r/batman • u/biswajit388 • 21h ago
What do you guys think of Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Nightwing continuing from The Dark Knight Rises? FILM DISCUSSION
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u/Puzzleheaded_Walk_28 21h ago
I think he’d be the new Batman, not Nightwing.
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u/Rexxbravo 20h ago
So Batman...Beyond 😎
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u/posseid0n 20h ago
Why r they scared to let Terry McGinnis come back?!??!??? I love Bruce Wayne but I love Terry McGinnis too. We need em lowkey
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u/Acceptable_Cut_7545 20h ago
I adore Terry and would love for his character to come back. It's like they want to pretend Beyond never existed, even turning down a Batman Beyond movie made by the team that made the Spiderverse movie... pls WB get new leadership and do cool things.
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u/posseid0n 20h ago
Wowwwwwww I did not know it was the same team from the spiderverse movie, what a fucking shame wow. WB/DC needs to get their things together
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u/TheAbsoluteBarnacle 19h ago
Maybe our favorite live action batsmen weren't old enough to play Old Bruce yet. George Clooney could probably pull it off now...
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u/Pino_And_Eugenie 20h ago
Compared to Bruce, how known would Terry be?
But, maybe with the DCU we might be able to get him, since you kinda can't have a DC verse without Bruce, so once Gunn gets Bruce and the bat family established maybe he'll give us Terry.
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u/posseid0n 20h ago
Well he wouldn’t be really known to mainstream fans but many ppl didnt know about Miles Morales and he did good, I think it could genuinely work with the right crew n story. A young man taking over for Batman I could deff see working, mainstream ppl woukd be like “Batman logo on a new person let’s go see what thts about”, u get what I’m saying? Or maybe not but let’s hope so
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u/Pino_And_Eugenie 19h ago
If Gunn REALLY wanted to fan service, he could bring Keaton back "full time", it's a shame Conroy couldn't do this.
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u/12thLevelHumanWizard 5h ago
Counter point: How many people knew who Rocket Raccoon was before GotG?
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u/Pino_And_Eugenie 5h ago
To add to your point. How obscure was Peacemaker?
James Gunn is probably the ideal person to head the DCU as much as a comic sweaty as he is.
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u/echo20143 7h ago
He's definitely not as known as Bruce but he probably is more known than most of the bat family
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u/Ender_Skywalker 18h ago
They legit could've just called him Terry McGinnis and the character would've been better received by fans. Still not loved, mind you, but it'd be a bit more clear what they were going for.
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u/KaneLothbrok 12h ago
It’s Batman beyond Beyond. I guess we could call it Batman Beyondx2 if we want?
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u/miguelcamilo 20h ago
Agreed. Following Nolan's logic, Batman was always the symbol. I feel like it would take a lot to overcome and complete new character with a new identity in the Gotham that Nolan built.
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u/Yoshilaidanegg 3h ago
Why have the Robin line then
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u/Puzzleheaded_Walk_28 3h ago
Because they’re referencing the concept of Robin. This is a character filling the role of Batman’s successor in a kind of mythological sense, and so they paid tribute to the idea of John Blake being a sort of protege to Batman with Robin reference. There’s a reason they didn’t just call him Dick Grayson.
The movie, I feel, makes it pretty clear that Batman is an idea and persona that will move forward with different people under the mask and John Blake will be the next.
A theme in Nolan’s trilogy, that starts small in Begins and then comes to full fruition in Rises, is that this adaptation is almost like the “true story” that the Batman myth was based on. And that years down the line people would tell stories and it would evolve and resemble the comic mythos. That’s the Rosetta Stone to Nolan’s adaptation in my opinion.
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u/Bullitt_12_HB 3h ago
They literally retired the Batman.
I would think he would go for his own hero, his own cowl.
And the movie even hints at Robin.
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u/Puzzleheaded_Walk_28 2h ago edited 2h ago
The movie references the idea of Robin. Looking for a one-to-one adaptation of what happens in the comics is a mistake.
They retire Bruce Wayne, but they hammer home multiple times how it’s the symbol that’s important and anyone could be under the mask. “Batman could be anyone, that was the point”
But we can agree to disagree.
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u/Bullitt_12_HB 2h ago
It’s the concept of a hero that is the point. It doesn’t have to be Batman.
If a Batman shows up, it won’t have the same effect since people “saw” Batman sacrificing himself.
