOMAS WAYNE

Are you laughing at me?

Joker's laughing so hard he can't answer.

THOMAS SHOVES JOKER HARD UP AGAINST THE TILED WALL, gripping

his neck with one hand. Joker just cracks up louder, he drops

the dustpan and broom--

THOMAS WAYNE

(shouting)

You think this is funny?

Thomas Wayne's security guards bang open the door, rushing

into the bathroom when they hear the shouting--

74.

They stop when they see Thomas has Joker jacked up against

the wall.

JOKER

(tries shaking his head

no; still laughing and

choking)

No, no I have a con--

THOMAS WAYNE

(interrupting; raising his

voice)

Is this a fucking joke to you?

AND THOMAS WAYNE PUNCHES JOKER STRAIGHT IN THE FACE with his

free hand, blood spraying from his nose--

72 EXT. WAYNE HALL, FRONT ENTRANCE - PLAZA - NIGHT 72

The two security guards roughly throw Joker out of the hall,

right in front of the drenched crowd of screaming protesters,

TV cameras and photographers now on hand, bulbs flashing--

Joker knowing how to take a fall, plays it up in front of

this audience for all it's worth, tumbling end-over-end out

onto the plaza in the rain--

He rolls to his feet with a bit of panache and brushes

himself off like it was nothing.

The protesters go crazy, cheering and applauding his act--

And Joker takes a deep dramatic bow. Wet hair. Bloody nose.

He turns and sees the security guards coming back out--

Joker takes off running through the plaza in the downpour,

running out of the Center for Performing Arts. Turns down a

side street almost slipping--

And keeps running even though nobody's chasing after him.

We HEAR the familiar beats of THE SUGARHILL GANG'S "Apache"

as Joker just keeps running and running.

73 INT. APARTMENT BUILDING, HALLWAY - NIGHT 73

Joker knocking on Sophie's apartment door, "Apache" blaring

inside. He's soaking wet, clothes clinging to his body.

There's no answer.

75.

He knocks again. Hard to hear anything over the loud music.

Now he tries the door. It's unlocked.

74 INT. SOPHIE'S APARTMENT, FRONT HALL - CONTINUOUS 74

Joker walks into Sophie's apartment, "Apache" thumping,

lights dim.

JOKER

Sophie?

WALKS INTO THE DARK LIVING ROOM, catches a glimpse of Sophie,

naked riding on top of SOME GUY on the couch--

The guy sees Joker standing in the shadows and jumps. Sophie

turns and sees Joker as well. She screams--

75 INT. HALLWAY, APARTMENT BUILDING - NIGHT 75

Joker rushing for his mother's apartment.

Behind him, the guy comes out half naked into the hallway,

zipping up his pants, screaming at Joker--

Joker doesn't look back, doesn't hear the guy yelling at him--

Quickly opens the door to his mother's apartment and hurries

inside.

76 EXT. ARKHAM STATE HOSPITAL - MORNING 76

A GRAY, BEHEMOTH STATE HOSPITAL looming over the city block.

Metal screens cover steel-framed windows. Joker crosses the

street toward the building, eyes weary, he hasn't slept in

days.

HE SEES TWO GOTHAM CITY COPS AND A PARAMEDIC rolling a gurney

into the entrance... a naked, sunburned man screaming his

head off is handcuffed to the stretcher underneath a white

sheet. Joker follows them inside.

77 INT. ARKHAM STATE HOSPITAL - ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE - MORNING

77

Joker sits waiting in a cramped office, looking out a

plexiglass window that overlooks the crowded hallway--

76.

A constant din of people moving about, talking and shouting.

Patients handcuffed to the armrests of their wheelchairs,

lying on stretchers, heads covered with pillowcase turbans or

forearms to block out the harsh fluorescent lights.

His gaze is interrupted by a CLERK (40's), ID clipped to his

shirt, who's lugging an old heavy file storage box.

He drops the box down on his messy desk with a thud.

CLERK

Sorry for the wait. All our records

that are 10 years or older are

stored in the basement. You're

talking over 30 years ago,-- I had

to do some serious digging.

Joker nods thanks.

CLERK

Like I said, if it's in here, I'm

still gonna need a release from

her.

The clerk opens the file box. Starts digging though it. Joker

stares out the plexiglass window that faces the hallway--

JOKER

Can I ask you a question? How does

someone wind up in here? Have all

these people committed crimes?

CLERK

(going through the files)

Some have. Some are just crazy and

pose a danger to themselves or

others. Some just got nowhere else

to go.

Beat.

JOKER

(nods; looks down)

Yeah, I know how that is. Sometimes

I don't know what to do, y'know, I

don't think I can take any more of

this.

The clerk is half listening as he scans the paper work.

CLERK

Yeah, I can't take much more of

this shit either.

(MORE)

77.

CLERK (CONT'D)

Now they talking about more

layoffs, man, we're understaffed as

it is. I don't know what I'm gonna

do.

Joker looks up at the guy, thinking he's made a connection.

JOKER

Last time I ended up taking it out

on some,-- people. Bad shit. I

thought it would bother me but, it

really hasn't.

For the first time, the clerk looks at him--

CLERK

What's that?

JOKER

It's just so hard to try and be

happy all the time, y'know, when

everything's going to shit all

around you.

CLERK

(taken aback; beat)

Listen, I'm just an administrative

assistant, like a clerk. I file

paperwork, fill out forms. I don't

really know what to tell you, but

maybe you should see someone-- they

have programs, like city services.

JOKER

(backtracking)

Yeah. They cut those. Anyway, I was

just talking to talk.

The clerk just nods. Finally finds what he was looking for.

CLERK

(surprised)

Here it is,-- Fleck. Penny Fleck.

He pulls out an old file, bulging with yellowing records.

Moves the box to the floor and sits down at his desk.

JOKER

(saying it out loud for

himself to hear)

So she was a patient here.

The guy opens the file. Yellowing pages of her records--

78.

CLERK

(nods, skim-reading)

Uh-huh. Diagnosed by Dr. Benjamin

Stoner... The patient suffers from

delusional psychosis and

narcissistic personality

disorder... Found guilty of

endangering the welfare of a child--

The clerk stops reading out loud, eyes going wide as he skims

further ahead. Joker just looks at the guy, waiting to see

what he's gonna say.

JOKER

What?

CLERK

You said she's your mother?

Joker just nods.

CLERK

(closes the file)

I'm sorry, I can't. Like I said, I

can't release this without the

proper forms. I could get in

trouble.

(closes the file; beat)

Besides, it's pretty bad.

CLOSE ON JOKER, he shakes his head and smiles to himself.

JOKER

I can handle bad. I've been on a

pretty bad run myself.

The clerk puts the file down on his desk--

CLERK

I can't help you. If you want these

records you have to get your mom to

sign a patient disclosure form. I

can have someone mail you one.

Joker just sits there, thinking it all over for a moment.

Then snatches the file off the clerk's desk--

The clerk grabs it as well.

They play tug-of-war with the file, it's awkward and goes on

way too long. Finally, Joker shoves the guy hard and pulls

the file away--

79.

He takes off running out of the office with it. The clerk

watches for a beat, but does nothing.

78 INT. HALLWAY, ARKHAM STATE HOSPITAL - MORNING 78

Joker running down the hallway, files in his hands. Frantic.

Unaware he is not being chased.

Turns a corner and runs down another long hallway.

Gets to a stairwell door and runs in.

79 INT. STAIRWELL, ARKHAM STATE HOSPITAL - CONTINUOUS 79

Bounding down the steps. He stops at a landing below. Looks

up, sees no one is chasing after him--

ANGLE ON JOKER, catching his breath. He opens the file,

flipping through the records, finds the page the clerk was

reading. As he reads it over for himself, he HEARS his mother

being interviewed for her psychiatric assessment, over 30

years ago.

MOM (VO)

He's not adopted-- he's Thomas

Wayne's son. I work for him, I told

you, I clean his house. He's always

smiling at me.

CUT TO:

80 INT. EMERGENCY INTERVIEW ROOM, ARKHAM STATE HOSPITAL - DAY 80

(FLASHBACK)

Penny Fleck (late 20's) is sitting across the table from DR.

BENJAMIN STONER (50's), in a dreary small interview room,

windows covered with security screens. Penny takes a drag off

a cigarette, her face is beaten to shit, nose battered, lip

busted up.

Dr. Stoner is going over Penny's thick file, the same file

Joker's holding in his hands.

DR. STONER

We went over this, Penny. You

adopted him. We have all the

paperwork right here.

Penny doesn't say anything, just smiles like she's in on a

big secret. And exhales smoke.

80.

Dr. Stoner keeps going through the file, pulls out black &

white forensic photographs of three-year-old Joker's body--

DR. STONER

You also stood by as one of your

boyfriends repeatedly abused your

adopted son. And battered you.

Penny looks at Dr. Stoner like he's crazy.

MOM

He didn't do anything to me. Or to

my boy. Can I go now, I don't like

hospitals.

Dr. Stoner lays out the photographs in front of Penny--

Penny keeps smoking her cigarette, glances down at the

photos, we catch glimpses of various bruises on parts of

Joker's body... A filthy crib... A rope tied to the

radiator...

CUT BACK TO:

Joker looking over the same black & white photographs, still

HEARS his mother--

MOM (V0)

I never heard him crying. Not once.

He's always been such a happy

little boy.

DR. STONER (VO)

Penny, your son was found tied to a

radiator in your filthy apartment,

malnourished, with multiple bruises

across his body and severe trauma

to his head.

Joker looks up from the file when he hears/reads this, turns

and looks at Penny's reaction-- HE'S NOW IN THE INTERVIEW

ROOM WITH THEM, living what he's reading on the page.

He sees his mother lean forward in her chair, glaring at Dr.

Stoner--

MOM

That's not true. My apartment

wasn't filthy. I keep a clean

house.

Joker just stares at his mother.

Dr. Stoner looks at Penny, not sure how to respond to that.

81.

DR. STONER

(beat)

And what do you have to say about

your son?

ANGLE ON PENNY, thinking it over, taking a drag off her

cigarette.

MOM

I'm just glad I got to know him.

Joker just keeps staring at her as she exhales--

JOKER BACK IN THE STAIRWELL LOOKS UP FROM THE FILE, looks

like maybe there's cigarette smoke drifting in front of his

face--

CUT TO:

81 EXT. SCHOOL PLAYGROUND, STREET - AFTERNOON 81

Joker walking fast toward the playground. Sees Sophie talking

with some other moms, as GiGi and a few kids play on the

monkey bars.

Sophie walks toward him, still disturbed about last night--

SOPHIE

What the hell was that? You can't

just walk into my apartment like

that.

He is taken aback by her anger--

JOKER

No, wait,-- Sophie, we can get

through this, that's why I'm here.

SOPHIE

What are you talking about? What do

you think this is?

JOKER

I don't know. I mean I've never

been with a woman "like that," but,

this feels like a beginning to me.

SOPHIE

Arthur, I was just being nice to

you. I felt sorry for you. I have a

boyfriend.

82.

JOKER

You what? What? What kind of woman

are you? Who does that?

Some of the other mothers turn toward them--

SOPHIE

You need to leave. I'm not having

this conversation with you.

JOKER

(shouts)

Why not?

GiGi runs up to Sophie's side to see what's going on, to see

if her mother's okay.

SOPHIE

(turns to her daughter)

Go back with your friends, honey.

Mommy's having a grown up talk.

Before GiGi leaves Joker looks down at her--

JOKER

No. Don't listen to her GiGi, you

need to hear this. Your mother's a

bad person. She's a whore, she's

seeing two men at once. You can't

trust her,-- She'll break your

fucking heart.

Joker turns to go, behind him GiGi starts to cry. He's close

to tears himself.

Sophie takes off after him, and reaches out and grabs him--

Joker spins quickly around to face her, looks like he might

even hit her--

JOKER

How come nothing ever comes easy

for me?

And Sophie slaps him hard across the face-- Then turns and

walks away.

CLOSE ON JOKER, he begins to laugh--

CUT TO:

83.

82 INT. MOM'S APARTMENT, LIVING ROOM - NIGHT 82

Joker manically pacing around the living room, banging the

side of his head with his hand, muttering to himself, almost

like he's having a conversation with himself, taking part in

some story in his head, in the background the 11:00 News is

playing on the television.

Footage of a protest in front of Wayne Tower... Protesters in

"Joker" clown masks... Hear the NEWS ANCHOR's bombastic voice

over, "The anger and resentment that's been building up for

weeks now, seems close to exploding. Protestors today, many

dressed as clowns, took to the streets in front of Wayne

Tower in one of many planned demonstrations."

Joker stops when he hears this, turns to the flickering

screen--

ANGLE ON TELEVISION, protesters in the middle of a massive

crowd outside a Wayne Tower.

"CLOWN" PROTESTER #1 (ON TV)

You'll see what's gonna happen at

City Hall next Thursday. We're

gonna--

Joker sits down on the couch eyes, leaning forward to make

sure he's seeing what he's seeing--

"CLOWN" PROTESTER #2 (ON TV)

(interrupts; screaming

into camera)

[Beep] the rich, [beep] the media,

[beep] the blacks, [beep] the

whites, [beep] everybody. They all

[beeped] us, that's what this is

[beeping] about!

CLOSE ON JOKER, doesn't even blink, it's like he's watching

himself on television.

CUT TO:

83 INT. MOM'S APARTMENT, LIVING ROOM - MORNING 83

Sun peeking through the windows. PHONE RINGING. Joker opening

his eyes.

His orange cat is sitting on his chest, staring at him.

Joker finally got some sleep. He lies there for a beat. Phone

still ringing, until the machine picks up the call.

84.

SHOW BOOKER (ON MACHINE)

This message is for Arthur Fleck.

My name is Shirley Woods, I work on

the Murray Franklin show.

Joker sits up, the cat jumps off his chest. He can't believe

what he's hearing. He gets up off the couch as the woman

continues to leave a message on the machine--

SHOW BOOKER (ON MACHINE)

I don't know if you're aware, but

Murray played a clip of your stand-

up on the show recently and we've

gotten an amazing--

Joker picks up the phone--

JOKER

(into phone; skeptical)

Who is this?

SHOW BOOKER (OVER PHONE)

Hi, this is Shirley Woods from

Murray Franklin Live. Is this

Arthur?

Beat.

JOKER

(into phone)

Yes.

Joker looks down at the cat purring at his feet, and kicks it

away.

SHOW BOOKER (OVER PHONE)

Hi Arthur. Well, as I was saying--

we've gotten a lot of calls about

your clip, amazing responses. And,

Murray asked if I would reach out

to see if you would come on as his

guest. Can we set up a day?

PUSH IN ON JOKER'S FACE, as it sinks in.

JOKER

(into phone)

Murray wants me to come on the

show?

SHOW BOOKER (OVER PHONE)

Yes. Isn't that great? He'd love to

talk to you, maybe do some of your

act. Does that sound good to you?

85.

As the PUSH IN ON JOKER finishes.

Hold.

84 INT. CITY HOSPITAL, HOSPITAL ROOM (SHARED) - MORNING 84

JOKER WALKS INTO HIS MOTHER'S SHARED HOSPITAL ROOM, passing

an elderly wheezing woman in the bed closest to the door.

Sees his mom in her bed by the window.

He pulls the blue curtain separating the beds, giving him and

his mother some privacy. Sits down on the edge of her bed.

She smiles when she sees him. Still fairly incapacitated.

He leans down close to her. Speaks softly, but filled with

rage--

JOKER

Ma, remember how you used to tell

me that God gave me this laugh for

a reason. That I had a purpose. To

bring laughter and joy into this

fucked up world,--

She looks at him confused.

JOKER

HA! It wasn't God, it was you or,

or one of your boyfriends,-- how

could you let that happen? What

kind of woman are you? What kind of

mother are you?

She looks away.

JOKER

What's my real name?

Her whole body is shaking, overwhelmed with emotion.

JOKER

C'mon, Ma, I know I was adopted.

What's my name? Who am I really?

She looks back him, struggles to speak--

MOM

H-h-happ--

JOKER

(interrupting, snaps at

her)

(MORE)

86.

JOKER (CONT'D)

Happy?! I'm not happy. I haven't

been happy for one minute of my

entire fucking life.

He reaches behind her, grabs one of her pillows--

JOKER

But you know what's funny? You know

what really makes me laugh?

Leans down closer, face-to-face with her--

JOKER

I used to think my life was nothing

but a tragedy, but now, now I

realize it's all just a fucking

comedy.

85 INT. BLUE CURTAIN, HOSPITAL ROOM (SHARED) - CONTINUOUS 85

Other side of the blue divider curtain. We see Joker's feet

shifting a little.

SLOWLY WE PULL OUT, backing out of the room. Leaving behind

whatever Joker's doing to his mother on the other side of the

curtain. And we HEAR applause...

86 INT. MOM'S APARTMENT, LIVING ROOM - NIGHT 86

JOKER'S STUDYING VHS TAPES OF "MURRAY FRANKLIN LIVE!", studio

audience applauding Murray... He jots down notes in his worn

notebook... Watches the guests come out... how they cross the

stage... how they greet Murray... how they sit down... if

they cross their legs or not... studying how he should act,

how to be a person like other people.

His cat sits on top of the TV watching him the whole time,

never taking her eyes off him.

JUMP CUT:

Practicing. Joker walks across the living room like he's on

the show, smiling, waving to the "audience"... He mimes

shaking Murray's hand... Mimes unbuttoning his jacket and

sits down. He smiles and pulls out his worn notebook from his

pocket--

JOKER

You wanna hear a joke, Murray?

He "waits" for Murray to answer. Then Joker nods okay and

opens his notebook--

87.

JOKER

(reading)

Knock-knock.

His cat still watching him, now at his feet. Joker crosses

and uncrosses his legs... Looks uncomfortable.

He glances down at his cat. It's as if he can hear the cat

talking to him.

JOKER

(nods; frustrated)

Yeah, I don't know if I should

cross or uncross 'em. Both feel

completely unnatural.

Joker gets up off the couch and walks back across the living

room. Waves to the "audience"... Mimes shaking Murray's

hand... Mimes unbuttoning his coat and sits down... Crosses

his legs.

JOKER

Thanks for having me on, Murray. I

can't tell you how much this means

to me, it's been a life long dream.

I have a joke for you--

Joker stands back up.

Looks down at the cat again.

JOKER

You're right. You're right,

uncrossed is better.

Joker sits back down... Doesn't cross his legs this time.

CUT TO:

87 EXT. POTTER'S FIELD CEMETERY - DUSK 87

WIDE SHOT, a lone figure in a vast sea of mass graves, grey

headstones. This is where they bury the poor and the

unclaimed dead.

Joker stands by his mother's grave. His head bowed, face in

his hands, his body convulsing. He's dressed in an ill-

fitting faded rust colored suit, almost shiny from all the

wear. Behind him in the distance, the TWO DETECTIVES stand by

their parked car on the cemetery roadway. Sun dying in the

sky.

88.

CLOSE ON JOKER'S FACE BURIED IN HIS HANDS, see he's laughing--

impossible to tell if he's laughing because of his condition

or laughing for real.

88 EXT. ROADWAY, POTTER'S FIELD CEMETERY - DUSK 88

Joker walking away from his mother's grave, goes to the two

detectives -- GARRITY and BURKE -- waiting for him by their

unmarked car. His face is still red, tears in his eyes from

laughing.

