Why the Batman trilogy needs to include the Bat family

Seriously, Bruce Wayne has so many kids he’s raised who have helped him grow as a hero, and it’d be a shame not to include them in the Batman trilogy.

Battinson — er, we mean Robert Pattinson — will don the iconic cowl, cape, and brooding brow in Matt Reeves’ upcoming Batman trilogy. Everyone has their wish list of what and who they’d like to see accompany Gotham’s protector on the big screen.

From certain aspects of his origin story to some under-told arcs, we’d like to see fleshed out more, there’s one wishlist item that is simply non-negotiable for the bat’s latest trilogy: his family. In some way, shape or form, the Bat Family needs to be a part of the Batman trilogy.

To specify, when we reference the Bat-fam we aren’t talking about Bruce Wayne’s parents, Thomas and Martha Wayne. Even people who don’t read comics already know the commonly told Batman origin story involving Bruce’s parents. And we’re tired of seeing that same story with minor variations over again.

Beyond the same regurgitated origin story being retold each time Batsy gets recast, Bruce’s children make him a better hero and constantly redefine his moral code (which isn’t as strict as he leads on).

According to CinemaBlend, Robin might have a cameo at one point in the trilogy. Therefore, we’re doubling down on our Bat-fam indoctrination. Many of Bruce’s children could portray Robin. From Dick to Jason to Tim to Damian to Stephanie as well (though technically not adopted by Bruce, he still mentors her as a somewhat father figure). But beyond being a sidekick, every kid who’s taken on the official Robin moniker or any relevant Bat-adjacent alias is more than just a way to deter fire and to have four sets of fists in battle.

Depending on whether we’re talking about Duke, Cass, Dick, or any of Bruce’s other children, they help him work through certain aspects of his moral code or even prompt him to revise his detective approach (or at the very least consider revamping his approach). Still, the Bat-kids ground Bruce on some level and keep him from becoming enveloped in the same city that has a knack for transforming even the most hardened heroes into villains.

Whether his kids are defeating mercenaries that dear ol’ Bat-dad hasn’t been able to take down or meeting their ultimate (though typically reversible) demise, they remind him that he isn’t perfect nor is his mentor style. Even in death, Jason Todd taught Bruce a few bittersweet lessons on parenting. Apart from the iconic Death in the Family or any noteworthy Batman-related comic, the Bat-fam adds more layers to Bruce Wayne’s character development.

The mere existence of Robin signifies a critical turning point for Bruce Wayne and his heroic style. Prior to Dick Grayson’s introduction into the comic book scene, you could argue that Batman was just a less-than-multidimensional character. Vengeance was an even more visible piece of his costume. But when he adopted Dick as a kid, he was pulled into his own childhood trauma. Instead of being consumed by it once more, he channeled that energy to prevent Dick from replicating his unhealthy coping mechanisms.

Like with anything any character does, Bruce’s parenting techniques are up to scrutiny. In the world of evil geniuses and men who use a nocturnal flying mammal as their muse, his parenting isn’t typically something that makes comic fans gripe. Nonetheless, Dick Grayson was the epicenter that caused Batman to channel his pseudo-escapism into something much more productive than beating up bad guys: helping a future generation better cope with traumas that he himself could not.

And Bruce has helped his kids become their own distinct versions of heroes. For the most part, he’s also helped deter them from adopting his own hyper-fixated version of vengeance. Of course, there are times and specific runs where the kids mirror Batman’s less-than-healthy compulsions, but every character is allowed to fail.

With their failures and strides included, the Bat-kids’ addition to the Bruce Wayne film lore, which rarely showcases his kids, would amplify the DCU’s central family theme.

With Cassandra Cain already in the DCEU in the upcoming Bird of Prey film, the filmverse could easily cross her over into Batman lore when the time is right. Sure, Bruce will reportedly be a younger version of himself (at least that what we’re used to in his multiple movie forms), so that could take a while. Nonetheless, his family is critical for his character development, and without his kids, his trilogy would just seem a bit bleak. Well, at least a bit more bleak than usual, and that’s saying a lot for the sulking superhero.