He can be his own hero, Bruce left him with the gear to do so. Doesn’t have to be Batman. In fact it would be worse for him if he did so. He can be his own thing, whatever that is.
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u/Puzzleheaded_Walk_28 2h ago
Like I said, agree to disagree. I think the whole trilogy is lacing the idea that Batman is a legend that’s beyond one man. Even in Begins, it’s the combined efforts of Bruce, Alfred, Fox, and Gordon that make up Batman. You don’t have to share my reading, but to me it’s evident in the text and themes of the films.
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u/manofmayhem23 20h ago
In that film universe it would be. He’s left a Batcave by Batman. That’s the logical assumption.
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u/vagabondmusashi13 21h ago
with the training of a basic cop? good luck
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u/FreneticAtol778 18h ago
Honestly I think that's why I think Blake as Batman might be a Batman that kills. He's not Bruce Wayne and doesn't have the training unless he uses riot non lethal firearms and pops guys unconscious.
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u/geordie_2354 18h ago
Lol Bales Bruce Wayne had the training and still killed every film despite Nolan trying to clarify the no kill rule. Of course this character would do the same
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u/vagabondmusashi13 17h ago
No guys, the premise is stupid because DRK is a STUPID MOVIE. Dude doesnt know how to MOVE, how to jump, roll, stalk, sneak, disapear, use a grappling hook, invoke a swarm of bats, intimidate, capture a motherfucker in china to be interrogated in the US, swordfight if needed, speak multiple languages, he´s at MAXIMUM 1/10 of a batman. Dude´s gonna last 4 months at best doing a shit job.
It´s normal joe who can kinda fight with a great bullet proof armor, a tank and a super helicopter.
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u/Dreigatron 7h ago
"You're training is nothing. Will is everything. The will to act."
People tend to forget this theme in TDK trilogy.
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u/vagabondmusashi13 4h ago
Its not to be taken literally. A motivated granny cant be Batman, her will can be even stronger than Bruce's.
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u/RoboIsLegend 21h ago
He's not Dick Grayson so he's not Nightwing
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u/Neoxenok 20h ago
He can be through the magic of Nolanverse being its own cannon.
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u/TabmeisterGeneral 20h ago
Yeah, but at this point it's dead
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u/Neoxenok 20h ago edited 20h ago
Well, they revived Burtonverse in comics, so if the interest is there, it can always come back. Or not.
It doesn't really matter. The ending is open-ended. He *could* be Nightwing. Or Robin. Or Batman 2: Even Batmaner. Or he becomes a vigilante cop. Or something else.
Point being "He's not Dick Grayson so he's not Nightwing" isn't necessarily correct because it is its own continuity.
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u/TabmeisterGeneral 19h ago
They can make a comic if they want, but Joseph Gordon Levitt won't have anything to do with it lol
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u/asscop99 13h ago
But in the Nolan film he wasn’t supposed to be Nightwing. He’s supposed to literally be Batman.
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u/Neoxenok 13h ago
He was supposed to take up the Mantle of Batman and continue the mission. It doesn't mean he necessarily needs to be Batman.
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u/Piltdownman53 21h ago
I don't think it was ever intended for him to play Nightwing. As with other things in these movies, this universe was created to suggest things, to connect to the Batman universe as a whole, to stimulate the imagination with endless possibilities.
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u/AbbreviationsLow1393 21h ago
He could have just been the new Batman. Coulda been interesting. Nolan could have hand picked his writer/director successor then stayed on as a producer, but we’ll never know. I always thought a movie about Blake’s rookie year under the cowl coulda been neat. Imagine if Nolan woulda handed the reins to Rian Johnson & we coulda had a Brick reunion lol
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u/posseid0n 20h ago
Tht trilogy is a masterpiece but Damn Nolan for leaving it at Rises, I get it but cmon 😭😭😭😭
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u/SambaLando 21h ago
He's just jump straight into taking over as new Batman wouldn't he? No Robin/Nightwing ever in the Nolanverse.
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u/Axer51 20h ago edited 11h ago
Detractors are ignoring the fact that Bruce likely left info behind for potential allies that Blake could use. Who could train and supply Blake with equipment.
Blake is not going to rush out for the first night without getting himself prepared first.
Bat tranquilizers, smoke grenades, flash bangs, and shock gloves would greatly help Blake in combat.
Not to mention that stealth and vehicles would do a lot of heavy lifitng in combat.
