Opinion: Enough Batman and Joker, it’s time for Batman and Robin

It seems as if in recent years, Batman movies are too afraid to add Robin, and it’s created a stereotype around Batman that is not entirely true, and it’s definitely not as good as what the comics tell. 

We all know the edgy, angry, violent, and emotionless ninja that these movies portray, but he isn’t exactly Batman. Batman doesn’t use guns, cares about human life, and fears most that by taking a life, he is making another kid out there feel what he had to when he lost his parents.

He’s the world’s greatest detective, and the Justice League’s brooding uncle and he doesn’t become that without Robin. Now we don’t know whether or not Robin is confirmed for the next movie, but it’s still important for viewers to know the value Dick Grayson adds to a Batman story.

Matt Reeves’ new installment of Batman, to me, was the most compelling and comic-accurate that I have seen in live action. He told a detective story, and it was beautiful. I’ve never felt the way I did watching The Batman for the first time, this feeling that this finally would be the live action Batman trilogy I’ve wanted since watching the cartoons. It was gritty and real but still heroic and wonderful.

Batman has a character arc that suits him, learning that he needs to utilize more than just fear is the essential arc that makes him a true hero, and Dick Grayson is part of what always teaches him to be better. 

In addition, I also love the artisanal aspect of the film with its color grading and cinematography in general being superb. Every shot had me in awe and possessed a quality that I hadn’t really been seeing in today’s comic book movies.

I know a few people that said “The Batman“ did not justify its three hours of runtime, but I think it was essential to the story, and the fact that most of the screen time Robert Pattinson gets is in the suit shows how immersed he is into being Batman, so much so that he doesn’t really keep up the Bruce Wayne persona. The writing had subtle comedy and was fluid which made it an easy watch. Dick Grayson would be perfect in furthering this Batman though, to develop as Bruce Wayne.

Now a big problem with introducing Robin to the trilogy is that he does not fit the idea that current viewers have of Batman. Because Robin is a kid, so many fear it will make the tone less serious, but this does not have to be the case at all.

Making Dick Grayson around sixteen years old would be a good start, as he wouldn’t be too old to be adopted by Bruce, but also not so young that it would make their dynamic too whimsical. Everyone knows and loves the Red Hood nowadays, and to get to that part of the story, a good Nightwing needs to be established.

Dick Grayson in the Battinson world could lose his parents in the chaos that the Riddler ensued, and somehow he could catch Bruce’s eye as he would still be an acrobat, staying true to the comics.

Feeling bad for not stopping the Riddler could motivate Bruce to take Dick under his wing, and Dick could help Bruce start to become more of a public figure in Gotham.

Dick would allow Batman to begin healing a little bit, and he would also help Batman heal the city of Gotham. This has a lot of potential for future stories as well, considering the fact that Selena is already in Bludhaven according to the film, which is where Dick becomes Nightwing and becomes Bludhaven’s hero. 

To me, the idea of adding Dick Grayson to the new trilogy is so exciting. We would finally see the beauty of Batman and Robin, which, when paired with the style of cinematography used in “The Batman”, could produce a truly detailed and passionate production.

We would be able to see characters we have known our whole lives grow on the big screen, whilst having meaningful character arcs and not just act as quip machines or action figures.

The beauty in Batman and Robin has always been in the connection that broken people can share, and how people’s empathy in each other can sprout something that does good, and people need to know this.