The Dark Knight Rises Adapting Robin

[Nepenthes]

In terms of costume...I know people are going to think I'm CRAZY (and perhaps someone might have mentioned this before), but I think a 'goth' type Robin would work extremely well. I'm thinking of something VERY dramatic but not over-the-top (let's be real, a sleep mask and tussled hair isn't going to trick anybody).

- I think a cape or long coat would work if done in goth style. I'm thinking elements of Blade could make this work.

- Robin was created for two reasons - 1) to tone down the comic and 2) give Batman someone to talk/relate to. Think about it...a kid will tone down A LOT! With that being said, I think a late teenage Robin would be as young as I would go.

- I think the villain should be the worst of the worst, in hopes of undermining Robin's competence. I imagine something happening where Robin's decisions or deficiencies compromise a "mission" or something (think Batman and Robin), and Batman is seriously forced to question whether or not teaming up with a kid was the right and responsible thing to do. Ultimately Robin will prove himself and convince Batman he is more than capable of holding his own. I'm not suggesting that Robin should be overzealous, rather there should be a villain that immediately gets the best of him on his BEST day. I think The Joker or Ra's would work well.

- I really have NO idea who to cast.

Fireinflight....yeah you're crazy on the Goth stuff. Batman is goth as he is! and too me Robin represents an opposite visual and ideal. It's interesting though...one way to approach Robin could be as a 'ghost' to Batmans demon......

Imagine you're crook busting through a warehouse. You hear a flutter of wings, a thump, and giggle. Turn around and there's an impish little boy just standing there, grinning in the darkness! 'Batman's going to get yooou!' he chuckles and then backflips into the gloom. Elsewhere, he'd be a pale-faced little sprite that demands information from corrupt officials while a heaving, terrifying shadows lingers behind him.

 

[Nepenthes]

Thinking about it, to me, the reason that Batman takes on any sidekicks at all is to get it out of them while they're young. Batman is, and always will be, the ultimate loner. To him, its a necessary concession to protect the sidekick(s) by allowing them to help him, in order to show them that they really DON'T want that life.

I completely agree that Robin should be about rescuing another lost cause; that's why I'd add alot of Jason Todd's character to Dick Grayson, a meaner, more aggressive and uncontrollable streak. Others have mentioned that training a Robin can be about preventing another dark soul using their skills to take vengeance on the world, something Bruce must see in alot of his longtime enemies.

I don't think that Batman is as much of a loner as people make out. For a 'loner' he certainly has a large network of friends and allies, thing is most of them are connected in his mission. As Tim Drake pointed out when he began, it's a lonely and destructive life being Batman on your own. So taking in an apprentice lets him have meaningful relationships (which are essential to preserving any kind of humanity) with someone who can actually relate to his life. It's the same reason he's always been so attracted to Cawoman despite their vast differences.



Wellsy in your other post you described the stages in becoming Robin...yeah it definitely shouldn't be an overnight thing and I'd have a similar progression. Ideally I'd have Bruce adopt Richard Grayson (aged about 10-12) at the very end of Nolan's movie 3, and then start a new trilogy with a new director and approach.....with the first movie being a 'Robin Begins' type deal.

Aged about 18, and he's been training with Bruce for years but he doesn't know what for. He clues onto Bruce's secret earlier than Bruce had ever planned for, or alternatively, he discovers the truth behind parents death..but either way he attempts to become a vigilante on his own without Bruce's blessing. He gets knocked around, endangers civilians, rejected as a sidekick and mentally tested etc before finally realising it's not just about vengeance and 'skills.' After working as a scout he finally gets his own suit towards the end of the movie and is instrumental in taking down some massive plan with Batman, and then Bruce and Dick are both better people in the end.

I'd also have a subplot with Bruce questioning why he trained Dick all these years. At first he won't admit to Alfred or himself that he ever needed a partner. He claims he only wanted to give Dick an outlet and an opportunity to develop his skills where they won't be misused. Then he begins to wonder if he's been fooling himself along, if he's been selfish or irresponsible, doing it to save his own soul instead.

 

[wellsy]

I completely agree that Robin should be about rescuing another lost cause; that's why I'd add alot of Jason Todd's character to Dick Grayson, a meaner, more aggressive and uncontrollable streak. Others have mentioned that training a Robin can be about preventing another dark soul using their skills to take vengeance on the world, something Bruce must see in alot of his longtime enemies.