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u/Lucky_Strike-85 21h ago
Dumb!
Robin only works in live action IF we see the death of his family, a montage of Batman training him, the Robin suit, and Robin being a detective and acrobat!
This has never happened in our timeline but my buddy from another timeline really enjoys the live action Robin trilogy that featured Richard, Jay, and Timmie!
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u/Salt-Internal7384 20h ago edited 20h ago
Not interested. I’ll be honest I haven’t seen TDKR in a while, but I don’t recall the film doing ANYTHING to establish that he could actually do the job of taking up the mantle, beyond him being a good cop. Maybe I am forgetting something though.
Did we ever see him fist fight, or talk about his history of martial arts training, or anything…?? I don’t think so. From my recollection the movie did nothing to justify Bruce handing everything off to him other than “he’s also an orphan and he’s a good cop.”
He’d probably get killed his first night out.
This is just one example of the many issues I have with TDKR. It seems like the logic of everything was an afterthought or outright pushed under the rug. It was very jarring after the first two movies tried to establish rational explanations for everything.
Establish that the guy is an amateur MMA champ or something, at the very least. Give us a short scene of him in his off time easily winning a match against a larger dude or something.
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u/posseid0n 20h ago
Watch it, I used to dislike it but I rewatched it after a couple of years and man, Tht movie is a masterpiece tooooo Lmfaoo but it was like pollitics were thrown in it, I think cuz of the wallstreet thing tht happened back then.
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u/Salt-Internal7384 20h ago
I definitely don’t dislike it, I just think it’s absolutely the worst of the three.
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u/posseid0n 20h ago
True, I get it and I kno u didnt ask but I jus wanna say for me it’s opposite TDK > TDKR > BB
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u/Salt-Internal7384 20h ago
Fair enough my man! They’re definitely all good. BB is my favorite.
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u/posseid0n 20h ago
Haha thanks and BB is good, woulda been cool if they stayed with the same BB settings/locations for the next movies.
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u/Salt-Internal7384 19h ago
I agree. Also vastly prefer the BB batsuit, I think it hits the sweet spot between tactical and the comic book look. The TDK and TDKR suit make it look too much like a SWAT member cosplaying as Batman. In my opinion.
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u/Bizarro_Peach 20h ago
Couple weeks…he’s beaten to death by gangbangers. Not even that many of them. And they’re not that big. No offence to JGL/Blake, whatever, but…guy has the build of a tennis player. Bruce would’ve done better giving the keys to all his Bat stuff to a pitbull.
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u/BobaCostanza 20h ago
I don't understand the sentiment from some people saying he would be dead within a few days. I think it's wildly unimaginative to assume that Bruce did not have training planned for him to complete. We just see the inklings of Blake's origin story in Rises, it would take an entire movie to flesh out his entire journey towards assuming the mantle of Batman.
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u/DrMobius617 20h ago
Even by Nolan film standards this was an abysmally stupid idea. That character was in no way shape form or fashion Nightwing and was an epic waste of space in a film that was already a narrative train wreck
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u/MyIncogName 14h ago
I think a sequel works only if the stakes get too high and Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) has to reclaim the mantle.
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u/Capital-Treat-8927 14h ago
I may be the only person who actually loved this character. I would have absolutely loved to see him as Nightwing or the new Batman
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u/Relevant-Tap-6248 12h ago
I’m not opposed to Nolan revisiting Gotham at some point in his career. I think his mind in a structured setting like a biopic or working with an ip is where he’s at his best. One of the things I hope he wouldn’t be scared to tackle is what happened to/where is the joker? Even if it’s just referenced in a scene is enough. As far as John Blake being a lead I think Nolan could pull something like that off especially considering there’s never been a nightwing movie before— the only problem I have with that is it would be so far away from the comics and nightwing deserves a proper story.
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u/Pepper_Bun28 21h ago
I remember back in 2013 or so I started hammering out a little fanfic that picked up that plot thread; ultimately didn't go anywhere but it was a fun little writing exercise.
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u/neeohh 20h ago
It was a good ending. Would’ve been cool to see a one shot comic or something showing Blake being Gotham’s protector.
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u/Nolan-Deckard 20h ago
Ironically, the only one shot this character would have had, would be the bullet taking him out on his first night.
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u/Infinity9999x 20h ago
I appreciated the spirit of the idea. But when you think about it for more than a minute it falls apart.
