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View Full Version : Casting Call: Robin, The Boy Wonder


Kalyx triaD
03-29-2009, 03:01 PM
If there's anything some of us geeks like more than offering unwarranted armchair directorial advice when movies don't meet our standards, it's becoming armchair casting directors. We love to offer up our ideas on who should play who in regards to our favorite characters.

The funny thing is we're off 85% of the time (NOT a research backed stat, of course :roll:), but that's not to say official casting does much better. Would we have cast Hugh Jackman as Wolverine? Probably not, but it worked. The thing I learned is that we have to be open to what an actor would bring to the table. I was proud at the community for not bawling at Don Cheadle's turn as Rhodes/War Machine - I was almost sure somebody was gonna cite some buff black guy as a superior choice (as it often is with idiotic fan casting).

There's people who think Kristin Kruek is a bad Chun Li because her thighs aren't big. Yeah, that makes the character... :roll:

Anyway, I got this idea that every once and a while a thread like this will discuss certain casting choices for certain characters. These characters will almost certainly be from comics and videogames because nobody argues over who should portray Clayton Riddell in a movie.

Exactly.

So I'll kick this off with titular Boy Wonder, mostly because we may not ever see him in live action for a while (save for that dodged bullet of project CW was brewing). My casting is based on my past ideas (http://tpww.net/forums/showpost.php?p=2249672&postcount=885) on how Robin could work in the current Robin-banned Nolan-verse.

Thomas Dekker as Tim Drake:

http://eldiariodebrucewayne.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/robin-tim-drake.jpg
http://sarahconnorsociety.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/l_3fa550642917c818e315d4a570294cc6.jpg

I've thought about it and I rather Tim Drake than Dick Grayson. But before I explain that I wanna fawn over Dekker for a sec. I like the kid, he has a fantasy pedigree that would ease his turn into a superhero realm while also having a rugged believability that fits my concept for a Nolan-Robin. I can see him trading shots with Bale while sharing a common ground for extreme measures for establishing justice in a darkened city.

Now as for why I choose Drake instead of Grayson, it's twofold. First, Drake is just a better Robin thematically speaking. His roots are grounded in Gotham's underbelly, he had to live at ground level while Bruce was treated to plays. He understands the city without a need to galvanize himself with trips around the world sampling the criminal element. His own father was the type Batman probably punched at least once on his patrols already. Drake brings more to the table as Robin.

Secondly, Dick Grayson works so much better as Nightwing I'm all for skipping his Robin era altogether. I mean really, it's probably his origin that Nolan weighed out that made him so against the idea in the first place. Circus boy turned crime fighter? Don't see it in Nolan's world. Now former circus boy turned cop turned crime fighter? That I can see, provided he has his own movie.

Then again that's just my take on things, sorry for another one of my TL;DR posts. But what say you on this character and/or casting? Any support/retorts?

Funky Fly
03-29-2009, 04:38 PM
First off, Don Cheadle would make an awesome Rhodey. Thing to keep in mind is that Rhodes isn't a giant muscular guy who flies and farts lightning. He is a soldier in a suit of armour. Terrence Howard was great in the role, but Cheadle's got the chops to do it too.

Anyway, I'm glad Nolan is never going to use Robin. A kid sidekick would just take away from the serious nature of the films. Plus I'd get flashback of the Joel Schumacher monstrosities.

Kalyx triaD
03-29-2009, 04:52 PM
First off, Don Cheadle would make an awesome Rhodey. Thing to keep in mind is that Rhodes isn't a giant muscular guy who flies and farts lightning. He is a soldier in a suit of armour. Terrence Howard was great in the role, but Cheadle's got the chops to do it too.

Dude I was making a point, I love that casting.

Anyway, I'm glad Nolan is never going to use Robin. A kid sidekick would just take away from the serious nature of the films. Plus I'd get flashback of the Joel Schumacher monstrosities.

If you insert Robin as a "kid sidekick" that's how people will take it, my take is more 'action-packed intern'. Oddly enough, I think Robin was portrayed damn well in the Shoemaker movies.

Lock Jaw
03-29-2009, 05:03 PM
I'd make Robin more like Tim Drake too. A detective wonderkid who pieces together that Bruce Wayne is Batman (though that isn't as impressive now that some accountant guy did it already in Dark Knight). Batman then uses the kid as basically another ally, like Gordon and Fox are in the films.

Funky Fly
03-29-2009, 10:58 PM
I was echoing your sentiment about armchair casting of Rhodey.

Kalyx triaD
03-29-2009, 11:00 PM
Aye, noted.

DrA
03-29-2009, 11:21 PM
Rock Hudson

Destor
03-30-2009, 12:08 AM
Chris O'Donnel is the only choice here.

Lock Jaw
03-30-2009, 10:50 PM
Burt Ward, anyone?

Kalyx triaD
03-31-2009, 07:29 AM
No.

Lock Jaw
04-01-2009, 12:31 AM
No.

http://workbench.cadenhead.org/media/tyson-tomko.jpg