With the latest announcement that theDC Universewill bringmultiple Robins to the big screen, fans have been abuzz with ideas on who should play the Batfamily. Dick Grayson/Nightwing in particular has been the recipient of a lot of fan casts.Popular candidates includeTeen Wolfstar Dylan O’Brien, Timothee Chalamet, and Logan Lerman. While many of these actors share traits with Nightwing, they have aged out of the role relative to the timeline of the DCU.Superman actor David Corenswet is 31 years old, making him younger than both O’Brien and Lerman.
Even if the DCU Batman is older than Superman,having a former Robin be older or around the same age as him would fundamentally alter the relationships that make up the continuity.These considerations wouldn’t matter for the animatedDynamic Duofilm, except that DC Studios co-head James Gunn hasa policy on using the same actors for both live-action and animated projects. The movie will be centered on Dick and his adoptive brother/fellow former Robin, Jason Todd, and it’s currently unknown whether the project is canon to the wider DCU.
As such,casting an early to mid-20s Dick would make him old enough to be Nightwing (and for Jason Todd to have died) yet young enough to still be a generation below the Justice League.Thankfully, there are a lot of talented young actors who could fill Nightwing’s shoes.
Known For: Avatar; The Last Airbender, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, And Pen15
While Netflix’sAvatar: The Last Airbenderreceived mixed reception, actorDallas Liu was a highlight of the series as the troubled Prince Zuko.In addition to acting, he has practiced Japanese Shotokan, a style of karate, from a young age and even competed for most of his childhood. Having a background in martial arts would be a major bonus for Liu if he were to play Nightwing, or any superhero role for that matter.
Not only did Liu carry his fight scenes, but the actor alsoportrayed Zuko’s inner turmoil convincingly. Though the hot-headed Zuko might have more in common with Jason, the vulnerability that Liu brings to the role could potentially translate to the more lighthearted Nightwing well. Moreover,Nightwing is a known wisecrack, so Liu’s comedic experience with Pen15 could come in handy.
9Drake Rodger Has Experience Playing The Hero Type
Known for: The Winchesters
Having starred inThe Winchesters,Drake Rodger has experience working in the fantasy genre, which while different from the superhero genre, requires the same ability to make audiences suspend disbelief.That aside, his role of John Winchester proves that he can play a likeable lead. Fans were divided onThe Winchestersdue to its lack of continuity with its parent series,Supernatural, but Rodger’s performance was generally enjoyed by audiences.
In fact, the star was well-liked enough that DC fans took notice. Rodger is a moderately common choice among fans to play Nightwing, but not solely because of his past performances. The actor has indicated interest in the character before, and apparently, he’s even trained himself using escrima sticks. Rodgercalled Nightwing his “dream role” in an interviewand expressed the hope that Gunn would allow him to audition.That level of dedication could make him a great fit to play Dick Grayson.
8Lorenzo Zurzolo Looks The Part
Known For: Eo, Baby, And Prisma
Lorenzo Zurzolo isn’t super prominent among American audiences, but the Italian actor has a fair amount of solid acting experience under his belt. Though he’s primarily known for appearing in Italian coming-of-age series such asPrismaandBaby, Zurzolo also starred in the Academy Award-nominated filmEO, which won the Jury Prize at Cannes.
Regardless,casting a relative unknown could be a good idea for DC; that way, audiences would associate the actor with the character without any preconceived notions. Zurzolo, at 24, is a good age to star as an early-career Nightwing, and he’s got Dick’s combination of dark hair and blue eyes. Furthermore, he’s been called one of Italy’s best young actors and has such a substantial following that he’s considered a household name, which could help the global appeal of the DCU if he were cast as Nightwing.
7D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai Is Multi-Talented
Known For: Reservation Dogs
D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai is a star on the rise. The Emmy-nominated actor is best known forhis role as Bear Smallhill, the self-proclaimed leader of the “Rez Dogs” gang living in the Muscogee Nation, inReservation Dogs. Bear is a kindhearted character who values compassion. He has a complicated home life but strives to do the right thing.Woon-A-Tai is stellar in the role, and his performance is all the proof needed to demonstrate his capability to play Nightwing.
While his acting ability already makes him a solid contender to play Dick, that’s not all he brings to the table. Woon-A-Tai is also a lifelong martial artist, and he holds a black belt in Shotokan karate. Between his karate and acting skills, it’s only a matter of time before a superhero franchise courts theReservation Dogsstar, and Nightwing would be a good fit.
6Tanner Buchanan Could Play A Different Kind Of Nightwing
Known For: Cobra Kai, He’s All That, Designated Survivor And More
Tanner Buchanan is an incredibly popular casting choice for Robin. The catch is, he’s mostcommonly selected as a potential Jason Todd. His most famous role is Robby Keene inCobra Kai, who is an angry young man with father issues. It makes sense that this would lead fans to associate him with Jason, but Buchanan’s time onCobra Kaiproves he would have the range to play Nightwing, especially if he plays the character right after leaving Batman.He is also currently 25, putting him in a more appropriate age range to play Dick than to play Jason.