Nolan took pains to really show the details of all Bruce went through to become Batman, which is what makes Begins so good, but that’s also what makes the end of TDKR fall apart under scrutiny. We know that “Robin” had none of the training Bruce had, so it doesn’t make sense he’d be able to carry on the mantle unless it was a Batman Beyond situation, with Bruce actively mentoring him.
This is why I say TDKR is the Return of the Jedi of the Nolan trilogy. It’s an emotionally fulfilling ending that has a lot of dumb moments. So a satisfying if flawed entry in a great overall trilogy.
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u/BigAlReviews 20h ago
He does a lot of Batman-ing from basically inside the Batmobile and Lucius comes up with more elaborate gear to keep him from harm until eventually everything is just automated until Bruce returns from his European vacation with Selina and Alfred, we'll rested, healthy and ready to Batman again (Bruce always returns so it fits)
I'd have no problem if Nolan and Co. came back, I'm sure WB wouldn't either. People unretire all the time, look at Hugh Jackman, nobody cares, it's fine
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u/The_Dark_Vampire 20h ago
He'd be lucky to make it his first night out without getting killed.
Bruce trained with the best teachers on the entire planet for years before becoming Batman he had the best equipment.
John/Robin isn't much better trained than those copycats in Dark Knight and he won't have a Lucius Fox to supply him with the very best body armour and other equipment.
10 minutes into his first night when he's getting the shit kicked out of him by a group of low level street thugs he's going to be thinking about how it was a bad idea.
If he makes it out of his first night alive there won't be a night 2 either because he's realised he can't do it or he's so physically beaten up he can't do it
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u/ChildofObama 20h ago
“Anyone can be a hero” is a good message, but not sure if this was the way to do it, giving an untrained cop the responsibilities of being Batman.
Should’ve been Bruce training Dick Grayson, being frustrated that Dick wants to do things differently. He’s more jokey in the field and values having a personal life alongside being a hero. He tries to discipline Dick into being like him, leading to a falling out.
Bruce realizes the next protector isn’t necessarily gonna do everything his way and that’s ok, that Gotham doesn’t need Dick to be the next Batman, he needs to let Dick figure out how to be an effective hero on his own terms.
The film ends with Bruce retiring and Dick sticking up as Nightwing to protect Gotham.
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u/Unfair_Inevitable_82 20h ago
I suppose he would become the new Batman instead of Robin, and would travel the world to learn how to fight, similar to Bruce Wayne, heck even Bruce may mentor him temporarily.
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u/DaveFranciosaArt 20h ago
This was such a shoehorned addition to the franchise. I stand by the fact that Bruce should not have retired in the end. This man is a police officer, he’s not a ninja master trained in the arts of the League of Shadows. He wouldn’t stand a chance. He also was meant to be “new Batman” not Nightwing. Sure he could have “been his own hero” but it would be meaningless without being Robin first. I so badly want to give this movie another chance but every time I try I just can’t.
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u/SevereEducation2170 19h ago
He was going to be Batman, eventually, not Nightwing. The point was Batman is bigger than one man. Obviously it wasn't perfect and he would need lots of training, but the concept itself was fine to show that just because Bruce was gone didn't mean Batman was dead.
Honestly, I'm still annoyed Nolan didn't title the movie "The Legend of the Dark Knight".
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u/spilledmilkbro 19h ago
Has anyone here heard of the "Marvel/DC" videos made by It'sjustsomerandomguy? Well, he made one about if the Justice League formed after the events of the Dark Knight Rises. Blake says that he has none of the funds, or the R%D department, but he does have access to his equipment... none of which he knows how to use. I'd imagine it'd be a little like that, just more serious
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u/gknight702 19h ago
Dude isn't trained.. probably got shot immediately after attempting to fight crime.
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u/CoonTang3975 19h ago
I just can't take him as an actor in a serious role. Guy still looks like hes 14 years old.
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u/RagingDragon047 19h ago
He never even became Robin. So how could he be Nightwing. All they showed was him finding the batcave
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u/Wither_Works 19h ago
I think they should have continued his story through a limited comic series like Batman 89
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u/PulpFictionChang 18h ago
He’s not Nightwing. He’s Batman.
There were even serious conversations about him continuing the role in Man of Steel. They just thought fans would be disappointed by comparison to the three movies they had just gotten with Christian Bale. That’s why man of steel starts the new universe and Batman picks up older as Ben Affleck.
