Not much has happened since the series’ initial announcement back in September, but we finally have an exciting update about TNT’s Titans, an upcoming live-action DC Comics adaptation of the popular Teen Titans. According to Nerdist, we can now begin fan-casting the show, as the initial team roster has (potentially) been revealed.
The site claims that six heroes will make up the titular team: Robin, Barbara Gordon, Raven, Starfire and the crime fighting duo Hawk & Dove.
We knew that Dick Grayson, Batman’s famous sidekick, would lead the series, but did not know that he’d be showing up as Robin instead of his grown-up alter ego, Nightwing. According to the new report, he’ll initially appear as Robin in the pilot, but deal with his recent falling out with Batman by moving to Boston to become a P.I., and then go by his new moniker.
This little change makes sense (though changing Nightwing’s city from the fictional Bludhaven to Boston will surely upset comics purists), since the series can grab the attention of general audiences by showing them the far more recognizable Robin before heading into Nightwing territory.
As for the rest of the lineup, Barbara Gordon’s inclusion is a definite surprise, considering she’s not a typical member of the team in the comics or any of the animated series. In Titans, she’ll actually show up as Oracle instead of Batgirl, which is a role she takes on after being paralyzed by the Joker. As such, she’ll serve as the team’s resident computer hacker.
Raven is a longstanding core member of the team and an audience favorite, so I’m glad to see her on this roster. As for Hawk & Dove, they’re lesser-known DC characters that could work well if adapted correctly. They also have quite the complicated history with several iterations (read more about them here). The show will adapt the Hank Hall and Dawn Granger versions, who are also a couple. Finally, Starfire, an alien and founding member of the team, will reportedly show up at the end of the pilot episode.
Noticeable absences are Cyborg and Beast Boy, core members of the Teen Titans. There’s always the chance that they’ll join the team at some point, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they were left off of the list for very specific reasons. Cyborg is about to be played by Ray Fisher on the big screen (he’ll show up in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice before appearing in both Justice League films and his own solo pic in 2020), while Beast Boy – a changeling who can take the shape of any member of the animal kingdom – isn’t exactly the easiest character to bring to life in live action form (especially on a TV budget).
Let’s also not forget that it’s also possible for Titans to cross over with Arrow, The Flash, or Supergirl, so maybe members could be plucked from those series – such as Arrow‘s Roy Harper – if need be.
Titans is being written by Akiva Goldsman and Marc Haimes. We’ll have more information about the series, which is to begin production later this year, when it becomes available. For now, though, tell us, what do you think of this current roster? Are you excited to see these characters on screen, or would you rather the likes of Cyborg, Beast Boy, or other DC heroes make the cut instead? Sound off below!