Well, no one can accuse DC films of making boring choices anymore. James Gunn, co-president of DC Studios with Peter Safran and director of the upcoming David Corenswet-led “Superman” film, shared news of the latest DC project on X (it’s still Twitter to us). What is this project? “Dynamic Duo,” but it’s not a Batman picture. No, this will star the first two Robins. Per James Gunn, “Over the moon excited to announce the newest DC Studios/Warner Bros Pictures Animation greenlit film for theaters, ‘Dynamic Duo,’ the story of Robin … or should I say, Robins, as in Dick Grayson and Jason Todd.” DC is partnering with New Orleans-based puppetry/animation studio Swaybox as part of the company’s first feature. Check out Swaybox’s medium-blending reel below:
A Reel from Swaybox Studios
Who will do the animation for DC Studios ‘Dynamic Duo’
“Momo Animation” is a cross between CGI animation, practical elements of stop-motion, & live-action real-time performance. pic.twitter.com/lSvBey3XCe
— Cris Parker (@3CFilmss) October 1, 2024
According to Gunn, the film will be told with “a mix of animation, puppetry, and CGI.” Matt Aldrich (“Coco,” “Lightyear”) will write the “Dynamic Duo” script. 6th & Idaho, the production company of “The Batman” director Matt Reeves, will be producing as well. However, Deadline reports the film will not be set in continuity with Reeves’ “The Batman” or the spin-off series “The Penguin.” It is also unclear if the film will be set in Gunn’s new DC Universe continuity.
Last week saw the announcement of a similarly-unexpected DC Studios film, one starring popular DC Comics villains Bane and Deathstroke. However, the initial DC Studios slate did include “The Brave and the Bold,” a father-son film about Batman and Robin to be directed by Andy Muschietti. It’s exciting to see that Gunn is bringing the Boy Wonder back to the silver screen.
Why Robin is important to Batman, explained
Casual Bat-fans may not know that Batman has a whole nest full of Robins. There are four essential ones, though: Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, and Damian Wayne. The four bird brothers are often compared to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; Dick is Leonardo (coolheaded big brother leader) and Jason is Raphael (the hothead rebel in red). The live-action Max series “Titans” also focused a lot on Dick (Brenton Thwaites) and Jason’s (Curran Walters) brotherly bond.
In Batman movies, though, Robin has rarely been a star since 1997’s “Batman & Robin” (a film so panned it changed superhero movies forever). Robin is just an Easter egg in “The Dark Knight Rises,” and Zack Snyder had the Boy Wonder be long dead in “Batman v Superman” (because the only Batman comic he cares about is “The Dark Knight Returns”). “The Lego Batman Movie” is the only Bat-flick since the ’90s with a proper Robin. While one can dismiss the film as parody, it understands why Robin is important to Batman.
It’s not vengeance that drives Batman, it’s compassion. He wants to ensure no one ever suffers a loss like he did when his parents were murdered. So, his mission is completed mostly by adopting a boy dealing with the same pain as him and keeping him on the right path. This is best expressed in “Young Justice” episode “Agendas,” when Batman is grilled by the rest of the Justice League for essentially making Robin into a child soldier. “So that he could turn out like you?” Wonder Woman asked Batman. “So that he wouldn’t,” he replied.
“Dynamic Duo” does not have a release date at this time, but it is planned to have a theatrical release.
