Tim Burton directs; Michael Keaton stars as Batman; and Jack Nicholson stars as his arch foe, The Joker, in the first of the blockbuster Batman series of features. As the Dark Knight, defender of law and order in Gotham City, Batman treads the shadow zone between right and wrong, fighting with only his skill in martial arts and his keenly honed mind to defend the innocent and to purge the memory of his parents' brutal murder always keeping his true identity as millionaire philanthropist Bruce Wayne a closely guarded secret. Based upon Batman characters created by Bob Kane and published by DC Comics.