James Gunn Announces First DC Studios and Warner Bros. Pictures' Animation Film

James Gunn was thrilled to announce one of the new films that had been greenlit from the DC Studios. He also confirmed that it would be in collaboration with Warner Bros Pictures Animation.

Gunn has been working on multiple projects for the DC Universe, including Superman Legacy, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, The Brave and the Bold, and more. The DC Studios co-chairman and chief executive officer recently announced the title of the newest movie project they would be working on after it was approved. It will be an animated movie focusing on Batman’s two sidekicks.

The filmmaker took to X, formerly Twitter, and announced that their next film would be an animated project highlighting the two Robins in the Batman universe — Dick Grayson and Jason Todd. “Over the moon excited to announce the newest DC Studios/Warner Bros Pictures Animation greenlit film for theaters, DYNAMIC DUO, the story of Robin… or should I say, Robins, as in Dick Grayson and Jason Todd,” Gunn wrote. “The first feature film from the visionary Swaybox, a mix of animation, puppetry, and CGI, a script from the wonderfully talented Matt Aldrich, produced with our partners at Matt Reeves’ 6th & Idaho. This is something special.” The announcement received tons of responses from fans eager about the project. They were very excited to see the two versions of Robin on the big screen. “Robin finally getting some love,” one commented with a fire emoji.

Shortly after Gunn made the announcement, there were various speculations as to what the plot of the film would be. Apparently, the film will focus on the origin story of the two Robins and not on their association with Batman. It will also be separate from Matt Reeves’ current projects The Batman and The Penguin, per Variety. Instead, Dynamic Duo will bring Grayson and Todd on the same timeline. It will feature them as youths who start as friends but whose opinions clash, which may affect their future. In DC Comics, although Grayson and Todd both served as Batman’s sidekicks, they did so in different timelines. Also, Grayson became the superhero Nightwing, while Todd turned into the anti-hero Red Hood. The outlet also debunked the claims that the two Robins would start as a pair of robbers in the movie.

Dynamic Duo is a promising storyline that could potentially open up more stories featuring Batman’s famous sidekicks. In the comics, Grayson and Todd did not appear in the same timeline. Grayson, the original Robin, remained a loyal sidekick to Batman from his debut in 1940 until he became Nightwing in 1984. Meanwhile, Todd took over his position as Batman’s buddy in 1983 until his death in 1988 at the hands of Joker. The supervillain beat him close to death, scattered explosives, and left him to die in the explosion. Batman arrived too late and found Todd dead. However, he resurrected when Superboy punched a wall from the paradise dimension that altered reality. Talia used the Lazarus Pit to help Todd regain his strength and memory. Todd felt betrayed that Batman did not kill Joker to avenge his death and he adopted a new persona — the Red Hood.

Gunn’s Dynamic Duo is very interesting, not just because, this time, the movie will highlight the two Robins in the Batman universe, but more so because fans will see Todd and Grayson side by side, traveling in the same path before they go on separate ways. Grayson and Todd represent different approaches to being Robin, with the former symbolizing an optimistic and loyal sidekick, and the latter embodying a darker, more rebellious figure​. This is definitely something to watch for.

Source: James Gunn/X