I don't think that Batman is as much of a loner as people make out. For a 'loner' he certainly has a large network of friends and allies, thing is most of them are connected in his mission. As Tim Drake pointed out when he began, it's a lonely and destructive life being Batman on your own. So taking in an apprentice lets him have meaningful relationships (which are essential to preserving any kind of humanity) with someone who can actually relate to his life. It's the same reason he's always been so attracted to Cawoman despite their vast differences.



Wellsy in your other post you described the stages in becoming Robin...yeah it definitely shouldn't be an overnight thing and I'd have a similar progression. Ideally I'd have Bruce adopt Richard Grayson (aged about 10-12) at the very end of Nolan's movie 3, and then start a new trilogy with a new director and approach.....with the first movie being a 'Robin Begins' type deal.

Aged about 18, and he's been training with Bruce for years but he doesn't know what for. He clues onto Bruce's secret earlier than Bruce had ever planned for, or alternatively, he discovers the truth behind parents death..but either way he attempts to become a vigilante on his own without Bruce's blessing. He gets knocked around, endangers civilians, rejected as a sidekick and mentally tested etc before finally realising it's not just about vengeance and 'skills.' After working as a scout he finally gets his own suit towards the end of the movie and is instrumental in taking down some massive plan with Batman, and then Bruce and Dick are both better people in the end.

I'd also have a subplot with Bruce questioning why he trained Dick all these years. At first he won't admit to Alfred or himself that he ever needed a partner. He claims he only wanted to give Dick an outlet and an opportunity to develop his skills where they won't be misused. Then he begins to wonder if he's been fooling himself along, if he's been selfish or irresponsible, doing it to save his own soul instead.

I see Bruce as going on a one man crusade. That he has help from others, who just back him up and give him his armour etc, is only natural. He probably does not, however, think that anyone but himself should bear the burden of his crusade. Ergo, he tries to get it out of Grayson earlier and ensure that Dick isn't going down the same path (or if he does, he goes legit). But I do see your point that having someone around is the best way to stay human (character development, anyone?).

As for the development - we're on the same page, it would seem. Your subplot idea is also interesting too. It certainly would add something else to the character (like I said, Bruce doesn't want Grayson to follow him as the Dark Knight, so there would be the big question).

Regarding the "impish" characteristics... that sounds a little over the top. But I'm sure if its just a voice in the background, never actually seeing who says it, well, that would be terrifying too.

 

[Sun_Down]

Not sure if I've posted in this threa already, but here's my thoughts.

Get out the flame-throwers but, appearance-wise, I think the Schumacher films got it basically right, especially the Nightwing look in B&R. Take away the cape and tone down the mask a bit and I think it'd work pretty damn well.

As for how to introduce him, I think the canon origin works if done right. Again, I think Schumacher captured the mood of that moment pretty well, sans the Two-Face involvement. And I think Robin's age is key. I personally think that a teenage Robin works best. He's gotta be young enough to be a true orphan and ward, but old enough and physically mature enough so that Bats would feel comfortable putting him in danger. An athletic 16-17 year old would be believable enough for me.

It'd also be nice to have Bruce be as reluctant as Kilmer was in Forever (man, I can't stop saying nice things about Schumacher. Weird...) and have Robin prove himself.

I'd also make sure that Robin has all the gadgets that Nightwing currently uses. That helps not only to make things more interesting, but it makes the idea of a non-superpowered teenage crimefighter a lot more believable.

 

[Korei]

I really like this robin concept

 

[Closerframe]

That'll be cool if Robin was the little boy from Batman Begins. The cliff hanger for Batman 3.

 

[wellsy]

I doubt it, somehow. It doesn't match the lore, not to mention the fact of Nolan saying he won't do Robin.

Still, it would certainly be interesting if it were so.

 

[Two-Face]

That'll be cool if Robin was the little boy from Batman Begins. The cliff hanger for Batman 3.

No I hope not, the kid didn't belong in the movie.

 

[TwilightPro101]

I'd rather just see a Nightwing movie.

 

[Deaths Head II]

 

[Sun_Down]

I really like this robin concept

I really like that design. That'd work very well on screen, IMO.

 

[Deaths Head II]

Lose the ugly hood.

I like it less without it, but here:

 

[Korei]

i think the idea of no cape is good maybe something along this line

http://www.deviantart.com/deviation...ns&qh=boost:popular+age_sigma:24h+age_scale:5

 

[Texas Zombie]

as they get older

 

[Texas Zombie]

 

[Malone]

I'm not sure if anybody mentioned this, but I think that a Robin movie could be kind of cool. Instead of Robin taking away from Batman's chararcter development, Batman can be a side character, with the main focus being on Robin. I think that people would accept this because you'd get to see a little of Batman as a sort of added bonus. Good screenwriters and the right director can pull it off.

