The DC Universe Batman’s introduction comes in The Brave and the Bold, a movie that will feature the Dark Knight alongside his son Damian Wayne, who gets imagined with Euphoria actor Javon Walton in the role thanks to new fan art. Ben Affleck’s Batman from the old DCEU did not have a Robin, which James Gunn and Peter Safran are set to correct with the new DCU’s take on the brooding hero, and Walton would be a great candidate for the part.
Artist 21XFOUR shared on Twitter a comic-accurate depiction of Walton as the DCU’s Damian Wayne.
Walton showed on the HBO mature series Euphoria that he has the toolset to properly bring the Robin Damian Wayne’s arrogant and lethal personality to life — as that was shared with Walton’s character Ashtray. The similarities are hard to ignore, both in personality and looks.
What Path Should Damian Wayne Have In The DCU?
As part of Gunn and Safran’s overarching plan for the DCU, new versions of iconic DC heroes such as Batman and Superman will soon be finding their actors. While Clark Kent properly kicks off the new DCU with 2025’s Superman: Legacy, Batman will debut in a movie that currently does not include the hero’s name in its title — The Brave and the Bold. The movie’s name comes from a DC Comics title that originally started as an anthology but then became a Batman book. The movie might set up a DCU Batman that is not Bruce Wayne.
The Brave and the Bold, much like the entire new DCU, is going to be heavily inspired by DC Comics. However, the story the movie is looking at as its source material is not directly related to its title: Grant Morrison’s Batman and Robin run. In that comic series, the main Batman was Dick Grayson — Bruce Wayne’s first adopted son and Robin. Damian Wayne’s path in the DCU is likely staying close to the character’s comic book roots, with him shockingly arriving at Bruce’s life as an arrogant kid who also happens to be a deadly assassin. His relationship with Robin/ Nightwing Dick Grayson is crucial.
Both Gunn and Safran have mentioned that The Brave and the Bold will include other members of the Bat-family — who sorely deserve the spotlight — alongside Bruce and Damian. In the pages of DC Comics, Dick and Damian develop a great bond, with the original Robin being the member of the Bat-family that best understands the young Wayne and helps him outgrow his assassin training to become a bonafide hero. The DCU could take a similar approach to Damian’s character arc, allowing him to grow into his own as a hero before venturing into his future as Bruce Wayne’s heir — starting with Batman’s The Brave and the Bold movie.
Source: 21XFOUR/Twitter