Fans of DC Comics have spent some time in the dark after DC co-CEO James Gunn first announced his plan for the DC cinematic universe. Without much news, hungry fans have turned to predictions and speculation on what Hollywood stars we may see on the big screen in the next few years.
Hello and welcome back to the Pull List, a weekly wrap-up of the world of DC Comics. This week, we’ll be talking about fancasts — specifically of fan favorite superhero Nightwing. But for now, let’s take a look at some printing news.
March’s “Superman/Spider-Man #1” crossover event, featuring two of the world’s most recognizable heroes from Marvel and DC, will be receiving a second printing, according to a release from DC Comics. Although the book won’t be re-released until May 27, it’s already open for comic stores to place an order.
For those who enjoyed the original, Marvel will be publishing their side of the crossover event tomorrow. “Spider-Man/Superman #1” (note the swapping of the names) will feature another set of stories between the two heroes and will add in some fun new faces — mainly, Symbiote (also known as Venom) will get a chance to shine, and Kara Zor-El’s Supergirl will get paired up with Gwen Stacy’s Ghost-Spider in their own story.
DC’s “Superman/Spider-Man #1” has so far received excellent reviews, garnering an 8.8 from critics on Comicbook Round Up. Hopefully, Marvel will be able to keep that same momentum and quality in their half of the deal.
In other news, there has been a lot of buzz surrounding casting decisions for upcoming DC projects. More specifically, casting for 2027’s “Man of Tomorrow” and “The Brave and the Bold,” which may be coming out sometime in 2028 or 2029.
Casting for “Man of Tomorrow” has already stirred up some drama after Deadline seemingly inaccurately reported that DC had been eyeing a few different actresses to play the character of Maxima. She’s certainly an odd figure in the DC canon, characterized by her undying love and devotion to Superman, but I hope James Gunn will be able to turn things around for the alien warrior queen.
Speaking of Gunn, he certainly didn’t appreciate Deadline’s reporting on the issue. The entertainment-based news source reported that several actresses, including Sydney Chandler and Grace Van Patten, had undergone screen testing for the role of Maxima. Gunn himself hopped on Threads to share his thoughts on the issue.
“… Deadline’s reporting is shoddy & incorrect. I’ve always thought Deadline was pretty thorough in their journalism but that’s not the case here so I’m frankly disappointed,” Gunn posted on Threads.
Interestingly enough, Deadline hasn’t backed down. Their article now has an editors’ note claiming that the news organization “went through its normal editorial process in the newsgathering for this story.”
Gunn may be angry, but it seems like Deadline is sticking by its sources and reporters. Only time will tell!
Unlike “Man of Tomorrow,” there’s very little news to go off for “The Brave and the Bold,” but that hasn’t stopped speculation. Many fans have turned to fan casting the people they think would be best for various members of the Bat Family in the upcoming film, and I’ve decided it’s time to throw my hat in the ring for this issue.
By far one of the most difficult characters to cast in all of comics is Nightwing, also known as Richard “Dick” Grayson. As the very first Robin, Dick is an incredibly important character in the Batman mythos, and his relationship with Batman could make or break both characters. On top of that, he’s the eldest son of the Bat Family and Batman’s replacement should anything go awry, therefore his presence impacts every other character around him.
Nightwing is a tough casting choice not only because of his thematic importance but also because of how beloved he is. The actor must not only pull off Dick’s complex characterization but he must also be charming — and a top-tier acrobat at that.
Two years ago, ScreenRant published an article with predictions on who could be cast as Nightwing. Although the list is certainly outdated, it’s definitely worth a look.
First off, ScreenRant’s suggestion of Dylan O’Brien as a top pick is one I heavily disagree with. Unfortunately, he just doesn’t carry the excitement and energy that Nightwing needs. The same goes with Timothée Chalamet. On top of that, both actors are simply too well established in my opinion.
Like many fans, I think a more unknown actor would be best for the last of the Flying Graysons. Out of the many fancasts I’ve seen across the internet, Hudson Williams is my personal favorite. He did an incredible job playing Shane Hollander in the massively popular television series “Heated Rivalry,” and I think seeing him in a big role for a major studio would help cement him as a major star.
While Williams isn’t unknown by any means at this point, “Heated Rivalry” is his only claim to fame at this point. For O’Brien and Chalamet, it can be easy to forget as an audience member that you’re watching a character, not an actor, and Williams’ overall freshness could help audiences feel a greater connection to his performance.
On top of that, Williams has seemingly already indicated his interest in the role. Maybe Gunn can at least give him a screen test.