 

[wellsy]

I think it has been mentioned (and its a probable course to explain Nightwing in the Teen Titans movie).

However, as a precursor to that, we'd need to at least have a nod to him in the current Batman continuation (ie BB3 or 4), that sets it up. That gets us the origin story. And then a spin off series, as he becomes Nightwing possibly?

Still, it could work (however, BF did achieve the Robin origin story while keeping the focus on Batman, so it can work either way).

 

[GL1]

I doubt we'll see all of that. There's nothing wrong with introducing Nightwing with the footnote that he used to be Robin... this isn't the comics, y'know?

 

[ANTOINE X]

I'm dead set against robin, BUT if it had to happen:

His parents death would have to be an accident that was partly batmans fault, its the only way i could see bales batman taking that much sympathy on the kid. and secondly his costume would have to be something like the costume in Kingdom Come

Because as cool as i honestly do think it looks sometimes, i just don't buy the whole "a mask over his eyes means no-one has a clue who he is" thing, not in nolans reality-grounded world at least.

looks too much like his partner Batman



but maybe something like his would do

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/ad/Graysonpostersmall.jpg

 

[odiin]

Here's my try at making a Robin that would fit into a Nolan batman movie. Now, first keep in mind that this would probably be assembled by Robin himself without the knowledge or consent of Bruce Wayne, using extra bits and pieces from the batman costume.

This is inspired by The modern Red+Black Robin suit, the Batman film suit, and the Kingdom Come Red Robin Suit:

features include:

- Black body suit made from similar material as the Spider-Man costume. In other words, tights.

- Red Kevlar Bullet-Proof vest to be worn over the body suit

- Arm-guards stolen from Batman suit and re-painted red

- Red shin-gaurds worn over black leather boots (back of the guards will have no armour and will just be two or three straps allowing him to take them on and off)

- Utility belt stolen from batman suit

- Memory cloth cape stolen from Batman suit. (I have a yellow lining on it just because I like how it looks, but they wouldn't necessarily have to have it as well)

- Cowl stolen from Batman Suit (Remember the cowl and ears were ordered independently with Bruce and Alfred putting them together afterward, so this would be one of the unfinished cowls without the ears placed on them)

*- Here, I haven't included a Robin symbol on the vest simply because I don't think it would really look good on this suit, but if I did I would place it over his heart and construct it in such a way as it would become extra armour in that area so that he could survive a shot to the heart even better.

What do you guys think? Also, if anyone with any drawing ability would be so kind, it would be really cool if someone could do a legitimate drawing of my design.

EDIT: Slightly modified version for people who can't stand the diluted colours:

 

[odiin]

Finally, here's a different adaption of the idea that keeps intact the comic book colour scheme:

It's essentially the same thing except:

- The Arm-guards are no longer repainted, and are left black
- The armoured shin-guards are gone, and are replaced with similar pieces of armour on his thighs and upper-arms. This creates a cool effect as it allows him to sort of have the black underwear from the comics, by simply not having armoured plating over that part.

 

[MAKIEVELLI]

We can post whatever we want. You see, this thread is about Robin, and if we feel Robin shouldn't be in this series, we have a right to say so. You think just because the original poster says "don't post anything negative about Robin", that we can't? The OP must be trying to run a totalitarian board. That's like me making a thread asking people's opinions on Batman & Robin then saying "You can't post anything negative in here." This thread is about adapting Robin, we have a right to say whether, why, or how he can be adapted. Again, this is not a totalitarian community.

Ok, *******, thats not what he said. He said this thread wasn't about whether you wanted Robin to be in it or not, but how he wanted him incorporated. If you can't read, stay off the goddamn MBs!

 

[Batjosh]

I really like this robin concept

This is probably the best Robin design I've seen that would work in Nolan's Batman universe.

 

[OctaviusINC]

I did this one. I'd really like to redesign the mask now that you guys mention it.

 

[MAKIEVELLI]

I did this one. I'd really like to redesign the mask now that you guys mention it.

That's pretty awesome but it wouldn't translate too well on film. And I still think that Robin's suit should be mostly black with only specks of red and green. What's the point of Batman wearing black in the shadows if the kid next to him sticks out like a sore thumb. Great design though! One question, what's the insignia on his chest? Is that an R with wings? That's the only part I don't like.