One character that has been rumored for quite some time now - and one that I’d like to see in the DCEU - is Dick Grayson/Nightwing. This “son” of Batman, also known as the original Robin, is to me particularly fascinating. Being raised by Bruce Wayne he obiviously shares a lot of similarities with him, but Dick still manages to be so different from Bruce. So I figured since the rumors about his inclusion in the DCEU refuse to die, it is also time for me to make another list for yet another one of my favorite DC heroes.
This is how I picture the DCEU Nightwing:
He’s in his late 20s/early 30s and he’s tall, but not as tall as Affleck, preferably even shorter than Cavill. He’s handsome with dark semi-long hair. He’s obviously very athletic and very charismatic.
Here are my top picks:
Alex Pettyfer
Pros:
Looks
Height
Acting
Cons:
Notoriously hard to work with
A bit too young at 25
Look, I actually think Pettyfer is a good actor, but I also know he’s kind of famous for being really hard to work with and being really arrogant. Although, this might be a good thing as Dick is sometimes, well, kind of a dick. Plus, Pettyfer’s behavior seems to be hurting his career a bit and he might be in need of a fresh start. At 25, he’s the youngest name on my list and he might be too young for Dick Grayson, but at 5’11” he definitely fits all the physical requirements perfectly. Worth a shot?
Penn Badgley
Pros:
Looks
Charismatic
Age
Cons:
Height
Acting
Somehow Penn Badgley more or less looks exactly how I picture Dick Grayson would in real life. I think it’s mostly the hair though. Anyhow, Badgley is a very talented and charismatic actor who could easily portray a witty, but still cocky version of Nightwing. He's already been rumored to be in the running for the part, but being almost 29 years old and standing at almost 5’9”, he might actually be perfect for it.
Wes Bentley
Pros:
Looks
Acting
Cons:
Age
Wes Bentley is that actor that should have been huge, but never really was. He’s a great actor and has already appeared in several huge productions such as the Hunger Games and Interstellar. The almost 37-year-old actor also got Christopher Nolan’s nod of approval to be the new Batman, but lost out to Ben Affleck. His age might be a problem, but the 5’11” actor should still be a candidate for Nightwing and who knows, if cast he might even get to wear the cowl one day…
Ben Barnes
Pros:
Looks
Height
Cons:
Age
Acting
Look, I’d like to actually like Ben Barnes. But most of his movies are rather terrible, aren’t they? So why am I including him on my list? Well, first of all because he very much looks the part. Secondly because I do believe that he’s a pretty good actor that just keep making shitty movies. Although, he is turning 34 this year but luckily he looks a lot younger than he really is. Plus, he’s 6’1, which means he won’t look too small next to Affleck’s Batman.
Kit Harington
Pros:
Age
Looks
Acting
Cons:
Height
Kit Harington is merely 5’8” and almost 8 inches shorter than Affleck, but not only does he very much look the part, is of perfect age and acts very well: he’d love to play a superhero and he is a fan of Batman. Granted, he wouldn’t actually be playing Batman (yet), but he’d be a part of it! This 28 year old is a star on the rise and I’m sure WB/DC would be happy to see him don the black and blue/red.
Robert Sheehan
Pros:
Height
Looks
Cons:
Age
Another star on the rise, and another great candidate for Nightwing. However, Sheehan is only 27 and definitely doesn’t look to be a day older than that. In a world where Batman’s already on his (supposedly) third or fourth Robin, 27 might be a bit young. Nevertheless, Sheehan looks the part and is tall enough (6’) to be a convincing Nightwing, assuming he’d bulk up a bit.
Garrett Hedlund
Pros:
Age
Acting
Looks
Height
Cons:
Height
With Hedlund, I chose to list his height as both a pro and a con. He’s 6’2.5”, making him about an inch shorter than Ben Affleck, and taller than Henry Cavill. Sure, he’d look great in the Batsuit if they’d ever go down that road but as Nightwing, he might look a bit too imposing. Otherwise Hedlund’s more or less perfect. He’s turning 31, has the look and the acting skills needed. Is it possible to use some movie magic to actually make someone a bit shorter?
Robbie Amell
Pros:
Looks
Height
Acting
Cons:
Acting
Age
Previous DC Comics Role
We (well, at least some of us) all know Robbie is the better actor out of the Amells, but I chose to list his acting as both a pro and a con for one simple reason: he’s still somewhat untested. He’s been great on The Flash and was great in The DUFF, but it might be too early to say if he’d be good enough for a role like this. Setting that aside, rumor has it Ronnie is about to leave the DCTVU, and that means that it would a perfect opportunity for
Robbie to tackle another DC hero. And he definitely looks the part for Dick Grayson/Nightwing, with dark features and a reasonably fit 5’11” frame.
Who's your favorite pick? Share your thoughts below.