The CW has grounded The Graysons before they could even get into the air.
About a month ago, The CW announced plans for a TV show starring Dick Grayson and his family before the events that led to him becoming Robin. Now Variety reports the show is dead per a decision from Warner Bros. Pictures Group president Jeff Robinov, “who initially gave his blessing but changed his mind in recent days,” the trade reports:
According to studio insiders, Robinov has decreed that Warner Bros. “rethink its DC Comics strategy” and as a result didn’t want to do anything big with a DC franchise at the moment — at least when it came to “Graysons.”
“The studio has opted not to go forward with the development of ‘The Graysons’ at this time as the concept doesn’t fit the current strategy for the Batman franchise,” the studio said in a statement. “Warner Bros. Television is currently working on several replacement options for the CW.”
The trade cites a couple of other reasons that may have played into the decision, such as Christopher Nolan being uncomfortable with the show or the possibility that having a Batman-themed show on the air could hurt the movie franchise.
Whatever the case, I guess we’ll have to get our Dick Grayson fix in the comics for the time being.
November 7th, 2008 at 1:08 am
WHEW! Man, that show would have been epic levels of stink. Thank goodness.
November 7th, 2008 at 2:59 am
Bless you Jeff Robinov.
November 7th, 2008 at 3:39 am
Oh thank god almighty. We dodged a bullet there.
November 7th, 2008 at 4:49 am
Never understood how they thought this show would work.
Dick GRayson pre his parents death was just a circus kid. Its not like Bruce Wayne who was learning his craft and you could easily write training adventures for.
November 7th, 2008 at 5:24 am
Agreed. This had bad idea stamped all over it from the word “GO”.
November 7th, 2008 at 8:09 am
I think it was a good move on Warner’s part. It seems they may be trying to focus their DC movies into a cohesive franchise like Marvel Films.
November 7th, 2008 at 8:14 am
“rethink its DC Comics strategy” and as a result didn’t want to do anything big with a DC franchise at the moment
interesting…
November 7th, 2008 at 8:28 am
OH God NO Not a Other Batman show for the love of God DC learn from Marvel mistake
November 7th, 2008 at 8:33 am
Disappointing…
November 7th, 2008 at 9:21 am
thank you god. IT WAS CAUSING A WHOLE LOT OF PROBLEM WITH THE STORYLINE. FIRST HOW OLD DICK GRAYSON WOULD HAVE BEEN. DICK GRAYSON WAS GROWING UP IN A CIRCUS LIFE BEFORE HIS PARENT WAS KILLED. MAYBE CW SHOULD DEBUT EITHER THE FOLLOWING SHOW GREEN ARROW,AQUAMAN OR BETTER SUPERGIRL SERIES. GOOD LUCK TO THE FUTURE. YOUR CHARLES DAVID HASKELL
November 7th, 2008 at 9:32 am
read the article Michael.
November 7th, 2008 at 9:57 am
Get our Dick Grayson fix from comics? Not since they decided to cancel Nightwing…
November 7th, 2008 at 10:51 am
Warners Bros and DC are so out of whack. And they have been for far too long. They are lucky Batman Begins & Dark Knight were so good. Other than that…they have been dead in the water for years.
At least they had some classic animation in the last two decades.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:55 am
And the air pressure of the nation rises a bit as millions of lungs exhale in relief…
A DJ-less world. Whew.
Truly change is in the air.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:56 am
Excellent! Now they have just the opening to get “Watchmen Babies” launched!
Watchmen Babies, we make our dreams come true.
Watchmen Babies, we’ll do the same for you.
Ozzy: When your world looks kinda weird and you wish that you weren’t there…
Manhatty: Just close your eyes and make believe and you can be anywhere!
Ozzy: I like adventure.
Silky: I like romance.
Comedy: I love great jokes!
Alan: Alan Moore dance!!
Owly: I’ve got my Owl Ship.
Billy: Hate revolving doors.
Shady: I’m a lesbian.
Manhatty: And I have blue skin.
Rory: I track conspiracies!
‘Troplis: Mee mee mee meee!
Gov’t: Is everything all right in here?
All: Yes, Reagy!
Watchmen Babies, we make our dreams come true.
Watchmen Babies, we’ll do the same for you.
Watchmen Watchmen Watchmen Watchmen
Babies Babies Babies Babies
Who watches uuuuu-uuuuuusssss?
