There are a whole range of fairly well-known Bat-villains to choose from for Ben Affleck’s solo debut as the Capes Crusader, but according to JoBlo, the powers-that-be are hitting Bruce Wayne where it hurts.
The Red Hood had been around for over half-a-century before Judd Winick’s “Under The Hood” arc about 10 years ago, but that was the one to establish that Jason Todd, Batsy’s former sidekick long believed to be dead, had taken up the mantle of the murderous vigilante. Apparently, this is the story that Affleck and Geoff Johns are adapting for the next Batman flick, which also features The Joker, Talia al’Ghul, and another former Robin, Dick Grayson a.k.a. Nightwing.
We’ve already seen heavy intimations that Todd’s Robin has already been killed by the Joker in the BVS timeline, as evidenced by the graffiti on the costume hung up in the Batcave, so the seeds are set for the RED HOOD movie to capitalize on Batman’s grief. Another alleged reason for them to pick this particular storyline is the notion that Red Hood and Nightwing could spin off into their own films (though with the current DC slate, it’s crazy to think there’s room for them to headline their own solo flicks).
JoBlo also claims that they’re looking for an unknown to play Todd a.k.a. Red Hood, presumably because they want to sign him for more films and also because he’s, you know, in a hood (one thinks a Ryan Reynolds-level recognizable voice could prove distracting…it’s not like the kids were all OH SHIT IT’S STACY KEACH during MASK OF THE PHANTASM).
I love the idea of hitting Bruce Wayne where it hurts, and facing him off against someone who’s lived in his house, been in his Batcave, and fought crime right beside him for years. It not only makes things more personal at the outset than they’ve been in the film adaptations thus far, but it gives Affleck a great template to spin a dark, haunting Batman story that’s distinguished from the Nolan Bat-verse. I wouldn't want the guy who made GONE BABY GONE to pussyfoot around with some soft, colorful storyline, would you?
What I find most dubious about JoBlo’s report is that they claim The Red Hood will make a cameo in BATMAN V. SUPERMAN, SUICIDE SQUAD, or both…but we shall see, now won’t we?
If you want to prime yourself on the Red Hood arc, you can read the original run or check out the animated adaptation (also written by Winick) featuring the voices of Bruce Greenwood as Batman, Neil Patrick Harris as Nightwing, Jason Isaacs as Ra’s al Ghul, and SUPERNATURAL's Jensen Ackles as the Red Hood.
Sound good, or is there another Bat-storyline you'd rather see them adapt for the DCCU?
