‘The Dark Knight Rises’ to include Robin? Don’t count on it [Update]

Earlier this week Michigan State Senator, Rick Jones, confirmed that Warner Bros. was scouting for Nolan's last Batman movie, and now a local Michigan news channel claims that Robin will show up in The Dark Knight Rises.

They looked at the Ledges as well as a water treatment plant located inside the park. Sources say the area is being considered as a hideout for Batman sidekick Robin.

I try to just report the news and keep my opinion off of Batman-News.com, but I don't think anyone should read too much into this. I'm sharing it with you because large movie websites are starting to report the story. Both Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale have been very vocal about Robin in the past. Christopher Nolan has said that Robin wouldn't fit the story he's trying to tell, and Christian Bale went as far as saying "[Robin] is the most humiliating role in Batman". I'd be shocked to see Robin appear in The Dark Knight Rises.

Update 02/06/11: The Daily Blam! reached out to Alex Goldsmith, the WILX reporter who started this rumor. Here's what he had to say:

I heard from three sources, the only one who would go on camera being state Sen. Rick Jones. All three mentioned the water treatment facility being considered for "Robin's Cave" specifically. I'm not as up on my Batman lore as others but I wasn't aware that Robin got a cave. As this was just a scouting mission, I don't have any details on actors or even confirmation as to what role he'll play. I just know what my 3 sources told me. Granted the production team scouting could've given them "Robin's Cave" as a red herring.

SOURCE: WILX

61 comments

diogo02000

February 5, 2011

Still a rumor, at all.But i can see Nightwing fix in the "Nolan-verse"

trubatfan

February 5, 2011

let it go andre, robin wont be in this.

Ryan

February 5, 2011

Maybe they had the trilogy planned from the first film and said those comments so we was surprised

bradley
February 5, 2011
Well plans change. For example, the Joker was originally going to be in The Dark Knight Rises.

Rogerio Martins

February 5, 2011

I hate the idea, but if Bane really breaks Batman's back, another character must keep things in order while the bat recovers, and then, finally rises. I can't see a robin in this, but maybe a similar character, like Azrael.

TauHeel05

February 5, 2011

I hope you're right, including Robin in Nolan's Batman would be highly disappointing.

I remember hearing similar quotes from both Chris Nolan and Christian Bale. I've tried to find the sources, could you post them?

BatmanNewsChris
February 5, 2011
Sorry I don't have links to the exact sources, it's all from memory. The quotes are 3 or 4 years old now, but I remember Bale saying his during an interview for 3:10 to Yuma with Russel Crowe.

Dev1359

February 5, 2011

Why does Nolan hate Robin so much when he's stated in the past that his favorite Batman story is Dark Victory? lol

Dev1359

February 5, 2011

Wow I'm tired. I meant to say Bale*** not Nolan lol -_-

Corporal

February 5, 2011

Christian Bale went as far as saying “[Robin] is the most humiliating role in Batman”.

I TOTALLY AGREE!!!
and here I thought I was the only one!

TheHighBeEpik
February 6, 2011
Why??? Robin is freaking kickass most of the time

TheDarkNight4ever

February 5, 2011

Chris,

Thanks for posting this. For those wondering where Bale said he didn't want Robin in the final film it's right here. http://www.aintitcool.com/n...

"If Robin crops up in one of the new Batman films, I'll be chaining myself up somewhere and refusing to go to work." - Christian Bale

I couldn't agree with him more. Robin is NOT character you want to see in the TDKR. Why? Because this is still the early stages of Batman's career and this film (this series) is about Batman! It's about HIS rise to redemption and about him becoming the Guardian of Gotham. If your looking for Batman to have a sidekick it's Gordon, that's his guy and he serves multiple purposes and actually makes for more use than the inclusion of adding Robin to the story.

Levitt will hopefully be in the movie but I'm hoping for either an original role or Max Cort/Detective role.

