Do You Think Robin Could Work In A Live-Action Batman Movie?

[Brother Jack]

Robin can be difficult to write correctly depending on tone. The darker and more grounded the take, the harder it is to justify a colorful kid sidekick. The tendency is often to darken Robin up to the point that he (or she) just becomes Batman Jr., but that is missing the point. Robin is supposed to be a counter-point to Bruce. Smaller, vibrant, more innocent and talkative. The light to his dark, that Bruce might not fall too far into his own monster. The trick is to create an internal logic for Robin to exist as a crimefighting partner, a very specific utility that would work on-screen and mitigate the accusations of child endangerment, as inevitable as they are. I can't for the life of me see what Robin would look like in Matt Reeves' Gotham but I'm very curious. Maybe it's a lack of imagination of my part.

 

[Airwings]

Robin can be difficult to write correctly depending on tone. The darker and more grounded the take, the harder it is to justify a colorful kid sidekick. The tendency is often to darken Robin up to the point that he (or she) just becomes Batman Jr., but that is missing the point. Robin is supposed to be a counter-point to Bruce. Smaller, vibrant, more innocent and talkative. The light to his dark, that Bruce might not fall too far into his own monster. The trick is to create an internal logic for Robin to exist as a crimefighting partner, a very specific utility that would work on-screen and mitigate the accusations of child endangerment, as inevitable as they are. I can't for the life of me see what Robin would look like in Matt Reeves' Gotham but I'm very curious. Maybe it's a lack of imagination of my part.

Very well written!!
You present some valid points about Robin and the elements he brings with him. You know the character very well.

What I personally want is a dark and serious Batman film, and that the true Robin persona still works within the story.
To lighten up the film to Schumacher's B&R level just to suit having the young sidekick there, is totally the wrong way to go. That would backfire at Warner Bros, big time!!!!

I wonder how Robin can be all the things you mention and not turn out annoying. I guess there has to be some really good writing in order to make the character work.
I fear that Warner might not be able to get that kind of talented writers. But maybe Reeves know about some?
Then it comes to the young actor, the other big factor here. It needs to be someone who isn't only playing Robin per se, but specifically how Robin is written in this story.
Suggested candidates from the last year are Levi Miller, Noah Jupe, Noah Schnapp, Milo Parker,
Lewis MacDougall, Finn Wolfhard... the list goes on.

The two Noahs are the youngest and might be the only ones who could be up for the role when it's time to introduce Batman's sidekick. Doesn't matter if we want to see them as Robin or not, their age speaks in their favour. They could beat better suited actors who have aged too much.

I've seen a fan-made pic of Timothée Chalamet as Robin.
Sure, it looks great! But the guy is born 1995 and will be 30 years old when he plays the role. He should be written off the list. He can never be Robin! Not ever.
Nightwing, on the other hand, could work.

 

[Doctorwho12]

Yes, it could work in the right hands!

 

[Fincher]

What I personally want is a dark and serious Batman film, and that the true Robin persona still works within the story.
Too lighten up the film too Schumacher's B&R level just to suit having the young sidekick there, is totally the wrong way to go. That would backfire at Warner Bros, big time!!!!

I wonder how Robin can be all the things you mention and not turn out annoying. I guess there has to be some really good writing in order to make the character work.

I think that if you wanted a vibrant young Robin to work in a dark film for some people (and sorry, I'm just not one of them), then the world should be built from the ground up to accomodate that. For me, a Robin like that fits in something like the Adam West series, but then that's not really my type of Batman. The closest I've gotten to enjoying campy Batman is Batman Forever.

 

[Airwings]

I think that if you wanted a vibrant young Robin to work in a dark film for some people (and sorry, I'm just not one of them), then the world should be built from the ground up to accomodate that. For me, a Robin like that fits in something like the Adam West series, but then that's not really my type of Batman. The closest I've gotten to enjoying campy Batman is Batman Forever.

I agree with you that they would need to get everything right in this "world-building". All the details and the bigger picture too.
I don't think we demand too much here from the creative people involved in the film. They are paid to do great things with the characters. It's their job.
Warner should not hire mediocre people because they are cheaper.

 

[HydraSith12]

I can see Golden Age Batman and Robin in the end credits of Joker 2

 

[Babillygunn]

Seeing as how one of my all-time favorite Batman stories is A Lonely Place of Dying, I would say that Batman really needs a Robin to balance him out. A light in his darkness and all of that. But even more so, I love how the Bat Family represents Bruce’s inherent need for the relationships that were stolen from him in crime alley. That’s why I am not a fan of the Frank Miller approach where he views Robin as a soldier. Instead, I think he sees Tim, Jason, and especially Dick and Damien, as sons and Stephanie as a daughter.

