DespiteBatman’s lack of solo movies in the franchise, theDCEUgot really close to adapting an iconic DC storyline to live-action for the first time.Several live-action Batmen have starred in their own DC movie franchises, which have explored various parts of the Dark Knight’s source material. Batman’s origin story and early years, his feud with the Joker, and his relationship with close allies like Alfred, James Gordon, and Robin have all been part of Batman’s DC movie history. However, there are still a lot of stories that haven’t been adapted to the big screen yet.
Batman: RIP,Arkham Asylum: A Serious House On Serious Earth, andBatman:The Killing Jokeare only some of the DC storylines that haven’t received direct film adaptations. Villains like Hush, Hugo Strange, and Solomon Grundy, and heroes like Tim Drake and Stephanie Brown have yet to appear in live-action Batman movies. James Gunn’s DCU will dive deeper into Batman’s lore than every previous franchise, but the DCEU almost adapted a story that not even the DCU seems likely to explore anytime soon.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justiceestablished a seasoned, jaded Batman as early as in the franchise’s second installment. At the time,Ben Affleck’s Batman was a cynical vigilante who took his anger out on criminals, breaking his no-kill rule after Joker’s murder of Robin.Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justiceconfirmed Robin’s deathwith a short scene where Batman looks at his sidekick’s damaged costume, which was defaced some time before by the Joker. According to Harley Quinn’s DCEU backstory, she also played a role in Robin’s death.
DC’s First Robin To Turn Villain Could Redeem 41 Years Of Live-Action Movie History With A DCU Debut
Given the DCU’s current Batman story, introducing one former Robin into the new world would work well and make up for their live-action movie history.
Unlike every other live-action Batman franchise before it, the DCEU is a universe full of fantastical characters and forces. The DCEU’s Batman faced his biggest battle after witnessing Robin’s death: averting the apocalypse by preventing Superman from succumbing to Darkseid’s Anti-Life Equation. To achieve this, Batman creates the Justice League, with whom he resurrects Superman following the Man of Steel’s death at the hands of Doomsday. Had the DCEU continued, Robin could have come back to life as well, and the DCEU could have adaptedBatman: Under the Red Hood.
It May Take A Long Time For The DCU To Have Its Red Hood
The DCU’s Jason Todd Will Probably Robin For A While
With the DCEU officially over, DC’s next chance to adapt Batman’s Red Hood storyline in live-action comes with James Gunn’s DCU. The DCU Batman made his first appearance inCreature Commandos— once in episode 4’s post-apocalyptic vision and once in episode 6’s flashback to Doctor Phosphorus' capture.Dynamic Duois set to introduce the DCU’s Jason Todd, planting the seeds for his death and subsequent return as the villainous Red Hood. However,the earliest the DCU’s Jason Todd could become Red Hood might be in over seven years, as the franchise first needs to establish its Batman and Bat-Family.
A Red Hood storyline isn’t the ideal place to start a franchise
The DCU will skip Batman’s origin story and start following the Dark Knight some years down the line. By the time he stars in Andy Muschietti’sThe Brave and the Bold, the DCU’s Batman will already be Damian Wayne’s mentor, meaning that all three previous Robins must be somewhere out there. Still, a Red Hood storyline isn’t the ideal place to start a franchise, as Jason Todd’s return works best when the audience already has an emotional connection to the character over several appearances.
A DCU Red Hood Storyline May Still Be Better Than A DCEU Adaptation
The DCU’s Red Hood Story Could Be Better Than The DCEU’s Adaptation Would Have Been
While the DCEU had the opportunity to have an epic live-actionBatman: Under the Red Hoodmovie, it probably wouldn’t have been as faithful to the comics as it should be.Zack Snyder had envisioned the DCEU’s dead Robin being Dick Grayson instead of Jason Todd, and there wouldn’t have been any other Batman sidekicks after him. Besides,Jared Leto’s Joker is the least popular live-action Joker so far. Therefore, any DCEU flashbacks to Robin’s death could have struggled to match the impact this moment had in the source material.
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The DCU aims to honor every character’s essence, from heroes as famous as Superman to lesser-known characters like the Creatures Commandos.Dynamic Duo’s announcement suggests that the DCU’s Robins and the Bat-Family as a whole will finally have their time in the spotlight. Hence, if a Red Hood storyline ever happens in James Gunn’s DC Universe, it will likely be a more accurate adaptation than anythind the DCEU could have attempted with its dead Robin plotline. In the meantime,Titans' Red Hood arc will continue to be this storyline’s only live-action adaptation.
