8 Bat-Family Members Who We Need To See On The Big Screen Soon

Batman might be the DC superhero with the most movies under his belt, and his rogues gallery have passed into popular culture, but his evergrowing bunch of sidekicks and crime-fighting associates have been poorly treated on film. The only movie that has really tried to tackle the idea of a Bat-Family is Batman & Robin, and we all know how that turned out. The current iteration of the character we are familiar with casts the Dark Knight as an eternal loner, although that looks to be challenged by his inclusion in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. While he will obviously fight with the Big Blue Boy Scout at first, the pair will eventually come together and form the Justice League. This surely proves that Ben Affleck’s Bats is more of a team player than other recent portrayals. Hopefully, then, the solo Batman film, which Affleck will also direct, will explore the idea of the Bat-Family further. And if it does, here are eight Bat-Family members who we really need to see on the big screen, either in a new, improved version or for the very first time. 8) Tim Drake (Robin/Red Robin) After the most famous Robin, Dick Grayson, and the most infamous, Jason Todd, Tim Drake is often unfairly forgotten. Any fan of the DC Animated Universe though will know that this is unfair, as he made for a great sidekick in The New Batman Adventures (although he had an unhappy end, courtesy of the Joker). As such, if the movies were to feature a Robin, they would probably plump for one of those first two. Don't fear, though, as Tim Drake can still be used in his persona as Red Robin. It's basically his version of Dick Grayson’s Nightwing; a darker vigilante identity for him to take after graduating from being Batman’s sidekick. Red Robin might not be one of the first characters that DC are looking to introduce to a wider audience but, if the franchise succeeds, he could well be added a few films down the line. 7) Terry McGinnis (Batman) We’ve already extolled the virtues of Batman Beyond on WGTC recently but what the heck, we’re about to do it again. The BB animated series almost garnered a live-action movie version in the past, but sadly that never happened. This is something that needs to be fixed, immediately. For those unfamiliar with the show, it saw an elderly Bruce Wayne pass on his cape and cowl to teenage Terry McGinnis and proved so popular with fans that Terry was integrated into the comics universe. Its success was partly due to the sci-fi, cyberpunk version of Gotham City that he lives in but also because Terry is an interesting character in himself; a more Spider-Man-esque take on the Batman. Terry’s unique black and red suit would look great in live-action and though we love Bruce, it would be nice to have a Batman movie that had someone else in the driver’s seat. 6) Batwing (David Zavimbe/Luke Fox) Though he's the most recent addition to the Batman family on this list, Batwing has gathered up an ardent fanbase that can rival any of the other members. As such, hopefully he'll get his shot at a movie appearance sometime in the near future. There are two Batwings to choose from and either is ripe for adaptation. The first is David Zavimbe, a member of Bruce’s international Batman Incorporated who acts as the Batman of Africa. If DC think he would be a little too close to Marvel’s other black-clad African superhero, Black Panther, they could instead go with Luke Fox’s Batwing. A vet recently returned from Afghanistan, he uses his father Lucius’ technology to join the Bat’s fight against crime. Like Red Robin, Batwing probably isn’t at the top of DC’s list of characters that they want to put on film, but let’s hope they change their minds and introduce him sooner rather than later. 5) Kate Kane (Batwoman) Despite it being 2016, there is still a distinct lack of female superheroes around. TV is doing fine with the likes of Jessica Jones and Supergirl, but things on the movie front really need to pick up, and fast. Enter Batwoman: the Bat-Family’s most independent female hero. Though she might not be as well-known as Batgirl, she deserves to be as she is much more than just another sidekick for Batman. As well as being as strong as the Dark Knight, the modern incarnation of the character is a lesbian, which would again help with the diversifying of on-screen superheroes. In the wake of bad guy-led movie Suicide Squad, how about a film centring on Gotham's female heroes going against its female villains? We assume it would get a lot of backing from fans, and Batwoman could heavily feature in it. 4) Damian Wayne (Robin) If you’re out of touch with Batman comics, it might surprise you to know that Bruce Wayne fairly recently found out that he had a son from Talia Al Ghul (half naturally born, half grown in a tube). Damian is raised by Talia before being given to Bruce aged ten where he proves to be a spoiled and violent brat. However, he undergoes a dynamic change of heart over time and eventually becomes a worthy Robin. Although Damian generally works with Dick Grayson’s Batman, if translated to film he could team up with his dad, as there is a lot of dramatic possibility there. A Batman film focused on a fractured father and son relationship could be brilliant. The movies often focus on Bruce’s daddy issues anyways, so it would interesting to see him address those by raising his own son. 3) Jason Todd (Robin/Red Hood) It’s probably not a great surprise that Jason Todd has hardly been adapted into another medium since his tenure as Robin back in the 1980s. The first replacement for Dick Grayson, he proved so unpopular that readers voted for him to be killed off – which he was, very violently by the Joker. We hope you’re happy now, voters. In recent years, however, Todd has been resurrected – as the anti-hero Red Hood who clashes with the Batman over his use of lethal force. Many rumours state that the upcoming solo Batman movie will finally deal with Todd’s character arc on screen, with Jared Leto’s Joker being involved in some form. If true, this is great news, as it would be refreshing for a Batman film to explore a different version of Robin and a darker relationship between Batman and his sidekick. 2) Barbara Gordon (Batgirl) Despite Barbara Gordon’s Batgirl being a creation of the classic 1960s TV show, she has been treated pretty poorly by the small and big screens since then. It’s a crime that Alicia Silverstone’s clueless (heh) portrayal in Batman & Robin is the only time the character has made it to film. Again, this looks set to be righted very soon, with it all but confirmed that Jena Malone will play the character in the upcoming Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. Hopefully they won’t jump straight to her non-superhero identity as Oracle, though, and instead give her a chance at being Batgirl. As mentioned above, there aren’t enough female costumed heroes around right now. Besides, as the relaunched version of the character in the New 52 proved, Babs is a great character in her own right. Malone hasn’t really played a role like Batgirl before, but she certainly looks the part and we're hopeful that she can do the role, er, justice. 1) Dick Grayson (Robin/Nightwing) Yes, he may be the most famous member of the Bat-Family apart from Batman himself, and he has appeared in numerous films and TV series over the years, but Dick Grayson still hasn’t been done quite right just yet, so he needs to be given another go. Burt Ward’s catchphrase-spouting sidekick to Adam West was a perfect fit for the 60s, but he was hardly the three-dimensional character fans love from the comics. And the less said about Chris O’Donnell’s whining Boy Wonder the better. We need a Dick Grayson that we can really root for. For starters, Grayson’s alternate alter ego Nightwing has yet to be explored on film. Introducing this version of the character would be a great way to show him as a badass superhero in his own right, rather than just as a trusty sidekick (which modern superhero films don’t seem to go for). There is more to him that an embarrassing first name, we promise.