▁ ▁Film ▁ ▁Ru pert ▁Thor ne ▁was ▁originally ▁meant ▁to ▁appear ▁as ▁a ▁major ▁ant agon ist ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁film , ▁Bat man . ▁In ▁an ▁early ▁script ▁written ▁by ▁Tom ▁M ank iew icz , ▁he ▁was ▁to ▁h ire ▁Joe ▁Ch ill ▁to ▁murder ▁Thomas ▁Wayne ▁( who ▁would ▁be ▁running ▁against ▁Thor ne ▁for ▁city ▁council ). ▁Ult imately , ▁he ▁was ▁replaced ▁by ▁the ▁original ▁character ▁Carl ▁Gr iss om ▁( play ed ▁by ▁Jack ▁Pal ance ). ▁ ▁Ru pert ▁Thor ne ' s ▁most ▁major ▁appearance ▁in ▁the ▁DC ▁animated ▁universe ▁continu ity ▁outside ▁Bat man : ▁The ▁Anim ated ▁Series ▁is ▁the ▁direct - to - D VD ▁movie ▁Bat man : ▁Myst ery ▁of ▁the ▁Bat w oman ▁( based ▁on ▁The ▁New ▁Bat man ▁Advent ures ) ▁with ▁John ▁Vern on ▁repr ising ▁his ▁role . ▁He ▁works ▁with ▁the ▁P engu in ▁and ▁Carl ton ▁Du ques ne ▁in ▁an ▁illegal ▁arms ▁deal ▁with ▁the ▁President ▁of ▁Kas nia . ▁The ▁three ▁are ▁also ▁al lied ▁with ▁B ane ▁( although ▁there ▁is ▁no ▁mention ▁of ▁B ane ' s ▁previous ▁tre acher ous ▁actions ). ▁Of ▁the ▁three ▁Bat w omen , ▁Thor ne ▁shares ▁a ▁personal ▁history ▁with ▁Son ia ▁Alc ana ▁whose ▁life ▁he ▁ru ined ▁when ▁he ▁ordered ▁the ▁Al can as ' ▁shop ▁burn ed ▁down ▁when ▁Son ia ▁was ▁still ▁a ▁child . ▁Thor ne ▁had ▁escaped ▁pun ishment ▁due ▁to