JOKER

(wiping his eyes;

restrained anger)

You shouldn't be here. It's not

right.

DET. GARRITY

We just came to pay our respects.

Sorry about your mother.

DET. BURKE

Yeah, it's too bad.

Joker just stares at the two detectives.

Awkward beat.

DET. BURKE

Where is everybody?

JOKER

It's always been just me and her.

Joker pauses for a moment, then starts to walk away.

DET. BURKE

(calls out)

We saw you on Murray Franklin.

Joker turns back to them.

JOKER

You saw that?

DET. GARRITY

Yeah. Heard you were on, so we got

a videotape.

DET. BURKE

I just couldn't tell if you were

actually trying to be funny or not.

89.

JOKER

Yeah, well I guess you didn't get

the joke.

DET. GARRITY

Listen, we need to clear a few

things up, we spoke to the hospital

administrator--

JOKER

(interrupting)

Which hospital?

DET. BURKE

The Children's Hospital.

(reminding)

The night you were fired. He said

it didn't look like a prop gun, it

was heavy, like a real one. We have

some more questions for you.

JOKER

I just buried my mother.

The detectives share a look. Garrity pulls out a card. Hands

it to Joker.

DET. GARRITY

We can do it tomorrow. But you need

to come down to the precinct--

first thing in the morning.

JOKER

(looks down, reading the

card)

Right. Thanks for coming.

DET. BURKE

Of course.

Joker looks back up.

JOKER

That was a joke.

We hear applause followed by the familiar opening riff to

ELTON JOHN'S "Bennie & the Jets".

89 INT. MOM'S APARTMENT, BATHROOM - NEXT AFTERNOON 89

JOKER'S LEANING OVER THE BATHROOM SINK, water running. He's

wearing rust colored pants and a white "beater" T-shirt.

90.

A "Joker" clown mask hangs off the dirty mirror by its

elastic band. "Bennie & the Jets" blaring from a transistor

radio turned all the way up.

Joker lifts his head up. He's dyed his hair green like his

old "Mr. Jingles" clown wig-- but he's missed spots. Some of

his hair is still its original color, sticking out all helter-

skelter.

JUMP CUT:

Now he's smearing white grease-paint all over his face.

He's dancing along to the music, gyrating and thrusting his

hips to the beat, as he glances at the mask hanging from the

mirror, trying to copy how it looks... A copy of a copy of

himself.

He barely hears someone banging on the front door over the

loud music--

Doesn't answer. Joker just keeps putting on his make-up,

dancing provocatively to the music.

More banging on the front door.

Joker casually opens the medicine cabinet. Finds some old

rusty scissors and turns the radio off--

90 INT. FRONT DOOR, MOM'S APARTMENT - AFTERNOON 90

Joker unlocks the locks, keeping the security chain latched,

and cracks open the door,-- Sees Randall. Looks down, and

sees Gary next to him. Undoes the chain and opens the door

for them--

Randall and Gary get a look at Joker's face, his dyed green

hair still wet, streaking white grease-paint smeared over

part of his face--

GARY

(re: his look)

Hey Arthur, how's it going? You get

a new gig?

Joker shakes his head no, steps aside so they can come in,

palming the scissors in his hand--

RANDALL

You must be goin' down to that

rally at City Hall. Right? I hear

it's gonna be nuts.

91.

JOKER

Is that today?

Randall looks at him and laughs--

RANDALL

Yeah. What's with the clown-face

then?

Joker shuts the door behind them. Locks the chain-lock.

JOKER

My mom died.

RANDALL

(nodding)

Yeah we heard. That's why we're

here. Figured you might wanna go

out, get a drink or something?

Joker doesn't answer.

Awkward beat.

GARY

We don't wanna bother you. Randall

just thought we should come and pay

our respects.

RANDALL

Yeah, we're family. We gotta stick

together.

Joker stares at Randall.

JOKER

(beat)

It's not a good time. I'm in the

middle of something here.

GARY

Of course. No problem. Another

time.

Gary turns to go. Randall pauses for a moment, has something

else to say before he leaves--

RANDALL

Yeah. Another time, then. Oh hey,--

one other thing--

He takes a step closer to Joker--

92.

RANDALL

Listen, the cops have been poking

around the shop, they're talking to

all the clowns about those subway

murders and--

GARY

(interrupting)

They didn't talk to me.

RANDALL

(snaps at Gary)

That's because the suspect was a

regular-sized person. If it was a

fucking midget you'd be in jail

right now.

(turns back to Joker)

Anyway, Hoyt said they were looking

for me, and, and I just wanna see

what you said. You know, make sure

our stories line up, bein' that

you're my boy and--

AND JOKER STABS THE SCISSORS AS DEEP AS HE CAN into Randall's

neck. Blood spurts. Randall screams. Gary stumbles back in

shock--

GARY

(screaming)

What the fuck what the fuck WHAT

THE FUCK--

Joker pulls them out and jams them into Randall's eye before

he can react. The sound is sickening. Gary's screaming in the

background--

Randall blindly fights back, screaming in pain, flailing his

arms, his own blood blinding him--

Joker grabs Randall by the head -- all of his pent up rage

and frustration pouring out of him -- AND SLAMS HIS HEAD

AGAINST THE WALL.

AGAIN. And AGAIN. And AGAIN.

Joker lets go of Randall's head, and Randall drops to the

ground. Joker leans back against the wall, out of breath,

kind of slides down the wall to the floor--

Sees Gary huddled in the corner, trembling with fear--

93.

JOKER

(catching his breath)

I'm gonna be on TV tonight. Can you

believe it?

Gary doesn't answer. Doesn't move--

JOKER

It's okay, Gary. You can go.

Gary backs away toward the door. Joker sits there for a

moment, breathing heavy, wipes Randall's blood off his face--

GARY (OS)

Hey, Art?

Joker turns, sees Gary at the front door. He points up high

to the chain-lock. He can't reach it.

Joker just shakes his head to himself and gets up to unlock

the door.

He walks past Gary who's still trembling almost too afraid to

look up at him. Joker leans over him and undoes the chain,

opens the door. Gary bolts, running down the hallway as fast

as he can--

CUT TO:

91 INT. MOM'S BEDROOM, APARTMENT - LATE AFTERNOON 91

(Over the following, we don't see Joker's face. We don't

reveal his finished "look" just yet.)

CLOSE PICKING UP HIS NOTEBOOK, fanning through the pages--

Pausing at the BLACK & WHITE RIPPED PHOTO OF BRUCE WAYNE for

a moment. Continues, stopping at the same entry from the

opening scene--

CLOSE ON WORDS, "I just hope my death make more sense than my

life."

92 INT. LIVING ROOM, MOM'S APARTMENT - LATE AFTERNOON 92

CLOSE ON TAKING RANDALL'S WALLET OUT OF HIS BLOOD SOAKED

PANTS, pocketing all the cash.

CLOSE ON BUTT OF A GUN STICKING OUT OF RANDALL'S WAISTBAND,

glimpse Joker's hand reaching for it--

94.

93 INT. KITCHEN, MOM'S APARTMENT - LATE AFTERNOON 93

JOKER'S P.O.V. FINISHING WRITING A NOTE, "On Murray Franklin

Tonight -- Please Watch!"

CLOSE ON STUFFING THE NOTE AND ALL OF RANDALL'S MONEY into an

envelope--

TURNING ENVELOPE OVER, WRITING "SOPHIE" on the front.

94 INT. LIVING ROOM WINDOW, MOM'S APARTMENT - LATE AFTERNOON 94

CLOSE ON THE ORANGE CAT AT THE WINDOW, and maybe if we're

looking close enough we notice something strange... the cat

has no reflection.

ANGLE OVER JOKER'S SHOULDER OPENING THE WINDOW, shooing the

cat out onto the fire escape, out into the dying day--

JOKER (OS)

Go on. Go. You're free.

CLOSE ON THE CAT LOOKING BACK AT JOKER FOR A LONG MOMENT,

before scampering off out into the world, leaving him behind

for good.

As he closes the window we almost catch Joker's reflection in

the glass--

95 INT. HALLWAY, APARTMENT BUILDING - LATE AFTERNOON 95

FOLLOWING BEHIND JOKER, walking down the hallway as if in

slow motion, heading for Sophie's apartment. His dyed green

hair now slicked back.

He's wearing the ill-fitting rust colored suit he wore to his

mother's funeral.

STILL FROM BEHIND, he lays the envelope in front of Sophie's

door, then pulls something else out of his pocket -- his body

obscuring what it is -- puts it down by her door and leaves.

As he walks away down the hallway, we see what else Joker

left behind--

HIS WAND OF FLOWERS, at Sophie's door.

Hold.

95.

96 INT. ELEVATOR, HALLWAY - LATE AFTERNOON 96

FROM BEHIND JOKER STEPPING ONTO THE ELEVATOR, TURNING TO FACE

US AS THE DOOR STARTS TO CLOSE, FINALLY REVEALING HIS LOOK--

Green hair slicked back like one of the Wall Street assholes

he killed... White grease paint smeared over his face... red

nose painted on... dark blue peaks over and under his eyes...

his mother's red lipstick crudely outlining his broken

smile... Under the harsh flickering fluorescent lights, he

looks like an insane version of his mask.

The door closes on his new face. Ding.

97 EXT. APARTMENT BUILDING - LATE AFTERNOON 97

Joker steps out of his building into the setting sun, just as

Garrity and Burke are getting out of their unmarked Ford LTD

Crown Vic--

DET. GARRITY

Hey Arthur, where you going?

DET. BURKE

Yeah, thought you were coming down

to the station this morning.

And Joker takes off running--

Garrity gives chase on foot as Burke hurries back into the

car--

98 EXT. 174TH STREET, TWO LANES - CONTINUOUS 98

Joker darts out from his block into the avenue, sprints

across the busy, two-lane street without looking--

Running right in front of an oncoming YELLOW CAB on the far

side of the street--

BAM!

The cab hits him and Joker goes crashing into the windshield.

Bounces up and over the car. Landing hard on the pavement--

The car directly behind the cab skids to a stop just before

running over Joker's face. Swerving into the other lane and

CRASHING INTO an oncoming truck.

Cars on both sides of the street skidding trying to stop--

Crashing. It's chaos.

96.

Joker pops back up from getting hit. He's in pain. But not

dead.

Garrity has drawn his service revolver as he makes his way

through the pile up. And Burke, now blocked because of the

crash has jumped out of his car--

Joker takes off running, limping down the street toward an

entrance for the elevated train--

99 EXT. ELEVATED TRAIN STATION, STEPS - CONTINUOUS 99

Joker hustling up the stairs, dripping sweat, his white

grease-paint running down his face. He gets to the top of the

stairs, looks back and catches a glimpse of Garrity and Burke

at the bottom--

100 EXT. PLATFORM, ELEVATED TRAIN STATION - CONTINUOUS 100

Joker makes his way down the crowded platform, the passengers

starting to file on a waiting Lexington Ave/Pelham Express

Train heading downtown. The train's packed with protesters

heading to the rally at City Hall. Many carrying signs...

most of them in "Joker" masks... a few painted up to look

like the "Joker" mask. Joker fits in with all of them.

He looks through the crowd of clowns and sees the two cops

getting to the top of the stairs, looking up and down the

platform for him. Pulling out their badges on chains from

around their necks. Identifying themselves as cops.

Joker's willing the doors to close. But they don't.

The two detectives run onto the train just as the doors are

finally closing--

101 INT. LEXINGTON AVE/PELHAM EXPRESS (MOVING) - CONTINUOUS 101

Joker moves through the loud train pushing through the rowdy

protesters-- Into the next car, all of them packed.

AS THE TRAIN GOES UNDERGROUND, the lights flicker on and off--

car GOING BLACK FOR A FEW SECONDS as the train turns and dips

and speeds down the tracks.

Joker glances back at Burke and Garrity pulling out their

badges on chains around their necks. Smith & Wesson service

revolvers by their sides. Shouting at the crowd, identifying

themselves as cops.

97.

Joker hears some on the train shouting back in anger at the

police, keeps moving... past clown-faced protestors carrying

signs, "RESIST"... "AM I A CLOWN?"... "SAVE A CITY, KILL A

YUPPIE"...

The two cops push through the car, scanning all the "clown"

faces... So many look like Joker. They just shove protesters

out of the way, shouting at them all the while. A few more

voices rising up in protest--

Joker feels Burke and Garrity behind him getting closer. In

the flickering light sees a DRUNK GUY (20's) wearing a

'Joker' mask and pulls it right off his face--

The drunk guy turns ready to fight.

He throws a punch at Joker, and Joker steps out of the way--

The guy pummels someone else--

A FIGHT BREAKS OUT, spilling down the car.

Joker slips the clown mask over his clown face--

AND JUST STANDS THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CHAOS, at home

with the chaos all around him--

Garrity and Burke spot Joker's rust colored suit in the

middle of the unruly mob--

Burke pulls his gun--

BURKE

(shouting)

EVERYBODY DOWN, GOTHAM PD!

The crowd doesn't drop to the ground. They just keep fighting

with each other--

Burke sees Joker just standing there. Keeps yelling for the

crowd to get down, get down, but they don't listen to him--

He starts shoving protestors down, out of the way-- and

AND THEN THE MOB TURNS ON HIM AND GARRITY, starts closing in

around them--

Garrity and Burke are pointing their guns at the crowd,

yelling panicked for them to back off, back off, and one

idiot reaches for Garrity's gun--

Bang.

98.

Burke fires into the crowd, as the train pulls into the

station--

A protestor falls dead. The other clowns on the train go

crazy, starting to riot. Glimpse Joker walking away calmly

out of the chaos. Taking off the mask and dropping it at his

side as he steps off the train, disappearing onto the crowded

platform.

CUT TO:

102 EXT. WGCTV STUDIOS, FRANKLIN THEATER - MIDTOWN - EVENING 102

An excited line of ticket holders waiting to get in to "Live

with Murray Franklin!" The poster marquee box near the door

reads: "TONIGHT'S GUESTS. Lance Reynolds. Dr. Sally Friedman.

And Special Guest."

They swing open the doors and start to let the audience

inside...

103 EXT. BACKSTAGE DOOR, FRANKLIN THEATER - SIDE STREET - EVENING

103

Random fans and autograph hounds hanging out by the backstage

door, waiting for the night's guests to arrive...

104 INT. STUDIO 4B, STAGE - FRANKLIN THEATER - EVENING 104

Studio audience filing into the studio, being seated in the

wide bleachers along one wall. Three TV monitors hang from

the ceiling, facing the audience. Three studio cameras on the

floor, black cables strewn everywhere.

The set for "LIVE WITH MURRAY FRANKLIN!" is dark... but we

can still make out his desk... guest chairs... Don Ellis and

his Jazz Orchestra's band stand... big blue curtain.

105 INT. HALLWAY, FRANKLIN THEATER - EVENING 105

The host of the show, MURRAY FRANKLIN (60's), usually quick

with a bemused grin but right now in a sour mood, walks fast

down the hall toward the drab dressing rooms with his old-

school producer, GENE UFLAND (60's), who's holding the show's

rundown rolled up in his hand.

GENE UFLAND

--You gotta see this nut for

yourself, Murray. I don't think we

can put him on. With the rioting

out there.

99.

MURRAY FRANKLIN

(annoyed)

Jesus, Gene, I don't have time for

this. Cindy's been breaking my

balls all day.

GENE UFLAND

She's still mad at you about that

thing?

MURRAY FRANKLIN

Three marriages, you'd think I'da

fuckin' learned something.

(then)

What do I gotta see? I already know

he's a nut. That's why we're

putting him on, it's a goof.

A young BLONDE INTERN walks by in the opposite direction. She

nervously smiles to them and keeps walking. Both men turn and

check out her ass. Murray winks at Gene.

GENE UFLAND

(just shakes his head, and

smiles)

I'm telling you, you gotta see him,

Murray. I think it's too risky, the

show's too big. It's worth too much

to blow it on this,-- this freak.

106 INT. DRESSING ROOM, FRANKLIN THEATER - CONTINUOUS 106

Joker's sitting on a small couch in the cramped dressing

room, watching the local news on a TV that's mounted up on

the wall, live shots from the subway station where Burke shot

the protestor, footage of the City Hall rally, clashes with

police.

He's cleaned himself up as best he could... white grease-

paint smeared more evenly over his face, green dyed hair

slicked back in place. Red lips redone.

Murray and his producer Gene open the dressing room door

without knocking--

Joker gets up off the couch and goes to shake Murray's hand.

Murray pauses when he sees Joker's face.

JOKER

(shakes Murray's hand;

effusive)

Murray, I can't believe this is

real, that I'm really here.

100.

GENE UFLAND

It's Mr. Franklin kid, show some

respect.

MURRAY FRANKLIN

Oh shut up, Gene.

(to Joker)

Murray is fine. I prefer it in

fact. Thanks for coming on the

show.

JOKER

Are you kidding? Thank you for the

opportunity. I've been watching you

forever. My mother never missed a

show.

Murray nods not listening, he's heard this before.

MURRAY FRANKLIN

So what's with the face? Are you

part of the protests?

JOKER

No, I don't believe in any of that.

I don't believe in anything. I just

thought it would be good for my

act.

GENE UFLAND

(upset)

Your act? Didn't you hear that a

kid got killed on the subway and

two cops who were almost beat to

death? You didn't hear about the

dozens of protestors and police

injured in the riots?

Joker looks like he's about to bust out laughing. All of that

news is playing out on the TV above their heads. He takes a

deep breath. Swallows the laugh.

Beat.

JOKER

No. I hadn't heard.

Gene and Murray share a look.

GENE UFLAND

--the audience is gonna go crazy if

you put him on. It was okay maybe

for a bit, but not a whole segment.

101.

Murray thinks about it for a beat.

MURRAY FRANKLIN

I like it. It's timely. It's edgy.

It's, it's dangerous. The best

comedy is all those things put

together.

(done)

We're gonna go with it.

Gene rubs his temples, he doesn't like this, but Murray is

the boss.

JOKER

Thank you Murray.

MURRAY FRANKLIN

(flashes his bemused

smile; condescending)

Couple rules though,-- No cussing,

no off-color material, we do a

clean show, okay? You'll be on

after Dr. Sally. Someone will come

and get you. Good?

Joker nods good. Smiles back at Murray.

Murray and Gene turn to go, exchanging smirks with each other

as they walk out, making light of Joker who we see behind

them still standing there.

JOKER

Hey Murray,-- one small thing? When

you bring me out, can you introduce

me as "The Joker"?

Murray and Gene look back at him

GENE UFLAND

What? You don't want to use your

real name?

JOKER

Honestly, I don't even know what my

real name is.

Joker smiles, the guys can't tell if he's kidding or not.

JOKER

Besides, that's what you called me

on the show, Murray. A joker.

Remember?

102.

MURRAY FRANKLIN

(to Gene; trying not to

crack up)

Did I?

GENE UFLAND

I have no idea.

MURRAY FRANKLIN

(turns back to Joker)

Well, if you say so, kid. Joker it

is.

Murray starts to laugh at Joker as he closes the dressing

room door, shutting it right in his face.

