Warner Bros. is planning more DC-related film and television projects than ever before, with multiple feature films includingAquaman and the Lost Kingdom,DC’s League of Super-Pets, andThe Suicide Squadslated for imminent theatrical release. One project that was announced to be in development three years ago was a film based on Nightwing,the brooding alter egoof Batman’s sidekick, Robin.
The project was shelved by the studio for a long period of time, butThe LEGO Batman Moviedirector Chris McKay, who originally signed on to direct the superhero film, has commented about the project in an interview withReelBlend, stating thatNightwingis still in the works.
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Chris McKay is one of the most exciting American film directors handling popular film projects at this time. McKay got his start by directing episodes ofMoral OrelandRobot Chickenfor Adult Swim, and after his big breakthrough with the critically-acclaimedLEGO Batman Movie, the filmmaker is attached to a sequel toLEGO Batmanthat is pegged for release 2022; not only that, but his Amazon action filmThe Tomorrow Warstarring Chris Pratt is slated for release later this Summer.
In the interview, Chris McKay clarified that whileNightwingadmittedly fell into development hell, he doesn’t believe that the film is dead yet. He stated that hisNightwingfilm is a “big, action-packed, emotional movie,” and that while the film might not be a part of the established multiverse, or that it might not have the same budget asThe Tomorrow War, the film will still have the “kind of action” and “kind of heart” in terms of the film’s scope and scale.
McKay stated he was emboldened by recent decisions made by Warner Bros. to have hope for hisNightwingproject—he did not specify which moves, but it is likely that the choice to greenlight films such asBatgirlandBlue Beetle (and release them on HBO Max) was what spurred McKay to express his optimism.
While seeing films based onBatgirl,Blue Beetle, andNightwingon the silver screen would be preferable over watching them via streaming, there’s something to be said about the advent of HBO Max that allows Warner Bros. to make a wider variety of DC-related film content per year. Audiences are hungrier than ever for superhero films,especially films about underrepresented people groups, meaning that most audiences would be appreciative to receive films about lesser-known heroes regardless of their platform of release.
Hopefully, more news about Chris McKay’sNightwingfilm is able to surface soon. In the meantime, Chris McKay’sThe Tomorrow Warwill be available to stream on Amazon on July 23rd, 2021.
