Photo Credit: DC Comics
Nightwing: Year One co-writer Scott Beatty thinks one of the stars of Heated Rivalry should be cast as Dick Grayson in the DCU.

James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DCU officially kicked off at DC Studios and Warner Bros. Pictures in December 2024 with the animated Creature Commandos series. That was followed by Superman and Peacemaker Season 2 in 2025, while Supergirl, Lanterns, and Clayface are all scheduled to arrive this year.

There’s been no official word about Nightwing appearing in the DCU or who will be playing him as of yet, as none of the forthcoming projects that have been announced strictly revolve around him. That said, DC fans are hoping he’ll be arriving sooner rather than later, potentially either in The Brave and the Bold or the Teen Titans movie.

What did Scott Beatty say about Nightwing?

Hudson Williams, who plays Shane Hollander in HBO’s Heated Rivalry series, recently expressed interest in playing Dick Grayson in the DCU. He posted a photo on his Instagram story asking Gunn to grab coffee while holding a copy of the Nightwing: Year One 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition.

In response to this, Beatty — who co-wrote Nightwing: Year One with Chuck Dixon — urged Gunn to consider casting Williams as Nightwing in a blog post.

“James, I think you should give Hudson your active consideration when casting the new DC film universe’s Dick Grayson…And I would be more than okay if you adapted Nightwing: Year One as the former Boy Wonder’s feature film debut,” Beatty wrote.

Nightwing: Year One explores how Dick Grayson went from being Batman’s first Robin to finding a superhero identity of his own. A description reads, “Since being cut loose by Batman, Dick Grayson is Robin no more. Unsure of what to do and where to turn, he seeks solace from familiar sources-including Superman, Batgirl, and Deadman. Unable to avoid fighting crime, Grayson begins a new odyssey, donning a new uniform and gaining a new heroic identity.”