Matt Reeves’ The Batman is a hit, most recently winning its third weekend at the box office. From the fantastic casting to the ingenious twists on the original DC Comics storyline, the film gives us the Bat shown from a new perspective. Despite some initial backlash over his casting, Robert Pattinson tackled the role of Bruce Wayne with tenacity, and the entirety of the cast delivered some of the most awe-inspiring performances in recent Batman movie history. However, fans of the Batman films and comics likely noticed one character was missing: Robin.
Known by a variety of names throughout his reincarnation, Robin was one of the true original sidekicks. He fought valiantly at Bruce Wayne’s side, and ,over time, he developed his own unique lore. With all the media buzz for The Batman and its impending sequel, Reeves himself has said that Robin could appear in the sequel. We agree, and we’ve got some ideas on who should take over this role. Here are 8 actors we think should play Robin in The Batman 2.
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10 Alexander Ludwig

The world first met Alexander Ludwig through films like Air Bud: World Pup, but he rose to stardom through The Hunger Games and the Vikings TV series. Ludwig has already been praised for his ability to perform in a fight scene, and he has just enough of that youthful charm to pull off Robin’s character.

9 Justice Smith

Justice Smith is fantastic in youthful roles like Tim in Detective Pikachu, and we’re pretty sure he’d bring the right balance of naivety and street smarts to Robin’s character. Smith also has great chemistry with almost anyone he works with on-screen, and his comedic timing might bring just a splash of humor to contrast Batman’s brooding demeanor.

8 Finn Wolfhard

Well known for his role as Mike Wheeler in Stranger Things, Finn Wolfhard has a few qualities that would serve him well in The Batman 2. He’s already shown us his ability to perform with dark source material and environments, and he could easily complement Pattinson’s character because of it. Plus, he’s a fan favorite, and we’d love to see him take on a more action-focused role.

7 Timothee Chalamet

This young man has received widespread critical acclaim, and he’s no stranger to heavy subjects in film. He’s got exactly the kind of aesthetic fans would expect to see in a live-action comic book character, and Dune showed us that he can handle high-intensity roles. Timothée Chalamet also has theatrical experience under his belt, which would serve him well in portraying Robin’s micro-expressions (despite his declaration of “no superhero movies”).

6 Reeve Carney

A legend on Broadway, Reeve Carney has already ventured into the world of superheroes with his portrayal of Spider-Man in Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. His time as Orpheus in the Hadestown musical showcased his ability to be boyishly sweet, while his musical career gives us a taste of his more mature work. There are a lot of avenues Carney could take Robin, and we’d be excited to see any of them.

5 Rami Malek

Rami Malek would likely need to take Robin’s character from a slightly older perspective, but we know he would do the role justice. Malek has played Pharaohs, vampires, and rock stars; the man has range, and that’s exactly what a dark franchise like The Batman needs. He’s also undeniably expressive, and we’d love to see how he’d interpret Robin’s personality.
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4 Jackson Rathbone

Twilight fans, have you considered another series alum to join The Batman cast? Jackson Rathbone starred alongside Robert Pattinson as the vampire fledgling Jasper, and we’ve already seen the two share great chemistry as adopted brothers. He’s a little dark and moody, which is exactly the personality of someone working alongside such a tormented version of Bruce Wayne.

3 Hayden Christensen

Hayden Christensen would have been another excellent choice for Batman’s character, but that’s also what makes him ideal for Robin. We’ve seen him play brash young men, experienced killers, and heroes that have descended into villainy. He would be perfect to match Robert Pattinson’s intense Batman persona, and the duo would come off as more of a brotherly partnership.

2 Taron Egerton

Who doesn’t want to see the Rocketman star in more films? Taron Egerton proved his ability to give us high-stakes action sequences in the Kingsman franchise, and he’s got enough stage presence to portray larger-than-life individuals like Elton John and Eddie the Eagle. Exciting and daring, Egerton would be a much-needed breath of fresh air in the crumbling abyss of Gotham City.

1 Leslie Odom Jr.

One of Leslie Odom Jr.‘s strongest traits is his ability to portray a subdued character who wants nothing more than to speak out. We saw this most notably in his award-winning performance as Aaron Burr in Hamilton; his character was frequently sidelined by the bold Alexander Hamilton (played by Lin-Manuel Miranda). It would be a pleasure to see him take on the role of Robin, and he would be precisely the actor to raise his voice and bring Bruce Wayne back down to Earth.

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