Star of DC's New Batman Trilogy Reveals Unique Take on Iconic Gotham Villain Scene

The star of Batman: Knightfall opens up about the film's most infamous sequence. He even promises it comes with some heavy implications compared to the original.

Speaking to CBR's Sean O'Connell during San Diego Comic-Con, Batman: Knightfall star Michael Mando opened up about why his Bane's motivation for breaking the Bat is so far removed from past incarnations of the infamous moment. "I remember [supervising producer] Rick [Morales] and I had this beautiful conversation," Mando recalled. "I was so happy that we were on the same page because it was like, it could be like... 'I broke you', whatever. But we thought this is a sad moment for Bane because Bane, I think deep down, wishes Batman can prove him wrong."

Mando continued, "In that moment, I think we decided that, it was actually a disappointment. It wasn't cathartic. It was like 'Boom,' and 'What do I live for now?'"

And Bane is also so methodical... He's executing a plan that he had in the prison, in the hole. It's just, it's like, I think of it like this, like some people say, not to get too metaphysical, but let's say you, you want to prove that there is no such thing as a higher power.

You were really obsessed with a higher power. You deep down want there to be a higher power or else you wouldn't dedicate your life to prove that. So in a way, I think there's this side of Bane almost like a gambler where he wants to lose. He wants Batman to prove him wrong, to say, 'No, the way things in the world are, are right.' And in that moment, I think Bane gets the reassurance that he's right, Batman's wrong, but also that means it's a pretty sad world.

Slated for release on Aug. 25, Batman: Knightfall, Part 1: Knightfall will be the first in a new trilogy of animated feature films from Warner Bros. Animation and DC Entertainment. The film will adapt the iconic "Knightfall" storyline, which originally played out in the pages of Batman , Detective Comics , and numerous tie-in titles back in 1993 and 1994.

Batman: Knightfall, Part 1: Knightfall is directed by Jeff Wamester from a screenplay by Jeremy Adams, and boasts a star-studded voice cast led by Anson Mount as the titular Dark Knight . Batman: Knightfall, Part 1: Knightfall also stars Michael Mando as Bane, Jack Giffin as Tim Drake, aka Robin, Bruce Boxleitner as Commissioner Gordon, and Pablo Schreiber as Jean-Paul Valley, better known as Azrael.

While Batman: Knightfall, Part 1: Knightfall will largely revolve around the battle against Bane and Batman's inevitable defeat, the film will also put a spotlight on the various iterations of the Boy Wonder who have fought alongside the hero for so many years. Audiences recently caught a glimpse of the "Batman Needs a Robin" featurette from the Batman: Knightfall, Part 1: Knightfall special features, which highlights the impact of such sidekicks on Batman's overall trajectory and personal journey.

As noted by longtime DC executive editor Mike Carlin, "Back in the '40s, they realized that [Batman] needs someone to illustrate why he is a good guy, and why he does what he does." Carlin also stated that "Having any characters age in comics is interesting to the creators" in regard to Dick Grayson's evolution from Robin to Nightwing, which paved the way for future Robins to step into the role, all while pushing Batman to change his approach to crimefighting in key ways.

In fact, the events of "Knightfall" were directly responsible for the rise of the modern Batman Family that fans know and love today. This is just another aspect of the Batman mythos that will be explored throughout the upcoming animated trilogy, especially as Jean-Paul Valley takes on the mantle of Batman following Bruce's devastating injury.

Batman: Knightfall, Part 1: Knightfall is slated for release on digital platforms on Aug. 25 and on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K UHD on Sept. 8.