‘The Lego Batman Movie’ director Chris McKay is in line to helm a superhero movie focused on the DC Comics character ‘Nightwing’.
Warner Bros. Pictures is keen to expand the Bat Family’s presence in the DC Extended Universe and, according to The Hollywood Reporter, McKay is in talks to bring the story of the original Robin Dick Grayson’s transition to become Nightwing, the leader of the Teen Titans, to the big screen.
The script for the project is reportedly being written by The Accountant’s Bill Dubuque and it will be the first time Grayson will be seen in the DCEU as a lead character.
McKay’s animated ‘Lego Batman Movie’ has been universally praised and Warner Bros. are keen for him to bring his humour and understanding of the Batman characters to ‘Nightwing’.
The comic book history of Grayson mirrors the tragedy of Bruce Wayne’s as he was the youngest member of a family of acrobats, known as The Flying Graysons, His parents were murdered and Bruce then takes him under his wing and he eventually becomes his alter ego Batman’s sidekick.
Grayson was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson and first appeared in Detective Comics issue #38 in April 1940 as the original incarnation of Robin. In Tales of the Teen Titans #44 – which was published in July 1984 – the character retires his role as Robin and assumes the superhero persona of Nightwing, created by Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez.
Nightwing then headlined his own comics and although he has never featured as a character in a Warner Bros. film he has appeared in animated movies.
The ‘Nightwing’ project is the latest DC Extended Universe project being brought to cinemas by Warner Bros. following the release of ‘Man of Steel’, ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ and ‘Suicide Squad’.
The next release will be ‘Wonder Woman’ starring Gal Gadot on June 2, then superhero ensemble movie ‘Justice League’ on November 17 then ‘Aquaman’ starring Jason Momoa will follow in 2018.
Warner Bros. has also confirmed that ‘Cloverfield’ director Matt Reeves is to direct ‘The Batman’, starring Ben Affleck as The Caped Crusader.
Chris McKay set to direct Nightwing
