Dick Grayson Casting Thread

[Airwings]

When looking at actors in recent films, there's Jude Hill (Belfast). But I've already said no to him.
Talent isn't all. One must also suit the character of Batman's sidekick, in one way or another.

I'll go for the Puerto Rican Marcel Ruiz (born 2003)
Previous work includes Breakthrough (2019). He also played Alex Alvarez for several years in
One Day at a Time (2017-20). There are no projects lined up right now which means he's available.

 

[Airwings]

Woody Norman (born 2009) is on my "Year List", which I have second thoughts about.
He's talented, no doubt. I’m amazed how many roles he’s already played at such a young age.
The Poldark series is just one among all his credits. Then we have the recent hit C'mon C'mon, actually the only thing I've seen him in.
The kid is so natural in his acting there. He felt like he was himself and didn't play a character. Those child actors are rare.
He could also hold his own against Joaquin Phoenix.

Unfortunately, he's bit too young and short for Grayson. However, that will soon change. In just one year from now, things will look different.
But I have to wait until then.
I need to see his two upcoming films Last Voyage of the Demeter and Cobweb before I can decide if he's ever fit for The Boy Wonder.
Right now I can't give him more than a *Maybe*

I’m going on vacation soon so I feel I have to give you this week's name on my shortlist. Time to pick someone from other recent stuff. But what films have young actors that might suit Robin?
Oh, I have a title in mind

I’ll be back tomorrow for some…



Well, maybe I could start a little today.
This film is truly Cooper Hoffman’s show, so to speak. He delievered, and it felt like the character was written exclusively for him.
However, as he was as far from a Grayson type as one actor can get, in every possible and impossible way, there's no need to ever suggest him.
I'll be looking at others from the cast tomorrow.

 

[Airwings]

This time around, it’s the guys from Licorice Pizza. This is a really good film which has been brought up here before, along with the cast
The lead character had several young people around him. They all fit the tone despite being mostly in the background.
Who were these supporting people then?
One of the names is Will Angarola, Is he a Robin?
Well, just “maybe”. That’s all I can give him. It’s not enough to end up on my list
The thing is, he was hardly seen in the film. Only a couple of seconds now and then. This made it very tricky to see if the actor would work as Batman's sidekick. I can’t just google his name and go by looks. I set the bar higher than that.

It was the same with Griff Giacchino. He's also a glorified extra, not much more than that. But with him, it's a loud and clear NO from me. Because his father is the composer of the new Batman.

Then there was Milo Herschlag. He had the most to do of all the supporting young actors in Hoffman’s circle, I had a chance to actually see him act. It wasn’t much but he did good with what he was given.
The question is if he has a place on my shortlist. I can admit that he does, but just barely.
He seemed quite dorky (which is something the film required of him). That could make it a bit interesting, you know, to see if he can play something else and fit another atmosphere as good as he did in LP.
If somebody is cast by Paul Thomas Anderson, it must mean he’s got acting talent. I’m open for giving Herschlag a go.





However, it seems that PTA has a thing for not just casting young people who are total newcomers, but also the kind who won’t act ever again. The son in There Will Be Blood is a perfect example of this.
Does the director put that in their contract or what’s the matter behind this?
Will the same happen now?
It’s a little shame if these young LP actors won’t appear in other roles and prove themselves. Just one acting gig and then it’s over?

 

[Airwings]

I'm back from my vacation

I have decided to bring up something from 2018 who's got a few young names.
It's no longer considered as one of the new films, or is it?
Lets give it a try!




It's not a good film. The editing is plain terrible.
The acting is bad. Most so when when it comes to the adult characters, some of which are written to behave like children. That sucks!
Not even C Thomas Howell does a good job.

None of the teenage cast seem to possess great talent either. They do what they’re told to do and nothing else.

