I hear sirens and a laugh — and for a heartbeat you forget what year it is. You and I are standing in front of a Lego-built splash of Gotham where a prank becomes a threat. The cinematic drops you into that instant and refuses to let go.
I’m telling you because Warner Bros. Games and DC are not teasing: Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight arrives May 29. The new trailer replays an unforgettable Tim Burton moment from 1989 in bricks and slapstick, complete with Prince’s Batman soundtrack — yes, the clinic-worthy groove of “Partyman.”
On the street, someone hums a line from Prince and the moment snaps into focus.
You feel nostalgia like a vinyl needle scratching back to 1989 — the game’s cinematic isn’t nostalgia for its own sake. It’s a promise: this is a Lego title that winks at Tim Burton’s gothic styling, Jack Nicholson’s chaos, and the glint of comic-book history and folds those decades into a playful package. I’ll walk you through what matters for fans, collectors, and players who want both fun and fidelity.
When does Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight release?
Release date is May 29. Warner Bros. Games has set the launch to catch summer players on console and PC, and you should expect cross-platform marketing across PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PC storefronts like Steam and the Epic Games Store.
I stood in front of an art museum once and thought about how a single painted face can change a room.
The cinematic recreates the 1989 scene where the Joker rampages through Gotham’s art museum — the same beat where Jack Nicholson’s Joker tangles with Kim Basinger’s Vicki Vale. Prince’s “Partyman” scores the sequence, which matters because the original soundtrack was a guest star in Burton’s film: it went double platinum but lived in a rights maze for years until it resurfaced publicly in 2016, the same year Prince passed away. Warner Bros. Games leaning into that track is a deliberate creative signal: this project wants to honor film history while building something that plays like a Lego videogame.
Does the new Lego Batman game include Prince’s music?
The cinematic uses “Partyman” to anchor the clip, and Warner Bros. clearly cleared the rights for that sequence. Whether the full in-game soundtrack mirrors the cinematic’s licensed cues depends on licensing deals game-to-game, but the trailer signals Warner Bros. Games’ willingness to tie the aesthetic directly to the Burton era rather than only borrowing visual tropes.
What platforms will Lego Batman be on?
Expect PlayStation and Xbox Series consoles, Nintendo Switch, and PC releases (Steam and Epic). Warner Bros. Games tends to push flagship titles across major storefronts and platforms, and publishers usually announce specific editions — collector’s packs, physical bonuses, and platform-exclusive content — closer to launch.
That moment in Burton’s original film — the Joker covering his white face with foundation, the reveal at the end of the vandalism spree — is included in the comparison clips, and it’s one of those tiny, theatrical beats that still lands. Recreating it in Lego is both affectionate and mischievous, a carnival ride turned noir.
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So you can pre-order coverage, preorder bonuses, and cross-save details from Warner Bros. Games, follow official channels and storefront listings closely — but tell me, does a Prince-scored Lego Joker make Gotham feel more dangerous or just more fun?