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Additionally, his time on theKarate Kidspinoff gave him experience with filming fight scenes. Buchanan is another popular young actor who will likely star in a superhero project at some point. Given his range and physical abilities, he could suit up as Nightwing.
5Nicholas Alexander Chavez
Known For: Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, Grotesquerie, And More
A frequent collaborator withAmerican Horror Storycreator Ryan Murphy, Nicholas Alexander Chavez is an Emmy-winning performer. He gained recognition for playing Spencer Cassadine onGeneral Hospitalbefore transitioning into more dramatic roles. Recently, Chavez played Lyle Menendez in the controversial second season ofMonsteron Netflix,Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. The show received a lot of criticism for being an overly dramatic and insensitive representation of the real life crimes of the Menendez brothers.
Still, even its critics praised the performances of its young stars.Chavez is a charismatic onscreen presence, and he’s demonstrated that he can play different types of roles. Branching out into a superhero project could allow the 25-year-old actor to play a different type of lead character, especially should he be cast as the ever-likable Nightwing in the DCU.
4Gabriel Guevara Would Be A Fresh Face
Known For: Your Fault, Skam España, And More
Gabriel Guevara is a Spanish-French actor mostly known for his turn as Nick Leister in the romantic filmYour Faulton Amazon Prime, which has the highest debut viewership of a non-English movie on the platform.He’s comparatively lower profile than other Nightwing casting choicesin that his biggest projects have all been released in Spanish, but that doesn’t make him a less viable option.
As mentioned before, the DCU could focus on casting a talented unknown actor as opposed to a more prominent name. This way, audiences would have an easier time seeing them only as their character. Guevara is a popular lead in Spain, and his casting as Nightwing could bring some of that fanbase to the DCU.
3Gavin Casalegno Could Channel A Different Side Of Nightwing
Known For:The Summer I Turned Pretty,Noah, And More
Gavin Casalegno rose to prominence playing a romantic lead in the ongoing Amazon Prime seriesThe Summer I Turned Pretty.However, he’s been acting for much long, appearing in Darren Aronofsky’sNoah, playing a younger Damon Salvatore inThe Vampire Diaries,and guest starring onWalker.His breakout role was massively successful, withThe Summer I Turned Prettybecoming one of the most popular series in the history of Amazon Prime. Casalegno is currently slated to star alongsideArrowalum Emily Bett Rickards in the wrestling biopicQueen Of The Ring.
His popularity especially among younger viewers would be an asset in generating interest in the DCU, were he to portray Dick’s Robin. Additionally, Nightwing frequently fills a niche similar to that of a romantic hero in the DC Universe, so Casalegno’s experience could he a good match.
2Xolo Maridueña Could Return To The DC Universe
Known For:Blue Beetle,Cobra Kai,Parenthood, And More
In an ideal world, Xolo Maridueñawould be given another shot at playing Jaime Reyes in aBlue Beetlesequel. The film came out at an unfortunate time in the DCEU, but it lacks signifcant ties to other films from the continuity, leaving fans hopeful for a return from Maridueña. If DC opts not to continue theBlue Beetleseries, it would be a shame to waste the young actor’s talent.His performance inBlue Beetlewas endearing and believable, and it’s not a stretch to imagine him as the kindhearted Nightwing.
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Maridueña is charismatic, talented, and skilled in martial arts, all essential qualities needed to play Nightwing. He would bring a good balance of heart and humor to the DC Universe, and his portrayal would help show the differing personalities of Dick and Jason.
1Aramis Knight Could Make The Jump From Marvel To DC
Known For: Ms. Marvel, Into The Badlands, And More
Aramis Knight is largely known for his lead role in AMC’sInto The Badlands,a post-apocalyptic series which blended elements of sci-fi and martial arts.However, he also has experience in the superhero genre. The 25-year-rold actor played Red Dagger/Kareem, a warrior chosen to help protect the world from interdimensional threats, in the 2022 series,Ms. Marvel. Knight’s MCU debut was well-received by fans and critics.
The actoractually had no martial arts background beforeInto The Badlands, for which he “started from scratch” to learn Wushu. He describes martial arts as a dance, which requires strength and flexibility.Given Dick is both a trained fighter and a former acrobat, this approach to stunt work could be a significant asset.Knight’s prowess in martial arts and likability make him a top candidate to play Dick Grayson, making the multiversal leap from the MCU to theDCU.
DC Universe
The DC Universe is one of the biggest comic book franchises and often competes with Marvel. DC Comics started as National Allied Publications, founded by Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson in 1935. Since then, the franchise has exploded with thousands of comic books, movies, TV shows, and video games. 2013 marked the beginning of the most recent iteration of the superheroes, with Zack Snyder introducing Henry Cavill as Superman. After several movies with mixed reviews, DC underwent a soft reboot under the helm of James Gunn and Peter Safran.