Despite everything, I still want to mention Wyatt Walter (b 2000). He plays one of the prominent characters.
He's mostly done TV work, a few episodes of NCIS: New Orleans and other stuff.
Nobody have suggested him here before.

It's hard to find a good pic. Most of them are so model-like and not natural at all.
I did decided so go with this one where he's more relaxed. It's maybe 2-3 years old. To a little extent, he resembles Lucas Till
One can look at it and think that he could maybe suit Robin.

The problem is that it’s been four years since Rack Pack came out. How much has he changed? Unfortunately, he starts to look his age in the more recent pics. Some of them don’t put him in a great light so I don’t include them in the post.
I don’t want another Chris O’Donnell situation here. I’m unsure about him.

But perhaps that’s something we have to accept, a 20 something Robin that’s clearly a young man, not a teen?????
Is it going to work if the character is handled better than Schumacher did?
Should Walter get the gig? Maybe, very much a maybe.

 

[Airwings]

Since I haven’t posted in two weeks, I feel I need a name on the shortlist.

Let’s not leave that stinker of a film Rack Pack yet. I’ll give it another shot
Nico Ford is the lead protagonist. He's likely the same age as Wyatt Walter.

The actor has lined up several projects over the years, Technicolour Daydream and a lot more, so he isn’t totally talentless.
Unfortunately, everything he's done have gone under the radar.
I get the impression that he tried to become a name actor in 2018 with the sheer number of roles he played that year. He failed to get a breakthrough.

I don't think he should be Batman's sidekick. A big NO.
Recent pics have made it clear he's aged out of the role. Or perhaps he never fit the character in the first place, I’m not sure

That means no name on the shortlist this week ☹
I’ll do better next time

 

[Airwings]

Have you seen Locke & Key at Netflix?

I think it can be interesting to consider actors from the show.
Let’s look at the family which the plot revolves around.

Connor Jessup is the older brother Tyler. He's a Canadian actor who's been acting for over a decade.
Previous work includes both films and TV series: Falling Skies, Closet Monster, American Crime etc
There's one problem though. The dude looks young in L&K but he’s actually born 1994.
Shocking! I almost can’t believe it.
That will definitely write him off any lists. The Reeves-verse's Dick Grayson hasn't yet become The Boy Wonder when he's first introduced. I's an origin story. We can't have a 30-year-old actor then!

The youngest sibling Bode (Jackson Robert Scott, the kid from IT) is on the other side of the spectrum He's too young for the character instead.
Born 2008, both his young age and his tiny stature are factors that work it against him here.
It’s not possible to judge the kid fairly as a contender for Robin. Not at the moment. I have to see him play a teenager first.
One thing speaks in his favour. He's atleast got a chance to grow into the role. Jessup can't do that.
That said, the kiddie actor isn't without talent. Where he's more of an ordinary boy in L&K, his performance as the possessed kid in Prodigy was disturbing to see. I think that was a demanding role for the youngster. But those acting qualities can be brought over to the Batman sequel.
Reeves' version of Gotham is dark and truly gloomy. Pattinson's Wayne is a brooding emo in terms of look.
I'm sure the upcoming version of the sidekick will character-wise be more different from Burt Ward than we're comfortable with.
But for now, I can't give the actor more than a Maybe.

(this pic was chosen because Robin has colors, he's not wearing all-black)

 

[Airwings]

I must add another name on my list at this point.

There are other actors in Locke & Key worth mentioning. The supporting ones.

Felix Mallard as Lucas was quite good with that mysterious aura. I would almost have given him a Yes if he wasn’t born 1998. That’s too old.

Then we have an interesting guy in Griffin Gluck (born 2000)
Other than L&K, he's appeared in Tall Girl, Big Time Adolescence and Dinner in America
Looking as his birth year, he’s starting to become “seasoned”. The guy has to be really talented for it to work. Thankfully, he is.
As the character Gabe, he could be both a well-mannered young guy as well as the lovable dork who usually gets friendzoned.

