Based on the plan so far, DC Studios is taking a surprising approach to its interconnected DCU franchise. Instead of focusing on major players like Aquaman and Wonder Woman, plenty of lesser-known characters like the Creature Commandos and Sgt. Rock are getting their chance to shine first. However, Batman remains the biggest component of DC, and the upcoming DCU will continue to exploit that with adjacent films centered on Clayface and a potential team-up between Deathstroke and Bane. In recent years, the Batman franchise has grown beyond the Caped Crusader himself with two Joker films and The Penguin series. The first Joker film grossed over a billion dollars, and HBO’s The Penguin is one of the greatest television series based on a comic book character ever made.
The DCU will look to follow up that success with Clayface, but the studio will still develop a proper Batman film with The Brave and the Bold. Development on both Batman projects at DC Studios, with The Batman — Part II being the other, has been slow-moving. Since DC Studios appears keen on developing all sorts of Batman-related projects, there’s an obvious one waiting to happen. Robin is long overdue for a solo film, and it would add a lot to the DCU’s world-building.
Robin Has a Long History in DC Comics
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Dick Grayson’s Aliases |
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Robin |
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Nightwing |
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Batman |
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Target |
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Agent 37 |
With comic book characters serving as a huge driving force behind so many different films recently, it’s hard to find many who have the same long history as Robin. The Boy Wonder has been synonymous with Batman since the 1940s and continues to evolve as a character. Dick Grayson was the first Robin who debuted in Detective Comics #38 and remains one of Batman’s most important allies. Grayson’s Robin would go on to have a major impact on the comic book world by influencing other sidekicks in the DC Universe. Eventually, Grayson would move on from being Robin and take up other mantles like Nightwing, Target, and Agent 37. Grayson is also one of the few characters in the DC Universe worthy of taking on the Batman mantle.
Therefore, it’s odd Robin has been so absent from the cinematic side of DC for so long when there’s so much to explore. Now, the DCU plans on finally bringing Robin back to the big screen with Damian Wayne in The Brave and the Bold, but it’s hard to explore the significance of the Robin mantle if there isn’t a proper introduction with Grayson first. With so many other Batman characters receiving spin-offs lately, it makes perfect sense for the first Robin to receive the same treatment.
Batman & Robin’s Failure Killed the Chance for a Spin-Off in the '90s
- Batman & Robin was the last time Dick Grayson or any Robin appeared in the film.
- In television, Dick Grayson was most recently portrayed by Brenton Thwaites on Titans.
Part of the blame for Robin’s absence on the big screen is, in large part, due to the last one in which he appeared. Batman & Robin is notorious for being one of the biggest superhero movie failures. While Batman was able to rebound from the misstep, the same didn’t occur for Robin. Warner Bros. was planning a solo Robin film back in the ’90s, and during the time of the DCEU, a Nightwing film was in the works. Despite the efforts, the closest audiences have seen of Robin on film lately was with John Blake in The Dark Knight Rises and a damaged suit in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
Not only did Batman & Robin tarnish the character in many ways, but the concept of Robin himself is one filmmakers haven’t dared to touch since the ’90s. Batman Forever decided to age up Grayson to try and make it work in the same vein as the ’66 series. That is a route DC Studios could go down again, but the concept of a kid sidekick isn’t quite as ridiculous as it might’ve been years ago. Comic book movies have evolved and audiences are much more open to the wackier ideas from the source material. Plus, giving Robin plenty of gadgets can help him overcome his lack of powers. There are also plenty of compelling stories, like Robin & Batman and Robin: Year One, that have a ton of heart and could inspire a great film. The idea of a solo Robin project is nothing new, but since it has yet to happen, DC Studios has the opportunity to finally make it a reality.
A Robin Film Is the Perfect Way To Launch the Bat-Family and Teen Titans in the DCU
- Dick Grayson could appear in the DCU’s The Brave and the Bold and Teen Titans.
- DC Studios is also developing an Elseworlds animated film titled, Dynamic Duo, which will feature Dick Grayson and Jason Todd.
DC Studios head James Gunn has made it clear about his intentions to finally explore the Bat-Family and it makes complete sense. Batman has a ton of costumed allies who have never been part of the films before, and it’s an easy way to differentiate it from past iterations. The Brave and the Bold and Teen Titans are two planned DCU projects where Grayson could make his debut, but as a major character, he deserves so much more. While many have quickly compared the DCU to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Gunn has said it’s a bit more like Star Wars, which means stories will be more self-contained and take place at various points of the timeline. The DCU also has an established history, with Superman featuring several other heroes and skipping the origin story.
So, while The Brave and the Bold may introduce the Damian Wayne version of Robin, that doesn’t mean a solo film featuring Grayson could never happen. A Robin solo film would be an excellent way for the DCU to flesh out the history of the mantle and give Grayson a long-overdue re-imagining. It could also lead into the Teen Titans film if Grayson is the leader of the team in the DCU. A Robin film would also be an excellent way to explore the idea of young sidekicks within the DCU and pave the way for others like Kid Flash and Speedy, who also become part of the Teen Titans. Grayson’s Robin is the blueprint for young heroes and he can become a great focus in the DCU for years to come. Moreover, a solo film could do some great world-building for the new cinematic universe in the process.
The Batman franchise has done an excellent job of reinventing itself and delivering strong adaptations of characters from the comics. The Joker, Catwoman, Alfred Pennyworth, James Gordon, and others have all received strong depictions in Batman films. But for too long, the Batman films have leaned into his solo vigilante status when there’s so much untapped potential with his long line of allies like Robin. As the Batman franchise turns toward a new era with the DCU, there’s an exciting opportunity to give Dick Grayson the spotlight he deserves.
A solo Robin film can follow in the footsteps of some of the best Batman films in the franchise like Batman Begins and The Batman, to finally give the Boy Wonder a definitive take on the big screen. By focusing on Robin’s perspective on his journey to becoming a sidekick, DC Studios can release a film that would be fresh for the genre. It’s an outside-the-box idea that DC Studios is relying on in its early days. Joker and The Penguin proved a villain-centric story can find success. DC Studios will try to continue that trend with Clayface in the DCU. Instead of doing more films following Batman’s villains, DC Studios should eventually shift its focus toward Batman’s sidekicks. Warner Bros was close to making that a reality with Batgirl, but a film about Grayson’s Robin is an obvious first choice for the new DCU since it can tap into a side of Batman on the big screen that’s been missing for too long.