Manos Jester
February 6, 2011
I agree. Robin as the full time sidekick from the comics is unnecessary here. But who's to say he won't be a teenager wannabe vigilante who ends up killed or something. As long as the story fits and the reason why Bane , Catwoman and Robin (if he's included) exist is logical and a natural response to the escalation of crime, I could watch Robin in this one. But there should be a golden balance in all this.
We'll see

just a random guy

February 5, 2011

I agree w/Nolan that robin wont fit his story, but I disagree with Bale... I remember a comics scribe (I think Johns or Loeb) saying that the trick to introducing Robin in the bat verse is to be gradual: Start with a movide where Wayne meets Greyson and you tell, parallel to the main story, the story of Wayne/Greyson. THEN, towards the end of the 1st movie, begining of the 2nd, Dick starts helping Bruce from the cave, maybe they brainstorm on a case, and only in the LAST movie he becomes robin, costume and all. I think that such a trilogy could be a very good way to bring Robin into the picture, because the first two movies (sans costume) help you establish him as a man in his own right, not "Bat's little helper"...

SuperherooftheMonth
February 5, 2011
I agree, 100%. It makes no sense to establish in Begins that Bruce traveled the world for years before becoming Batman to train, only for Grayson to show up and be perfectly adept in one film.

Collin V.

February 5, 2011

I trust Nolan, not rumours. I want to hear something like this from him.

just a random guy

February 5, 2011

I did a little digging and this is the article i remembered (http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2... I actually checked my copy of DV and it;s true... Robin in costume appears very little... it's mostly a Dick/Bruce story. That is the key to Robin... atually, i think after Nolan finishes his story, an idea like the one Loeb poses could be a good direction for another trilogy...hmm, sorry for the long comment :)

James

February 5, 2011

Thank you for posting this. I know that it IS just rumour right now, and probably a rumour that will turn out to be false, but it's good that we still get to hear about it, especially since many other major movie websites are talking about it too. It would be a shame if you didn't report on all TDKR happenings, rumour or not, seeing how you are just about the best Nolan-Batman website there is out there. Thanks again. We just have to take this news (and all other news unconfirmed by Nolan himself) with a grain of salt.

Jowyulrich

February 5, 2011

[Comment removed]

SuperherooftheMonth
February 5, 2011
Have you seen some of the women Dick Grayson has gone out with?!
1. MrLongPants
  February 6, 2011
  Overcompensating lol
Drew
February 6, 2011
Wow. Let's not post again.

Thejokersmiles13

February 5, 2011

Thank You! count me in also as some one who doesn't want to see Robin these movies are 100% all about Batman and what makes him the most fascinating and amazing character in comics. This franchise don't need Robin, it's doing just great without him.

TheHighBeEpik
February 6, 2011
... Are you kidding me?? I hope you mean just these movies because Batman as an icon definitely needs Robin. It's been established many times that a Batman without Robin is an angry, lonely, annoying Batman.

Hanktwq898889

February 5, 2011

Okay Bale has been very much against Robin, but Nolan has given his opinion from both sides of the fence on the character. If Nolan listened to everyone and their opinions, his film would probably suck. He has his own vision and its work so far. It's very possible that Dick Grayson will be a character in this film, SO GET OVER IT! I don't see Bale crying like a baby or not doing the film, if he would learn that Robin is in The Dark Knight Rises.

Captain_Obvious

February 5, 2011

Yeah, it should be obvious. Obviously, the amount of rumors that get posted and repeated for Man of Steel and Dark Knight Rises should be taken with a grain of salt. Obviouslly.

Drew

February 6, 2011

Wonder why Bale hates Robin so much. lol

Kala
February 7, 2011
"Because he's f----ng distracting" lol

MrLongPants

February 6, 2011

I predict in the next few days this rumour will be flat out denied by an official source.

Guest

February 6, 2011

Yeah, i have always been anti Robin and completley dissmissed him as a possible for Nolans films to unrealistic in my opinion .BUT after watching UNDER THE RED HOOD , this gave the character a bit of hope that theres a place for him in Nolans world ! Still 99% shore its not gonna happen !