Spoiler

and also a sinister villain.

He deserves a spot on my list.
Finally, I have another name

 

[Airwings]

Belfast is one of the recent films so I go back to take a look at it.
Lewis McAskie is the teenage brother in the family.
I would have to say no. I just can't see him as Dick Grayson.

Cry Macho is another one.
Here's an interesting thing. The Mexican teen could speak English well and I think he sounded American. I can't remember if i had any accent at all.
If Robin is to be played by a non-us actor, Eduardo Minett (born 2006) will be a good choice. YES to him.
The character can still be American of course, but they could give him Mexican roots.

 

[Airwings]

Elliott Rose from The Northman has been suggested before. I have seen the film... and personally I didn't think he lived up to the standards. He has to do better. For now, he's a Maybe (just barely, though).
But how could the poor actor ever impress me as his scenes came after Oscar Novak's performance as young Amleth.
I was blown away. He would have gotten a strong Yes from me if Matt Reeves didn't cast him as the young Bruce Wayne.
That means his Yes becomes a No.

Perhaps the actor for Reevesverse's Dick Grayson has to come from a gritty adventure film? Since there isn't really someone to use in Northman, maybe we should look at something similar?
The Game of Thrones prequel series "House of the Dragon" is coming soon. Could a teen actor that suits Robin be found there? We'll have to wait and see
Atleast the first Got series had some talented young cast.

In the meantime, here's pictures of Novak. This is who we have missed out on.

 

[Airwings]

We should check out House of the Dragon.

Horror kids are suitable too.
Ezra Dewey (born 2005 or 2006) was quite good in Boy Behind the Door.
The trailer for The Djinn (another horror) looks promising. I look forward to see the film.
Yes to him.

Don't let the name Ezra prevent him from being considered

 

[antsman41]

I think Pattinson could embody the Dark Victory relationship perfectly.

 

[Airwings]

I think Pattinson could embody the Dark Victory relationship perfectly.

Now we need to find an actor who can embody that relationship, as Dick Grayson.

 

[Airwings]

What other recent projects are there?

Ah, there's The Adam Project
Walker Scobell (born 2009) is the young version of the main character.
At first glance just a typical Disney kid but he was decent in the film. But he’s not good on a higher level.
He's been cast as the lead in the upcoming Percy Jackson series, so he’s got some talent after all.
Can he be Dick Grayson? NO, and that’s not only because of his young age. He isn’t really ready for a character like Robin yet. It will require too much, and he won’t be able to deliver.
Maybe some other young actor from the Percy series will work better, one of the supports perhaps? We might find someone we didn’t know about.
That actually happened me.
While I was watching Adam Project and judged Scobell’s performance, I noticed another young actor who will fit Robin much better. The bully kid Ray, played by Braxton Bjerken (born 2006)
He has the look and he’s got attitude in his scenes. I was a little surprised because he came from nowhere and then suddenly he’s a good candidate.
I remember thinking “that’s my Robin!!”
He gets a Yes

"Bjerken and Scobell fighting over the Grayson role"

From Girl in the Basement (2021)

 

[Airwings]

While we wait to see if there are potential Robin actors in the Percy Jackson series, how about
Callum Booth-Ford (born 2006)?
He was believable as a transgendered kid in the British mini-series Butterfly, where he did a good performance.
The problem is that it's four years ago. He's grown a lot since then and this is obvious in recent pics. Maybe he doesn't suit Dick Grayson?
I know that the young actor has later appeared in the hit TV series Peaky Blinders but I haven't seen it.
How is his acting ability today?

If I'm to judge him as he was in Butterfly, he could work. But I'm not really sure.
I take the safe way out with a Maybe.

And now I can give you the rules I've created for myself.
I will present a new guy on my shortlist every week. I'll do it by looking at one actor.
What happens if there's a No or a Maybe to him? Then I'll try with another. But just one more. And if that one isn't good enough either, there's no addition to the shortlist that week.

