Batman, one of the most renowned superheroes worldwide, is known for his solo work. However, true fans of the character will know that even the mightiest hero sometimes receives substantial assistance during his patrols in Gotham City, particularly from his sidekick, Robin, a mantle assumed by many characters over the year. However, none stand out more than Dick Grayson, who was the first Robin and later becameNightwing. While the character is loved by many comic book fans, mainly because of the recent good run of Tom Taylor Nightwing’s comic book series. Unfortunately, he never found success in live-action adaptations due to poor adaptations. Nightwing’s charismatic personality and relatable character would certainly thrive in Gunn’s DCU.
The DCEU has had its fair share of ups and downs due to poor direction and no clear vision. However, there is hope for change as the DCEU reboots as the DCU under the esteemed director James Gunn, now serving as the Co-CEO of DC Studios. If fans desire one thing, it is the prioritization of including thisneglected character on the big screensof the newly established universe.
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The First Boy Wonder
When referring to Robin, one can think of many names, including Jason Todd, Damian Wayne, Tim Drake, etc. However, none stand out more than the first Boy Wonder. Dick Grayson was part of the Flying Graysons, a family of trapeze artists who worked for a circus. Unfortunately, Dick’s parents were murdered, and he was only 8 years old when this tragedy occurred. Bruce, seeing himself in the young boy, adopted Dick as his ward and continued to train him as his own protégé.
However, over time, Dick and Batman experienced some fallouts, and Bruce ultimately fired Dick as Robin. Dick embraced his new identity as Nightwing and relocated to Blüdhaven, a city plagued by crime with his primary goal being to take down the crime boss known as Blockbuster. Despite their early differences, Dick Grayson proved to be remarkably similar to Bruce Wayne in ways that he realized. Batman himself acknowledged that Nightwing, Dick’s new identity, Nightwing is what Batmanintended to be. Unlike Batman, Nightwing was not solely driven by vengeance, and the only reason Batman took him in as a child was to prevent him from turning out like himself.
Nightwing’s History In Live-Action Series
None of the Robins or Nightwing has made appearances in the live-action DC universe thus far. Although Nightwing has been adapted twice in live-action iterations aside from the DCEU. One of them was a fan-made series that debuted in 2014 calledNightwing: The Series. This fan-made series followed the continuity ofChristopher Nolan’sDark Knighttrilogybut in an alternate universe where Bane actually kills Batman. The series also introduced the plot of Red Hood, who is the second Robin driven by vengeance after the Joker tragically kills him. He is later revived by the Lazarus Pit. The series, while generally well-received, suffered from low-cost production due to its fan-made nature.
Nightwingalso made an appearance in 2018’sTitans, where he and Raven form their own superhero team somewhat similar to the Justice League. However, the show received mixed reviews and an underwhelming response from fans. Recently, the series was canceled, largely due to the Warner Bros./Discovery merger.
In February 2017, Chris McKay signed a deal for writing and directing alive-action Nightwing moviefor the DCEU. However, the development of the project faced several obstacles. It is currently unknown if the project is still in development, considering the DCEU’s reset under the involvement of James Gunn. Nevertheless, Chris McKay has expressed continued interest in writing and directing a Nightwing movie in a recent interview. It remains uncertain if the new DCU will consider a Nightwing solo movie.
Nightwing Will Already Be An Established Character In The Upcoming Batman Movie
Earlier this year, James Gunn announced the reset of the DCEU into the DCU throughThe Flashwhich would reset the timeline. The co-CEO revealed the first chapter of the DCU called “Gods and Monsters.” In this chapter, a Batman movie titledBatman: The Brave and The Boldwas announced, marking the return of Robin to the big screens. However, it may come as a surprise to most that the Robin mentioned is actually the third Robin, Damian Wayne, who is Bruce’s own son with Talia al Ghul.Batman: The Brave and The Boldwill feature an older Batman in his 40s and will adapt to the Grant Morrison comics.
Peter Safran also stated that many Bat Family members will appear in the upcoming movie, and considering the importance of Dick Grayson, who by that time will have become Nightwing will most probably make an appearance. The cast forBatman: Brave and The Boldhas yet to be decided, but James Gunn has previously liked fan-cast for Nightwing on social media. WithNightwingbeing a character there’s also a possibility for Titans to be formed in the universe.
