Many DC fans had wondered how much longer shows such as Doom Patrol and Titans would last, especially given the shakeups for DC movies and TV shows. The answer was recently given, with both Titans and Doom Patrol having been canceled. This might be the end for the quirky Doom Patrol on the small screen, but one member of the cast definitely needs a big screen glow-up.
Victor Stone aka Cyborg isn't traditionally associated with the Doom Patrol, but Joivan Wade's take on Cyborg was perhaps his best adaptation yet. A fully-formed hero who has the trauma and heart of his comic book and cartoon counterparts, Wade embodied the core of the character perfectly. With recastings possibly hitting the DC Universe on film, there just might be room for Wade's Cyborg to come back.
Doom Patrol's End Robs Fans of the Best Version of Cyborg
Doom Patrol was a fan-favorite since its first season, though the somewhat small amount of viewership had many wondering about its future fate. Along the way, fans fell in love with Joivan Wade's take on Cyborg, especially given the nature of his cinematic counterpart. Wade's Cyborg on Doom Patrol had all of the psychological issues as the version from the Wolfman/Pérez iconic run on The New Teen Titans comics, as well as the more jovial fun of his incarnation in the 2003 Teen Titans cartoon. It was this charisma that made him far more man than machine, with the positive reception of this portrayal being a light amid a time of darkness for the character.
Many comic book fans were angered over Cyborg replacing Martian Manhunter as a founding member of the Justice League during the New 52 comic book reboot, and it didn't help that this erased his history with the Teen Titans. The use of the storyline in the maligned Justice League movie didn't help. Though Cyborg's expanded role in the far better received Zack Snyder's Justice League was deemed a vast improvement, the damage was mostly done by that point. All the while, the 2019 debut of the Doom Patrol finally gave fans a version of Cyborg to root for besides the one from the cartoon. With a more likable personality and far less busy design, this Cyborg quickly became one of the best parts of Doom Patrol, even if he wasn't used a lot in some points.
James Gunn's DCU Plans Could Bring Back Joivan Wade as Cyborg
The DC Universe movies would seem to be rebooting, with new creative director James Gunn restarting the Superman film franchise. There's been talk of using actors from previous DC productions for other roles in this new universe, such as having Jason Momoa play Lobo instead of Aquaman. If something like this does come to pass and involves more than just actors from DCU films, it could see Joivan Wade return as Vic Stone's technological alter ego.
There was a lot of controversy surrounding Ray Fisher, who played Cyborg in the previous DCU films. Needless to say, he's unlikely to ever be brought back for the role, especially since continuity is probably being shuffled around, anyway. Instead, bringing back the more well-received Wade would avoid connections to the prior movie universe and bring back a beloved actor/character. Likewise, Wade's physical appearance as Cyborg -- while likely gussied up a bit for the big screen -- would ultimately be a far better design to go with than the clunky look given to Fisher's Cyborg.
Such a development would save Cyborg from cinematic obscurity, as he's mostly been avoided due to Justice League's failure. Likewise, it could see him truly done right in theaters by having him join the DCU version of the Titans, finally delivering the version of him that fans loved the best. Though fans are mourning Doom Patrol's cancellation, it could still lead to something even better for one of its best heroes.