James Gunn has finally revealed part of the film slate for the new DC Universe, including a rather dynamic duo. The film The Brave and the Bold will take inspiration from an iconic storyline from the Batman comic books, with the resident Boy Wonder being Bruce Wayne's son Damian. And the DCU finally putting Robin in a live-action film again opens the door for another Caped Crusader to go in the opposite direction.
Matt Reeves' "Batverse" will continue to be unconnected to the main DC Universe, with The Batman Part II heading to theaters in 2025. Giving a Robin to Robert Pattinson's Batman might be a bit too much, but there are plenty of other ways to bolster his version of the Bat-Family. Here's how Reeves can add a few sidekicks to Batman's utility belts -- or even keep them empty.
Batgirl Could Replace Robin in Matt Reeves' Batverse
Giving both cinematic versions of Batman their own Robins would be redundant, not to mention ridiculous. It might also be a bridge too far in terms of differentiating the two Caped Crusaders, even if their respective Robins are different characters. A better idea for a sidekick would be Batman's other common crime-fighting partner: Batgirl. Barbara Gordon is easily the most iconic take on this Gotham City Siren, and given that her DCU film got canceled, the Batverse would be the perfect avenue for her. Barbara is usually portrayed as older when she becomes Batgirl than Dick Grayson is when he becomes Robin, so having a Batgirl closer to Bruce Wayne's age would make for an interesting dynamic.
One way to redeem the Batgirl movie's cancelation would be to cast Leslie Grace as the Batverse Batgirl. That would not only quell any lingering criticism concerning how her film was canceled but also make a bit more sense, given that she bears more resemblance to Jeffrey Wright's potential daughter than J.K. Simmons'. Most ironically, this would be a direction that emulates the animated series The Batman. Batgirl got introduced before the Boy Wonder in that show due to the Teen Titans animated series featuring Robin. Other potential sidekicks include the likes of Signal, Orpheus, any version of Batwoman or perhaps even an aged-up Jason Todd/Red Hood that skips the Robin title. These partners would allow the Batverse to thematically stay separate from the path the DC Universe is taking, but a better way to do so is with no sidekicks at all.
Robert Pattinson's Batman Works Better Alone
Despite how iconic the team of Batman and Robin is to even those outside the comic book fandom, it's interesting that many of Batman's best stories don't involve the Boy Wonder. Batman: Year One, Batman: The Long Halloween and Batman: The Killing Joke all have a Dark Knight operating mostly solo, which is the same point that Pattinson's Batman is currently at. The same can be said for Christian Bale's Bruce Wayne/Batman in the Dark Knight Trilogy, with Catwoman being the main exception for both iterations. Thus, this status might be the best way to keep this incarnation of Batman.
There's a clear plan being developed for the Batverse's trajectory, and though there will be spinoffs and tie-ins, it's not as sprawling a "shared universe" as the DCU proper. Thus, it can take things in more of an "Elseworlds" direction, such as having Batman play to his strengths and never take a sidekick. Some might bemoan this movie, but with the DCU already set to explore the character of Robin, there's no need for both Batmen to do the same thing. It'd be an almost tragic irony that this Batman would need to end his adventures alone, but it would offer something different amid the increasingly similar takes on the character.
The Batman Part II is set to hit theaters Oct. 3, 2025.