TV News: The CW Pulls The Graysons - But Why?
A while ago my friend Vic over at Screenrant.com had a post regarding a new show The CW was looking to replace Smallville called The Graysons. Now Variety reports that The CW and Warner Bros. TV have jettisoned their plans to make The Graysons, a show revolving around Robin before he was a sidekick to Batman.
Apparently, Jeff Robinov, of Warner Bros. Pictures Group, simply changed his mind about going into production.
Another WB executive said that,
“Warner Bros. TV never had 100% clearance.”
The official line from Warner Bros. is that
“The studio has opted not to go forward with the development of ‘The Graysons’ at this time as the concept doesn’t fit the current strategy for the Batman franchise… Warner Bros. Television is currently working on several replacement options for the CW.”
Apparently, The Dark Knight director Christopher Nolan was “uncomfortable” with there being a big screen version of the movie out in theaters at the same time that there was something Batman related on TV.
Here is what I think - First, The Graysons lacks an immediate reaction. By that I mean something that people want to see on TV. Smallville was an exception to the rule and since there was no Superman in Hollywood at the time the immediate reaction was better for it. That being said it would directly conflict with Warner’s current Batman franchise, as they said in their statement.But also now with Heroes slipping and Sm
Secondly, I think that a show like The Graysons doesn’t present any interesting casting opportunities nor does it have the most important thing a show should have, “legs.” To me I do not see longevity nor multiple years of storytelling that would make more as interesting concepts contrary to Smallville.
Lastly, people and fans would eventually want to see him side-by-side with Batman and I do not see Batman showing up in the show at all due to the franchise currently in operation. Ultimately the only way this show could be successful is if they had Dick Grayson old as Nightwing and then you had flashback episodes of himself as a kid with his family but again, I can’t see Warners wanting to go that deep into the mythos of the character without introducing him in the new Batman films yet.
So I believe Warner Brothers on this one.
