Robin is an enduring figure for comic book readers: he’s Batman’s loyal sidekick, a younger, more colorful character who injects much-needed optimism into the darkness of Gotham City. So, it’s a surprise to many that Robin hasn’t bagged himself a solo movie yet. It’s not like the character can’t work on screen, either. We’ve had seven actors don the Robin suit in live-action roles, starting withDouglas Croftin the 1943Batmanmovie serials before gaining popularity withBurt Ward’s Robin in the 1960sBatmanshow. Most recently,Titanshad three different actors playing three separate Robins over the course of four seasons. And plenty more actors have voiced the Boy Wonder across DC animated shows and movies. (Let’s not forget thatJoseph Gordon-Levitt’s name was RobininChristopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy. Coincidence?)
But Robin hasn’t headlined his own movie yet, even though fans have been clamoring for the character to do so. Whenever hehasappeared, it’s either been as one-half of the Dynamic Duo or as part of a team. We’re not sure if Batman’s sidekick can carry a movie on his own. More importantly, perhaps Warner Bros. isn’t sure if he is up to the box-office challenge. The iconic character has gone through a number of storylines and identities. Which would work best for a movie adaptation, and would it even work at all?
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Which Robin Storyline Deserves the Big Screen?
If we want a Robin movie, we need to first decide which Robin should be in it, a controversial decision that will certainly leave people in disagreement. Each Robin is also associated with a different storytelling style and tone, and that will affect the target audience as well. There are four Robins in the main comics' continuity, the original Robin beingDick Grayson, who debuted in 1940. Dick’s story is also the most familiar for even non-comics readers. He’s the boy from the circus, part of the Flying Graysons, who saw his parents perish midway through performing a circus act. Bruce Wayne then took him in as his ward and eventually trained Dick to become Batman’s partner in fighting crime, Robin. Dick’s story, though tragic, is far more bright and optimistic.
But Dick Grayson hasn’t been Robin in thecomics since 1984. Yes, there have been the occasional flashbacks to his yellow cape-wearing days, but he’s best known (and beloved) as the Blüdhaven superhero, the charming Nightwing. Once Dick left his role as Batman’s sidekick, Bruce took in another child, Jason Todd, who became the second Robin. Jason’s history is a little complicated, but he was intensely disliked, to the point that fans polled to have him killed off. Jason hasn’t been Robin in the comics since his return as the anti-hero and everyone’s favorite bad boy,Red Hoodin 2003. Everything about Jason is now viewed through the lens of darkness and violence and daddy issues (even though that’s not how the original comics were written).
Stuck without a sidekick, yet again, the super-smart, somewhat nerdyTim Drakeappeared in Batman’s life, practically giving himself the title of Robin. Tim’s tenure was the most balanced, and he’s an underrated Robin who could have massive appeal but lacks the name recognition. Tim’s life as Robin has seen some interesting turns, not least because the writers couldn’t seem to settle on a moniker for him. He’s currently crime-fighting as Red Robin, a title he took on because Robin got taken. By whom?
Well, none other than Damian Wayne, Bruce Wayne’s biological son with Talia al Ghul. Damian, the current and only Robin, is a hot-headed annoying tween, with fans either loving him or loathing him. But, there is one other Robin in DC Comics: Carrie Kelley. Carrie appeared in theFrank Millercomics, which are very dark and forbidding. The character appears in The CW’sGotham Knightsshow, played byNavia Robinson, but it’s a very different take on Carrie.
Would Anyone Care About a Solo Robin Movie?
Robin, as a solo character, is tied to his early comic days as a jovial, fast-talking, quip-spewing sidekick. That doesn’t exactly fit with the darker, edgier tone of Warner Bros.’s current DC film offerings. Even theShazam!movies, despite being more child-friendly, have some scarier moments in them.
Irrespective of which Robin leads the movie, if we want a Robin origin story that’s close to the source material, it’ll likely be geared toward younger viewers because every Robin starts off their career in childhood.Batman Foreveraged up Robin, andTitansonly hinted at Robin’s childhood in flashbacks. If Robin is going to take center stage, the creators will need to tell the story of a child. And let’s be honest, that’s unfortunately not going to appeal to the larger movie-going audience, especially the ones who love superhero properties.
A teenage Robin could have wider appeal, as we have seen with teen Peter Parker in the Spider-Manfilms, but teenage Dick and Tim were better known as leaders of the Teen Titans, so a story with them at that age will be begging to be an ensemble team movie. Jason didn’t get to be a teenager because he was dead and resurrected, then he became Red Hood. Damian hasn’t even become a teenager yet.
Can You Have Robin Without Batman?
The biggest hindrance to a Robin solo movie is that Robin’s story cannot be told without Batman.Titanstried to do just that in Season 1, but it didn’t work.Gotham Knightshas followed suit, but Robin’s connection to Batman in the show isn’t central to the story, so they have been able to get away with it. But to tell Robin’s story, youneedBatman because, well, Robin doesn’t exist without the Dark Knight.
Warner Bros. can’t let go of Batman as the star of its tent pole superhero properties. Looking ateverything DC just announced, from a new Superman movie toThe Brave and the Bold, Batman still looms large. So, until Warner Bros. washes Batman out of their system, we’re not going to get a sidekick character who can co-lead a movie. It doesn’t help that Robin as a character has a bad reputation.Christian Balefamouslysaid he’d quit being the Dark Knightif Robin showed up in his movies, so we got a different version of Robin inThe Dark Knight Rises, with Joseph Gordon-Levitt playing an amalgamation of a number of comic book Robin’s as Robin John Blake.
What we’ve seen so far is that Robin is a great character who works well in live-action properties, so long as they’re part of the Batman-Robin duo, or in a team like inTitansandGotham Knights. But, despite all the fan love for Robin, the moniker isn’t appealing or big enough for Warner Bros. to hang their capes on. Not yet, anyway. Just because we don’t have a solo Robin film, doesn’t mean that fans don’t have any Robins to watch on screen. There are Robins to be found in the ’60s show, theJoel Schumacherfilms,Titans,Gotham Knights, and so many DC Animated properties. And there’ll be a new version in DC’supcomingThe Brave and the Bold.
