The upcoming Batman horror movie, Clayface, reveals Robin in James Gunn’s DC Universe franchise. The DCU’s Chapter 1: “Gods and Monsters” slate is rebooting the Dark Knight and the many characters from his canon for DC Studios’ new superhero universe, including some of Bruce Wayne’s most iconic villains.
Principal pH๏τography is currently underway on the Clayface movie, from director James Watkins, starring Tom Rhys Harries as Matt Hagen, a.k.a. the тιтular shape-shifting foe. But thanks to numerous set pH๏τos and videos, other key players from Gotham City have already been teased to exist in this franchise.
As filming carries on, more Easter eggs are being revealed from production, with another major Batman character having now been confirmed for Gunn’s superhero universe. A new set pH๏τo from @Chimichangaprod (via @DCUPrimeTV) reveals the first look at Dick Grayson in DC Studios’ continuity, pulling directly from the Boy Wonder’s comic canon.
Click here to see the Dick Grayson/Robin set pH๏τo from Clayface.
The image centers on a poster promoting the Flying Graysons, a famous group of trapeze artists that also happens to be Dick’s family, who work for Haly’s Circus. A previous reference to Robin in the franchise came through the animated Creature Commandos TV show, where one of them — most likely Damian Wayne — is seen in Circe’s vision impaled on spikes alongside other DC heroes.
What The Robin Set PH๏τo Means
Even though there has been no mention of the iconic sidekick showing up in Watkins’ entry, this does help flesh out the larger DCU timeline by establishing some of the key players in Gotham City. However, a potential theory about why a Flying Graysons poster is featured is that Clayface takes place in the past, prior to Dick losing his family.
What complicates the matter is that there are already details on The Joker in the DCU, as well as Clayface set pH๏τos featuring The Penguin, establishing that Oswald Cobblepot is already active in this timeline. Both suggest that this movie takes place in the present, as it is unlikely that two major villains like these would already be operating when Dick was still part of the Flying Graysons.
If anything, this could simply be an old poster of the group still hanging around from years ago, since Damian Wayne is set to be the Robin that the franchise focuses on when he is introduced in The Brave and the Bold movie. At this point, Dick is most likely already Nightwing, since Andy Muschietti’s installment will also include various Bat-Family members.
Our Take On The Robin Set PH๏τo
As DC Studios brings the Caped Crusader’s beloved mythology into Gunn’s reboot, it’s great to get references to some of the other heroes in the Bat-Family, especially as there have been a lot of teases of villains through previous set pH๏τos. It also helps build excitement for when the DCU timeline eventually does feature Dick in a movie or TV show.
It’s not impossible that future projects with Dick could show flashbacks of the night he lost his family, while also focusing on him as Nightwing in the present time. As Clayface continues with filming, perhaps other members of the Bat-Family will be teased in additional set pH๏τos.
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