Footage Of Monolith’s Canceled Nolan Batman Game That Became Shadow Of Mordor Appears Online

Gameplay and screenshots from a canceled Batman game set in the universe of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy and developed by Monolith Productions have leaked online. The leaked footage and images, which were posted on Twitter by Dageekydude with information learned from DidYouKnowGaming, Andrew4586 on Twitter, an internet archive, and some developer portfolios, showcase a game that reportedly eventually became Monolith’s Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor, nemesis system and all. 

Codenamed Project Apollo, this Nolanverse Batman game would have featured the likeness of Christian Bale’s Dark Knight, the “Tumbler” Batmobile, plenty of gadgets, and a unique spin on the Caped Crusader’s detective work. 

The thread starts below with a look at Batman and the Tumbler. Dageekydude then shows off how Batman would have traversed Gotham by gliding and with the use of a grappling hook, and it’s not that dissimilar to Rocksteady’s Batman: Arkham trilogy of games’ traversal. Players would also be able to drive around using the Tumbler as well, apparently. Check it out below: 

Dageekydude then shows off some of the gadgets at Batman’s disposal and how detective work would have looked in-game before showcasing footage of a stealth sequence. The combat would have been based on the Arkham system, according to Dageekydude. 

The last bit of information shared by Dageekydude is that this Nolanverse Batman game would have been the debut of Monolith’s Nemesis system, where enemies retain memories of Batman in future combat encounters. Dageekydude says this feature was meant to distinguish the game from Rocksteady’s Arkham games, despite other shared elements. 

However, Warner Brothers apparently didn’t like the idea of two concurrent Batman franchises (what would have been this Nolanverse game and the Arkham games) so this Nolanverse game was retooled into a game set in the world of The Lord of the Rings; It became Shadow of Mordor. DidYouKnowGaming also says Nolan himself might have canceled the game as a result of wanting to focus on the trilogy’s third film, The Dark Knight Rises, as noted by IGN.  

For more about the Dark Knight, read Game Informer’s list of every Batman game review. 

Would you have preferred this Nolanverse Batman game over Shadow of Mordor? Let us know in the comments below!