Back in April, it was announced that Arrowverse architect Greg Berlanti would be tackling the long-gestating live-action Teen Titans TV series titled ‘Titans’. At the time of the announcement, only Dick Grayson had been listed as part of the team. It wasn’t even certain whether he would still be going by Robin or if he will have moved on to Nightwing. And though the question regarding the Boy Wonder’s alias is still unanswered, we appear to have a better idea of which heroes will join Batman’s former protege to round out the cast of this highly anticipated project.
According to That Hashtag Show, a new character breakdown for ‘Titans’ has been released in anticipation of shooting beginning this September in Atlanta, Georgia. Not only does it include a description of Grayson’s character in the show and a bit of his background, there are also three other blurbs that sound a whole lot like Raven, Starfire, and Beast Boy, respectively. You can check out the breakdown below:
- John Crossland [Male, late 20s-early 30s, Caucasian] – Equal parts charm and impenetrability, John is a cop. He has a nice smile, tired eyes and a cool, distant manner. However, when provoked, his eyes are so lethal “they drain a man of every last bit of spleen.” John is haunted by the murder of his family. Unbeknownst to those around him, he is also a vigilante. In the shadows, he fights with the commitment and conviction of an artist, the brutal grace of a dancer. Mentally and physically, he is covered in a map of scars. And though he fights to escape his past, it is often a losing battle… SERIES LEAD
- Sarah [Female, Mid teens, Open Ethnicity] – Troubled, bullied, often scared but unwilling to show it, Sarah is a loner more comfortable hiding in her hoodie than making friends. Haunted by a dark force inside her, Sarah experiences violent episodes that she cannot understand or control. She is also plagued by recurring nightmares that lead her across the country in search of help… SERIES REGULAR
- Casey [Female, 20s, Open Ethnicity] – Casey is a tall, stunning woman, her beauty so magnificent it’s almost inhuman. Elegant, refined and mysterious, she is on the hunt to discover who is trying to kill her and why. And those after her are in for a surprise because she’s more deadly than anyone they’ve ever encountered…SERIES REGULAR
- Jax [Male, Mid-late teens, Open Ethnicity, Asian preferred] – Funny and charming, this amateur thief’s humor hides his insecurities and past pain. Not the toughest kid on the streets, he’s learned to survive in the world with his wit and quick-thinking…SERIES REGULAR
The first thing fans are likely to notice is that Cyborg is missing from the line-up. Thanks to ‘Teen Titans’ and ‘Teen Titans GO!’, the former Victor Stone is synonymous with “team.” However, since he’ll be playing a large role in the DC Cinematic Universe, it’s likely that Warner Bros. has put some restrictions on who Berlanti can and can’t use. But this is nothing new for him as evidenced in ‘Arrow’, ‘The Flash’, and ‘Legends of Tomorrow’. Plus, there are tons of other Titans that the show could utilize in Cyborg’s place as needed.
Another thing worth noting is that each character seems to be following very closely to their most iconic iterations and memorable storylines, with the exception of Beast Boy. While the inspiration for Grayson is clearly coming from the mid-90s ‘Nightwing’ series that saw the former sidekick join the Bludhaven Police Department in an effort to combat corruption, the ladies are obviously borrowing from their first appearances and the shape-shifter is now a resourceful thief. Though it’s a clear departure from any other depiction of Garfield Logan we’ve ever seen, he’ll likely retain his humor and likability as he makes his live-action debut.
What do you think about this character breakdown from ‘Titans’? Are you surprised that the main team is only set to have four members? Do you think that we’ll see other Titans come and go as the series progresses? And what do you think about the changes that they’ve made to the cast? Let us know your thoughts and theories in the comments.