November 7th, 2008 at 10:59 am
Yowza Says:
November 7th, 2008 at 10:51 am
Warners Bros and DC are so out of whack. And they have been for far too long. They are lucky Batman Begins & Dark Knight were so good. Other than that…they have been dead in the water for years.
At least they had some classic animation in the last two decades.
True. Let’s hope “Watchmen” is a oxygen tank to DC/Warner Bros in March 2009. I saw the recent video journal, “Girls Kick Ass”, and it was so cool.
November 7th, 2008 at 11:12 am
I wonder if this means…
1) Dick Grayson will be in the next Nolan Bat-film? (I can’t imagine him being Robin but I COULD imagine a fairly serious, dramatic story about Bruce Wayne grappling with the idea of being a father figure.)
OR
2) They are going ahead with a Teen Titans movie featuring Robin.
November 7th, 2008 at 11:15 am
…and common sense prevails. Imagine that. Must be the Obama effect…
November 7th, 2008 at 11:26 am
Hooray!! Finally, the CW takes its head out of its butt!
November 7th, 2008 at 11:27 am
And an addendum, I really love how Newsarama is also clearly upset about the cancellation of the Bat titles.
November 7th, 2008 at 11:49 am
@ Ostrakos: Did you not get the joke with JK ending the article saying “Oh, wait…”? It was a link to the news of Nightwing’s (and the other “Bat-titles”) being cancelled.
Anyhow, excellent news that WB’s not actually going ahead with The Graysons. I could see a young Bruce Wayne series working, or even a Nightwing series, set out of continuity with the Batman movies (maybe just an occasional reference to The Bat), could be really good too.
Perhaps most remarkable out of all of this is that Mark and I apparently agree something!
November 7th, 2008 at 11:54 am
Squashua, you have waaay too much time on your hands. That being said: nice.
Yeah, definitely dodged this bullet. Wow, it would have been god-awful. Let’s see some sort of live-action Teen Titans series. Just make sure it’s not corny as hell, redesign the costumes so that it’s not as comic-booky (see Green Arrow from Smallville), and stay the hell away from anything that would be like that Generation X crapshot pilot so, so long ago.
November 7th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
I think a Nightwing series woould tank as well seeing as Birds of Prey fell to so many depths that one season… but thank god no more Graysons. its been a good week
November 7th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
I finally believe in God. Prayer works!
November 7th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Looks like I owe someone a beer!
November 7th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
what’s with all these stupid people blaming DC for this.
November 7th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
WB has some common sense after all. This would have been a disaster people, thank God it didn’t happen! Maybe there saving him for Nolan or a Teen Titans movie?
November 7th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
I think a Teen Titans show would be better. Life growing up as a teen and fighting villains.
November 7th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Finally someone in Warner is paying attention, we were saved from an awful show. Peace.
November 7th, 2008 at 9:15 pm
Good news. If they wanna make a show on a DC character, they should really reconsider that Aquaman show. I’m not a big fan of the character but he’s an untapped property that could finally get his due. It would also allow writers creative room, as the world of a young Aquaman is not recognizable to America, like Metropolis and Gotham.
anyways, good news
January 26th, 2009 at 3:35 am
Helllllooooo!!!
Look at my screen name everybody. The fact that there was a Grayson show in the works and at the same time Dick Grayson is about to FINALLY become Batman cannot be a coincidence. Nightwing is my favorite character in comics and the Titans are my favorite superhero team. I will say it right now, Dick Grayson became Robin between ages 8 and 12, depending on which book you read. Now, a show based on a child’s life before the age of 8, circus kid, or not, WILL NOT WORK…. And I love the Dick Grayson character.
Now, a story about Dick Grayson, just starting out and learning how to become a superhero, ala Smallville, with his friends, Wally West, Donna Troy, Roy Harper, and Garth (they would have to give him a last name for the show since he does not have one in the books), I think would work really well. The show could start with the death of Dick’s parents and Bruce taking him in. It could show the way he met Wally, Garth, Donna, and Roy and how they interact with each other. It would work a lot better than Dick by himself.
You could have supporting characters Bruce Wayne, Barry Allen, Diana Prince, Oliver Queen, and Arthur Curry, just acting as parents to the 5 orphans.
Before anyone says it will not work, I remember a lot of people laughed about 8 years ago, saying a little show about a young Superman learning how to use his powers would never work, but look at this. 8 Years, possibly 9 years, later, Smallville is still on the air.