Batman: Patient Zero

Arkham Asylum is under new management! The Joker has escaped and let some friends out to play - until The Dark Knight steps in.

Journey into Arkham Asylum and the dark psyche of Batman as he takes on some of his most famous Rogues like Scarecrow, The Riddler, Harley Quinn, and The Joker.

Batman: Patient Zero is an original and compelling story the ends with a shocking twist - one that even the World's Greatest Detective couldn't see coming!

  • Andrew Akler
    Director
    Wake Me, Love Bug
  • Andrew Akler
    Writer
    Wake Me, Love Bug
  • Andrew Akler
    Producer
    Wake Me, Love Bug
  • Celia Werner
    Producer
  • Johnny McGee
    Key Cast
  • Sarah Grace Sanders
    Key Cast
  • Greg Nugent
    Key Cast
  • Kevin Sebastian
    Key Cast
  • Nick Cancelliere
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    17 minutes 1 second
  • Completion Date:
    September 15, 2016
  • Production Budget:
    7,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Paradise City Comic Con Super Geek Film Festival
    Ft. Lauderdale
    United States
    December 9, 2016
    Best Short
  • Superhero Short Film Fest
    Hollywood
    United States
    October 31, 2016
  • Fan Film Awards 2017
    Pasadena
    United States
    February 9, 2017
Director Biography - Andrew Akler

Andrew Akler began his film making career in 2013 when he set out to bring his very first original screenplay to life. Although Andrew has been composing original musical scores for film since he graduated high school, his passion for making movies only grew when he began crafting his own.

His first film, Wake Me, has gone on to win several awards via the festival circuit and has also allowed Andrew the opportunity to craft many more equally exciting films.

Love Bug, the second film in Andrew's repertoire is a departure from his usual dark style. Love Bug plays like a cartoon in live action, and is a unique tale of high school love and drama.

In the summer of 2015, Andrew crafted a unique and original screenplay called Batman: Patient Zero - A daring new take on the Batman mythos. His script garnered the First Place award for Best Original Screenplay at the Fan Fiction Screenplay Festival 2015 and also received a table read with some very talented actors. The story was so well received, that Andrew knew he just had to bring it to the screen.

Now, October 5th 2016 marks to world wide release of the fully completed film, made possible by the hard work and dedication of his incredibly talented cast and crew. Andrew is beyond thrilled to share Batman: Patient Zero with the world!

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Batman: Patient Zero may come across as a Superhero film, but at its core, it is something else. We start on Batman and journey with him through Arkham Asylum where he meets a host of his most famous villains. Having heard that The Joker has escaped his cell and let the other Rogues run amok, Batman ventures in to stop them. Our hero finds that not only do the villains pose a new psychological threat, but their relationships suggest a terrifying new dynamic. The villains over power Batman; revealing an unexpected twist.

I have always been fascinated with Truth vs. Reality. Batman is a prime example of someone who’s truth is set aside in favor of obsession. I wanted to explore a “what if?” scenario for a pop culture icon that sheds some light on the psychology behind his behavior. I took that idea of Batman sharing similar psychological disorders as his villains and looked in a bit deeper. By using a superhero and super villains to visually convey this theme, it begs the underlying question; “Who is right?”. Right vs. Wrong is just as subjecting as Truth vs. Reality, since both are held solely by the individual.

For the performances, my goal was to create brand new iterations of these iconic characters. I wanted the actors to have freedom to create their characters and give the best natural performance possible.

Representing Arkham Asylum was a difficult challenge, as the famous looney bin has been depicted by varying architecture over the years. For the purposes of the story and the ending twist, I wanted to convey a modern hospital interior that has been heavily decayed by the freed villains to contrast with the clean modern day style in the twist. The exterior would mirror a classic Arkham from the comics; A rustic 1800’s building, tall with authority but fraying.

Cinematically, we wanted to compose our shots in ways that would mimic frames from a comic book; close-ups on Batman/Harley Quinn during their fight, canted angles of Batman in the asylum, and the low angle of Batman towering over The Riddler. Camera movement changes as Batman progresses through the asylum as well, growing more unstable, to hint at the slowly increasing instability of Bruce’s psyche.

Most fight scenes hide actions and cut rapidly, making it hard for viewers to really see what’s happening. I wanted to avoid this by keeping the fights center frame and using longer takes so actions can be clearly visible.

The score for Batman: Patient Zero is cinematic rock, and while it is original music composed just for the film, I wanted to incorporate the various influences from past Batman composers. We used heavy chugging guitar riffs to compliment fights between Batman/Riddler’s Goons, as well as between Batman/Harley. Each villain was given a stylized spin on a singular theme, while different emotional moments have their own specific underscore.

Batman: Patient Zero delivers a new and unique story that will captivate viewers.

I hope you enjoy the film!