CUT TO:

107 INT. BACKSTAGE, BEHIND CURTAIN - STUDIO 4B - NIGHT 107

JOKER'S BACKSTAGE AT THE EDGE OF THE BLUE CURTAIN, trying to

watch the show through a slim gap. Behind him there's a

monitor on a cart playing the live feed.

He moves the curtain aside to get a better look-- Glimpses

Murray laughing, finishing up talking to noted sex therapist

DR. SALLY FRIEDMAN (60's).

MURRAY FRANKLIN

(to Dr. Sally)

You gotta see our next guest for

yourself. Will you stick around?

Maybe you can help, I'm pretty sure

he could use a doctor.

The audience laughs.

DR. SALLY FRIEDMAN

Oh. Does he have sexual problems?

MURRAY FRANKLIN

He looks like he's got a lot of

problems.

Another big laugh.

MURRAY FRANKLIN

(turns, looks into camera)

It's been a crazy few days here in

Gotham, and, I think maybe things

are about to get crazy around here

too. Don't go anywhere folks. We'll

be right back.

103.

APPLAUSE SIGN LIGHTS UP. Everyone claps. Joker keeps watching

Murray through the slim gap at the end of the curtain. Hears

the floor director shout, "And we're out. Back in three."

Joker adjusts the waist of his pants under his jacket. Takes

a deep breath.

108 INT. DIRECTOR'S BOOTH, STUDIO 4B - NIGHT 108

Perched one story above the studio. There's a long console

where the DIRECTOR sits in front of a gooseneck microphone,

looking over a double-bank of monitors.

Sitting next to him are the ASSOCIATE PRODUCER who times the

show, and the TECHNICAL DIRECTOR who operates the board. The

monitor showing the live feed is playing a commercial.

ASSOCIATE PRODUCER

Back in 30 seconds.

DIRECTOR

Okay, cue the clip. We'll come to

it straight out of break.

ASSOCIATE PRODUCER

Five... Four... Three...

DIRECTOR

Roll clip. Put up the show graphic.

ON THE SHOW MONITOR, video of Joker's original stand-up

performance comes up with the show's graphic in the lower

right of the screen.

109 INT. TALK SHOW SET, STAGE - STUDIO 4B - CONTINUOUS 109

ON THE SET, Murray watches the clip on the monitor above his

desk, can't help but laugh. Sees the FLOOR DIRECTOR counting

him down silently with her fingers... Three... Two... points

to Camera One.

MURRAY FRANKLIN

(looking into camera)

O-kay, you may have seen that clip

of our next guest when we first

played it two weeks ago. Now before

he comes out, I just want to say

that we're all heartbroken here and

sensitive to what's going on in the

city tonight. But, this is how he

wanted to come on the show. So let

me introduce-- The Joker.

104.

BEHIND THE BLUE CURTAIN, Joker gathers himself, ready for his

moment. Doesn't hear his introduction or see a STAGEHAND pull

open the curtain for him to go out--

ON SET, THE CURTAIN'S OPEN, Don Ellis and his Jazz Orchestra

are playing Joker on. He doesn't come out. Murray looks over

to the empty space in the curtain.

The audience laughs.

BEHIND THE CURTAIN, Joker sees the stagehand motioning for

him to go out on stage. Joker starts out, pausing when he

takes a step into the bright lights. The stagehand doesn't

see him stop, and drops the curtain back on Joker before the

audience can really see his face--

Tangling Joker up in the curtain.

The audience keeps laughing thinking it's part of his act.

The band keeps playing him on. Joker untangles himself from

the curtain and the audience gets a good look at him.

Some continue laughing. A few boo. Most don't know what to

make of him.

Joker walks across the stage, forgetting to wave like he

practiced. He trips over the riser surrounding the set when

he goes to shake Murray's hand. Almost falls on him.

Murray tries not to crack up. The audience laughs. Thinks

it's part of Joker's act.

Joker reaches out to hug Dr. Sally as she goes in for a

handshake. Another awkward moment. More laughs.

Joker finally sits down next to Murray. Crosses and uncrosses

his legs. Can't get comfortable.

MURRAY FRANKLIN

So, ahhh, thanks for coming on the

show. But I gotta tell ya, with

what happened at City Hall today,

I'm sure many of our viewers here

in the studio, and at home, might

find this look of yours in poor

taste.

Joker's not listening to Murray. He's mesmerized by all the

lights shining on him... all the eyes on him... he doesn't

answer Murray.

Nervous laughter from the audience.

105.

MURRAY FRANKLIN

(tries again)

Can you tell us why you're dressed

like this?

AND JOKER STARTS TO LAUGH. Not embarrassed of it anymore. He

goes with it. Giving in to it, enjoying the laughter.

MURRAY FRANKLIN

(can't help but smile at

Joker's laughing)

Okay. But I'm not sure how any of

this is funny. A lot of those

protesters are going with this

look. City seems to be full of

clowns these days.

JOKER

(just nods, still

laughing)

Yeah. Isn't it great?

Joker just keeps cracking up. Audience still isn't sure what

to make of him. There's some awkward laughter.

110 INT. DIRECTOR'S BOOTH, STUDIO 4B - CONTINUOUS 110

Nobody's laughing in the booth.

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

(looks to the director)

This guy's got nothing.

DIRECTOR

(hits the producer's talk

button; into the mic)

Gene, what the hell? You wanna kill

this?

111 INT. TALK SHOW SET, STAGE - CONTINUOUS 111

Murray glances over at his producer Gene Ufland, who's

sitting off-camera on a director's chair by a monitor. Gene

shrugs at him.

MURRAY FRANKLIN

(smiles; trying to save

the interview)

So when we talked earlier, you

mentioned that you aren't

political. That this look isn't a

political statement.

106.

JOKER

(between laughs)

That's right. I'm not political,

Murray. I'm, I'm, I'm just trying

to make people laugh.

MURRAY FRANKLIN

(beat; smiles)

How's that goin' for ya? Have you

been working on any new material?

Do you want to tell us a joke?

The audience claps, egging Joker on to tell a joke.

Joker looks over at Murray -- his laughing fit finally

subsiding -- and reaches into his jacket pocket and--

Pulls out his worn notebook, catching his breath. Looks

through it to find a new joke.

MURRAY FRANKLIN

You brought a joke book?

The audience laughs. Joker smiles, opens the page to Bruce

Wayne's photo, pauses for a moment then turns the page. Finds

a joke--

JOKER

(reading)

Okay. Here's one. Knock knock.

MURRAY FRANKLIN

Oh god, a knock-knock joke? And you

need to read it?

JOKER

(nods, reads it again)

I want to get it right. Knock

knock.

Murray makes a face like, "Okay, I'll go along with this."

MURRAY FRANKLIN

Who's there?

JOKER

(looks up from his

notebook)

It's the police, ma'am. Your son

has been hit by a drunk driver.

He's dead.

Beat.

107.

112 INT. DIRECTOR'S BOOTH, STUDIO 4B - CONTINUOUS 112

The associate producer tries not to laugh, but she can't help

it. The director looks over at her like she's lost her mind.

DIRECTOR

(shakes his head)

Okay, ready Camera Two. Take Two.

Ready Three. Three.

ON THE MONITORS, some of the audience cracks up. Joker smiles

at the response. Murray Franklin shakes his head, smirking at

the joke despite himself.

MURRAY FRANKLIN (ON MONITORS)

So, Arthur, you told me backstage

that your--

Joker leans over interrupting Murray, whispers something to

him.

113 INT. TALK SHOW SET, STAGE - STUDIO 4B - CONTINUOUS 113

Murray nods as Joker whispers.

MURRAY FRANKLIN

(bemused smile;

patronizing)

Right. Sorry. I mean Joker-- you

told me backstage that your

mother's a big fan of the show,

that she never misses it.

Joker puts the notebook back in his pocket. Crosses his legs,

starting to get a bit more comfortable.

JOKER

That's right, Murray. But she's

dead now.

The audience laughs.

MURRAY FRANKLIN

(goes along with the

"joke")

Hold on. Your mother's dead?

JOKER

Yeah. She is.

Murray's not sure if this is part of his act.

108.

MURRAY FRANKLIN

Okay. What about your father? Does

he watch the show?

Laughter from the crowd.

JOKER

I don't know who my father is,

Murray. Turns out I was adopted and

sexually assaulted by my mother's

boyfriend.

A few in the audience groan. A couple even laugh. Still think

it's just Joker's edgy, off-kilter sense of humor.

Don Ellis plays "wha-wha-wha-whuuuuh" on his trumpet from the

band stand.

DR. SALLY FRIEDMAN

Ahhhh! No, no,-- You can not joke

about that.

MURRAY FRANKLIN

(shakes his head;

irritated)

Yeah, that's not funny, that's not

the kind of humor we do on this

show.

Murray glances over at Gene in the wings. He gives him the

"wrap it up" sign.

JOKER

(just keeps going, on a

roll)

Sorry. It's been a rough few

months, Murray. I mean, after my

mother died, the police came to

question me at her funeral. Who

does that?

MURRAY FRANKLIN

(too easy)

Oh really? Were you a suspect?

The audience laughs.

JOKER

Very funny, Murray. No, they came

because I killed those three Wall

Street guys.

Beat.

109.

Studio audience can't tell if he's joking or not. Murray

can't either.

MURRAY FRANKLIN

(looks at him confused)

Okay. I'm waiting for the

punchline.

JOKER

There is no punchline. It's not a

joke.

114 INT. DIRECTOR'S BOOTH, STUDIO 4B - CONTINUOUS 114

The director stares at the monitor.

DIRECTOR

Did he just confess to killing the

Wall Street Three?

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

(horrified)

Yeah. I think he did.

ASSOCIATE PRODUCER

(turns to the director,

nods)

He definitely did.

DIRECTOR

Jesus Christ.

(hits the camera talk

button, into mic)

Camera Three, get in close.

ANGLE ON MONITOR, Camera Three zooming in close on Joker's

face.

115 INT. TALK SHOW SET, STAGE - CONTINUOUS 115

Gene Ufland is now standing up from his chair. Motions for

Murray to kill the interview. Murray shakes his head to

himself. This is a big "get," it could be great television.

MURRAY FRANKLIN

(turns back to Joker; with

gravitas)

You're serious, aren't you? You're

telling us you killed those three

boys on the subway. Why should we

believe you?

110.

JOKER

(shrugs)

I got nothing left to lose, Murray.

Nothing can hurt me anymore. This

is my fate, it was always my fate.

My life is nothing but a comedy.

116 INT. SOPHIE'S APARTMENT, LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS 116

Sophie's sitting on her couch watching this interview play

out on TV. GiGi's asleep next to her. The open envelope and

the money are lying on the coffee table. No sign of the

flowers anywhere.

MURRAY FRANKLIN (ON TV)

Let me get this straight, you think

killing those young men is funny?

JOKER (ON TV)

Yeah. But comedy is subjective,

isn't that what they say? Besides,

the way I see it, what happened was

a good thing. All of you, Gotham,

the system that knows so much, you

decide, you decide what's right and

wrong. What's real or what's made

up. The same way you decide what's

funny or not.

Sophie edges forward on the couch, can almost see a hint of

agreement on her face.

117 INT. TALK SHOW SET, STAGE - STUDIO 4B - CONTINUOUS 117

Back on set, we can tell by the way Murray's now interviewing

Joker, talking to him slower, more thoughtfully, that he

thinks this is gonna get him an Emmy... Maybe even a Peabody.

MURRAY FRANKLIN

(beat)

Okay, I think I understand. You did

it to start a movement, to become a

symbol.

JOKER

C'mon, Murray, do I look like the

kind of clown who could start a

movement? I killed those guys

because they were awful.

Everybody's awful these days. It's

enough to make anyone crazy.

111.

MURRAY FRANKLIN

So that's it, you're crazy. That's

your defense for killing three

young men? Because they were mean

to you?

JOKER

No. They couldn't carry a tune to

save their lives.

Some audible groans from the audience.

JOKER

Why is everyone so upset about

these guys? Because Thomas Wayne

went and cried about them on TV?

MURRAY FRANKLIN

You have a problem with Thomas

Wayne, too?

JOKER

Yeah. I do. Everything comes so

easy for him.

MURRAY FRANKLIN

And what's wrong with that?

JOKER

Have you seen what it's like out

there, Murray? Do you ever actually

leave the studio? Everybody just

yells and screams at each other.

Nobody's civil anymore. Nobody

thinks what it's like to be the

other guy. You think men like

Thomas Wayne, men at ease, ever

think what it's like to be a guy

like me? To be anybody but

themselves.

(shaking his head, voice

rising)

They don't. They think we'll all

just sit there and take it like

good little boys. That we won't

werewolf and go wild. Well, this is

for all of you out there.

Joker "howls at the moon." It's fucking weird.

112.

118 INT. STATION SQUAD ROOM - 7TH PRECINCT - CONTINUOUS 118

OFFICERS AND DETECTIVES JUMPING INTO ACTION, rushing past a

small portable black & white television sitting on one of the

desks, hear one of them shout--

POLICE LIEUTENANT (OS)

That asshole just confessed to

killing those Wall Street guys on

fucking live TV!

ANGLE ON THE LITTLE TV, TIGHT TWO-SHOT OF JOKER looking at

Murray.

MURRAY FRANKLIN (ON TV)

(shakes his head)

So much self-pity, Arthur. You

sound like you're making excuses

for killing three young men. Not

everybody's awful.

119 INT. TALK SHOW SET, STAGE - STUDIO 4B - CONTINUOUS 119

Back on set. Joker looks straight at Murray.

JOKER

You're awful, Murray.

There is no more laughter. The audience is watching this

exchange with full attention.

MURRAY FRANKLIN

Me? How am I awful?

JOKER

Playing my video, inviting me on

the show,-- You just wanted to make

fun of me. Well it's easy to laugh

at Frankenstein on a crowded beach,

isn't it? You're just like the rest

of them, Murray. Everything comes

too easy for you.

MURRAY FRANKLIN

(on the spot; defensive)

You don't know the first thing

about me, pal. Look what happened

because of what you did, Arthur,

what it led to. There are riots out

there. Two policemen are in

critical condition, someone was

killed today.

113.

Joker nods in agreement, yeah, it's because of what he did.

JOKER

How about another joke, Murray?

What do you get when you cross a

mentally-ill loner with a system

that abandons him and treats him

like trash?

Murray pauses for a minute, not really listening to Joker,

suddenly realizing the seriousness of the situation. He

starts to turn to camera--

JOKER

(pulls Randall's gun)

I'll tell you what you get. You get

what you fucking deserve,--

And as Murray Franklin turns back to him, JOKER SHOOTS THE

SIDE OF MURRAY'S HEAD OFF--

Blood splatters all over the back of the set. Some spraying

in Joker's face. AUDIENCE SCREAMS! Dr. Sally dives for the

floor.

120 INT. SOPHIE'S APARTMENT, LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS 120

Sophie screams and jumps to her feet horrified! Waking up

GiGi who starts to cry when she sees what's on television--

ON THE TELEVISION, Joker gets up and walks right up to the

camera. Blood sprayed over his white painted face. Hear the

studio audience still screaming, bedlam all around him.

JOKER (ON TV)

(looks straight into

camera; screams Murray's

signature sign off)

GOOD NIGHT AND ALWAYS REMEMBER,--

THAT'S LIFE!

And as Joker waves goodbye to the home audience, a black &

white "INDIAN-HEAD TEST PATTERN" cuts off the show--

"PLEASE STAND BY"

HERB ALPERT'S "Spanish Flea" plays underneath.

Beat.

114.

121 INT. TALK SHOW SET, STAGE - CONTINUOUS 121

BACK LIVE IN THE STUDIO, JOKER'S TACKLED BY TWO SECURITY

GUARDS AND SOME STAGEHANDS, still hear screams of terror from

the audience around him.

HIS FACE HITS THE SHINY FLOOR AS IF IN SLOW MOTION--

And we HEAR the soft and familiar opening to FERRANTE &

TEICHER's piano version of "Send in the Clowns".

CUT TO:

122 INT. GOTHAM SQUAD CAR (MOVING), GOTHAM STREETS - NIGHT 122

JOKER GAZING OUT THE WINDOW, at all the violence and madness

in the city. We only see it in the reflection of the glass...

the fires burning... the mob crowding the streets. Joker's

handcuffed in the back of the squad car moving slowly through

the rioting, sirens wailing, red lights flashing, blood still

splattered on his face.

STAY ON JOKER'S FACE AS HE HEARS THE POLICE RADIO CRACKLING,

reports of rioters in "Joker" masks setting fires, breaking

windows, looting stores.

The images reflected in the window start to speed up as the

officer driving weaves faster through the chaos.

POLICE OFFICER #1 (OS)

Look what you caused, you freak,

the whole city's on fire because of

you.

AND JOKER BANGS HIS HEAD HARD AGAINST THE STEEL MESH CAGE--

BAM.

POLICE OFFICER #2 (OS)

Keep it up, asshole. Watch what

happens when we get to the station.

HE BANGS HIS HEAD AGAIN. BAM. BAM. Some blood is forming on

his forehead--

POLICE OFFICER #1 (OS)

(glancing at Joker in the

back seat, shouting)

-- Calm the fuck down, you're not

going anywhere!

And when the cop driving turns back, catch a glimpse of

someone or something running out into the street in front of

the speeding squad car--

115.

CLOSE ON JOKER AS THE SQUAD CAR SWERVES OUT OF THE WAY, Joker

banging up against the door--

CRAAAASSSHHHHHH!!!!

The squad car hits a parked car hard and flips over, sliding

across the street on its roof--

123 EXT. SQUAD CAR (SLIDING), STREET - CONTINUOUS 123

SPARKS FLY UNTIL FINALLY THE UPSIDE DOWN SQUAD CAR COMES TO A

STOP. Smoke rising from the wreck. Ferrante & Teicher's piano

only version of "Send in the Clowns" still playing...

Both police officers in the front seat are either unconscious

or dead. We see movement in the back seat, hard to tell

what's going on inside.

Suddenly the back door kicks open--

And Joker falls out of the car, landing hard on the street,

one hand free, handcuffs dangling from his other hand. Hear

sirens in the distance--

JOKER LEANS BACK AGAINST THE CAR, his face bloody, his body

broken from the crash. Sitting there amongst the wreckage,

can still see and hear the chaos, the fires burning all

around him. He reaches for a jagged shard of broken glass--

And pauses for moment catching his breath, hand holding the

jagged glass resting on his lap, wailing sirens getting

closer, looks like he's about to cut his wrists--

124 EXT. MOVIE THEATER, STREET - UPTOWN - CONTINUOUS 124

A WELL-HEELED CROWD LETTING OUT OF A MOVIE THEATER, the

violence has even reached up here, the nice part of town...

Sirens wailing, gangs of punks wearing "Joker" masks running

past, breaking car windows, fires burning... Catch a glimpse

of the lit up marquee listing the films playing, "Blow Out"

and "Zorro the Gay Blade". Hear "Send in the Clowns" still

playing...

FROM BEHIND SEE A SILHOUETTED COUPLE AND THEIR KID hurry down

the dark side of the street, ducking into an alley to avoid

the chaos--

Catch a glimpse of a punk in a "Joker" mask following after

them pulling a gun--

116.

125 EXT. SQUAD CAR (UPSIDE DOWN), STREET - CONTINUOUS 125

Joker lifts the jagged shard of glass, handcuff swinging...

