After watching The Dark Knight, I have to say that if Robin is ever going to be introduced (which I highly doubt will happen, at least for a while), it makes the most sense story-wise to introduce him in the next film. Robin works best and most believably as a foil to Batman. Robin is Batman's link to his own sanity and humanity. He comes about to keep Bruce from becoming consumed by the darkness. After all that has occurred in Bruce's life after The Dark Knight, this would be the ideal time for a Robin (or just plain Dick Grayson) story. I'll say it again, I don't think this will happen, but if Dick is ever going to be introduced, the stage now is set perfectly.
If Robin were added, I think it was also make the most sense to have him be in his late teens (17-19), not have him show up in costume until the third act of the movie (if at all), and have him use a costume akin to the current Tim Drake one (that is, darker shades of the Robin colors). I also think it'd make more sense to have Batman using him more as a scout rather than a crime-fighting force. He shouldn't just be thrown into the mix.
As for whether I think Nolan should use Robin, I'm just not sure. Robin has always been one of my favorite characters. There's great psychology there and he's a great dramatic foil to Batman. He also represents, I believe, Batman's greatest failure in that he did not become Batman. When Batman took Dick in and trained him, it seemed to me he did it with the belief that he could train Robin to be another version of himself. He had seen his parents die just like Bruce had, and he wanted revenge, so Bruce trained him. Yet, something happened that Bruce did not expect (which is strange, because usually Bruce is prepared for everything), and Dick rebelled. He rejected Batman's way of doing things and went out on his own to become Nightwing. This is critical because Batman must believe that his way is the only way. Otherwise, why would he continue to go out at night dressed up as a huge bat? Robin represents Batman's greatest failure in that he eventually rejects Batman's ways and does not become another "Batman". Also, most people seem to describe the Bruce-Dick relationship as a father-son one. I, however, disagree. I see Bruce-Dick as an older brother-younger brother relationship in which the parents have died and the older brother is forced to become the father figure before his time and has no idea how to be a parent. Bruce's later relationship with Tim represents a truer version of the father-son.
Another interesting thing about Batman, his stories are truly ensemble pieces. Whereas Superman stories are usually only focused on Superman (and Lois Lane), Batman's stories are focused on all the other players like Alfred, Gordon, all the villains, etc... And these other players reflect aspects of Bruce. The Joker (like he said in the film) is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. He is Batman's opposite. Bruce is orderly, regimented, and the Joker works from chaos and anarchy. Yet another intriguing point is that these players also represent the possible courses Batman could have taken in life, they represent what Bruce might have become had he reacted differently to his parents' deaths. He might have become the Joker and just done mad, he might have become Two-Face (this is more appropriate in the TDK as they both lose Rachel), and finally -- he might have become Dick Grayson (or Robin). They both began their crime-fighting careers in a similar fashion, yet their end up vastly different in their approach. Robin can be used to further explore Bruce's psyche while still exploring Robin as well. There's a lot that can be done.
I think that all of those dynamics could work well onscreen. Yet, I've enjoyed Nolan's Batman tremendously and would never wish to impose anything on his creative vision. Perhaps they could leave the Nolanverse alone and just have a Nightwing film to deal with Dick's transition from Robin to Nightwing (with elements of the TBAS -- ie, Dick growing discontented with Bruce and eventually leaving due to Bruce endangering Barbara) and also involve Bats growing darker after Dick's departure, leading to the introduction of Jason Todd. Of course, this is just a fanboy rumbling.
If Robin were added, I think it was also make the most sense to have him be in his late teens (17-19), not have him show up in costume until the third act of the movie (if at all), and have him use a costume akin to the current Tim Drake one (that is, darker shades of the Robin colors). I also think it'd make more sense to have Batman using him more as a scout rather than a crime-fighting force. He shouldn't just be thrown into the mix.
As for whether I think Nolan should use Robin, I'm just not sure. Robin has always been one of my favorite characters. There's great psychology there and he's a great dramatic foil to Batman. He also represents, I believe, Batman's greatest failure in that he did not become Batman. When Batman took Dick in and trained him, it seemed to me he did it with the belief that he could train Robin to be another version of himself. He had seen his parents die just like Bruce had, and he wanted revenge, so Bruce trained him. Yet, something happened that Bruce did not expect (which is strange, because usually Bruce is prepared for everything), and Dick rebelled. He rejected Batman's way of doing things and went out on his own to become Nightwing. This is critical because Batman must believe that his way is the only way. Otherwise, why would he continue to go out at night dressed up as a huge bat? Robin represents Batman's greatest failure in that he eventually rejects Batman's ways and does not become another "Batman". Also, most people seem to describe the Bruce-Dick relationship as a father-son one. I, however, disagree. I see Bruce-Dick as an older brother-younger brother relationship in which the parents have died and the older brother is forced to become the father figure before his time and has no idea how to be a parent. Bruce's later relationship with Tim represents a truer version of the father-son.
Another interesting thing about Batman, his stories are truly ensemble pieces. Whereas Superman stories are usually only focused on Superman (and Lois Lane), Batman's stories are focused on all the other players like Alfred, Gordon, all the villains, etc... And these other players reflect aspects of Bruce. The Joker (like he said in the film) is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. He is Batman's opposite. Bruce is orderly, regimented, and the Joker works from chaos and anarchy. Yet another intriguing point is that these players also represent the possible courses Batman could have taken in life, they represent what Bruce might have become had he reacted differently to his parents' deaths. He might have become the Joker and just done mad, he might have become Two-Face (this is more appropriate in the TDK as they both lose Rachel), and finally -- he might have become Dick Grayson (or Robin). They both began their crime-fighting careers in a similar fashion, yet their end up vastly different in their approach. Robin can be used to further explore Bruce's psyche while still exploring Robin as well. There's a lot that can be done.
I think that all of those dynamics could work well onscreen. Yet, I've enjoyed Nolan's Batman tremendously and would never wish to impose anything on his creative vision. Perhaps they could leave the Nolanverse alone and just have a Nightwing film to deal with Dick's transition from Robin to Nightwing (with elements of the TBAS -- ie, Dick growing discontented with Bruce and eventually leaving due to Bruce endangering Barbara) and also involve Bats growing darker after Dick's departure, leading to the introduction of Jason Todd. Of course, this is just a fanboy rumbling.