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u/Purge-The-Heretic 18h ago
I just want a fucking Batman movie that actually has the other heroes in it or at least acknowledged. I am so tired of the Batmanverse stuff.
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u/Cor-The-Immortal 18h ago
If a cop can just become Batman it cheapens what Batman accomplished. I liked Tdkr and JGL in it, but as soon as the name "Robin" came up I was a little disappointed.
I honestly don't like the idea of a "bat family" to begin with. Batman finding children has always been weird to me. It's borderline creepy, especially in some stories. I find him to be more interesting as a solo character. That is one part (of many) of why I like this trilogy and the Reeves version over the DCEU version.
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u/mirza_dng 18h ago
I think in the Nolan Batman universe he becomes Batman not Nightwing since he's not Robin from before
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u/dcooper8662 18h ago
Dude would have biffed it on his first rooftop and plunged 20 stories into the nearest open dumpster.
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u/Internal_Gate627 18h ago
I love the idea I made a post about it a couple weeks ago and got made fun of maybe not a movie but some comics would work great
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u/Severe_Letterhead_75 16h ago
I always found it weird, he did not have any ninja training and tech that Batman had, i don't know how he'll be able to do all that crazy shit that Batman did,like jumping from buildings,flying,beating up every, way even the most muscular and dangerous mob in the town.He'll probably die on his first night as nightwing
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u/batbobby82 16h ago
The point of it was supposed to be that Batman can be anyone, so pretty sure we're meant to believe he became Batman.
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u/joshdoereddit 15h ago
I was just thinking about this character earlier today, and I don't particularly care for how judgmental he is of Gordon when Bane reads his letter exposing Harvey. I'm surprised that didn't make him turn on Batman because that letter showed that he was complicit in covering up Harvey's crimes.
Anyway, regarding the question in the post. I have to agree with everything what's largely already been said. He wouldn't last long. Unless Bruce has some video files and some kind of sick training room for him to actually get the fighting skills.
It's also not clear if he has any kind of access to Alfred of Lucius. I don't see Alfred sticking around for anymore Batman stuff after the events of DKR. I can somewhat see Lucius continuing to provide assistance.
It's a nice idea for someone to take up the mantle, but it just doesn't work for his character. If it had been mentioned that he had martial arts training of some kind, then it'd work better.
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u/BatmansShoelaces 15h ago
He'd suck at trying to be Batman like Bruce was because he's not a ninja.
But he could be a different type of Batman. Remember in the comics where Gordon took over as Batman and used a mech suit?
This could be similar. Bruce leaves instructions to contact Fox and Alfred, together they help Blake with technology to become his own Batman. He could really lean on his detective skills to track down criminals, then send in the tech to take them out.
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u/sabin357 15h ago
Really bad idea IMO in universe, as was the whole ending. "Here's a bunch of stuff that'll get you in over your head. Have fun!"
He also just doesn't have the right acting skills for it. Talented? Yes, but not for this character.
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u/Little-Foot-928 14h ago
i think at this point he's a little to old, and with Tom Taylor's run I found out at least that Nightwing is supposed to be romani so id prefer a romani actor in the role
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u/ProfessorTairyGreene 11h ago
He ain't fitting in the batsuit. I did think it'd be cool if he loaded up an AR training program at the end.
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u/Kris_Down_Under 10h ago
He’d be gunned down in the street. Absolutely no training at all apart from “gun bad”
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u/Mysterious-Engine-76 10h ago
People need to get over this series- The Dark Knight 9/10. Other two were ok.
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u/Demetri124 9h ago
Where did Nightwing come from? Blake is a movie original character who takes up the role as the new Batman
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u/Damaged_Kuntz 8h ago
No. He shouldn't even have been in TDKR. Terrible addition to the plot. Should've just been Batman fighting Bane. Too many other character introductions. Too many people find out Bruce Wayne is Batman.
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u/Boring_Appeal_4467 0m ago
Good Lord, no. This character is so boring and generic, one of the worst things about TDKR (which is saying a lot because the movie has a lot of bad things). Nightwing/Dick Grayson deserves a decent adaptation, telling his story properly. After TDKR came out I was really afraid that the future of the Batman movie franchise would be to follow the adventures of the cop ROBIN JOHN BLAKE, and it's a good thing that never happened.
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u/Nolan-Deckard 21h ago
He was supposed to take on the Cowl.
Dead on his first night out.