Passes by his wrist... And starts cutting into the slit on

one corner of his mouth, making his smile longer and wider.

Blood pouring down his face, onto his hand...

Joker tearing into the other side of his mouth, jagged glass

ripping into his flesh, spurting blood, handcuff swinging--

Sirens on top of him, red lights flashing over his face--

ANGLE ON JOKER LIT UP RED, done cutting his smile, letting go

of the jagged bloody shard... Leans his head back against the

squad car, and closes his eyes, covered in his own blood.

He's finished.

Now he is the Joker.

126 EXT. ALLEY, MOVIE THEATER - CONTINUOUS 126

FROM BEHIND, FAMILY IN THE SHADOWS sees the guy's eyes go

wide behind the mask, pointing his gun, music swelling--

PUNK

(shouting)

You still think we're all fucking

clowns?

And the punk shoots the man. Reaches out and grabs something

off the woman's neck before he shoots her as well. Both fall

to the ground dead. Revealing their young son standing behind

them--

CLOSE ON EIGHT-YEAR-OLD BRUCE WAYNE, closing his eyes as

blood sprays across his face. He opens his eyes and looks up

scared at the man in the "Joker" mask who killed his parents,

Thomas and Martha Wayne. "Send in the Clowns" ends.

CUT TO BLACK.

A long beat.

HEAR LAUGHTER.

The sound of a man totally cracking up.

FADE IN:

127 INT. ARKHAM STATE HOSPITAL, INTERVIEW ROOM - MORNING 127

CLOSE ON JOKER, tears in his eyes from laughing so hard. He's

enjoying it, not trying to get it under control.

117.

His head's been shaved. He looks medicated or maybe even

lobotomized. Wearing white institutional clothes.

HIS NEW SMILE IS ALL STITCHED UP, cut deep up the corners of

his mouth. Forming a longer, "happier" smile.

He's sitting across from an overworked HOSPITAL DOCTOR

(50's), African American woman. Somehow it's the exact same

room Joker imagined his mother was in some 30 years ago. The

room and the doctor also look vaguely similar to the social

worker and her office in the opening scene.

The doctor just sits there, waiting for him to stop laughing.

A weathered notebook is on the table in front of him.

Finally, Joker stops himself.

HOSPITAL DOCTOR

What's so funny?

He takes a deep breath, his eyes are glazed over. His voice

is scratchy, like he doesn't use it much.

JOKER

-- just thinking of this joke.

HOSPITAL DOCTOR

Do you want to tell it to me?

Beat.

JOKER

No.

HOSPITAL DOCTOR

Because you don't think I'll get

it?

JOKER

Because it's personal, it's between

me and him.

Beat.

HOSPITAL DOCTOR

Okay. Is the medication working?

How's your sleeping?

JOKER

(nods yes)

...

HOSPITAL DOCTOR

How are you feeling?

118.

JOKER

Good. Everything's good now.

HOSPITAL DOCTOR

Have you been writing in your

journal?

Joker slowly nods.

HOSPITAL DOCTOR

Great. I want to make sure you're

keeping up with it.

JOKER

(beat)

Yeah.

HOSPITAL DOCTOR

Have you written about your

episode? About what happened?

JOKER

How I remember it.

HOSPITAL DOCTOR

(re: the journal)

Can I see?

Joker slides his journal across to her. She picks it up and

flips through the pages--

ANGLE ON JOURNAL, blank page after blank page, there's

nothing inside of it.

The doctor looks up at him confused.

ANGLE ON JOKER, a smile creeping across his face. And we HEAR

the groovy organ opening to FRANK SINATRA's anthem "That's

Life"...

Beat.

128 INT. HALLWAY, ARKHAM STATE HOSPITAL - MORNING 128

From behind, see Joker shuffling down the hallway past all

the other mental patients, an orderly by his side. Sinatra

starts singing.

And Joker does a slide step to the music like he can hear it

too... into a skip... and another slide step into a spin...

Dancing down the hallway into the sunset...

IRIS OUT:

119.

"That's Life" keeps playing over credits.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncFy1zRA9HM

28 DAYS LATER

Written by

Alex Garland

CLOSE ON A MONITOR SCREEN:

Images of stunning violence. Looped.

Soldiers in a foreign war shoot an unarmed civilian at point-

blank range; a man is set on by a frenzied crowd wielding

clubs and machetes; a woman is necklaced while her killers

cheer and howl.

Pull back to reveal that we are seeing one of many screens in

a bank of monitors, all showing similar images...

Then revealing that the monitors are in a...

INT. SURGICAL CHAMBER - NIGHT

...surgical chamber. And watching the screens is a...

...chimp, strapped to an operating table, with its skull

dissected open, webbed in wires and monitoring devices,

muzzled with a transparent guard. Alive.

Behind the surgical chamber, through the wide doorframe, we

can see a larger laboratory beyond.

INT. BRIGHT CORRIDOR - NIGHT

A group of black-clad ALF Activists, all wearing balaclavas,

move down a corridor. They carry various gear - bag, bolt

cutters.

As they move, one Activist reaches up to a security camera

and sprays it black with an aerosol paint can.

INT. LABORATORY - NIGHT

The Activists enter the laboratory.

CHIEF ACTIVIST

Fucking hell...

The Chief Activist takes his camera off his shoulder and

starts taking photos.

The room is huge and long, and darkened except for specific

pools of light. Partially illuminated are rows of cages with

clear perspex doors. They run down either side of the room.

In the cages are chimpanzees.

2.

Most are in a state of rabid agitation, banging and clawing

against the perspex, baring teeth through foam-flecked

mouths.

They reach the far end of the lab, where on a huge steel

operating table they see the dissected chimp.

FEMALE ACTIVIST

Oh God...

The dissected chimp's eyes flick to the Activists. Blood

wells from around the exposed brain tissue.

Tears starts to roll down the Female Activist's cheeks.

CHIEF ACTIVIST

(to Female Activist)

Keep your shit together. If we're

going to get them out of here...

The Finnish Activist is checking the perspex cages.

FINNISH ACTIVIST

I can pop these, no problem.

CHIEF ACTIVIST

So get to it.

The Finnish Activist raises his crowbar and sticks it around

the edge of one of the doors - about to prise it open.

At the moment, the doors to the laboratory bang open.

The Activists all turn. Standing at the entrance is the

Scientist.

A pause. The Scientist jumps to a telephone handset on the

wall and shouts into the receiver.

SCIENTIST

Security! We have a break-in! Get

to sector...

A hand slams down the disconnect button.

SCIENTIST

...nine.

The Chief Activist plucks the receiver from the Scientist's

hands, and then rips the telephone from the wall.

A beat.

3.

SCIENTIST

I know who you are, I know what you

think you're doing, but you have to

listen to me. You can't release

these animals.

CHIEF ACTIVIST

If you don't want to get hurt, shut

your mouth, and don't move a

fucking muscle.

SCIENTIST

(BLURTS)

The chimps are infected!

The Activists hesitate, exchanging a glance.

SCIENTIST

(continuing; stumbling,

FLUSTERED)

These animals are highly

contagious. They've been given an

inhibitor.

CHIEF ACTIVIST

Infected with what?

SCIENTIST

Chemically restricted, locked down

to a... a single impulse that...

CHIEF ACTIVIST

Infected with what?

The Scientist hesitates before answering.

SCIENTIST

Rage.

Behind the Activists, the bank of monitors show the faces of

the machete-wielding crowd.

SCIENTIST

(desperately trying to

EXPLAIN)

In order to cure, you must first

understand. Just imagine: to have

power over all the things we feel

we can't control. Anger,

violence...

FINNISH ACTIVIST

What the fuck is he talking about?

4.

CHIEF ACTIVIST

We don't have time for this shit!

Get the cages open!

SCIENTIST

No!

CHIEF ACTIVIST

We're going, you sick bastard, and

we're taking your torture victims

with us.

SCIENTIST

NO! You must listen! The animals

are contagious! The infection is in

their blood and saliva! One bite

and...

FEMALE ACTIVIST

They won't bite me.

The Female Activist crouches down to face the wild eyes of

the infected chimp behind the perspex.

SCIENTIST

STOP! You have no idea!

The Scientist makes a desperate lunge towards her, but the

Chief Activist grabs him.

FEMALE ACTIVIST

Good boy. You don't want to bite

me, do you?

The Female Activist gives a final benign smile, then the

Finnish Activist pops open the door.

SCIENTIST

NO!

Like a bullet from a gun, the infected chimp leaps out at the

Female Activist - and sinks its teeth into her neck. She

reels back as the chimp claws and bites with extraordinary

viciousness.

At the same moment, a deafening alarm begins to sound.

FEMALE ACTIVIST

(SHRIEKING)

Get it off! Get if off!

The Finnish Activist rips the ape off and throws it on to the

floor. The infected chimp immediately bites into the man's

leg. He yells with pain, and tries to kick it off.

5.

Behind him, the Female Activist has started to scream. She

doubles up, clutching the side of her head.

FEMALE ACTIVIST

I'm burning! Jesus! Help me!

SCIENTIST

We have to kill her!

FEMALE ACTIVIST

I'm burning! I'm burning!

CHIEF ACTIVIST

What's...

SCIENTIST

We have to kill her NOW!

Meanwhile, the Female Activist's cries have become an

unwavering howl of pain - and she is joined by the Finnish

Activist, whose hands have also flown to the side of his

head, gripping his temples as if trying to keep his skull

from exploding.

CHIEF ACTIVIST

What's wrong with them?

The Scientist grabs a desk-lamp base and starts running

towards the screaming Female Activist...

...who has ripped off her balaclava - revealing her face -

the face of an Infected.

She turns to the Scientist.

SCIENTIST

Oh God.

She leaps at him. He screams as they go tumbling to the

ground.

The Chief Activist watches in immobile horror as she attacks

the Scientist with amazing ferocity.

INT. CORRIDOR - NIGHT

Another ACTIVIST makes his way down the corridor towards the

lab.

ACTIVIST

(HISSES)

Terry? Jemma?

6.

No answer.

ACTIVIST

Mika? Where are you?

He reaches the door to the lab, which is closed - and...

...as he opens it, we realize the door is also soundproofed.

A wall of screaming hits him.

He stands in the doorway - stunned by the noise, and then the

sight.

Blood, death, and his colleagues, all Infected.

ACTIVIST

Bloody hell.

The Infected rush him.

FADE TO BLACK.

TITLE:

28 DAYS LATER

INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - LATE AFTERNOON

Close up of Jim, a young man in his twenties, wearing pale

green hospital pyjamas. He has a month's beard, is

dishevelled, and asleep.

We pull back to see that Jim is lying on a hospital bed, in a

private room. Connected to his arms are multiple drips, a

full row of four or five on each side of his bed. Most of the

bags are empty.

Jim's eyes open.

He looks around with an expression of confusion. Then he sits

up. He is weak, but he swings his legs off the bed and

stands. The attached drips are pulled with him and clatter to

the floor.

Jim winces, and pulls the taped needles from his arm.

JIM

Ow...

His voice is hoarse, his mouth dry. Massaging his throat, he

walks to the door.

7.

INT. COMA WARD - LATE AFTERNOON

The door to Jim's hospital room is locked. The key is on the

floor. He picks it up and opens the door.

Jim exits into a corridor.

At the far end, a sign read: COMA WARD. There is no sign of

life or movement.

Jim walks down the corridor. One of the doors is half-open.

From inside, there is the sound of buzzing flies.

INT. HOSPITAL WARDS - LATE AFTERNOON

Jim moves as quickly as he can through the hospital, still

weak, but now driven by adrenaline.

All the wards and corridors are deserted. Medical notes and

equipment lie strewn over the floors, trolleys are upended,

glass partition doors are smashed. In a couple of places,

splashes of dried blood arc up the walls.

He reaches A&E. On one wall is a row of public pay phones.

He lifts a receiver, and the line is dead. He goes down the

line, trying them all.

In the corner of the A&E reception is a smashed soft-drinks

machine, with a few cans collected at the base.

Jim grabs one, rips off the ring-pull and downs it in one go.

Then he grabs another, and heads for the main doors.

EXT. HOSPITAL - LATE AFTERNOON

Jim exits and walks out into the bright daylight of the

forecourt. The camera begins to pull away from him.

JIM

Hello?

Aside from a quiet rush of wind, there is silence. No

traffic, no engines, no movement. Not even birdsong.

EXT. LONDON - SUNDOWN

Jim walks through the empty city, from St. Thomas's Hospital,

over Westminster Bridge, past the Houses of Parliament, down

Whitehall, to Trafalgar Square.

8.

A bright overhead sun bleaches the streets. A light drifts

litter and refuse. Cars lie abandoned, shops looted.

Jim is still wearing his hospital pyjamas, and carries a

plastic bag full of soft-drink cans.

EXT. CENTRAL LONDON ROAD/CHURCH - NIGHT

Jim walks. Night has fallen. He needs to find a place to

rest...

He pauses. Down a narrow side street is a church. He walks

towards it. The front doors are open.

INT. CHURCH - NIGHT

Jim walks inside, moving with the respectful quietness that

people adopt when entering a church.

The doors ahead to the main chamber are closed. Pushing them,

gently trying the handle, it is obvious they are locked. But

another open door is to his left. He goes through it.

INT. CHURCH - STAIRWELL - NIGHT

Jim moves up a stairwell.

Written large on the wall is a single line of graffiti:

REPENT. THE END IS EXTREMELY FUCKING NIGH

INT. CHURCH - GALLERY LEVEL - NIGHT

Jim moves into the gallery level, and sees, through the dust

and rot, ornate but faded splendor. At the far end, a stained-

glass window is illuminated by the moonlight.

Jim pads in, stands at the gallery, facing the stained-glass

window for a moment before looking down...

Beneath are hundreds of dead bodies. Layered over the floor,

jammed into the pews, spilling over the altar. The scene of

an unimaginable massacre.

Jim stands, stunned. Then sees, standing motionless at

different positions facing away from him, four people.

Their postures and stillness make their status unclear. Jim

hesitates before speaking.

9.

JIM

...Hello?

Immediately, the four heads flick around. Infected.

And the next moment, there is the powerful thump of a door at

the far end of the gallery.

Jim whirls to the source as the Infected below start to move.

The door thumps again - another stunningly powerful blow, the

noise echoing around the chamber.

Confused, fist closing around his bag of soft drinks, Jim

steps onto the gallery, facing the door...

...and it smashes open.

Revealing an Infected Priest - who locks sight on Jim, and

starts to sprint.

JIM

Father?

The Priest is half way across the gallery

JIM

Father, what are you...

And now the moonlight catches the Priest's face. Showing

clearly: the eyes. The blood smeared and collected around his

nose, ears, and mouth. Darkened and crusted, accumulated over

days and weeks. Fresh blood glistening.

JIM

Jesus!

In a movement of pure instinct, Jim swings the bag just as

the Priest is about to reach him - and connects squarely with

the man's head.

JIM

Oh, that, was bad, that was bad...

I shouldn't have done that...

He breaks into a run...

INT. CHURCH - STAIRWELL - NIGHT

Down the stairwell...

10.

INT. CHURCH - NIGHT

...into the front entrance, where the locked door now strains

under the blows of the Infected inside.

JIM

Shit.

EXT. CHURCH - NIGHT

Jim sprints down the stone steps.

As he reaches the bottom the doors are broken open, and the

Infected give chase.

EXT. CENTRAL LONDON ROAD - NIGHT

Jim runs - the Infected have almost reached him.

A hand fires up a Zippo lighter, and lights the rag of a

Molotov cocktail.

As Jim runs, something flies past his head, and the Infected

closest to him explodes in a ball of flame.

Jim turns, and sees as another Molotov cocktail explodes,

engulfing two in the fireball.

He whirls, now completely bewildered.

WOMAN'S VOICE

HERE!

Another Molotov cocktail explodes. The Infected stagger from

the blaze, on fire.

WOMAN'S VOICE

OVER HERE!

Jim whirls again, and sees, further down the road...

...Selena, a black woman, also in her twenties. She wears a

small backpack, a machete is stuck into her belt - and she

holds a lit Molotov cocktail in her hand.

...Mark, a tall, good-looking man - throwing another bottle.

It smashes on the head of the last Infected, bathing it in

flame...

The burning Infected bumps blindly into a car. Falls. Gets up

again.

11.

Blindly, it staggers off the road, into a petrol station -

where an abandoned car has run over on the pumps.

The ground beneath it suddenly ignites, and the petrol

station explodes.

EXT. SIDE STREET - NIGHT

Selena and Mark lead Jim into a side street.

JIM

(DAZED)

Those people! Who were... who...

MARK

This way! Move it!

Jim allows himself to be hurried along.

EXT. SHOP - NIGHT

Selena stops outside a newsagent's shop. The shop's door and

windows are covered with a metal security grill, but the

grill over the door lock has been prised away enough for

Selena to slip her hand through to the latch.

INT. SHOP - NIGHT

Inside, most of the shelves have been emptied of

confectionery. Newspapers and magazines litter the floor. The

magazine covers of beautiful girls and sports cars have

become instant anachronisms.

At the back of the shop, a makeshift bed of sheets and

sleeping bag is nestled. This has obviously been Selena and

Mark's home for the last few days.

INT. NEWSAGENT - NIGHT

Jim, Mark and Selena enter the newsagent's and pull down the

grill.

MARK

A man walks into a bar with a

giraffe. They each get pissed. The

giraffe falls over. The man goes to

leave and the barman says, you

can't leave that lying there. The

man says, it's not a lion. It's a

giraffe.

12.

Silence.

Mark pulls off his mask and turns to Selena.

MARK

He's completely humorless. You two

will get along like a house on

fire.

Selena, who has already taken off her mask, ignores Mark.

SELENA

Who are you? You've come from a

hospital.

MARK

Are you a doctor?

SELENA

He's not a doctor. He's a patient.

JIM

I'm a bicycle courier. I was riding

a package from Farringdon to

Shaftesbury Avenue. A car cut

across me... and then I wake up in

hospital, today... I wake up and

I'm hallucinating, or...

MARK

What's your name?

JIM

Jim.

MARK

I'm Mark. This is Selena.

(BEAT)

Okay, Jim. We've got some bad news.

Selena starts to tell her story, and as the story unfolds we

see the images she describes.

SELENA

It began as rioting. And right from

the beginning, you knew something

bad was going on because the

rioters were killing people. And

then it wasn't on the TV anymore.

It was in the street outside. It

was coming through your windows. We

all guessed it was a virus. An

infection. You didn't need a doctor

to tell you that. It was the blood.

13.

Something in the blood. By the time

they tried to evacuate the cities,

it was already too late. The

infection was everywhere. The army

blockades were overrun. And that

was when the exodus started. The

day before the radio and TV stopped

broadcasting there were reports of

infection in Paris and New York. We

didn't hear anything more after

that.

JIM

Where are your families?

MARK

They're dead.

SELENA

Yours will be dead too.

JIM

No... No! I'm going to find them.

They live in Greenwich. I can walk.

(heading for the exit)

I'm going to... to go and...

SELENA

You'll go and come back.

JIM

(pulling at the grill)

Yes! I'll go and come back.

MARK

Rules of survival. Lesson one - you

never go anywhere alone, unless

you've got no choice. Lesson two -

you only move during daylight,

unless you've got no choice. We'll

take you tomorrow. Then we'll all

go and find your dead parents.

