The Batman universe is absolutely full to bursting with interesting characters, and it would be impossible to see every iconic figure on the big screen. But one notable exception has been ongoing for over two decades and leaves a massive hole in the franchise.

There have been eight live-action theatrical Batman films, ten counting both versions of Justice League, Robin has appeared in only two of them, both of which were over 20 years ago. To make matters worse, both of the only two films featuring Robin were extremely poorly received and tend to be despised by fans, leading to them being swept under the rug.

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Robin was created by Batman creators Bob Kane and Bill Finger a little over one year into Batman's existence, way back in 1940. The necessity of a consistent companion became clear early on with Batman, as the writers needed him to have someone else to talk to. Robin was the first young sidekick, devised both to give Batman a counterpart and to introduce a younger character that kids could identify with. Many characters have held the mantle of Robin, the first and most famous being Dick Grayson. The character has served as Batman's sidekick, a hero on his own, and the founder of the Teen Titans hero team.

Robin and the Teen Titans in the 2003 cartoon

Robin is one of the first Batman supporting characters introduced, tied in very early to the character's foundation. Robin appears before Catwoman, Two-Face, Penguin, and even briefly before The Joker. The addition of a young sidekick really changes the character in a dynamic way, bringing to the forefront his kindness and concern for others. Robin was meant to make Batman more sympathetic, and in that aspect, succeeded wholeheartedly. Unfortunately, many fans do not want Batman to be a character known for his empathy.

The most obvious guess for the absence of Robin in cinema is the outcome of the previous two attempts. Batman Forever and Batman & Robin both starred Chris O'Donnell as Dick Grayson, portraying him as a cocky hotshot seeking validation and a legacy of his own. This iteration of the character is not completely alien to his comic book source, but it is not the go-to portrayal. Though the films were financially successful, they were destroyed by critics and ruthlessly derided by many fans.

Though there are many problems with the film; bad writing, unimpressive villains, humor that doesn't land, etc. it is unavoidable fact that many fans simply hated the presentation of the characters. Schumacher's films gave Batman a silly and fun angle, a far cry from the kinky gothic aesthetic of Tim Burton and from the gritty realistic take by Christopher Nolan. Fans did not respond well to a Batman who was having fun.

Batman & Robin

Tone is extremely important to storytelling, most superhero franchises have settled on a particular tone. The MCU is a good crash course in this concept. The Thor films have a different tone to the Iron Man trilogy, which feels different from the Captain America movies and so on. The different eras of Batman movies, with the exception of Schumacher's films, have resembled an arms race to create the grimmest superhero film imaginable. From Burton's stylistic macabre to Nolan's grounded polemic to Matt Reeves' upcoming piece that more closely resembles Zodiac than it does Batman. Zack Snyder's version saw Robin dead before the plot started and killed off Jimmy Olsen for good measure. The darkness is escalating and there is no place for a kid sidekick in darkness. But there should be.

1940 was a very difficult time, and the kid sidekick concept took off in part to address a very serious problem in the era. The depression was rampant and World War II was just around the corner, so kids were dealing with the absence of their fathers. Whether their parents were off to work in the factories or off to war, children without parents were becoming increasingly omnipresent. Giving superheroes of the age kid sidekicks allowed children of the era to see their favorite heroes not only as bold crime fighters but as parental figures. This same period also brought fans Green Arrow's sidekick Speedy, Captain America's young friend Bucky and Superman's pal Jimmy Olsen. These problems are not absent from the modern day, and many sidekicks have stuck around, but Robin has been lost in the shuffle.

Robin is a character that is important to the Batman universe who has been excised from his most well-known iteration in pursuit of darker and darker storylines. At a certain point, the same tone in repetition will get old, even if it's what fans want for now. There has to be a point at which the story will become too grim to be any fun. These issues are unavoidable and clearly incoming, and Robin is a great way to make Batman feel like a real person again. Robin is not set to appear in the upcoming film, but hopefully, someday a filmmaker will realize the importance of the character and finally give the Bat back his Boy Wonder.

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