Cast This: Nightwing

Last Updated on July 31, 2021

Lately, the DC Extended Universe has been very cooperative in providing material for this column — we've recently fielded suggestions for Hal Jordan and John Stewart in GREEN LANTERN CORPS, a director for THE FLASH, and Poison Ivy and Catwoman for GOTHAM CITY SIRENS (and narrowly missed a chance to cast the director for THE BATMAN when Matt Reeves discussed, departed and then ultimately accepted the position within the course of a week).

Now it was announced that THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE director Chris McKay will make his live-action feature debut with a movie centering on another hero from DC Comics, Batman's younger colleague NIGHTWING (penned by Bill Dubuque, who wrote THE ACCOUNTANT for current DCEU Dark Knight Ben Affleck).

Nightwing's alter-ego is Richard "Dick" Grayson, a former circus acrobat who lost his family to a Gotham crime boss and was subsequently taken under the wing of billionaire businessman Bruce Wayne. After learning of Wayne's costumed secret identity, Grayson was trained by Batman in physical combat and detective skills to become the Dark Knight's regular crimefighting partner known as Robin, the Boy Wonder.

After many adventures, an injury from the Joker and a disagreement with Batman's methods resulted in Robin going off on his own and joining the super-team known as the Teen Titans. Eventually he stepped out from under Batman's shadow and updated his costume and name, taking on the new identity of Nightwing.

While his vigilante activities in Gotham (and nearby Bludhaven) often lead to encounters with Batman, Grayson's relationship with his former legal guardian would remain contentious, particularly after discovering that Bruce had trained a new Robin named Jason Todd (who would end up murdered by the Joker as a result of reader voting in the infamous "A Death in the Family" comic story).

It will be interesting to see how the movie approaches this addition to the movie universe Bat-family — as witnessed in BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE, one wearer of the Robin costume suffered a grim fate at the hands of the Joker. This was purportedly the Jason Todd version of Robin (who comic readers know resurfaced as violent anti-hero Red Hood, a potential antagonist in NIGHTWING), but conceivably this outfit could have also belonged to other comic book Robins such as Tim Drake, Stephanie Brown (aka Spoiler), Damian Wayne, or even a character original to the movies.

NIGHTWING probably won't be an origin story, but we'll undoubtedly learn how he went from Batman's sidekick to ass-kicking solo act. Given Batman's veteran status in the DCEU (Affleck himself is 44), we can probably expect a Grayson that's 10-15 years younger than the Dark Knight, if not more.

So who could wear the blue-black costume and swing the escrima sticks as Nightwing? Former King in the North Richard Madden of HBO's "Game of Thrones" has the chops and appearance for the character. Daniel Radcliffe has certainly demonstrated the ability to be the focal hero of a major franchise, and so far has also somehow avoided being in a comic book movie. And it might cause confusion considering he's the Man of Steel on TV's "Supergirl", but Tyler Hoechlin sure would fit the part.

Let us know below who you think would make a badass big-screen Nightwing!

As for the previous Cast This for GOTHAM CITY SIRENS, the top picks for Catwoman were:

1. Eva Green  2. Lena Headey  3. Kate Beckinsale

And the favorites for Poison Ivy were:

1. Jessica Chastain  2. Evan Rachel Wood  3. Christina Hendricks