Guest

February 6, 2011

O.K , So i said to myself i was not gonna comment on the Batman News Vs Batman on Film Wars ! Gotta lot of respesct for Jett , he has worked hard for along time .keeping Batman on film alive ,and i thank him for giving me a place to go to feed my Batman addiction ! BUT it seems to me he has become a complete puppert for either Warner Bros or Team Nolan , and i find anything he says know to intentionaly trying to lead readers in the wrong direction ! So when Jett says Robin is not in TDKR I just carn t buy it ! because i think to myself has Team Nolan or Warner Bros told him to say that ! I guess this feeling comes from the fact Jett knew Bane was in the movie for along time and did not let the fans who have been following his site for along time { like me } know !

SuperherooftheMonth
February 6, 2011
In all fairness, I think Jett didn't know for as long as he did. I don't know the guy, and I have no proof, but I get the feeling that he said he knew, and I kinda think it's BS.
Just my $0.02 on the matter.
1. Guest
  February 6, 2011
  Jett did know BANE was in the movie and what dissapointed me the most as a long time fan of Batman on film is he chose to to tell selected people from the site but not everyone . I listened to one of the Great pod casts they do and it seemed like they all knew BANE was going to be in the movie along time ago . Listen i am sounding like i am realy Anti Jett and Batman on film and i am not its probaly the site i ve been on the most in the last 5 years ! I ll say it again ! THANKS Jett ! what i am saying know is the site seems to me to have lost the DEMOCRACY a good FAN site should have instead right now it feels a bit more like a DICTATORSHIP !
  1. Michael Young
    February 7, 2011
    I don't BOF ever claimed to be a "democratic" fan site, and Jett has said on multiple occasions that he's also not interested in being a "scoop" site. It's basically his personal blog, and the guy has a right to post or not post whatever he likes. This is more a defense of WB and Christopher Nolan, but being a fan doesn't mean we have a RIGHT to know every detail of a film before the filmmakers want to release it. I think Jett understands this, and if he knew about Bane, he had the right to keep that news to himself out of respect for the filmmakers. Jett's not claiming to be a journalist, and he's not honor bound to reveal every bit of information he gets. He's just a fan with a website. He can do with that website whatever he likes, whether we agree with him or not.
    1. Guest
      February 8, 2011
      JETT has never claimed BOF to be a DEMOCRATIC forum , thats just a quality i personly think a good FAN site should have ! You do make a good point and i know and respect Jetts non spoiler policy , but i dont see the cast of characters as a SPOILER ,
  2. SuperherooftheMonth
    February 7, 2011
    That's what I mean. What proof is there other than Jett's word? Nothing. There's no proof Jett didn't know Hardy was Bane, but aside from Jett saying he knew, there's nothing to support that he knew Hardy was Bane, either.
    Jett had been tooting his horn that a TDKR announcement would be "coming soon" for almost eight months before anything was ever said. So it sure looks good to say "I knew Tom was Bane" once EVERYONE knows it. It reeks of fishiness to me.
    Again, no proof. But now there's good, strong competition (even if other sites don't care about going head-to-head with BOF, Batman-News.com included), and they're cutting into the market he's solely dominated for years, and in my opinion, they're doing it better than BOF. So making the claim that he knew makes BOF look relevant.
    Again, no proof. Just my opinion. :)
    Batman-News.com forever!
TheDarkNight4ever
February 6, 2011
This was brought up awhile ago and I'm going to say now what was said then. Batman News isn't an "Anti-Jeff site", who cares what that guys says? Seriously, that site and everything that goes along with it is absolutely grade-A trash. I could sit here and write you an essay on Jett, his BS and how pathetic his attempts to jump into the spotlight are. "RW for Hugo Strang. Hmmm" --- That sums that guy's ego up. We (or at least I) come to Batman News to get away from all his crap and after he publicly bashed Batman News a few weeks ago (then took it down) that was it for me and for alot of others. I get sick to my stomach when I think about that guy so let's not bring him up anymore. FYI, Robin's not going to be in TDKR.
1. SuperherooftheMonth
  February 7, 2011
  Is there any documentation of what he said?

