Is Nightwing Going to Appear in The Batman?

DC Films fans have a lot to be excited for today, as The Batman is back on track with an official new director, Matt Reeves, and now an announcement that a Nightwing movie is in development, under director Chris McKay. While there aren’t any major details there just yet, the timing is fortuitous for sure.

So now the question becomes: will Nightwing debut first in The Batman? We haven’t had any Robins in the new DC Films universe yet, aside from a dead one that’s most likely Jason Todd. That makes the timing right for Dick Grayson, the first Robin, to have already graduated to Nightwing. While we don’t have much confirmed about The Batman just yet, we know that at least one villain in the film will be none other than Slade Wilson, Deathstroke. Traditionally, he’s had an even bigger rivalry in the comics (and even on the animated Teen Titans series) with Dick than with Bruce.

One of the things Geoff Johns, president and chief creative officer of DC Entertainment and co-head of DC Films preaches about the DC Universe is his love of “legacy” in that world. Giving us the introduction to Nightwing in the Batman movie gives us that legacy, and it gives a bigger sense of legitimacy to the character to average movie-going fans who might not know who Nightwing (or even Robin, believe it or not), are just yet.

The final piece of that puzzle that makes us think Nightwing will show up in The Batman before going to his own solo film, is that it sets up an actual legacy possibility. If Ben Affleck, as rumored, decides to call it a day as Batman after his initial contract of films is up (that means post-The Batman most likely), including Nightwing in that movie, then giving Nightwing a solo film, sets him up very nicely to don the cowl himself in a post-Batfleck world. It’s not something necessary, and it’s not something definite, but it’s a great cover-your-butts move. If the worst that can happen is you wind up with a great Nightwing and a great Batman in one DC Films universe, then DC Films and fans both come out ahead.

More The Batman News:

The Batman: Why Matt Reeves Is A Great Director Pick

Warner Brothers Developing Nightwing Movie With Batman Director

Why Was Ben Affleck Not Mentioned In The Batman Director Announcement?