Okay?

EXT. TRAIN TRACKS - DAY

Jim, Selena and Mark walk along the Docklands Light Railway

in single file. Ahead is a train.

Behind the train, as if spilled in its wake, are abandoned

bags, suitcases, backpacks.

Mark drops pace to let Jim catch up.

14.

MARK

How's your head? Fucked?

No reply.

MARK

(gesturing at the city)

I know where your head is. You're

looking at these windows, these

millions of windows, and you're

thinking - there's no way this many

people are dead. It's just too many

windows.

Mark picks up a handbag from the tracks.

MARK

The person who owned this bag.

Can't be dead.

Mark reaches in and starts to pull things out as they walk,

discarding the personal possessions.

MARK

A woman - (car keys) - who drove a

Nissan Micra - (teddy) - and had a

little teddy bear - (condoms) - and

carried protection, just in case.

Marks tosses the condoms behind him.

MARK

(DRY)

Believe me, we won't need them

anymore than she will.

He hands the bag to Jim and walks ahead.

Jim pulls out a mobile phone.

He switches it on.

It reads: SEARCHING FOR NETWORK.

The message blinks a couple of times. Then the screen goes

blank.

Jim looks left.

He is now alongside the train. The inside of the windows are

smeared with dried blood. Pressed against the glass is the

face of a dead man.

15.

Jim drops the phone and breaks into a run - running past Mark

and Selena.

MARK

(HISSING)

Hey!

EXT. GREENWICH COMMON - DAY

Jim, Selena and Mark jog across Greenwich Common. Jim

gestures towards one of the streets on the far side of the

green.

JIM

(LOW VOICE)

Down there. Westlink Street. Second

on the left.

EXT. WESTLINK STREET - DAY

The street is modest red-brick semi-detached houses. They

stand outside Number 43. Jim waits while Selena scans the

dark facade.

SELENA

If there's anyone in there who

isn't human...

JIM

I understand.

SELENA

Anyone.

JIM

I understand.

Selena shoots a glance at Jim. Jim is gazing at the house.

MARK

Okay.

EXT. BACK GARDEN - DAY

Jim uses the key under the flowerpot to open the back door.

INT. HOUSE - DAY

Jim, Selena and Mark move quietly through the kitchen and the

downstairs of the house.

16.

Surprisingly, everything is neat and tidy. Washed plates are

stacked by the sink, newspapers on the table are neatly

piled. The headline on the top paper reads simply:

CONTAINMENT FAILS.

They reach the bottom of the stairs. Selena gestures upwards,

and Jim nods. They start to ascend.

At the top of the stairs, Selena sniffs the air, and recoils.

Jim has noticed it too. His eyes widen in alarm.

MARK

(WHISPERS)

Wait.

But Jim pushes past and advances along the top landing, until

he reaches a door. By now the smell is so bad that he is

having to cover his nose and mouth with the sleeve of one

arm.

Jim pushes open the door. Inside, two decomposed bodies lie

side by side on the bed, intertwined. On the bedside table

are an empty bottle of sleeping pills and a bottle of red

wine.

Mark appears behind him. Jim stares at his parents for a

couple of moments, then Mark closes the door.

INT. BATHROOM - DAY

Jim sits on the toilet, alone. He is crying. In his hand is a

piece of paper: "Jim - with endless love, we left you

sleeping. Now we're sleeping with you. Don't wake up."

The paper crumples in his fist.

INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY

Jim, Selena and Mark sit in the living room, on the two

sofas. Jim looks dazed, uncomprehending. Selena watches Jim,

her expression neutral.

SELENA

They died peacefully. You should be

grateful.

JIM

I'm not grateful.

Jim's words hang a moment. Then Mark talks, simply,

unemotionally, matter-of-fact throughout.

17.

MARK

The roads out were all jammed. So

we went to Paddington Station.

Hoping: maybe we could get to

Heathrow, maybe buy our way on a

plane. My dad had all this cash,

even though cash was already

useless, and Mum had her jewellery.

But twenty thousand other people

had the same idea.

(A MOMENT)

The crowd was surging, and I lost

my grip on my sister's hand. I

remember realizing the ground was

soft. I looked down, and I was

standing on people. Like a carpet,

people who had fallen, and...

somewhere in the crowd there were

infected. It spread fast, no one

could run, all you could do was

climb. Over more people. So I did

that. I got up, somehow, on top of

a kiosk.

(A MOMENT)

Looking down, you couldn't tell

which faces were infected and which

weren't. With the blood, the

screaming, they all looked the

same. And I saw my dad. Not my mum

or my sister. But I saw my dad. His

face.

A short silence.

MARK

Selena's right. You should be

grateful.

SELENA

We don't have time to get back to

the shop before dark. We should

stay here tonight.

Jim nods. He isn't sure what he wants to say.

JIM

My old room was at the end of the

landing. You two take it. I'll

sleep down here.

SELENA

We'll sleep in the same room. It's

safer.

18.

EXT. LONDON - DAY TO NIGHT

The red orb of the sun goes down; the light fades. As night

falls, London vanishes into blackness, with no electric light

to be seen.

Then the moon appears from behind the cloud layer, and the

dark city is revealed.

INT. HOUSE - NIGHT

Jim is on the sofa. In the moonlight, we can see that his

eyes are open, wide awake. Selena is curled on the other

sofa, and Mark is on the floor - both asleep. The house is

silent.

Jim watches Selena sleeping for a couple of moments.

Then, quietly, he gets off the sofa and pads out of the

living room, down the hall to the kitchen.

INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT

Jim enters, standing just inside the doorway. He looks around

the room. On one wall, a faded kid's drawing of a car is

framed. Above the counter, on a shelf of cookery books, an

album has a handwritten label on the spine: "Mum's Favorite

Recipes".

Jim walks to the fridge. Stuck to the door is a photo of Jim

with his parents, arm in arm, smiling at the camera. Jim is

on his mountain bike, wearing his courier bag.

FLASH CUT TO:

Jim, sitting at the kitchen table as his Mum enters, carrying

bags of shopping. Jim walks over to the bags and pulls out a

carton of orange juice, which he pulls straight to his mouth

and begins to gulp down.

His Dad walks in from the garden.

JIM'S DAD

Give me a glass of that, would you?

JIM

(draining the carton, and

giving it a shake)

It's empty.

CUT BACK TO:

19.

Jim touches the photo, their faces, lightly.

Jim is facing away from the back door, which has a large

frosted-glass panel.

Through the glass panel, unseen by Jim a dark silhouette

looms against the diffused glow from the moonlight.

Through the kitchen window, a second silhouette appears.

Then there is a scratching noise from the back door.

Jim freezes.

Slowly, he turns his head, and sees the dark shapes behind

the door and window.

A beat - then the door is abruptly and powerfully smashed in.

It flies open, and hangs loosely held by the bottom hinge.

Standing in the doorframe is an Infected Man.

Jim shouts with alarm as the Man lunges at him - and they

both go tumbling to the floor. At the same moment, the figure

behind the kitchen window smashes the glass, and an Infected

Teenage Girl starts to clamber through the jagged frame.

The Man gets on top of Jim, while Jim uses his arms to hold

back the ferocious assault. A single strand of saliva flies

from the Man's lips, and contacts Jim's cheek.

JIM

(SCREAMS)

Help!

Suddenly, Selena is there, holding her machete. The blade

flashes down to the back of the Man's neck. Blood gushes.

Jim rolls the Infected Man off, just in time to see...

...Mark dispatch the Girl half way through the kitchen

window. The Girl is holding Mark, but her legs are caught on

the broken glass.

Mark jabs upwards into the Girl's torso - she stiffens, then

slumps, and as Mark steps back we see he is holding a knife.

Jim hyperventilates, staring at the corpse on the kitchen

floor.

JIM

It's Mr. Bridges...

Selena turns to Jim. She is hyperventilating too, but there

is control and steel in her voice.

20.

SELENA

Were you bitten?

JIM

He lives four doors down...

Jim turns to the Girl sprawled half way through the window.

JIM

That's his daughter...

SELENA

Were you bitten?

Jim looks at her. Selena is still holding her machete at the

ready.

JIM

No... No! I wasn't!

SELENA

Did any of the blood get in your

mouth?

JIM

No!

SELENA

Mark?

Jim turns to Mark. He is standing in the middle of the room.

Stepped away from the window. The Girl's blood is on his arm -

and he is wiping it away...

...off the skin... where a long scratch cut wells up fresh

blood.

A moment.

Then Mark looks at Selena, as if slightly startled.

MARK

Wait.

But Selena is swiping with her machete. Mark lifts his arm

instinctively, defensively, and the blade sinks in.

Selena immediately yanks it back.

MARK

DON'T!

Selena swipes again - and the blade catches Mark hard in the

side of the head. Mark falls.

21.

Jim watches, scrabbling backwards on the floor away from

them, as Selena brutally finishes Mark off.

Selena looks at Mark's body for a couple of beats, then

lowers the blade. She picks up a dishcloth from the sink

counter and tosses it to Jim.

SELENA

Get that cleaned off.

Jim picks up the rag and hurriedly starts to wipe the

Infected's blood from around his neck.

SELENA

Do you have any clothes here?

JIM

(fazed, frightened of her)

I... I don't know. I think so.

SELENA

Then get them. And get dressed. We

have to leave, now.

With practiced speed, Selena starts to open the kitchen

cupboards, selecting packets of biscuits and cans from the

shelves, and stuffing them into her backpack.

SELENA

More infected will be coming. They

always do.

EXT. HOUSE - NIGHT

Jim and Selena exit the front door. Jim has changed out of

his hospital gear into jeans and a sweatshirt. He also has a

small backpack, and is carrying a baseball bat.

EXT. LONDON ROAD - NIGHT

Jim and Selena walk: fast, alert. But something is not being

said between them... until Jim breaks the silence.

JIM

(QUIET)

How did you know?

Selena says nothing. Continues walking.

JIM

(INSISTENT)

How did you know he was infected?

22.

SELENA

The blood.

JIM

The blood was everywhere. On me, on

you, and...

SELENA

(CUTTING IN)

I didn't know he was infected.

Okay? I didn't know. He knew. I

could see it in his face.

(A MOMENT)

You need to understand, if someone

gets infected, you've got somewhere

between ten and twenty seconds to

kill them. They might be your

brother or your sister or your

oldest friend. It makes no

difference Just so as you know, if

it happens to you, I'll do it in a

heartbeat.

A moment.

JIM

How long had you known him?

SELENA

Five days. Or six. Does it matter?

Jim says nothing.

SELENA

He was full of plans. Long-distance

weapons, so they don't get close. A

newsagent's with a metal grill, so

you can sleep. Petrol bombs, so the

blood doesn't splash.

Selena looks at Jim dispassionately.

SELENA

Got a plan yet, Jim? You want us to

find a cure and save the world? Or

fall in love and fuck?

Selena looks away again.

SELENA

Plans are pointless. Staying alive

is as good as it gets.

Silence.

23.

They walk. Jim following a few steps behind Selena.

A few moments later, Jim lifts a hand, opens his mouth, about

to say something - but Selena cuts him off without even

looking round.

SELENA

Shhh.

She has seen something...

A line of tower blocks some distance away, standing against

the night sky. In one of them, hanging in the window of one

of the highest stories, colored fairy lights are lit up,

blinking gently.

INT. TOWER BLOCK - NIGHT

Jim and Selena walk through the smashed glass doors of the

tower block. It is extremely dark inside.

Selena switches on a flashlight and illuminates the entrance

hall. It is a mess. The floor is covered in broken glass and

dried blood. The lift doors are jammed open, and inside is a

dense bundle of rags - perhaps an old corpse, but impossible

to tell, because the interior of the lift has been torched.

It is black with carbon, and smoke-scarring runs up the

outside wall.

Selena moves the flashlight to the stairwell. There is a huge

tangle of shopping trolleys running up the stairs.

Selena gives one of the trolleys an exploratory tug. It

shifts, but holds fast, meshed in with its neighbor. Then she

puts a foot into one of the grates, and lifts herself up.

Shining her light over the top of the tangle, she can see a

gap along the top.

JIM

Let's hope we don't have to get out

of here in a hurry.

She begins to climb through.

INT. TOWER BLOCK - NIGHT

Jim and Selena move steadily and quietly up the stairwell,

into the building. Reaching a next landing, they check around

the corner before proceeding. Through a broken window, we can

see that they are already high above most London buildings,

and on the wall a sign reads: LEVEL 5.

24.

SELENA

Need a break?

JIM

(completely out of breath)

No. You?

SELENA

No.

They continue a few steps.

JIM

I do need a break, by the way.

Selena nods. They stop on the stairs. Jim slips off his

backpack and sits, pulling a face as he does so...

SELENA

What's up?

JIM

Nothing.

She gives him a cut-the-crap expression.

JIM

I've got a headache.

SELENA

Bad?

JIM

Pretty bad.

SELENA

Why didn't you say something

before?

JIM

Because I didn't think you'd give a

shit.

A moment, where it's unclear how Selena will react to this.

Then she slips off her own backpack.

SELENA

(going through the bag)

You've got no fat on you, and all

you've had to eat is sugar. So

you're crashing. Unfortunately,

there isn't a lot we can do about

that...

25.

Selena starts to produce a wide selection of pills, looted

from a chemist.

SELENA

...except pump you full

painkillers, and give you more

sugar to eat.

She holds up a bottle of codeine tablets, and passes it to

Jim.

SELENA

As for the sugar: Lilt or Tango?

JIM

(CHEWING CODEINE)

...Do you have Sprite?

SELENA

Actually, I did have a can of

Sprite, but...

Suddenly there is a loud scream, coming from somewhere lower

down the building. Jim and Selena both make a grab for their

weapons.

JIM

Jesus!

SELENA

Quiet.

The scream comes again. The noise is chilling, echoing up the

empty stairwell.

But there is something strange about it. The noise is human,

but oddly autistic. It is held for slightly too long, and

stops abruptly.

SELENA

That's an infected.

Then, the sound of metal scraping, clattering the blockade.

SELENA

They're in.

INT. SHOPPING TROLLEY BLOCKADE - NIGHT

Two Infected, a Young Asian Guy and a Young White Guy, moving

with amazing speed over the blockade.

26.

INT. STAIRS - NIGHT

Jim and Selena sprint up the stairs. Behind them, we can hear

the Infected, giving chase, howling.

They pass level eight, nine, ten...

Jim is exhausted.

SELENA

Come on!

JIM

(out of breath, barely

able to speak)

I can't.

Selena continues, and Jim looks over the edge of the

stairwell, to the landing below...

...where the two Infected appear, tearing around the corner.

INT. STAIRWELL - NIGHT

Selena sprints up the stairs... and Jim sprints past her, in

an amazing burst of energy and speed.

They round another bend in the stairwell...

...then both Jim and Selena scream. Standing directly in

front of them is a Man In Riot Cop Gear - helmet with full

visor, gloves, a riot shield in one hand, and a length of

lead pipe in the other.

The Man lunges past both of them, barging past, where the

Infected White Man has appeared at the stairwell.

The Riot Gear Man swings his lead pipe and connects viciously

with the White Man's head. The White Man falls backwards

against the Asian Man. Both fall back down the stairs.

The Riot Gear Man turns back to Jim and Selena.

MAN

Down the corridor! Flat 157!

Jim and Selena are stunned, but start to run down the

corridor.

The Asian Man is coming back up the stairs. Jim looks back

over his shoulder in time to see the Riot Gear Man deliver a

massive blow to the Asian Man's head.

27.

INT. CORRIDOR - NIGHT

Jim and Selena run towards Flat 157. The door is open, but as

they approach, it suddenly slams shut.

JIM AND SELENA

(hammering on the door)

Let us in!

GIRL (O.S.)

Who is it?

SELENA

Let us in!

The door opens a fraction, on the chain. The face of a girl

appears. She is fourteen, pale, solemn-faced.

GIRL

Where's Dad?

Jim looks back down the corridor.

At the far end, the Man appears. He is holding the limp body

of one of the Infected - and he tips it over the balcony,

where it drops down the middle of the stairwell.

MAN

(CALLS BACK)

It's okay, Hannah. Let them inside.

The door closes, we hear the chain being slipped off, then it

opens again.

INT. FLAT - NIGHT

Jim and Selena enter past the pale-faced girl. The flat is

council, three-bed, sixteenth floor of the block. It has

patterned wallpaper, and nice but boring furnishings. It is

lit by candles.

The entrance hall leads straight to the living room, which

has French windows and a small balcony outside.

On one wall, a framed photograph hangs, which shows the Man

standing beside a black taxi cab. Next to him is a middle

aged woman - presumably the Man's wife. Hannah sits at the

cab's steering wheel, beaming.

Another photo, beside, show Hannah sat in the seat of a go-

kart.

The Man follows Jim and Selena inside.

28.

MAN

Come in, come in.

They follow the Man through to the living room, and Hannah

recloses the front door, which has an impressive arrangement

of locks and dead-bolts.

INT. FLAT - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

In the living room, the fairy lights hang in the window,

powered by a car battery. Lit by their glow, the Man goes

through a careful ritual of shedding his gear, helped by

Hannah.

First, he lays down the riot shield. Then he puts the

bloodsmeared lead pipe on a small white towel. Next, he

removes his gloves - and places them beside the bar on the

towel. Then he folds the towel over the weapon and gloves,

and puts it beside the riot shield. Finally he removes the

visored helmet.

Jim and Selena watch him. They look pretty rattled, not

really knowing what to expect.

After the Man has finished shedding his gear, he turns.

MAN

So... I'm Frank, anyway.

He extends his hand to Jim and Selena. Jim hesitates very

briefly, then shakes it.

JIM

I'm Jim.

SELENA

Selena.

Frank beams, and suddenly he seems much less frightening and

imposing. If anything, he is just as nervous as Jim and

Selena.

FRANK

Jim and Selena. Good to meet you.

And this is my daughter, Hannah.

(turning to Hannah)

...Come on, sweetheart. Say hello.

Hannah takes a step into the room, but says nothing.

FRANK

So... so this is great. Just great.

It calls for a celebration.

29.

I'd say. Why don't you all sit

down, and... Hannah, what have we

got to offer?

HANNAH

(QUIETLY)

We've got Mum's creme de menthe.

An awkward beat.

FRANK

Yes, her creme de menthe. Great.

Look, sit, please. Get comfortable.

Sit tight while I get it.

Frank exits. Selena, Jim and Hannah all stand, until Selena

gestures at the sofa.

SELENA

Shall we?

Jim and Selena take the sofa. Hannah stays standing.

FRANK (O.S.)

Where are the bloody glasses?

HANNAH

Middle cupboard.

FRANK (O.S.)

No! The good ones! This is a

celebration!

HANNAH

Top cupboard.

Another short, uncomfortable pause. Hannah looks at Jim and

Selena from her position near the doorway. Her expression is

blank and unreadable.

JIM

This is your place, then.

Hannah nods.

JIM

It's nice.

Hannah nods again.

Frank re-enters. Frank is beaming, holding the creme de

menthe, and four wine glasses.

30.

FRANK

There! I know it isn't much but...

well, cheers!

EXT. TOWER BLOCK - NIGHT

The moon shines above the tower block.