Robin Grahm

February 6, 2011

"Robin is in a crib sleeping somewhere"
- Nolan (I think)

so the chances are luckily 0% of him appearing.

Superallstarfilms
February 6, 2011
sorry 2robin graham ur wrong now Multiple sources are REAFFIRMING THE ROBIN rumor
Erbeadam
February 13, 2011
U guys suck robins freaken awsome he woUld kick every ones but here so shut up
1. Nycetira
  February 13, 2011
  Okay robin grahm so saying crap because robin isnt the one sleeping in a crib u r so shut up
  1. Jakesabo
    February 13, 2011
    Someone come suck my weiner and make sure its a boy cause im super gay some let me do u boys up the but hard

Shahadab Muhammedh

February 6, 2011

I Dont think...a Director Like Christopher Nolan Include A Character like Robin in his Movie...Robin will Decrease the Importance of Batman,as the name indicates movie is abot The DARK KNIGHT so there wont be any ROBIN..... RISING.

Guest

February 6, 2011

I think Nolan could take any character from The world of Batman , and create a cool looking , well rounded character , even Robin , the question i have is it to early in Batmans carear for Robin to make an appearance ! I mean Batmans not even in his fully teched up BAT CAVE !

TheHighBeEpik
February 6, 2011
Uh.... If you read the comics, you'd see that Batman took in Robin before he got his "fully teched up bat cave."

Clarklois1

February 6, 2011

Why Robin matters and should be in nolans film You have to understand the psychology of Batman. Bruce Wayne died the same time as his parents...theres a part of Batman's personality thats always going to be an emotionally scarred 9 year old boy who lost his family. Thats why he reaches out to Robin and Batgirl and Alfred...he's trying to recreate the family he lost. As those characters get older(especially in Robins case)they eventually mature and move one...and Bruce never does. Thats where all the conflict comes from with Robin growing up and moving on and becoming Nightwing. Believe it or not,the best recent example of the Batman and Robin relationship was with Big Daddy and Hit Girl in Kickass. Hit Girl is not that far off from Robin....and last time I checked this site you fanboys were all ranting and raving over Hit Girl. Its because shes an awesome character(just like Robin) right? And not because shes a little girl and you're all sick ass pedos....you're not right? RIGHT????

Jetlagfrombirth

February 6, 2011

What about Joseph Gordon-Levitt becoming "the next batman" like in the cartoon (Batman of the Future), after Bane breaks Batman's back (in TDKR)? That would be awesome!

Guano Man

February 6, 2011

Please, Chris Nolan is so incredibly secretive, this is obviously something he told the people doing the scouting to tell officials. He know's that anything he let's the officials know will most likely be publicly disclosed. Unless Nolan truly is throwing a tremendous curve ball, his word thus far has been "No Robin." He has literally been saying this since before Batman Begins was made.
In any case, wait and see.

One-eyed Willie

February 6, 2011

Total, big amount of BS! Which part you guys don´t understand? Nolan already said:
1- NO ROBIN , Grayson, Todd, etc, etc, it means: NO NIGHTWING either
2- NO RIDDLER
3- NO MR FREEZE
4- NO JOKER, or any recasting actor

Damn! People are going blind and crazy...

Theswitchfoot

February 6, 2011

While I can see why people don't want Robin in this movie, I find it shocking that Robin's role would be considered "humiliating." Anybody who read Batman at ALL would know that Batman has Robin for a reason, and that Robin can in fact be a pretty cool freaking guy at times. Robin is one of the most prestigious "sidekicks" in the DC Universe.... Now I kind of want someone to give him a respectable role in a good Batman movie so people will KNOW what a great character he is.

FanOfNolan

February 6, 2011

Why do people start rumors that they know will eventually turn out to be false? Do they enjoy making fools of themselves?

TheDarkNight4ever
February 6, 2011
agreed

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