The upcoming DCU may finally crack the code following two previous attempts to make a live-action Nightwing movie happen. Since 1997, DC and Warner Bros. have tried and failed to bring a project together starring Dick Grayson’s Nightwing. However, the answer may finally come in the form of an upcoming DCU project which could be the perfect vehicle for Nightwing’s big-screen debut.
It’s recently been reported that DC Studios is developing a new Teen Titans movie for the upcoming DCU with Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow screenwriter Ana Nogueira penning the script. Depending on the age of the titular team of heroes, this could certainly be an exciting way to introduce Nightwing. Furthermore, a Teen Titans movie may be better for Dick Grayson’s debut than a solo Nightwing project.
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A DCU Titans Movie Could Finally Debut Dick Grayson’s Nightwing On The Big Screen
A Major A-Lister In DC Comics
It’s yet to be revealed which iteration of Teen Titans will be featured in the aforementioned movie, though it stands to reason that some version of Robin will help lead as they have on the page. To that end, Batman’s first Robin Dick Grayson is most commonly associated with the Teen Titans, having been a founding member alongside Aqualad, Kid Flash, and Wonder Girl. Likewise, the most famous roster of Teen Titans (featuring Raven, Starfire, Beast Boy, and Cyborg) not only features Grayson’s Robin but also his evolution into Nightwing, becoming a more independent hero rather than Batman’s sidekick.
Because the upcoming Batman: The Brave and the Bold is confirmed to feature Batman’s fourth Robin and biological son Damian Wayne, the assumption can be made that Dick Grayson will have already become Nightwing in the DCU. This is a very good sign that Teen Titans could logically feature Nightwing if they so desired. This would also be to DC Studios’ advantage as well, seeing as how Nightwing has become a major A-list hero over the last few years, becoming just as popular and beloved as Batman himself.
Nightwing’s Canceled Movie Projects Explained
Schumacher Spin-Off And The DCEU
DC Comics and Warner Bros. have tried to make a Nightwing solo feature in the past. Back in 2015, Batman & Robin actor Chris O’Donnell confirmed in an interview with ETOnline that a Nightwing spin-off feature starring his version of Dick Grayson was considered. This was amid Warner Bros. wanting to produce another Batman trilogy following Joel Schumacher’s movie with Nightwing returning in the third proposed film, though the poor reception to Batman Forever and Batman and Robin led to all of those plans being scrapped in their entirety.
More recently, a DCEU Nightwing movie was in development with director Chris McKay as early as 2017, though it remained in “development hell” for years. Ultimately, the project was recently confirmed to have been canceled thanks to the new DC Universe in the works and the previous DCEU having officially ended. Regardless, a DCEU-connected Nightwing film would have no doubt been bizarre considering Zack Snyder’s confirmation that the murdered Robin referenced in 2016 Batman v Superman was revealed to be Dick Grayson rather than Jason Todd as many had initially assumed.
Nightwing’s Titans Have Replaced The Justice League In The Current Comics
The League Is On Hiatus
It’s also worth noting that Dick Grayson’s Nightwing is currently leading not the Teen Titans but the more singular “Titans” in the current DC Comics era. Having all become adults who recently saved the world during Dark Crisis following the Justice League being incapacitated, it was decided that Nightwing would usher in a new era with his fellow heroes while the League goes on hiatus. Featuring the iconic roster including Wally West’s Flash, Donna Troy, Raven, Starfire, Beast Boy, and Cyborg, these Titans have finally become adult heroes in their own right.
To that end, it might be in the DCU’s best interest to have an older group of Titans for their upcoming movie. It would certainly be a dynamic way to set them apart from past versions seen on-screen with various shows and animated features. It could almost be more in line with HBO Max’s recently concluded live-action Titans series set in its own universe which did gain a sizable fanbase (and did feature Grayson’s evolution from Robin to Nightwing.)