INT. FLAT - NIGHT

Jim, Selena and Hannah all sit in the living room, sipping

creme de menthe. Frank is disconnecting the fairy lights as

he talks, and pulling the curtains closed, rather

systematically checking for cracks along the edges.

FRANK

Normally we keep the windows

covered at night, because the light

attracts them. But when we saw your

petrol station fire, we knew it had

to be survivors... So we hooked up

the Christmas tree lights. Like a

beacon.

Finished with the sofa, he sits on the armchair.

SELENA

We're grateful.

FRANK

Well, we're grateful you came. I

was starting to really worry. Like

I say, we haven't seen any sign of

anyone normal for a while now.

JIM

There aren't any others in the

building?

Frank shakes his head.

SELENA

And you haven't seen any people

outside?

Frank's eyes flick to Hannah.

FRANK

We haven't left the block for more

than two weeks. Stayed right here.

Only sensible thing to do. Everyone

who went out...

31.

SELENA

Didn't come back.

FRANK

And there's two hundred flats here.

Most of them have a few cans of

food, or cereal, or something.

SELENA

It's a good set-up.

FRANK

It isn't bad.

He puts a hand on Hannah's shoulder, and gives it a squeeze.

FRANK

We've got by, haven't we?

INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT

Jim is in the bathroom, inspecting himself in the mirror. He

is just finishing shaving his beard off, and has had to use

the razor dry. He has cut himself several times.

Jim does a couple of last dry strokes with the razor, and

winces as he cuts himself again. He uses spit to wipe away

the blood.

Then, from outside, Frank speaks.

FRANK (O.S.)

You okay in there, Jim?

JIM

Yes. Fine.

FRANK (O.S.)

Sorry we couldn't spare the water

but... it's the same with the

toilet. The, er, flush doesn't

work. I'm afraid you have to use

the bucket.

Jim opens the door.

FRANK

Have to empty it each morning. We

just chuck it over the balcony...

No mod cons here.

JIM

It's fine.

32.

FRANK

...Well, look, it's pretty late.

I'm going to turn in. We've got a

spare room. Are you and Selena...?

JIM

I'll take the living room.

FRANK

Oh, right. I mean, yes... So, good

night then, anyway.

JIM

Good night, Frank.

Frank smiles, and heads to his bedroom.

INT. FLAT - NIGHT

Jim feels his way down the dark corridor back to the

candlelit living room. Selena is standing by the window. She

looks around when Jim enters.

SELENA

Very spruce.

JIM

Very shredded.

SELENA

Uh-huh.

Jim sits on the armchair, and Selena moves to look at a

picture on the wall - the photo of Frank's family and the

black cab.

JIM

So what do you make of them?

SELENA

They're desperate. Probably need us

more than we need them.

JIM

...I think they're good people.

SELENA

Good people?

JIM

Yeah.

33.

SELENA

Well, that's nice. But you should

be more concerned about whether

they're going to slow you down.

JIM

Right. Because if they slowed you

down...

SELENA

I'd leave them behind.

JIM

In a heartbeat.

SELENA

Yeah.

JIM

I wouldn't.

SELENA

Then you're going to wind up

getting yourself killed.

A moment. Then Selena stands.

SELENA

I'm going to get some sleep.

JIM

Selena - you think I don't get it.

But I do get it. And I know I'd be

dead already if I hadn't met you.

Selena hesitates at the door - then turns.

SELENA

Sure.

JIM

No, look - I mean thank you.

SELENA

And I mean sure. Good night, Jim.

She exits, leaving Jim alone.

JIM

Good night.

Jim walks around the room, blowing out the candles. He leaves

one burning beside the sofa.

34.

Then he slides open the French doors and exits out onto the

balcony.

EXT. BALCONY - NIGHT

The city is spread out in front Jim. In the distance, to the

north, the petrol station still burns, sending billowing

clouds of sparks high into the night sky.

INT. FLAT - EARLY MORNING

Jim sits on the armchair, facing the window, nursing a can of

Lilt. Outside, the sky has just started to brighten with

first light.

Frank enters.

FRANK

Morning, Jim.

JIM

Morning.

FRANK

Listen, have you got a minute?

EXT. TOWER BLOCK ROOF - EARLY MORNING

Frank and Jim appear from a service door. The view over

London is spectacular - low clouds catching the sunrise, and

a plume of smoke still drifting up from the petrol station

blaze. But more noticeable is that the entire roof area is

covered in buckets, pans, bowls, plates...

FRANK

We lost water pressure three weeks

ago. For a while, I thought we'd be

okay with the water in the other

flats. The cistern and tanks. But

it vanishes so quick you wouldn't

believe. You drink it, it

evaporates, turns stagnant...

JIM

(looking at the pans)

They're all empty...

FRANK

It hasn't rained in over a week.

Frank sits, watching Jim.

35.

FRANK

You can set up a plastic sheet to

catch dew and condensation. Trap it

somehow. I saw it on TV once and

I've been experimenting, but I

can't get it to work, and... you

don't happen to...

Jim shakes his head.

FRANK

You'd never think it. Needing rain

so badly... Not in fucking

England...

(he breaks off)

Jim, we don't have enough water for

and Selena.

A moment.

JIM

Right.

FRANK

No. It's not what you think.

INT. FLAT - DAY

Jim, Selena, Frank and Hannah all sit in the living room.

Frank is on the armchair. On the coffee table in front of him

is a small radio. He turns it on - producing a fuzz of radio

static.

SELENA

There haven't been any broadcasts

for weeks.

FRANK

(INTERRUPTING)

Just listen.

They listen. Through the static, the sound of a voice begins

to sift through.

MALE VOICE (V.O.)

The answer to infection is here...

if you can hear this, you're not

alone... there are others like

you... other survivors... we are

soldiers, we are armed and we can

protect you...

The Male Voice fades into the static.

36.

SELENA

(AMAZED)

Soldiers.

FRANK

There's more. Listen.

MALE VOICE (V.O.)

Our location is the forty-second

blockade, M602, twenty-seven miles

north-east of Manchester... you

must find us...

FRANK

Then it just repeats.

JIM

It's a recording?

Frank switches the radio off, and produces a map of Britain,

which he opens on the table.

FRANK

It's a recording. But this is where

it's telling us to go.

Frank points to the location described.

JIM

The North...

FRANK

The way things are, we might need

two or three days to get up there.

SELENA

We.

A moment. Then Frank gives a short, embarrassed laugh.

FRANK

Sound carries in this flat. Jerry-

built, I suppose, and... me and

Hannah do need you more than you

need us.

SELENA

I wasn't -

FRANK

It's okay. Look, it's the truth. I

can't leave the block if it's just

the two of us.

37.

If something happened to me, Hannah

would be alone. But if we were with

other people...

He lets the sentence hang, gazing at Jim and Selena with

undisguised hope.

SELENA

If it's a recording, for all we

know the soldiers who made it are

dead.

FRANK

Yes. It's possible.

SELENA

And that stuff about the answer to

infection. There is no answer to

infection. It's already done pretty

much all the damage it can.

JIM

Maybe they've got a cure.

SELENA

Maybe they've got nothing at all.

FRANK

The only way to find out is to

reach them.

SELENA

We could die trying.

HANNAH

Or die here.

Hannah speaks so rarely that her interjection seems to take

everyone by surprise. Including her. For a moment she looks

flustered, but then she continues.

HANNAH

And anyway, it isn't true what Dad

said. You need us just the same as

we need you. We need each other.

And we'll never be safe in the

cities, and soldiers could keep us

safe.

She pauses for a breath.

HANNAH

So we have to try and get there.

38.

A beat.

JIM

Get there how?

CUT TO:

EXT. TOWER BLOCK - DAY

A black London cab drives fast out of the tower block's

underground garage, bursting into the daylight.

INT. CAB - DAY

Hannah and Selena sit on the back seat, and Jim sits on the

fold-down. Frank smiles, starts the meter running, and leans

around to his passengers.

FRANK

Just so as you know. I don't take

cheques or credit cards.

EXT. CAB - DAY

Frank drives through the destroyed streets of the capital.

They pass a stray Infected, through the smashed window of a

shop. It's head flicks around at the noise of the cab's

engine, and starts to move, but the cab is moving too fast to

catch.

EXT. CAB/TUNNEL ENTRANCE - SOUTH - DAY

The cab pulls up at the entrance of a tunnel that leads under

the river Thames.

FRANK

What do you think?

SELENA

It's the most direct route to the

other side of the river.

JIM

Then we should go the indirect

route. The one in broad daylight.

That isn't underground.

FRANK

Let's just get it done.

39.

Frank floors the accelerator and they head into the tunnel.

INT. CAB - DAY

Frank drives through the tunnel. Wrecked cars and debris are

illuminated in the headlights, and Frank weaves expertly

between them. His passengers roll with the movement of the

cab.

JIM

I knew this was a shit idea. You

know why? Because it was really

obviously a shit idea. Driving into

a dark tunnel, full of smashed cars

and broken glass is really fucking

obviously a shit idea.

As Jim speaks, out of the gloom, caught in the headlights, a

huge pile of cars appears, stretching across the full width

of the tunnel.

Frank slams his foot down on the accelerator.

JIM

Oh no.

EXT. CAB - DAY

The cab bumps up onto the barricade and drives over.

INT. CAB - DAY

The cab bumps down the other side of the barricade, with a

cheer from the passengers - but the jubilation only lasts a

moment, because the cab his the road hard, on to a carpet of

broken glass, and the front left tire blows.

FRANK

HOLD ON!

Frank saws the wheel, but loses control. The cab scrapes

along the side of an abandoned car, then slews to a halt.

Frank tries accelerating again, but the cab immediately pulls

left, back into the car.

FRANK

Fuck.

Frank jumps out of the cab, and shines his flashlight around

the tunnel.

40.

JIM

The world's worst place to get a

flat.

FRANK

Agreed. I think we'd better do this

quick.

INT. TUNNEL - DAY

Frank opens the boot and puts the jack into Hannah's hand.

FRANK

You know what to do.

Hannah immediately runs to the front of the cab and hunches

down. Meanwhile, Frank unclips the spare and hauls it out.

Jim and Selena stand at the back of the cab, weapons ready,

shining their flashlights into the darkness.

At the front of the cab, Hannah pumps the jack, but it is

moving with aching slowness.

At the back of the cab, Jim and Selena wait nervously.

There is a noise from further down the tunnel, in the

direction which they came. A scrabbling rush of movement -

but too quiet to be humans.

Jim and Selena exchange a glance.

JIM

...You heard that?

FRANK

(from the front of the

CAB)

Heard what?

Jim is about to answer. Then is eyes widen. He looks down...

JIM

Holy shit.

A tide of rats is rushing under their feet.

FRANK

(as the rats rush around

THEM)

What the fuck?

41.

SELENA

They're running from the infected.

As if in answer, the howls of the Infected echo down the

tunnel.

Hannah desperately positions the jack underneath the cab, as

the rates run over her face.

FRANK

Hannah, get out, get out!

(to Jim and Selena)

Just lift it! LIFT IT!

Jim, Selena, and Frank get their hands under the side of the

cab, and pull upwards. The cab rises.

Hannah, with great skill and speed, fits the new tire, like a

pit-stop mechanic at a grand prix.

SELENA

(straining with the

WEIGHT)

Come on!

HANNAH

Almost there!

As Hannah puts an expert twist on the last wheel nut, the

cab's back lights pick up the faces of the Infected spilling

over the barricade.

FRANK

(SHOUTING)

Go! Go!

They lunge back into the cab, just as the nearest Infected

slams against the back window.

As the cab races off, Jim leans out the window.

JIM

(at the Infected)

Fuck you!

Frank slams his foot down, and they tear off.

EXT. TUNNEL EXIT - NORTH - DAY

The cab races out.

42.

FRANK

Honey, you're a cab driver's

daughter.

EXT. CAB - DAY

The cab drives through London, the meter steadily clocking

upwards. Driving, Frank's eyes flick down to the fuel gauge.

It is under a quarter full.

Green shoots are pushing through the cracks in the pavements

and road, as nature begins to reclaim the city.

INT. CAB - DAY

A high street. Suddenly Selena cranes around, seeing

something.

SELENA

Whoa! Stop the cab! Stop the cab!

EXT. CAB - DAY

They have stopped outside of a supermarket. The windows are

dark, but unbroken, and it looks as if there is still food on

the shelves.

SELENA

Un. Believable.

She opens the door to the cab, holding her machete.

JIM

You're getting out?

SELENA

This place hasn't been looted. It's

a gold mine.

HANNAH

But we don't know what's in there.

SELENA

Food and drink is what's in there.

And we need it.

Selena gets out.

JIM

Wait!

43.

SELENA

I've been living off Mars Bars and

Coke for two weeks. I need some

tinned fruit.

EXT. STREET - DAY

Selena tries the door of the supermarket. It swings open.

INT. SUPERMARKET - DAY

They enter silently. All carry their weapons at the ready.

They peer down the aisles. The supermarket is empty.

SELENA

Let's shop.

INT. SUPERMARKET - DAY

Jim, Selena, Frank, and Hannah all split off with shopping

trolleys. They look like kids in a toy store.

CUT TO:

Selena taking cans off the shelves, three at a time, going

down the aisle.

SELENA

I'll have you, you, you, you...

CUT TO:

Jim taking more stuff off shelves.

Selena appears at the top of the aisle.

SELENA

Don't take anything we need to

cook.

Jim looks at the item in his hand. It is caviar.

JIM

It's okay. I think you can eat this

stuff raw.

CUT TO:

44.

Frank, standing by the fruit and vegetable section, in front

of a bank of rotting apples - marked ORGANIC. Beside is a

pile of apples that look fine.

FRANK

Mmm. Irradiated.

CUT TO:

Selena finding Hannah by a huge array of chocolate.

SELENA

Ugh. If I never see chocolate

again, it'll be too soon.

A beat, as something catches her eye. She whips it off the

shelf.

SELENA

Not counting Terry's Chocolate

Orange, of course.

HANNAH

(taking a handful of

YORKIE BARS)

Or Yorkies.

SELENA

Or Yorkies, obviously.

CUT TO:

Jim by the drinks counter, examining the label on a bottle of

whisky, as Frank appears behind him.

FRANK

Put that back. We can't just take

any crap.

JIM

It isn't any crap. It's whisky. It

might be good to have.

FRANK

Who's arguing about whisky? I'm

saying, don't get a cheap blend.

Frank takes a bottle of Lagavulin.

FRANK

Single malt. Eighteen-year-old.

Dark, full flavor.

Jim starts to back his trolley away.

45.

FRANK

Warm, but not aggressive. Peaty

after taste.

CUT TO:

Jim, Selena, Frank, and Hannah shopping, pushing their full

trolleys past the empty checkout desks. As Frank passes the

till, he slaps down a credit card, and they walk off.

EXT. STREET - DAY

The fully loaded cab drives away from the supermarket, riding

low on the suspension.

INT. CAB - DAY

The cab reaches the on-ramp to the Westway, and stops.

SELENA

We could have a problem here.

EXT. WESTWAY - DAY

The cab sits at the back of an apparent traffic jam leading

onto the Westway.

Both sides of the dual carriageway are jam-packed with

abandoned cars, a deserted gridlock. All cars point in the

same direction - out of town. Some of the cars are crashed,

riding up on each other, rolled over, burned out.

As the camera rises upwards, we can see that the gridlock

snakes along the entire distance of the flyover. Like the

destroyed vehicles on the road to Basra, it stretches for

miles...

INT. CAB - DAY

JIM

Jesus Christ. We're never going to

be able to get out of London.

FRANK

Don't you worry about that. I've

sat twenty years in this seat. I've

got my routes.

CUT TO:

46.

EXT. CAB - DAY

Montage of the cab sweeping through suburban London, cutting

down side streets, ducking down alleys, sometimes passing

under the Westway flyover.

During the montage, we see scenes of devastation.

Jim gazes out of the window as the cab passes a huge cluster

of rotting corpses, collected under and in the scoop of an

abandoned bulldozer. The dead operator of the bulldozer lies

a few feet away from his cabin.

The montage ends on: the cab bumping down a steep grass verge

onto the motorway.

JIM (O.S.)

Nice cut-through.

EXT. MOTORWAY - DAY

The cab drives down the motorway. There are still vehicles

scattered crashed, but fewer and fewer as distance is gained

on the city.

INT. CAB - DAY

ON THE DASHBOARD, the needle on the fuel gauge drifts down to

the red.

INT. CAB - DAY

A truck lay-by approaches, with a shabby shack-style cafe.

A sign outside the cafe reads: CHEESEBURGERS'R'US. And

beneath: LAST CHEESEBURGERS FOR SIXTY MILES.

In the forecourt are a couple of vehicles. A people-carrier

family car, and a truck, slewed off the road.

Frank slows the cab to a halt, some hundred meters away.

FRANK

Okay. We either do this now, or

we're walking.

47.

EXT. CAB - DAY

Everyone exits the cab. Selena takes a jerry can and a length

of plastic tube from the boot, and Frank gives the ignition

keys to Hannah.

FRANK

If anything goes wrong, you just

drive. You put your foot down. And

go as far as you can.

No response from Hannah.

FRANK

You hear me, Hannah?

HANNAH

Yes, Dad.

Frank, Jim, and Selena begin to walk towards the service

station, holding their weapons at the ready.

EXT. LAY-BY - DAY

Cautiously, Frank, Jim and Selena approach the truck. There

is no sign of life around.

SELENA

Stay close, Jim.

JIM

...What?

SELENA

You heard.

EXT. TRUCK - DAY

While Jim and Selena stand guard, Frank works quickly. He

prises the fuel cap off, inserts the tube, sucks into the

tube, and spits as the diesel begins to flow into the jerry

can.

INT. CAB - DAY

Hannah watches from the driver's seat. She has her hands on

the wheel, and is sliding her hands over the plastic, making

a series of imaginary turns, shifting gears...

48.

EXT. TRUCK - DAY

As they wait for the can to fill, Jim tosses his bat into the

air, giving it a single flip, catching it as the handle comes

back around...being a bit flash.

Selena notices, and does not look impressed.

Almost in response to her nonplussed gaze, Jim begins to walk

towards the cafe.

SELENA

Where are you going?

Jim points his bat in the direction of the cafe.

SELENA

We've got enough food.

JIM

We don't have any cheeseburgers.

(TO HIMSELF)

"Stay close." It's like going on

holiday with your fucking aunt.

INT. CAFE - DAY

Jim walks inside the cafe, and finds the aftermath of

carnage. Decomposed bodies lie scattered, on and under

tables: a couple of men, a female cook, and a young family.

Jim walks towards the family.

The father sits wedged between the seats and the table, which

are both bolted to the floor. His neck is snapped, head

hanging backwards.

The mother lies a couple of feet away, on the floor, half

over an infant, as if in a final protective gesture.

Jim looks down at them.

Then there is a noise behind.

Instinctively Jim snaps around, swinging the bat as he does

so - and connects against a small body, which flies

backwards.

Only then do we - and Jim - see what he has hit. Crumpled,

motionless on the ground is an Infected Kid, an eight year

old boy.

A moment. Jim looks stunned, appalled.

49.

Then the Infected Kid's eyes flick open. Still alive.

Jim's baseball bat swings down.

EXT. TRUCK - DAY

The can is full. Frank removes the tube.

Jim appears.

SELENA

Find anything.

Jim says nothing.

