One of the most interesting aspects of the new DCU is the one with the fewest details revealed: Batman: The Brave and the Bold, which will introduce a new version of the Caped Crusader and cement his place in James Gunn’s new DC Universe. In 2023, James Gunn announced The Brave and the Bold, which is reportedly inspired by Grant Morrison’s comic book run, Batman and Son. Fans are eager and waiting with bated breath for any news about the film, as Batman is not only one of the biggest superhero characters of all time, but The Brave and the Bold has practically confirmed the introduction of the most interesting aspect of the Batman mythos: The Bat-Family.
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The Bat-Family, a network of crime fighters organized and trained by Batman himself, is an old concept. The concept was established in the Golden Age with the introduction of characters such as Dick Grayson’s Robin and Bette Kane’s Batgirl. However, in live-action adaptations, the Bat-Family is underrepresented, with most Batman films focusing on Bruce’s lone work as Batman. The closest Bat-Family fans have is 1995’s Batman: Forever and 1997’s Batman and Robin. But with Gunn’s approach to more closely reflect the comic books, this may be the first time in a long time the Bat-Family will be mainstays in a cinematic universe. But that leaves the question of which characters will make it into the family. Looking at Grant Morrison’s Batman and Son and the characters’ histories, it’s clear which characters must appear in the film for the story to work.
5) Dick Grayson’s Nightwing is Practically Confirmed in the DCU
There is no Bat-Family character that is better known to the public than Dick Grayson’s Nightwing. Debuting as Robin in Detective Comics #38in 1940, Dick was Batman’s sidekick for years after the death of his parents, the Flying Graysons, at the hands of Tony Zucco. Eventually, Dick steps away from the role of Robin and becomes Nightwing; as Nightwing, Dick takes it upon himself to protect the city of Blüdhaven while working and leading with the Titans. This is the position Dick is currently in in the comics, and at the time of Grant Morrison’s Batman and Robin, Dick was operating in New York City.
While Dick has little interaction at first with Damian Wayne (thanks to being in NYC) and away from Batman as a whole, Dick’s importance as Robin cannot be ignored. He’s the first Robin for a reason: the name “Robin” comes from his time in the Flying Graysons, and he was Batman’s introduction to taking on a sidekick in the war against crime. Robin is one of the most essential parts of Batman’s lore, serving as the light in his crusade and keeping him human. For the DCU to ignore Dick Grayson would be to ignore a major part of Bruce’s history and character growth. With The Brave and the Boldpromising to bring in Damian Wayne, it suggested to many fans that Dick Grayson already exists in this world. Not to mention, Supergirl screenwriter Ana Nogueira is already working on the Teen Titans script, which is likely to involve Dick Grayson as Nightwing, so it’s practically confirmed that Grayson will appear.
4) Alfred Pennyworth Is Another Core Batman Character
DC Comics
Of the Bat-Family, Alfred has had the most appearances alongside Bruce Wayne in terms of live-action adaptations. He’s appeared in every major film or TV series as the loyal father figure and partner to Bruce Wayne, aiding him in his adventures. Alfred’s personality has undergone various changes depending on the adaptation; the recent portrayal by Andy Serkis in 2022’s The Batman is of a caretaker who dislikes Bruce’s crusade, has a dry British wit, and is a fighter. Other adaptations have even cast him as a former secret agent who can hold his own in an intense fight.
At the time of Batman and Son, Alfred was still around as Batman’s aide, so he’ll be appearing in Batman: The Brave and the Bold,as well. He’ll likely have a minuscule role, serving as a father figure to the DCU’s Bruce, especially as he attempts to navigate being a father to his biological son, Damian. He may even enlighten Damian about some aspect of Bruce’s personality and life that the more closed-off Bruce is hiding from Damian.
3) Tim Drake Has an Intense Rivalry With Damian Wayne
DC Comics
Tim Drake takes the mantle of Robin after the death of the second Robin, Jason Todd. Having personally uncovered Batman’s identity through detective work, Tim takes it upon himself to become Bruce’s partner after concluding that Batman needs a Robin to keep him sane. Unlike Dick and Jason, Tim wasn’t an orphan until much later in his Robin career, and formally got adopted as a Wayne. He’s extremely intelligent and a proficient fighter, with many elements of his Robin identity shared with others in live-action adaptations. Despite this, though, Tim Drake has never appeared in a film.
The closest Tim Drake got to a live-action adaptation was Jay Lycurgo’s portrayal in the third season of the 2018 TV series Titans, and he only became Robin in the 4th season. Fans of Tim Drake are desperate for him to make it to the big screen, as many love his dedication and his relationship with Batman. In Batman and Son, Tim is the current Robin before Damian is introduced, and the two have intense brotherly animosity. That dynamic is important to characterize Damian and generate narrative tension. What would be great is for Batman: The Brave and the Bold to have a nice moment between the two where, at the end of the film, Tim willingly hands the mantle to Damian before taking on a new one himself (“Red Robin”) to help Damian truly feel like he belongs.
2) Barbara Gordon Assists The Bat Family as Oracle
DC Comics
Barbara Gordon takes up the role of Batgirl early in her life and works alongside Dick and Bruce in protecting Gotham. As the daughter of GCPD’s James Gordon, she has a strong sense of justice that can’t waver. Even when she was paralyzed in a cruel attack by the Joker, she didn’t let that stop her from helping people, using her elite technical knowledge to become Oracle, the Bat Family’s “woman in the chair,” helping them on missions with hacking, information gathering, and location finding. Barbara proved that no matter what, anyone can be a hero.
At the time of Damian’s introduction in the comics, Barbara was managing just fine as Oracle. Her inclusion in Batman: The Brave and The Bold would mean not only a potential Birds of Prey inclusion, but also a showcase of the longevity of Batman’s crusade, which has had its fair share of casualties and off-screen adventures. It will also give the movie an in-universe reason for Batman’s advanced tech and ability to hack into anything. If the DCU casts a wheelchair user to reflect the role of Oracle accurately, this would be a great act of representation for the DCU and the first time this side of Barbara Gordon has been showcased in films. Barbara doesn’t have any major interactions with Damian in Batman and Son, but her powerset as Oracle would set up the Bat Family in a major way.
1) Cassandra Cain Needs Another Chance In Live Action
DC Comics
Cassandra Cain takes up the role of the second Batgirl after the events of Batman’s No Man’s Land. The daughter of the assassins David Cain and Lady Shiva, she was trained from birth to be a powerful killer, even at the expense of learning to speak and connect with people. But to David’s surprise, Cassandra, after her first kill, grew so disgusted by it that she abandoned her father to find a way to preserve life. This marked the beginning of an intense character arc in which Cassandra became Batgirl and worked with Bruce and Barbara to protect Gotham. Eventually, she’s adopted by Bruce, becoming his daughter, and the best candidate to become Batman in the future.
Cassandra was adapted in the 2020 film Birds of Prey, but that was a terrible interpretation of the character, sharing none of her unique traits or abilities. The DCU has a chance to finally adapt Cassandra properly for the big screen by including her in Batman: The Brave and the Bold. In the comics, Cassandra was the acting Batgirl at the time of Damian’s introduction, so it’d be accurate to the source material to have Cassandra make an appearance or even get referenced. James Gunn has repeatedly said that Cassandra is his favorite Batgirl, so the chances of her being adapted are extremely high. Her inclusion in the film could also mean that Warner Brothers could give DC fans the Batgirl movie they deserve.
The Brave and the Boldis in development at DC Studios. No timeline for release has been announced.
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