DC is officially bringing Robin back to movies much sooner than expected in a major change of plans for the sidekick's return. Ever since 1997's infamous Batman & Robin disaster, the Boy of Wonder has had a limited presence in various adaptations of the Dark Knight. In fact, his only true live-action appearances have been separate from Batman himself in Titans. That will soon be fixed by James Gunn's DC Studios, where Damian Wayne will finally feature as the sidekick and biological son of the Caped Crusader.
Unfortunately, as DC Studios' focus remains on The Batman: Part 2, movement has been limited on The Brave and the Bold, with only a vague release window confirmed for the DCU's Batman reboot as the script is still in the works. Two versions of the world's most famous sidekick will also be seen in Dynamic Duo, a puppet-animated movie coming to theatres on June 30, 2028.
Robin's next DC movie appearance has long been expected to come in either Dynamic Duo or The Brave and the Bold, depending on how development progresses with each in the coming years. But now, DC has announced a new Batman movie saga will begin before then and feature Robin.
Batman: Knightfall Part 1: Knightfall will be released later this year, beginning a three-movie adaptation of the legendary DC storyline of the same name. In that storyline, Tim Drake carries the mantle of the Robin, and that will officially be the case for the much-anticipated animated adaptation.
Screenwriter Jeremy Adams responded to a fan on Instagram (via DCU Prime TV) and shut down concerns that Drake would be replaced by Damian Wayne for the movie, teasing, "It's old-school Tim. He's so good in it."
This marks a pivot for DC's Robin plans, not only meaning that Drake will instead be the next Boy of Wonder to appear, but also shifting his return up massively from the far away Dynamic Duo or The Brave and the Bold to this year's Knightfall.
Robin Finally Has a Bright On-Screen Future Ahead at DC
Tim Drake's Robin has a major role in the three-part Knightfall saga, which marks one of his first stories in DC lore. While he begins as an emotional rock for Bruce Wayne after Jason Todd's "death," he becomes a key part of the succession problem that emerges when Bane breaks Batman's back.
After the incident, the mantle was passed to Jean-Paul Valley, aka Azrael, who struggled to work with the new Batman due to his violent, unhinged nature and general lack of social skills. He ultimately solidified himself as a member of the Bat-Family during this time before helping restore Wayne to the Batman mantle.
DC has suffered a distinct drought of the Boy of Wonder on-screen since Batman & Robin that finally looks to be getting rectified. Beyond seeing Tim Drake in Knightfall and Damian Wayne in The Brave and the Bold, Jason Todd and Dick Grayson will also lead the way in the puppet animated Dynamic Duo in 2028.
Excitingly, this means that all four of Batman's primary Robins have a movie appearance lined up in the next few years. However, it seems that neither of the female iterations, Stephanie Brown or Carrie Kelly, will be showing up soon.
Currently, only Wayne has been confirmed for James Gunn's DCU, but with The Brave and the Bold set to introduce the Bat-Family, many are convinced that other former Robins or Batman-adjacent heroes could appear.
DC Studios is also developing a Teen Titans movie that will a surprising twist of replacing the usual Grayson for Wayne. But fans will be kept waiting a while for the Titans to go live-action again, if it still happens at all, as the movie went on the back burner when writer Ana Nogueira shifted focus to the Wonder Woman reboot.
One big question mark surrounding the Robin's future lies over The Batman: Part 2, where the DC sidekick has been rumored to feature. That said, fans shouldn't hold their breath for the Boy of Wonder to join Robert Pattinson's Batman after director Matt Reeves cast doubt over his involvement in the 2027 sequel.