SELENA

Find anything, Jim?

JIM

No.

Selena lets it pass - and the moment is broken as Frank

stands with the can.

FRANK

Okay. We're done.

He lifts a hand to Hannah.

INT. CAB - DAY

Hannah smiles, turns the ignition, and throws the cab into

gear.

EXT. FORECOURT - DAY

The cab tears towards Jim, Selena and Frank, then - at the

last moment - flips into a handbrake turn, and drifts to a

neat stop, a couple of meters from them.

HANNAH

(leaning out of the

WINDOW)

I am a cab driver's daughter.

FRANK

You're Ayrton Senna's bloody

daughter.

50.

INT. CAB - DAY

The cab drives down the motorway, fuel needle pressed up

against the full mark. The meter runs up a tab of over three

hundred pounds...

EXT. CAB - DAY

They pass a sign for MANCHESTER - 130 MILES.

INT. CAB - DAY

The occupants have settled into the reflective silence of a

long drive.

Selena seems lost in thought. She looks at Jim, who has his

hand stuck out the window, and is using his hand like an

aerofoil, catching the wind, dipping and rising.

Then she looks at Frank, and notices...

...Frank glance in the rear-view mirror at Hannah, who

catches her dad's eye. Frank smiles, and gives her a wink.

EXT. CAB - DAY

The cab drives along A-roads.

INT. CAB - LATE AFTERNOON

Jim is looking through some of the bags of food.

JIM

Who's unbelievably hungry?

ALL

Me.

Jim looks out of the window. They are in completely empty,

rolling countryside, stretching for miles.

JIM

Let's have a picnic.

EXT. PICNIC SPOT - LATE AFTERNOON

They have stopped in a beautiful spot, quite high, clear

view. It is a beautiful day. The late afternoon sunshine is

bright over the green fields, trees cast long shadows.

51.

Everyone is happily sat on the grass, eating from their

hoard.

Jim has pulled open a packet of stale hot-cross bun; Hannah

empties a packet of Maltesers into her mouth; Frank holds a

block of cheddar, taking bites from the cheese as if it were

cake ; Selena drinks from a can of tinned peaches, swallowing

the pieces almost whole, with the juice running down her

chin.

SELENA

Oh my God, yes. I can taste the

vitamin C. I can feel it in my

blood.

JIM

(cracking a bun in half)

These are great. They're like huge

biscuits.

He offers half to Hannah, who takes a bite.

HANNAH

It's true. They are like biscuits.

JIM

(COMPLETELY

unintelligible, mouth

full, spraying crumbs)

An de phraisins ar phrill moipht.

Hannah and Selena laugh.

HANNAH

(TO JIM)

What did you say?

JIM

(SWALLOWING)

I said, the raisins are still

moist.

Selena and Hannah laugh again.

FRANK

Hey.

Everyone turns.

FRANK

Look over there.

52.

Some distance away, in the fields below, a group of three

horses - two adults and a foal - are galloping over the

fields as if wild. A majestic and surreal sight, and it

somehow implies the way the world will change.

HANNAH

Do you think they're infected?

FRANK

No. I think they're doing just

fine.

EXT. FIELDS - LATE AFTERNOON

The horses gallop, leaping a stone wall, and away.

EXT. PICNIC SPOT - SUNSET

The meal has been eaten. Frank sits, playing with his radio,

trying to listen to the faint broadcast. Beside him, Hannah

lies on her back, eyes closed.

EXT. FENCE GATE - SUNSET

Jim and Selena have walked a little distance away from the

others, and are sitting on a fence gate, looking over the

view.

JIM

You know what I was thinking?

Selena considers this a moment.

SELENA

You were thinking that you'll never

hear another piece of original

music ever again. You'll never read

a book that isn't already written.

Or see a film that isn't already

shot.

Jim smiles.

JIM

That's what you were thinking.

SELENA

No... I was thinking I was wrong.

JIM

About what?

53.

Selena doesn't reply for a moment. Then she turns to look at

Frank and Hannah - who look oddly normal, surrounded by the

food wrappers from the picnic, Frank listening to the radio.

SELENA

All the death, all the shit - it

doesn't really mean anything for

Frank and Hannah. Because she's got

her dad, and he's got his daughter,

so... it's okay.

A beat.

SELENA

(looking back at Jim)

I was wrong when I told you that

staying alive is as good as it

gets.

JIM

(SMILES)

That's what I was thinking.

SELENA

...Was it?

JIM

Uh-huh. You stole my thought.

Selena leans over and gives Jim a light kiss on the cheek.

SELENA

(smiling back at Jim)

Sorry.

JIM

(slightly surprised, but

PLEASED)

Ah, keep it.

EXT. PICNIC SPOT - SUNSET

Frank switches off the radio. He looks over at Hannah, who is

dozing peacefully, then over to Jim and Selena.

FRANK

(CALLING)

It's getting late. We should stay

here the night.

Jim raises a hand in reply.

54.

EXT. CAB/PICNIC SPOT - NIGHT

The cab sits, parked up at the picnic spot. Jim, Selena,

Frank and Hannah lie beside it, wrapped in their jackets,

using their small backpacks as pillows.

The moon is bright, and only Selena is asleep...

HANNAH

Can't sleep.

JIM

Nor can I. It doesn't feel safe,

outdoors like this.

FRANK

I think we're safe enough.

A couple of moments pass.

HANNAH

...Selena didn't seem to have any

trouble.

JIM

I know. I noticed that too.

(reaching over and shaking

SELENA'S SHOULDER)

Selena...Selena!

SELENA

(EXTREMELY DROWSY)

What... what is it...

JIM

How did you manage to get to sleep?

Selena gives a dozy grumble, then sits up, reaches into her

backpack, and pulls out several bottles of pills. She hands

one of them to Jim.

FRANK

Bloody hell. You must have needed a

hell of a prescription for that

lot.

SELENA

(DROWSY)

I didn't need a prescription. I'm a

qualified chemist.

She drops back down and goes straight back to sleep.

55.

JIM

(inspecting the bottle)

Valium. Great. Not only will it get

us to sleep, but if we get attacked

during the night, we won't even

care.

(pops the lid)

Two each?

FRANK

Not for me, thanks.

JIM

(INDICATING HANNAH)

What about...?

HANNAH

Can I, Dad?

FRANK

(DOUBTFUL)

I don't know, honey.

HANNAH

Da-ad, plee-ease. I can't sleep.

FRANK

All right, all right. Give her half

of one.

FADE TO:

JIM'S VALIUM DREAM

Jim is riding his bike through the city. It's London back to

normal, pre-infection. Busy streets, traffic, pedestrians,

car horns, radios playing.

Jim rides fast, his courier bag over his shoulder, weaving

between cars, shooting a red light, turning a corner into...

Gower Street. Suddenly, a car pulls out into Jim's path. The

car brakes hard, and Jim brakes hard, skidding...

...and the two miss each other by a whisker.

The Driver flashes into road rage.

THE DRIVER

You stupid cunt!

JIM

Fuck you!

56.

The Driver flips Jim the finger, and accelerates away.

Jim remains stopped by the pavement, one foot down for

balance, breathing hard. Pedestrians pass. Groups of people,

everyday people, walking by.

Jim watches them, noticing their faces. Some talk to each

other, or into mobile phones. Some smile, or walk lost in

thought.

After a few moments, Jim sets off again, seemingly

distracted, still watching pedestrians' faces...then two of

the faces seem to catch his attention. A man and a woman,

middle-aged, chatting.

His parents.

Jim's head turns as he passes them, confusion on his face,

his bike drifting into another lane...

...into the path of a second car. The car that hit him.

CUT TO:

EXT. CAB/PICNIC SPOT - NIGHT

FRANK

(QUIETLY)

Hey.

Frank's hand is on Jim's shoulder. Jim stirs, half-wakes.

JIM

(confused, semi-conscious)

What...

Frank is sitting beside him - and we see for the first time

that Frank is awake, keeping guard over them while they

sleep.

FRANK

Shh. You're having a bad dream,

that's all.

Jim's face relaxes a little.

JIM

(mumbled, half-asleep

ALREADY)

Okay, Dad.

Frank raises his eyebrows, then smiles.

57.

EXT. CAB/PICNIC SPOT - EARLY MORNING

Jim is sitting up. The others are all awake. Frank bouncing

the repaired flat tire to check it, Hannah slipping on a

fresh sweatshirt from her backpack, Selena leaning against

the cab, chewing on a chocolate bar.

JIM

Here you go, Frank. This is how you

catch dew. I'm covered in the

fucking stuff.

FRANK

(packing the spare away)

Okay. Let's get rolling.

(he checks his watch)

If we make good time, we'll be

there before midday.

EXT. MOTORWAY - DAY

The cab is driving, towards us, then slows to a halt.

INT. CAB - DAY

Everyone is looking at something ahead of them. They seem

awestruck.

JIM

Bloody hell...

FRANK

It must be Manchester.

JIM

But, the whole of Manchester. The

whole city...

SELENA

No fire crews to put it out.

We see what they are looking at...

EXT. CAB - DAY

On the horizon ahead, there is the glow of a truly massive

fire. The smoke spreads into the sky like the plume from a

vast, spreading volcano crater. The city burning.

58.

INT. CAB - DAY

The cab drives towards the surreal sight. As they drive, pale

flakes begin to fall, drifting past the windows.

JIM

It can't be...

HANNAH

Is it snow?

FRANK

(hitting the windscreen

WIPERS)

It's ash.

EXT. CAB - DAY - ASH FALL

The cab drives through the ash fall. Through the soft

blizzard, they pass a sign for: MANCHESTER - 14 MILES (in the

opposite lane). The city is behind them.

EXT. MOTORWAY - DAY - ASH FALL

The cab drives down a motorway. The ash is still falling, and

they start to pass bodies by the roadside.

INT. CAB - DAY - ASH FALL

Inside the cab there is a sense of real anticipation.

Everyone is sitting up, scanning the road ahead.

Then they come over the brow of a hill, and the ash-fall

clears like mist parting, to reveal...

FRANK

Okay, everyone. I think this is it.

EXT. MOTORWAY - DAY

Fifty meters down, the road is blockaded. It is obviously a

military construction - hurriedly put together, but expertly

built.

Behind rolls of razor wire are fifteen foot sheets of

corrugated iron, held upright by scaffold pipes. In the

middle of the blockade there is a gap wide enough to get a

vehicle through, but concrete blocks force a chicane.

59.

On either side of the road there are sandbag nests. On the

corrugated iron, white painted words read: 42ND BLOCKADE. But

despite the impressive construction, there is no sign of

movement or life.

INT. CAB - DAY

JIM

Try the horn.

SELENA

Don't. We might attract the wrong

kind of attention.

EXT. 42ND BLOCKADE - DAY

The cab rolls slowly towards the blockade - past many more

bodies, Infected, rotting.

It reaches the chicane, and eases around the concrete blocks.

Then it passes through the gap in the corrugated barrier. On

the other side of the blockade, canvas tents have been

erected on the grass verge, and two transporter trucks are

parked. A few packing crates and tarpaulins are also

scattered around. But still no signs of life. The blockade

appears to have been abandoned.

Franks slows to a halt, but keeps the engine running.

INT. CAB - DAY

FRANK

What do you think?

JIM

It looks deserted.

SELENA

Or overrun.

Frank flicks the radio on - there is only static. He switches

it off again.

FRANK

Let's check it out.

60.

EXT. 42ND BLOCKADE - DAY

Everyone exits the cab, holding their various weapons. Jim

has his baseball bat, Selena has her machete, and Frank has

his lead pipe...

Cautiously, they begin to explore. They first head over to

the grass verge and the tents. In front of one of them,

Hannah picks up a Bergen backpack. She upends it, and a few

clothes fall out.

Frank moves past her, and carefully pulls back the tent flaps

- machete at the ready. Inside, there is a small table, and

maps and papers are strewn across the floor. And a radio.

HANNAH

I don't understand. Did they leave?

Jim pushes open the flaps of another tent with his baseball

bat.

JIM

They didn't all leave.

Inside, several body bags lie, buzzing with flies.

Selena stands several feet away, by one of the packing cases.

She pulls out a tangle of camouflage webbing, then lets it

drop back inside.

SELENA

I don't like this. I think we

should go.

FRANK

(SUDDENLY SNAPPING)

No!

(COMPOSES HIMSELF)

The vehicles. We should check the

vehicles first. There has to be

something...

EXT. VEHICLES - DAY

Frank jumps down from the back of one of the trucks. Like the

others, like everything else it is empty.

FRANK

Nothing. Nothing here. I can't

believe it.

SELENA

Frank.

61.

FRANK

"We should go."

SELENA

Yes.

FRANK

(EXPLODING)

Go fucking where? What the fuck are

we supposed to do? How is this

going to fucking end? It's never

going to -

Frank cuts himself off. Then, turning from the others, he

walks away.

EXT. BLOCKADE - DAY

Frank walks underneath the archway of one of the blockade

structures, and sits down. Needing to be alone.

His head sinks, staring at the ground beneath his legs. A

couple of moments later he looks up - and sees that sitting

opposite of him, on the other side of the archway, almost

mirroring his posture and position, is a dead Infected.

The corpse of the Infected sits gazing back at Frank with

sightless eyes.

A moment between the two of them. A blank-faced exchange.

Frank looks left and sees the corpse of another Infected, a

few feet beyond the blockade. And another, beyond it. And

another, a few more feet to the right.

Then Frank looks upwards. Above him, on the walkway of the

blockade, another corpse lies. And this corpse is swarmed

with crows, picking at it.

Frank gets up.

FRANK

(under his breath)

Get out it.

(SUDDENLY SHOUTING)

GET OUT OF IT!

He bends, picks up a rock and throws it, but misses, sailing

past them.

In a rage again, Frank goes under the blockade and starts to

kick it. The scaffold clangs, vibrates, and - startled - the

crows lift off from the mutilated corpse and fly...

62.

...dislodging, or disrupting, a single droplet of blood from

the corpse, that rolls off the neck, and begins to fall

downwards.

Down... to where Frank gazes upwards.

The droplet splashes, pinpoint perfect, on Frank's eye.

Frank frowns, his hand immediately going to his face. The

fingers come away, with the tiny smear of red.

HANNAH

Dad... are you okay?

Frank turns. Hannah is there, with Jim. Selena stands a

little way further back.

FRANK

I... I'm fine, honey. I'm sorry. I

just lost my temper. I...

He breaks off.

HANNAH

...What?

Frank frowns. A hand goes to his temple.

FRANK

Hannah...

Abruptly, the color is draining from his face.

FRANK

(TO HANNAH)

Get away from me.

HANNAH

...Dad?

FRANK

Get away from me!

(TO JIM)

Get her away from me!

HANNAH

(moving to Frank)

Why? What's...

Frank lashes out and shoves Hannah away, knocking her back to

the ground.

FRANK

GET AWAY FROM ME!

63.

A trickle of blood runs out of Frank's nose. Then he doubles

up, clutching the side of his head. He screams with pain.

SELENA

Jim...

(breaking into a run)

Jim, he's infected!

HANNAH

No! No!

Hannah lunges towards her dad, but is caught by Selena.

SELENA

(holding Hannah back)

Jim!

But Jim is frozen, holding his baseball bat.

Frank screams again. Then drops to his knees.

Hannah struggles with Selena, trying to get to Frank.

HANNAH

Dad!

SELENA

Jim!

Jim is still frozen, baseball bat half-raised.

SELENA

KILL HIM!

And Frank looks up, his face contorted. The infection has

taken hold.

And at that moment there is a rifle report, a rush of air,

and a rapid thump of impact.

Frank falls forwards to the tarmac.

A moment of silence.

HANNAH

...Dad?

Selena lets Hannah go.

Suddenly, the GUNFIRE comes again. Three shots in quick

succession - into Frank's motionless body.

In a daze, Hannah starts towards her dead father.

64.

CLIFTON

STAY AWAY FROM HIM!

They all turn to see three British soldiers standing by a

jeep. One of the soldiers (Farrell) advances, with his gun

still raised, while the others (Mitchell and Clifton) hold

back giving cover.

FARRELL

Get away from the man! NOW!

Jim steps towards Hannah and grabs her, pulling her away from

Frank's body. She doesn't struggle. She is in a state of

absolute shock.

SELENA

(QUIETLY)

Jesus.

EXT. ROAD - DAY

A jeep drives down a small road - away from the blockade.

Jim, Selena and Hannah sit in the back. Behind is the cab,

driven by the Sergeant. A little way ahead of them, the

walled grounds of a huge country mansion appear.

EXT. FRONT DRIVEWAY - DAY

From a cast-iron gated entrance, a gravel driveway leads up

to the impressive country mansion, surrounded by a high

perimeter wall. The grounds show acres of lawn and flower

beds. These have obviously had many years of very careful

cultivation and attention, but now are just starting to look

unkempt and overgrown.

The jeep pulls up by the front steps. Waiting there is

another soldier, a major. Like the other soldiers, he is

unshaven, but has the authority of command about him, even in

the relaxed way that he stands.

As Jim, Selena and Hannah dismount from the jeep, he

appraises them. Then speaks.

HENRY

I'm Major Henry West. Welcome.

We've got beds with clean sheets

and a boiler that produces hot

water. So you can all have a

shower. You look like you need one.

Jim, Selena, and tear-streaked Hannah gaze back at Henry

blankly.

65.

INT. SHOWER - DAY

Jim has a shower, sees the cab driving round in circles

outside the shower window, then...

INT. MANSION - DAY

Jim walks down a sweeping staircase to the front hall.

Scattered around are various bits of military gear. A pair of

muddy boots, a jacket, assorted kit, webbing, etc.

EXT. VERANDA - DAY

Henry is sitting, looking out over the back lawn.

Pulling back, we see Jim is with him.

HENRY

You heard our broadcast.

JIM

Yes.

HENRY

We must be a disappointment. You

were hoping for a full brigade. An

army base, with helicopters and

field hospitals.

JIM

We were hoping for...

HENRY

The answer to infection. Well, as I

said, it's here. Though it may not

be quite what you imagined.

JIM

I didn't know what to imagine,

so... We just feel lucky to have

found you.

HENRY

You were lucky. The fire drove

hundreds of infected out of

Manchester. The surrounding area is

teeming with them.

Henry glances back at Jim.

66.

HENRY

But there's no need for you to

worry. We're well protected here.

EXT. GARDEN - DAY

Henry shows Jim around the grounds.

HENRY

Three-sixty visibility. Flat

terrain all around the house...

Floodlights, which we've rigged up

to a generator. Don't like to waste

the fuel, but when we want to, we

can turn night into day.

Moving on...

HENRY

High perimeter wall, which helps,

and we've been lacing the grounds

with trip wires and land mines.

Henry indicates where Farrell, Smith and Davis can be seen,

running a trip wire.

HENRY

You wouldn't want to go mowing the

lawn, but if they get in, we hear

them.

INT. MANSION - LOWER LEVELS - DAY

Henry leads Jim into the basement level of the mansion.

HENRY

Secondary to protection, our real

job is to rebuild. Start again.

Down here is the wood-fired boiler

that provides us with hot water.

Our first step to civilization.

Then to a kitchen...

HENRY

And here, the kitchen.

INT. MANSION - KITCHEN - DAY

Several of the soldiers are unpacking the food bags from the

cab. One of the soldiers, Jones, is wearing an apron.