 

[The Lazarus Pit]

This season of Titans is so amazing. Brenton is slowly becoming my favorite Dick Grayson. Curran Walters is perfect as Jason Todd as well.

Did anyone else like how Batman ‘89 (comic) introduced Robin? It’s similar to the Nolan Robin in that it’s not a 1:1 adaptation, but I think they handled the character much more gracefully and respectfully in Batman ‘89. Tbh the general storyline with Two-Face and Robin could provide a solid basis for The Batman sequel

 

[Spider-Aziz]

20 years ago the world was introduced to 11 years old children fighting an all powerful evil adult and winning with injuries they can recover from, and before that audience embraced the novelized version of that story.
In the 80s we had other children movies of children battling evil adults and monsters and winning.
Wasn't IT Chapter 1 well received? Who was/were the hero(es) in that?

Of course a young Robin can work in live action.

 

[Airwings]

How would the character be written in order to work inside Matt Reeves' version?
Should Robin be like he usually is or something different?
How many changes can be made to the sidekick?
Street acrobat instead of circus kid, or just drop that element altogether? Bruce can train him from scratch.
Having a partly, but noticable, hispanic/latino ancestry? Named Richie/Ritchie Grayson, not Richard.
Homeless kid? Gang member? Drug addict?
Brooding/sulking emo kid or more fun-loving?
They could give him a background as a young dancer or pantomime artist, or even an underground teen glamrocker. That would be pushing it far.

What about the suit? Green and red to switch place?
Just an all-black leather suit or something with more bright details?

Should Robin be altered to suit the chosen actor?
Is it best to write the character first, and then find the right guy to play the role?

 

[The Lazarus Pit]

For the sake of world-building and dramatic potential, I think I’d like to see Robin’s parents being killed (directly or indirectly) by either Two-Face or The Joker.

Two-Face killed Jason’s father, Tim’s father in TNBA, and Dick’s family in Batman Forever. While Joker is responsible for the death of Dick Grayson’s parents in both All Star Batman & Robin and Batman: Earth One

 

[Babillygunn]

Two-Face killed Jason’s father, Tim’s father in TNBA, and Dick’s family in Batman Forever. While Joker is responsible for the death of Dick Grayson’s parents in both All Star Batman & Robin and Batman: Earth One

This story should not have any influence upon The Batman whatsoever.

 

[Awest66]

[QUOTE="The Lazarus Pit, post: 38665923, member: 175550"]For the sake of world-building and dramatic potential, I think I’d like to see Robin’s parents being killed (directly or indirectly) by either Two-Face or The Joker.

Two-Face killed Jason’s father, Tim’s father in TNBA, and Dick’s family in Batman Forever. While Joker is responsible for the death of Dick Grayson’s parents in both All Star Batman & Robin and Batman: Earth One[/QUOTE]

They've already done that in Batman Forever though. If this is a world where Bruce's parents were killed by Joe Chill, than it should be Tony Zucco whose done the same to Dick.

 

[Mandon Knight]

Undoubtedly, yes. If taken with enough seriousness, with the respect and process his introduction requires and deserves, and you make him the age he should be when introduced, rather than the path Batman Forever took.

 

[SiegePerilous]

Marvel made audiences love a talking raccoon.

There is no reason to exclude Robin anymore. Loner Batman as far as live action films go is pretty overdone; I feel like Burton and Nolan said all you can say on that front and there is only so much you can do with solo Bruce to begin with. What are they going to do, just rehash his dynamics with the Joker and Catwoman yet again?* Or some other villain of the week is a "dark mirror" of Batman? Yawn. Introducing Robin would help distinguish Reeves trilogy more from Burton, Nolan and Snyder. They can't do a 12 year old Robin, but cast an 18-early 20s actor who can pass for a few years younger and have a 16 year old Robin and it'd make it easier. Fanboys wouldn't throw that much of a fit if Dick is older than normal when first meeting Bruce.

*I of course want to see those, but it'd definitely be nice to have some other areas be something either completely new or in Robin's case something we haven't seen in a while on film.

Yes and judging by the way Matt Reeves answered a question about us ever seeing Robin, I think it's likely we see him in a sequel to The Batman.

What did he say? I haven't seen any statements by him, but I'd love it if he's open to the idea.

 

[Airwings]

Undoubtedly, yes. If taken with enough seriousness, with the respect and process his introduction requires and deserves, and you make him the age he should be when introduced, rather than the path Batman Forever took.

Yeah. The Schumacher version was a misstep in character treatment and casting. How could they get away with that?

Have you guys noticed that Grayson by the time of B&R had become closer to Nightwing but was still named Robin?