As the new Batman movie, The Brave and The Bold, promises to explore the extended Bat-Family, the appearance of Red Hood could be exactly what the DC Universe needs. For Chapter 1 of the upcoming DC universe, James Gunn announced that the new Batman will be joined by Damian Wayne, which may lead to other Robins being introduced. Jason Todd was the second Robin, and his tragic story in which he became the villainous Red Hood has ample potential that hasn’t been capitalized on in live-action movies.

Among the various allies and teammates Batman has had over the course of history, Jason stands out, as he was the first Robin readers saw turn into a villain, and remains the most famous example of this. Subsequently, in the current DC comic continuity, Jason has become more of an antihero and has numerous adventures of his own. With such a rich and extensive development, it is high time for Jason to make it to the big screen in live-action form. Moreover, his debut in the upcoming movies would redeem a missed opportunity from the DCEU timeline.

Jason Todd’s Major Movie Potential Can Be Finally Fully Used By The DCU

The Troubled Robin Will Be Important To Chapter 1

As many of the announced DCU projects are about antiheroes, the title of Chapter 1, “Gods and Monsters”, implies that the universe aims to blur the line between heroes and villains. The Brave and The Bold movie is bound to already highlight these themes with Batman’s son, Damian Wayne, whose complex relationship with Bruce and childhood training as a ruthless assassin will no doubt be a focal point of the story.

However, the DCU’s Batman story could still naturally lead to Jason appearing, even if Damian is the primary focus. Talia al Ghul, Damian’s mother, is likely to appear in the movie. Since she resurrected Jason in the comics, there’s even more of a narrative tie to this prior Robin set to potentially be established by The Brave and The Bold.

Jason is more associated with the theme of Gods and Monsters than many DC characters due to his transition from hero to villain to antihero in the comics. Even as a hero, Jason had dark aspects to his character, such as his recklessness and underlying violent nature. The former trait was a factor in his brutal death at the hands of the Joker. His subsequent resurrection and decision to take on the Red Hood identity saw him become a murderous foil to Batman, creating a storyline that would be perfect to at least nod to in Gods and Monsters.

Jason appearing as Red Hood would greatly impact the Bat-Family, notably its founding member, Bruce Wayne. Batman is already a hero with many flaws, but employing children in crime fighting is one that has been the most questioned over the years. Jason embodies the risk of that decision more than any other Batman ally. If several other Robins are introduced, one of their own being an enemy would incur a more personal conflict than in previous Batman movies.

Jason Todd’s DC Arc Is Perfect For A Cinematic Universe Despite How Many Times It’s Been Ignored

A Tease From James Gunn Gives Hope That Jason Will Make His DCU Debut

Over the years, Jason has appeared in animation, video games, and the series Titans, but DC have continuously missed the opportunity to have Red Hood appear in a live-action movie. The DCEU made references to the character’s existence. However, fans never got to see Jason appear. It is unclear if Red Hood would have appeared in Ben Affleck’s never-made Batman movie. Either way, his lack of appearance is a shame, as the death of a Robin served as a motivation for Affleck’s most brutal iteration in Batman v Superman, yet the Bat-Family never got to properly feature in the franchise.

Now, DC has a chance to adapt the Red Hood storyline with the DC Universe. Indeed, the likelihood of his appearance has been increased by DCU co-CEO James Gunn. After a 2023 poll listed ten DC figures that fans most wanted to see in the new universe – with Jason among them – James Gunn responded on Instagram and said that half of those would appear. If this holds true, then Jason Todd’s arrival in the franchise may already be impending, potentially building a fascinating future for DC’s newest Batman.