 

[shauner111]

As long as it’s not the kid from Samaritan.

 

[Lautox]

I just want this scene recreated, it was such a big part of my childhood

 

[Airwings]

I will follow my established rule and try to get a name on my shortlist this week.

The new Amazon series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power isn't out yet. I'm sure there will be some high level of acting here. It feels like they have gone with a certain kind of of actors for this.
Maybe even those who could work as Dick Grayson? Time will tell!

In the meantime, I will bring up Theo Taplitz (born 2003).
He was really good in Little Men. Perfect for the character.
It came out six years ago, quite some time.
I would say he still lives on that performance because he was brilliant.
I know that talent isn't the only factor. Thankfully, this young actor is also gifted with a look that works for Grayson.

Two years after his break, he was in a film called Gringo. It's was a let down to see him being underutilized. The only he did was playing electric guitar in one single scene. What a waste of a good actor!

I have tried to get my hands on his indie film Wyrm (2019). I really want to see that one!!

Taplitz has a new film coming out this year ("Showing Up").
He's matured a bit but doesn’t seem to have aged out of being a possible Robin, which could be the case with Booth-Ford.
It will be a Yes for him

 

[Airwings]

As long as it’s not the kid from Samaritan.

Javon Walton?
Was he bad in it?
There was a poster who suggested him earlier in this thread. I don't remember who.

I just want this scene recreated, it was such a big part of my childhood

Nice moment there! hope you will get what you want.
We both have something we wish to see being done with Grayson on film.

It's important that the audience will feel the character's journey, and growth. Robin isn't a one-dimensional joke.

 

[Airwings]

I want to give Michael Barbieri (born 2002) a chance.

While Taplitz was something of the heart and emotion in Little Men, Barbieri represented the energy, the physical.
He went on to play minor roles in The Dark Tower and Spider-Man: Homecoming (yay, a CBM). Then I don’t know what happened. There are no other acting gigs after that. Really strange considering he was happy and excited for every new role he got.
I would have given him close to a Yes if he didn’t “retire”.
Right now, maybe he’s a Maybe (that was a fun word-play)

Geez, I look forward to see The Rings of Power. I will binge-watch the show, and not only for trying to find Robin suggestions.

 

[Airwings]

Barbieri only got maybe. Here's another one

Louis Ashbourne Serkis (born 2004)
Known from The Current War, The Kid Who Would Be King and No Return. He's a decent actor but when looking more closely, he's not really the Robin type. Atleast not in the performance I saw.

The big factor here though is that we can't give the Grayson role to actors when their father is already involved in the production. It's the same with Serkis jr as with was with Griff Giacchino
No actor on my list this week.

 

[shauner111]

Airwings you’re gonna be at this for another 5 years

Thread shall be renamed to “Airwings Diary: the Robin Project”.

 

[Airwings]

Airwings you’re gonna be at this for another 5 years

Thread shall be renamed to “Airwings Diary: the Robin Project”.

No, haha, I won't keep doing this for five years.

You've heard about the shortlist for Susan Storm (Fantastic Four)?
It consists of Lily James, Amanda Seyfried, Phillipa Soo, Jodie Comer, Saoirse Ronan and Vanessa Kirby.

I want to create my personal shortlist for Robin, and share it with you guys. It won't be too long before the studio presents an official shortlist for the character. I predict it will happen within a year.

 

[shauner111]

It’s possible that he’s in the sequel but maybe they’ll hold until a third movie.

 

[Lautox]

Knowing reeves' background with the 60s show he surely has an interest in Robin so yeah it is likely we'll see him in the third installment fully formed.

 

[Airwings]

It’s possible that he’s in the sequel but maybe they’ll hold until a third movie.

Knowing reeves' background with the 60s show he surely has an interest in Robin so yeah it is likely we'll see him in the third installment fully formed.

I hope for the second film. Maybe both of you already know that