One month before the successful launch of DC Universe’s new streaming series, Titans, rumor had spread to the digital ear that a proposed Batgirl series was being developed. However, Titans Executive Producer Akiva Goldsman was quick to debunk that rumor.
But did his comments do the job to shoot that it down?
Indeed, the rumor may have been inspired by the proposed Batgirl film project that former Avengers director Josh Whedon vested interest in. Titans, now airing on DC’s streaming network, will soon be joined by Doom Patrol and Swamp Thing. However, at a roundtable discussion at NYCC, Goldsman indicated that Barbara Gordon and her alter ego was proposed to have a role alongside on-again-off-again love Dick Grayson in Titans.
“There was a moment in the ongoing transformation of the DC cinematic universe that features was getting to say:
‘Well, we’re going to do a thing and then if it works, great, and if not maybe you can do a thing,’” he explained. “And Geoff [Johns] grabbed Robin and held him – holding onto Dick Grayson for a TV show was not exactly their favourite idea, but that was really Geoff just protecting it. So we actually, if you think about it [we have] like a startling number of characters, with one noticeable absence in Cyborg, a startling number of characters who in other contexts might have been spun off, so we’re guarding them preciously. We have a few more, but there’s some we ain’t going to get.”
Ensuring Robin was involved in Titans was crucial; Dick Grayson was, of course, one of the founding members when the team debuted in the early 50s. Characters like Cyborg, Beast Boy, Starfire, and Raven were all added by their co-creators Marv Wolfman and George Perez for their landmark Post-Crisis series Tales of The Teen Titans. The show clearly is influenced by the modern age take on the characters. Grayson did not abandon the role of Robin for Nightwing until midway into Perez and Wolf’s run. In fact, both Grayson and best friend then-Kid Flash Wally West abandoned their juvenile identities for more mature spandex at the same time, the latter because DC planned to reissue Wally as the new Flash following Barry Allen’s death in Crisis.
If that is the case, then Batgirl was not going to be involved after the initial discussion. However, if you look closer at this statement, Goldsman may have not put those series rumors to rest. He simply said that there are some characters they have no access to. For example, given Kid Flash is viewed prominently on The Flash and Roy Harper on Arrow, and may therefore be denied entry despite being founding members of the Titans. As for Batgirl, who has not appeared on any major CW shows, just because Goldsman said she may not be on Titans, that doesn’t mean the possibility of a series is dead yet.
DC Universe is still building its time slots, so time will tell if Ms. Gordon will grace us with her presence.
