Robin should be a priority in The Batman sequels

What is a Batman without his Robin?

There are so many directions the Robert Pattinson-led sequel to The Batman could go. Many fans want to see the more colorful rogues like Mr. Freeze, Hugo Strange, Clayface, Mad Hatter, Court Of Owls, Poison Ivy, etc., and all of them would be fantastic.

When it comes to Batman villains, they leave a lasting impression, outshining the main hero most of the time. So whatever Matt Reeves has in store in the villains, they’ll definitely be bringing their A-game.

When it comes to the main hero and how The Batman ends, the film concludes with a protagonist who’s willing to be more open to the people of his city. He had spent the whole movie being a recluse but Alfred and Selina started to break down Bruce’s walls. The next film could expand on that even further.

Family

The trauma of his parents’ death will never go away with Bruce, but it’s something he can continue to work at.

When Bruce saw the mayor’s son after the politician was murdered by The Riddler, there was a subtle look he gave to the child that acknowledges the exact pain he’s going through. That subtle moment is one of the most profound emotional beats of the film.

The above informative video essay on why Robin is so important to the Batman mythos and how he’s vital for the character’s growth. While all of that should definitely be considered, it’s just time for a Bat-Family again.

Before Matt Reeves, Christopher Nolan and Zack Snyder put their fingerprints on the Batman but they only offered winks and Easter eggs when it came to Robin. Nolan’s world aimed to be grounded and Christian Bale famously wrote it off, so the only thing was Joseph Gordon Levitt’s on-the-nose character. Snyder’s interpretation was fantastical but his Batman had already lost his Robin before audiences could meet him.

Robin Sells

Reeves meticulously crafted a Batman film where the character’s “World’s Greatest Detective” nickname was finally earned. That had never been done before, but why stop there?

Most Batman films have had an Alfred, Joker, Selina, corruption, brooding Bruce, death of the Waynes, but it was only Joel Schumacher who dared to give fans a Robin.

Batman and Robin’s failures are legendary, but people seem to forget that Forever was a bigger financial hit than the previous film Batman Returns, and part of that was due to it being more child-friendly with Robin of course being in the mix.

Once Batman and Robin failed, Robin seemed to be the thing Warner Bros was scared of tackling again when they started making Batman films again. Batman Begins took it back to basics, redefining the hero again, but they chose to retire Bruce once the trilogy ended before he had the chance to let someone else in.

It says a lot when there are Robins everywhere in animation, television, and comics, but not in a major motion picture – and there hasn’t been one in almost 30 years. They know the character is in demand but there is probably a hesitancy to introduce him in a big-budget live-action film.

Whether it was Nolan’s aim for hyper-realism or Snyder’s wildly ambitious ideas, the Boy Wonder got the short end of the stick the two times Batman had been rebooted in the 21st century so far.

When audiences see a father grieving with his adoptive son, the back and forth interactions, and Bruce becoming protective and less reckless, then Robin can definitely be something that is welcomed by the masses. Kids would eat it up as well because they would see themselves in that character and would be so excited to see someone around their age holding their own with Batman.

Should Robin appear in a sequel to The Batman?

A lot of fans ask can Reeves get potential villains like The Joker, Court of Owls, Mr. Freeze, Hush and Two-Face right? What they should really be asking is if Robin is in his plans. Until the end of time, there’s always going to be Batman films where he fights a villain and there’ll be a point where most of his major ones will get adapted to the big screen.

But as the drought of live-action Robins on film continues, the character who’s one of the original creations of Bill Finger and Bob Kane seems to be the one thing that isn’t a guarantee. The rogues gallery will always be there, but the idea of the Boy Wonder getting treated with respect could potentially be even more exciting than the next villain.

If Reeves can make a Batman and Robin pairing work in today’s world, his fingerprints on the character could be the standard moving forward. Sherlock Holmes has Watson, so what’s the world’s greatest detective without his Robin?

Would you like to see Robin appear in a sequel to The Batman? Let us know in the comments below!