While the Ben Affleck-starring Batman movie currently has an uncertain future after the resounding flop of Justice League, it’s looking like at least one Bat-verse hero’s journey to the big screen is proceeding quite smoothly. Of course, I’m talking about Nightwing, whose first solo outing is set to begin production very soon under the capable hands of The LEGO Batman Movie director Chris McKay.
Right now, we know absolutely nothing about what the project might offer, but that’s going to change very soon according to the man in charge. As he so often does, McKay took to Twitter to offer the following update, teasing that next month we might get some casting news:
As usual you are right @rileyseverdeen … it’s too early to talk about casting but in February… say around Valentine’s Day maybe… I should have an update about where everything is with the first NIGHTWING movie!
If the film sticks to the source material, we should see a down to earth and gritty piece of superhero cinema – something that will slot in neatly alongside the street level action of Netflix’s Daredevil rather than the Superman-fighting and alien-bustin’ DCEU Batman. And while it’s a given that the project will be set in Nightwing’s adoptive home city of Bludhaven (Gotham City’s smellier sibling), we’re still left wondering who the villain will be. Apparently, Deathstroke is lined up to face off against Batman, so I’d bet that we’ll be seeing longtime Nightwing foe Blockbuster making an appearance.
It’s also notable that McKay confidently describes this as the ‘first’ Nightwing movie in his Tweet. Could they already be planning where the character is due to end up in subsequent sequels and DCEU team-ups? Dick Grayson is famously one of the more gregarious and upbeat (and, let’s face it, kinda horny) heroes in the DC Universe, so he seems a sure bet to appear in other films, too.
As always, we’ll be sure to bring you all the latest on Nightwing as we get it. Until the next update arrives, however, feel free to let us know who you’d like to see in the titular role by dropping a comment in the usual place!
