If anyone wants to know how DC Studios will differ from Marvel Studios, here’s the best answer yet. James Gunn recently confirmed that the studio has greenlit the film called The Dynamic Duowhich will serve as the origin story of Dick Grayson and Jason Todd, who both became Robin, and will be told through animation.
Deadline first broke the news and reported that the film will “follow the early days of Dick Grayson and Jason Todd aka Robins.” The thing to note is that when fans hear the words “Dynamic Duo,” we don’t think of two Robins. We think one Robin and one Batman. So we’ll see how, or if, that plays out.
Gunn confirmed the project on his social media…
Last month I am excited to announce the new DC Studios/Warner Bros Pictures Animation greenlit theatrical film, DYNAMIC DUO, the story of Robin… or should I say, Robins, as in Dick Grayson and Jason Todd. The first film from the idea of Swaybox, a combination of animation,… pic.twitter.com/IBBMgP1riP
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) October 1, 2024
All this sounds very interesting and interesting, but we have some questions. Questions like, what does a cartoon character look like? The film is produced by a company called Swaybox; if you visit its website, its style makes you think of something like Laika. So maybe kind of Coraline-esque look, but in the DC Universe. Deadline describes it as “a cross between CGI animation, the realistic aspects of motion capture, and the real-time performance of live action. The result is long-form storytelling that is said to be highly engaging, dynamic, and personable.”
Written by Matthew Aldrich, The Dynamic Duo will be directed by Arthur Mintz, one of the founders of Swaybox and Theresa Andersson. DC Studio executives Gunn and Peter Safran are among the producers along with Matt Reeves, the director of Batman.
“I’ve wanted to make a film with Arthur and Swaybox for many years, and for that film to be The Dynamic Duothe incredibly special and unique story of the Batman and Robin families, it’s a dream,” Reeves told traders. But, despite his excitement, the film will not be part of Reeves’ universe. It could, hypothetically, serve as an origin story for the larger DC Universe or fit into its Elseworlds banner but it’s not clear at this point if it’s one or the other. When asked where the film fits in, a source close to the production only confirmed the news that it is not part of Reeves’ universe.
This is interesting though, isn’t it? We have a cartoon show, Creature Commandos, to kick off the Gunn/Safran DC Universe. Then a Superman movie, a Green Lantern show, a Supergirl movie, and maybe an animated Robin origin story? This is definitely not Marvel and we are happy about it.
Looking for more io9 news? Check out when you can expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe in film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
