Batman Screening Invaded By Real Bat

Some Austin moviegoers who had settled in to enjoy the new Batman film this week didn’t quite have the experience they might have envisioned. The screening in question was interrupted by one of the absolute worst kinds of audience members: a real life bat swooping around in the theater and shrieking. If you think a crying baby is bad, imagine it with wings, panicking.

The thematically appropriate animal emergency occurred in Austin, Texas, at the Cinepolis Moviehouse & Eatery. Oh, good. There’s food involved. That certainly will make this bat EASIER to deal with. The theater paused the movie and then made “multiple attempts” to remove the bat from the theater, which is the part of the story I would like more details about.

Are we talking about a large, Spongebob-style net? A group of ushers taking turns hurling a trenchcoat at the bat? Trying to lure it to the lobby with a handful of rotting fruit or a bowl of blood or whatever this particular bat species is a fan of? All this, I assume, while a cover of the Benny Hill theme played entirely on a creepy organ blares.

Unfortunately, due to the bat’s high level of agility, and ability to utilize both the air, walls and ceiling as real estate, it was unable to be captured. Attendees were offered a refund, but the theater reports that most chose to stay, bat be damned. After all, I suppose it’s kind of immersive in the most unsettling way possible.

The theater thinks the bat was smuggled in and released as a prank by a member of the audience, which makes it even MORE perfect for a Batman screening. Not only do they get to watch the movie in a tiny man-made batcave minus all the cool parts, they ALSO get to do it while a super weird crime is going on.

Top Image: Pixabay