Nightwing: Savior of the DCEU?
by Phil Perich for the Legends of DC Blog
It was just announced a few hours ago that Warner Brothers is planning a Nightwing movie to be directed by Lego Batman movie director Chris McKay. While it is no secret NIghtwing is my favorite DC Comics character, I’m a little scared. Can Warner Brothers do the character justice and improve the ailing DC Extended Movie Universe? I think they can if they incorporate some of the following things.
Hometown Boy
Any attempt at a NIghtwing solo movies should include the city of Bludhaven. After Batman sends Nightwing to investigate a case in Gotham’s more corrupt sister city of Bludhaven, Nightwing realizes Bludhaven is hopelessly drowning in crime and corruption and decides to make a life in his new hometown.
Big Bad
And speaking of Bludhaven, I believe the first villain NIghtwing should face in his first movie should be the gang boss he was originally sent to bludhaven to discover, the super strong Blockbuster. Like his his brother Mark before him, Roland Desmond was transformed into a childlike brute who fought Batman. But after a deal with the DC Universe’s devil Neron, Blockbuster was elevated to almost genius levels. Deciding to stay the hidden power in Bludhaven, it took Nightwing months to discover the villains identity. Even though he was unable to defeat Blockbuster right away, Nightwing stayed a constant thorn in the villain’s side, like when he manipulated Blockbuster into demolishing his own house on top of him.
Bros before Supervillains
And while it may seem like Batman is the center of the DC Universe who connects all the heroes to each other, Nightwing is the friend everyone wishes they had. His ties to DC’s heroes run deep, from his long time association with the Teen Titans, and working with the Justice League, the Outsiders, and the various members of the Batfamily. The name Nightwing was inspired by a story that Superman himself had told to Dick Grayson about an ancient hero from Krypton. How can a hero be anything but successful when he’s inspired and trained by Batman and Superman?
Working Vacation
And if NIghtwing is going to be added to the current DCEU, where has he been all this time? In the Batman V Superman movie, we see a battle damaged, graffitied Robin costume in the Batcave, probably belonging to Dick Grayson or Jason Todd. Is it possible Dick Grayson is believed to be dead, maybe undercover like he was not too long ago when everyone in the world except Batman thought he was dead? In fact NIghtwing gave up his costumed identity to infiltrate the Spyral spy organization as Grayson, Agent 37. Is it possible his solo movie will open with him leaving the spy world to once again become a costumed hero?
So we still have a long way to go until we see NIghtwing on the big screen. What else do YOU want from a Nightwing movie? Romance? With who? Batgirl? Starfire? Huntress? Let me know!
nightwingpdp@gmail.com or beforethebat@gmail.com
@Nightwingpdp @BeforetheBatPod & @NIghtwingDC on Twitter.
You can hear me and my friends discuss all things Batman on the Before the Bat podcast and all things DC on the Legends of DC (@LegendsOfDCPod) and Channel 52 podcasts (@channel52pod). I also write another blog, the True Believers Blog, on all things Marvel. You can find all of my podcasts and blogs and those of others at www.southgatemediagroup.com and all of my creative endeavors at www.philperich.wordpress.com.