67.

HENRY

What are you cooking, Jones?

JONES

It's a surprise, sir!

EXT. MAILER'S PIT - DAY

Henry leads Jim into a small courtyard, hanging with

bloodstained laundry.

HENRY

And finally...

The laundry starts to billow - and with it we hear the sound

of rushing movement. As a darkly stained sheet is ripped

aside, an Infected is revealed only a few feet away.

Jim jumps back, but Henry stays put - as the Infected is

suddenly jerked backwards by a chain around its neck.

HENRY

...meet Mailer.

Mailer is uniformed. A soldier. Apart from the chain around

his neck, he is gagged with a filthy and blood-blackened rag

tied tight into his mouth.

HENRY

Mailer, Jim. Jim, Mailer. Got

infected three days ago. Mitchell

managed to knock him out cold. Got

a chain around his neck.

JIM

You're keeping him alive?

HENRY

The idea was to learn something

about infection. Have him teach me.

JIM

And has he?

HENRY

In a way.

(KNEELS)

He's teaching me he'll never bake

bread. Plant crops, raise

livestock. He's telling me he's

futureless. And eventually he'll

tell me how long the infected take

to starve to death.

68.

A moment.

HENRY

Dinner's at seven. Don't forget to

tell the girls.

Henry exits, leaving Jim with Mailer.

Mailer lunges at Jim - a moment between them.

Then Jim exits.

INT. GIRLS' BEDROOM - DAY

Carefully, Jim opens the door to the girls' bedroom. Inside

is Hannah lying on the bed, face covered, on her side. Selena

lies behind her, her arm lying protectively over Hannah's

body.

Selena looks around, sees Jim, and puts a finger to her lips.

INT. JIM'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

Jim and Selena enter, and close the door.

JIM

...So how is she?

SELENA

She's lost her dad. That's how she

is.

(A MOMENT)

It's all fucked, Jim.

Suddenly Selena looks as if she's on the verge of tears.

JIM

Hey, don't...do that. Look,

Hannah... Hannah's what Frank said

she was. Tough. Strong. And just

like me, just like you, she will

cope...

SELENA

Shut up, Jim. Just shut up. I don't

want her to fucking cope. I want

her to be okay. And when Hannah had

her dad, it was all okay. Remember?

And when it was okay for them, it

was okay for us. And now it's all

fucked.

69.

Then Selena's tears are flowing.

Jim seems to want to reply, but doesn't have the words.

Instead, he lifts Selena's face and kisses her on the lips...

... a moment.

Then Selena pushes him a away.

Selena leaves the room.

INT. MANSION - DINING ROOM - NIGHT

A surreal scene.

Dinner, with full silver service, candles, wine and crystal

glasses, napkins, and everyone rather formally sitting while

Jones lays food on the table, wearing an apron over his

uniform.

Made all the more surreal by Jim and Selena's grubby clothes,

and Hannah's dazed, tear-streaked face.

HENRY

So, what have we here? Tinned ham,

tinned peas, and omelette. You've

prepared a feast, Jones.

JONES

Honor of our guests, sir.

HENRY

Absolutely. I was going to suggest

a toast, but this omelette will do

just as well.

(cuts off a chunk of

omelette and raises it)

To new friends.

Henry pops the omelette in his mouth, then promptly spits it

out.

HENRY

Jones, did you notice while cooking

that these eggs are off?

JONES

I thought the salt might cover the

taste, sir.

70.

HENRY

(pushing his plate away)

Get rid of it.

Henry turns to Hannah as Jones sheepishly exits, carrying the

omelette.

HENRY

I don't suppose you can cook, can

you? I can't tell you how badly we

need someone who shows a little

flair in the kitchen.

Hannah ignore/is unaware of Henry's attempt to bring her out

of her shell.

Meanwhile, the soldiers start helping themselves to the other

food on the table.

DAVIS

That's a fucking disappointment.

When I saw those eggs, I thought it

was Christmas.

BELL

We'll have eggs again. Once

everything's back to normal.

The soldiers pause. Exchange glances. Then burst out

laughing.

MITCHELL

Listen to him! He's still waiting

for Marks and Spencer's to reopen.

More laughter at Bell - interrupted by the sergeant, Farrell,

who conspicuously is not joining in.

FARRELL

I think Bell's got a point. If you

look at the whole life of the

planet, man has only been around

for a few blinks of an eye. So if

the infection wipes us all out,

that is a return to normality.

Farrell turns to Bell.

FARRELL

Is that what you meant, Bell?

BELL

Uh...yeah.

71.

HENRY

(to Jim and Selena)

Have you met our new-age sergeant?

(TO FARRELL)

Remind me, Farrell, why exactly did

you join the army in the first

place.

A moment.

HENRY

This is what I've seen in the four

weeks since infection. People

killing people. Which is much what

I saw in the four weeks before

infection, and the four weeks

before that, and before that, as

far back as I care to remember...

People killing people. Which to my

mind puts us in a state of

normality right now.

Selena turns to Hannah.

SELENA

(QUIET)

You're not eating.

HANNAH

I don't want to eat.

Henry picks up on their exchange.

HENRY

You must eat, Hannah.

HANNAH

I don't want to eat. I want to bury

my dad. He's one of the people

you're talking about.

A silence over the dinner table.

Broken by the thud of a mine detonation.

Then...

FARRELL

Stand to!

And suddenly all the soldiers are kicking back their chairs,

jumping to their feet. Producing SA-80s that they had under

the table.

72.

EXT. MANSION - NIGHT

Farrell, Jones, Mitchell, Bedford, Smith and Clifton race out

of the house, fanning, dropping into position.

MITCHELL

Go, go, go!

Two more soldiers, Davis and Bell, fire from window positions

on the mansion's first floor.

FARRELL

Jones! Cover right!

SMITH

Three o'clock! Three o'clock!

Coming across the grounds are four Infected, sprinting across

the lawn towards the house. Immediately, one of them is

catapulted into the air by an explosion under its feet - a

mine.

The soldiers open fire, Jones closing his eyes as he pulls

the trigger.

The three remaining Infected are cut down - one hit in the

head by Smith, another folding under a burst from Farrell,

the last falling under fire from Mitchell, landing face down

on a mine which explodes onto its chest.

Chunks of Infected spin into the air, then patter down like a

light rain.

MITCHELL

(DELIGHTED)

That was mad! Did you see that!

That was fucking mad!

FARRELL

(ANGRY)

Clear!

JONES

Clear.

MITCHELL

(STILL LAUGHING)

Clear.

(TO JONES)

Fuck me, I never saw that before.

Keeled over and - bam! Gone, like

fucking magic.

73.

SMITH

I drew a lovely bead. One shot.

Right between its eyes.

INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Jim stands, looking out of the open French windows at the

soldiers.

Selena is standing behind him. She is holding her machete.

The soldiers bounce in. Mitchell and Smith in particular are

hyped from their adrenaline rush.

MITCHELL

It was all hanging in the air, and

all these bits coming down, and...

Mitchell catches sight of Selena holding her machete.

MITCHELL

Hello.

He heads towards her, and takes the machete from her hands.

MITCHELL

I'll tell you what: you don't need

this penknife any more, sweetie.

I'm here to protect you now.

(winks at the other

SOLDIERS)

But listen, if you want to hold a

huge chopper...

Bedford bursts out laughing, and Selena grabs her machete

back.

MITCHELL

Whoa! Feisty!

He gives her a slap on the backside.

SELENA

Fuck you!

MITCHELL

You bet. How about right now?

Now doubly hyped. Mitchell reaches forward and pulls up the

hem of Selena's T-shirt. She yelps and twists, knocking back

his hand.

74.

MITCHELL

Yeah! A little rough stuff!

FARRELL

MITCHELL!

But Farrell clearly has little command over Mitchell, who

tries again for Selena's T-shirt, still laughing.

Jim snaps.

JIM

(ANGRILY GRABBING

MITCHELL)

Cut it out!

And Mitchell turns immediately on Jim, his sexual charge

flipping seamlessly back to violence.

MITCHELL

(grabbing Jim, propelling

him back across the room,

up against a wall)

Easy, tiger. You don't want to go

picking a fight with me.

Suddenly Farrell is behind Mitchell. We see a movement (a

kidney punch), and Mitchell drops.

MITCHELL

(gasping, on the ground)

Ahh, you cunt. Cunt.

Then - as if through sixth sense, sensing a presence, all

turn. Henry is standing in the doorway.

A moment. Then Henry turns to Mitchell - who has picked

himself up, and is clutching his side, breathing hard.

HENRY

Corporal, first point of order

after an attack.

MITCHELL

Re-secure the perimeter, sir.

HENRY

Then get to it. Jones, Bedford, go

with him.

(TO FARRELL)

Sergeant.

75.

FARRELL

(TIGHTLY)

Sir.

HENRY

Clear the bodies off the lawn. The

rest of you go with him.

The soldiers exit, leaving only Jim, Henry and Selena in the

room.

Selena is shaken, and won't meet Jim's eyes.

Henry hands Selena her machete back.

HENRY

My apologies.

Selena takes the machete and exits, but Jim doesn't follow.

Obviously there is something he wants to say to Henry.

INT. STUDY ROOM - NIGHT

Jim and Henry enter the study room.

HENRY

Drink?

Henry walks over to a drinks cabinet, and pours two brandies,

waiting for Jim to speak.

JIM

Look. We're grateful. Very grateful

for your protection, and just to

have found other people. But if

we're going to stay here with you,

you're going to have to stop your

men from -

HENRY

Who have you killed?

JIM

(THROWN)

I haven't killed anyone.

Henry hands Jim his drink.

HENRY

Since it began, who have you

killed? You wouldn't be alive now

if you hadn't killed somebody.

76.

A moment.

JIM

A boy. I killed a boy.

HENRY

A child?

JIM

Yes.

HENRY

But you had to. Otherwise he'd have

killed you. Survival. I understand.

(BEAT)

I promised them women.

JIM

What?

HENRY

Eight days ago I found Jones with

his gun in this mouth. He said he

was going to kill himself because

there was no future. What could I

say to him? We kill all the

infected or wait until they starve

to death. And then what? What do

nine men do except wait to die

themselves?

(BEAT)

I moved us from the blockade, I set

the radio broadcasting, and I

promised them women. Because women

mean children.

Jim turns and runs out of the room.

HENRY

And children mean a future.

INT. GIRLS' BEDROOM - NIGHT

Jim bursts into the girls' bedroom. Selena is dressed,

sitting next to Hannah, who is awake.

JIM

Get up. Get up!

SELENA

Wha...

77.

JIM

We've got to get out of here!

SELENA

But we...

JIM

(hauling them up)

We're leaving. Now! NOW!

INT. MANSION STAIRS - NIGHT

Jim and the girls run down the stairs...

...heading for the front door.

But behind it is Mitchell, waiting, holding his SA-80.

Jim is hit full in the face, and blacks out.

As he comes around, he can hear the sound of shouting and

screaming.

Farrell is backing away from other soldiers, who are closing

in on him, even though his gun is raised.

FARRELL

You can't do this! You can't do

this! Get back! I'll fucking slot

you! I'll slot you, I fucking swear

it!

But he doesn't follow his threat through. We hear him scream

as the soldiers overpower him.

Jim looks up, and sees Henry is kneeling over him.

HENRY

I want to give you a chance. You

can be with us, or not.

Jim stares back at him. And Henry gazes at Jim, searching

behind Jim's eyes. And understands what he finds.

HENRY

Okay, Jim. Okay.

Henry gives Jim's cheek a soft pat, then rises.

HENRY

(TO MITCHELL)

Him too.

78.

Jim's eyes flick to the side, where he sees Selena holding

Hannah tightly.

Selena looks down at Jim, terrified.

Black screen.

FARRELL'S VOICE

He's insane.

INT. CELLAR

Jim, blindfolded, is sitting beside a radiator, to which his

hands are tied.

He is in a cellar. Farrell is on the other side of the small

room, also tied.

Jim, blind, looks around at the sound of Farrell's voice.

FARRELL

You know what they're doing, a few

hundred miles from here? Across the

channel, across the Atlantic,

they're eating dinner. They're

wondering what to watch on TV

tonight. They're sleeping next to

their wives.

Jim's head turns.

FARRELL

But we're here, chained to a

fucking radiator because the OC has

gone insane. Starting the world

again when the rest of the world

hasn't even fucking stopped. Think

about it! How could infection cross

the oceans? How could it cross the

mountains and the rivers? They

stopped it. And right now TVs are

playing and planes are flying in

the sky and the world is continuing

as fucking normal. Think. Actually

think about it. What would you do

with a diseased little island?

A moment.

FARRELL

They quarantined us.

A moment.

79.

FARRELL

(QUIET)

There is no infection. It's just

people killing people.

(BEAT)

He's insane.

JIM

... Quarantine?

Then the door to the cellar bursts open, revealing Mitchell

and Jones.

EXT. TREE-LINED PATH - DAY

Mitchell and Jones are leading Jim and Farrell through a

small forest at the back of the mansion garden.

Time has passed. It has started raining. Both Jim and Farrell

have been badly beaten. Jim's shirt is ripped. Blood runs

from his nose, and from a cut on the side of his head. He

seems dazed. Numbed. More by the situation than his beating.

EXT. EXECUTION GROUND - DAY

Jim and Farrell are led into a clearing. Just ahead is a

high, ivy-covered brick wall - the perimeter wall of the

mansion. And at the base of the wall are bodies. Stacked,

tangled, swarming with flies.

Jim turns, and sees Mitchell and Jones standing behind him.

FARRELL

Come on then, you fucking pansies.

Do me first.

Mitchell grins, and pulls out his bayonet.

FARRELL

So you're going to stick me,

Mitchell? Is that it?

(TO JONES)

Is that how you're going to let

your sergeant go out, Jones?

JONES

No, Mitch. Do it with the gun.

Mitchell ignores Jones, and starts to fix the blade to the

end of his gun.

80.

FARRELL

You're going to let him stick me,

are you? Like a fucking dog?

JONES

Mitch, come on. Just shoot him.

MITCHELL

Why?

JONES

Because it's quick.

MITCHELL

So?

The bayonet fixes home with a click.

JONES

I'll shoot him, then.

MITCHELL

You fucking won't.

(TO FARRELL)

Any last words?

Farrell spits in Mitchell's face.

MITCHELL

I'm going to enjoy this.

Mitchell pulls back his bayonet, and at that moment, there is

an explosion of gunfire. Jones has fired and killed Farrell.

As Farrell drops, the enraged Mitchell turns on Jones.

MITCHELL

You stupid cunt! What are you

doing?

Mitchell knocks Jones down, putting his gun right in Jones's

face.

JONES

(WHIRLING)

How did he...

They turn. Jim has vanished.

From the side of the clearing, in the trees, there is the

sound of sudden movement.

JONES

There!

81.

Both men immediately set off, diving back into the foliage...

A beat passes. Then, in the pile of bodies, one of them sits

up...

...Jim. We have been looking right at him. But in the tangle

of bodies, and the bloodstained clothes, his camouflage was

complete.

EXT. TREES - DAY - LIGHT RAIN

Mitchell and Jones move fast, scanning, pushing through the

undergrowth. Mitchell is absolutely furious. And as they run,

they startle a couple of birds, which fly up from the ground,

making a suspiciously familiar noise...

They both have the same realization at the same moment.

EXT. EXECUTION GROUND - DAY

Mitchell and Jones burst back into the clearing, and they

start firing into the bodies, emptying a full clip into the

corpses...

....Silence.

Then Jones looks up to the ivy-colored wall...following the

path of the ivy upwards, to the coiled razor wire, where a

scrap of torn and bloody clothing hangs.

JONES

Oh no. We're fucked, we're fucked.

MITCHELL

No problem. He's outside. No gun.

No vehicle. He's a dead man.

EXT. WOODS - DAY

Jim runs through the woods, away from the mansion. His hands

are still tied.

He is out of breath, frightened, jumping at every sound.

Then he trips, rolls down a short slope, and when he comes to

rest, he is looking upwards.

Above him, there is a parting in the clouds, and through the

parting is blue sky.

82.

And across the sky, bisecting the blue, is a single vapor

trail.

A pin-prick of silver plane. Followed by a sonic boom. As

much in Jim's head as anywhere else.

CUT TO:

INT. DOOR - DAY

Close-up of a closed door, with the sounds of a struggle on

the other side.

Then, suddenly, Selena's voice: hard, desperate:

SELENA

You can't do this to her! She's

only fourteen!

INT. DRESSING ROOM - DAY - RAIN

(Note: in the room is a large, freestanding mirror.)

Hannah and Selena are cornered by Clifton, Bedford, Bell and

Davis. The soldiers are hyped. Bedford pulls clothes out of a

wardrobe, yanking out dresses, underwear - throwing them at

the girls.

Bell stands by the closed door - frightened, caught like a

rabbit in the headlights between testosterone madness and the

horror.

And Clifton is laughing, animal-like, tearing at Selena's

clothes, while Hannah is kicking and screaming - held by

Davis.

Close-up on Selena: suddenly transfixed by Hannah the young

girl's fight, the hopelessness.

Abruptly, Selena turns, grabs Clifton's arm, and to his

amazement, yanks him around.

Then she kisses him on the lips. Simply, but unambiguously.

Bell, Davis and Bedford watch in amazement.

Selena breaks off.

The frenzy has been broken by her extraordinary action - and

bizarrely, so has the balance of power.

83.

SELENA

You need to give me a moment with

Hannah. Alone.

Clifton nods - he seems a little dazed.

CLIFTON

The OC. He... he wants you to...

SELENA

He wants us to dress up nice.

She picks up two of the dresses Bedford has thrown - the red

dresses.

SELENA

But if you want us to change,

you'll have to get out of the room.

A moment.

SELENA

(calm, powerful)

It's just fucking polite.

Another moment.

Then Clifton nods. Acquiesces.

CLIFTON

(to the others)

Okay. Clear out.

They exit.

Selena stands with Hannah, emptying pills from her Valium

bottle.

SELENA

Eat them.

Hannah hesitates.

SELENA

(HARD)

Eat them, Hannah!

Hannah takes the handful of pills and holds them in her open

palm.

Then she looks to Selena.

HANNAH

Are you killing me?

84.

A moment - maybe a single moment of tenderness, a strand of

hair brushed from Hannah's face.

SELENA

No. I'm making you not care.

Locked eyes with Selena, Hannah raises the first pill to her

mouth. Then the next.

The door behind opens - revealing the soldiers.

Clifton sees what is happening.

CLIFTON

Hey! What the fuck are you doing?

Selena crams the pills into Hannah's mouth.

The soldiers lunge for the girls, as Hannah tries to swallow

the pills, and Selena whirls to fight them off...

...and at that moment, the sound of distant siren begin to

rise.

Everyone freezes.

Then...

SELENA

Jim.

BEDFORD

He's at the blockade!

INT. MANSION - STAIRS - DAY - RAIN

The soldiers run down the stairs.

JONES

He went over the wall! We thought

he'd be dead sir!

HENRY

Shut up! Davis - you're coming with

me!

EXT. BLOCKADE - DAY - RAIN

Jim stands in the blockade, turning the handle of a siren.

Rain is pouring down, mingling with the blood on his face.

Jim stops, and the sound of the siren starts to fade away.