Is Teen Titans The DCEU’s Secret Weapon?

Created by Bob Haney and Bruno Premiani, but popularized by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez, Teen Titans is arguably the second-biggest team in DC Comics after the Justice League. With such prestige comes expectation, though - namely, a film in the DCEU. To date, nothing's been announced, nor has there been any traction in the rumor mill about it. It's rather strange, don’t you think? I mean, why wouldn't this franchise be in phase one plans? Even Suicide Squad, a far less popular property, was included in the initial batch of films. Perhaps there's something more to it. Maybe Teen Titans could be the DCEU's trump card: the one film that'll do for it what Guardians of the Galaxy did for Marvel. Could that be the case? Let's take a look and find out.... Titans TV Series Back in September 2014, TNT put a live-action series tentatively titled Titans into production. Academy Award-winning screenwriter Akira Goldsman was roped in as a producer, along with Marc Haimes. The two of them penned a script for the pilot, but before anything could go any further, the project was canned. Gone. Finished. Just like that. While fans were naturally disappointed by the news, DC's Geoff Johns assured us that there were still plans for the Titans. However, he hasn't elaborated much since then. The Nightwing film is coming, we know that much, so could it be that it's the start of something bigger? Where Would Dick Fit In? Get your mind out of the gutter. This is a serious concern here. If a Teen Titans film does happen, it won't be the same without Dick Grayson. He needs to be in it. With Batman being older in the DCEU, chances are that Dick will be closer to 30 than 20, so he's no longer a teen or a Robin. Sure, it would've been great to see the original team of him, Kid Flash, Aqualad, and Wonder Girl together, but it might just have to be a different incarnation. What's likely to happen here is that the former Boy Wonder will play a mentorship type of role in the group – like he does in the current DCAU films where Starfire is the leader – and guide the younger heroes. Maybe we might even see him take a younger Robin such as Tim Drake or even Damian *tt* Wayne under his wing. Whichever way it goes, it'll be nice to see Dick pass the baton to one of his numerous successors. Beast Boy Must Feature Point at someone, anyone you see, and it's likely they've been a member of the Titans at some point in their lives. The team rotates through members much like Taylor Swift goes through boyfriends in between albums. That's okay, though, because it provides a wider selection of possible candidates for the film. Maybe we'll get an older Titans group or a younger Teen Titans – Rebirth's doing both right now, so there's always that option, too. One thing's for sure: Garfield Logan, aka Beast Boy, must be feature in the film. He's become the heart and soul of the team over the years and is ever-present in the group's different iterations. His green appearance and shape-shifting powers will immediately endear him to the audience – both young and old – as will his witty and fun-loving personality. If the DC is looking for their own teenage Spider-Man-like figure for their universe, Gar's the man. The Fun Factor "The DCEU is no fun." "The colors are so dark." "Where are the jokes about co-workers?" Yes, yes, we've all heard these criticisms of the DCEU (more specifically, Zack Snyder's films). To state the obvious here: Teen Titans is fun. When a group of teenagers learn to be heroes and adults at the same time, there's bound to be laughter, tears, and life-defining moments. Take one look at the comic book series, animated shows or films, and you'll find that this collection of superheroes is probably the Guardians of the Galaxy's main competition in terms of the fun factor. Also, is there a better way to wipe away seriousness than with characters like Blue Beetle and Beast Boy? Can you imagine a stoic Damian getting picked on by the rest of the team and being the butt of the jokes as he tries to defeat them all one by one? Comedy gold, I tell you. The Legacy Of Teen Titans And Young Justice Along with Batman: The Animated Series, Batman Beyond and Justice League, Teen Titans and Young Justice are fondly remembered as some of the greatest superhero animated series of all-time. The latter was so popular that DC recently announced a third season of the series four years after originally cancelling it. How bout dat? These series and their characters are beloved to the point where it just doesn't make sense for the DCEU to ignore them. Not only would the older fans embrace the iconic team's big screen appearance, but they would also inspire the younger enthusiasts who could live out their superhero fantasies through this teenage group. It's a no-brainer here. DC needs to bring the Titans into the film universe sooner rather than later. Heck, Warner might as well send me a 'thank you' note right now after all the dough they'll see after this idea proves lucrative. Tell us, would you like to see a live-action Teen Titans film come to fruition? As always, let us know in the comments section below.