Director Chris McKay wasn’t kidding, when in September he stated that, in regard to casting the lead in ‘Nightwing’, “We are taking our time. We are going to cast a wide net…” McKay has said he wants someone who can not only act but is extremely fit and acrobatic. He wants the actor to perform as many stunts as possible, without relying on a double and has even stated that he wants the combat choreography to be so intense that the Motion Picture Academy has to create a new Oscar award for “Best Stunt.”
How wide is this proverbial net? Open casting wide! McKay has not ruled out bringing in a complete unknown for the role, as he recently announced on Twitter:
There will be an open casting call but that is like Vegas odds for sure. Don’t leave your career up to chance. Believe in yourself. Bet on yourself. Get an agent or a manager.
— Chris McKay (@buddboetticher) November 21, 2017
So it doesn’t sound as though McKay will be pouring over Instagram and Youtube videos looking for someone to jump out at him. He stresses that representation– a manager or agent– is a necessity and even then, there can ultimately only be one big screen Dick Grayson. The odds aren’t great, but there is still a chance for someone to be plucked from obscurity to headline a DC Universe movie.
Many Hollywood names have expressed a willingness to take on the role, including Dave Franco, Drake Bell, and Steven R. McQueen, while fans all have a wish list of established stars they’d like to see don the pointed domino mask. It’s pretty common for even huge stars to undertake a grueling workout regimen for a particular role so we’ll have to see who has the stamina to fit McKay’s vision.
‘Nightwing‘ doesn’t yet have a release date, but Bill Dubuque (‘The Accountant’, Netflix’s ‘Ozark’) is providing the script, which McKay promises will be faithful to the comics and is something of an underdog story.
After ‘Justice League’ under-performed during its opening weekend, it’s unclear what Warner Brothers’ plan is moving forward with the DC Universe films, but ‘Nightwing’ has a few things working in its favor. For one thing, the character is generally unrelated to the ‘Justice League’, so this film could stand on its own. For another, obviously Dick Grayson originated as the first Robin. Regardless of whether Ben Affleck continues on as Bruce Wayne, Batman will remain the safest bet in WB’s DC arsenal and having a movie that connects to Batman is a plus.
Do you think you have a shot at playing Nightwing? Or is there a particular actor that you think should?
