The DCEU has featured a lot of prominent characters from DC lore, but it’s generally refrained from including some of the franchise’s most iconic characters – the sidekicks. Characters like Robin, Batgirl, Kid Flash, Aqualad, and Supergirl are core parts of the comics universe and have made numerous appearance in films and shows, but they haven’t been made a notable part of the DCEU as of yet. It’s a major absence, but there are some pretty good reasons for it.
In fairness, sidekicks haven’t exactly been prominent in modern DC films, even before the DCEU began. 1997’s Batman & Robin is one of the most universally panned superhero movies of all time, and it may have poisoned the waters a bit for future live-action sidekicks to debut. The Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy refrained from including any of Bruce Wayne’s many teammates, save for a brief Robin Easter egg at the end of the movie. Still, that doesn’t mean the characters couldn’t have been incorporated well into the DCEU. The franchise’s sprawling, interconnected nature makes it ripe for minor characters and ensemble casts, so why haven’t any of the classic DC sidekicks shown up?
Zack Snyder is a big part of it. Snyder's dark, gritty tone, which enshrouded the early entries of the DCEU, would have made child superheroes in bright costumes feel a bit out of place. It also doesn’t help that Snyder’s stories were set after the death of Robin, easily the most famous of all the DC sidekicks. Without the well-established dynamic of Batman and Robin, it would have been difficult to introduce lesser-known sidekicks to less popular heroes.
Another reason for the DCEU’s lack of supporting heroes is that the franchise’s TV properties have made much better use of the characters. Shows like Supergirl and Titans have cast sidekicks in the leading roles, and the response from fans has generally been positive. TV has proven to be a successful medium for DC universe sidekick stories, and there isn’t much reason to force those same characters into the DCEU when they’ve already found such success elsewhere.
Still, that doesn’t mean the DCEU hasn’t introduced its fair share of obscure characters. The Suicide Squad will add a number of new villains and antiheroes to the franchise’s already impressive cast, Black Adam will introduce members of the Justice Society of America, and there are even rumors of a Tim Burton Batman Beyond film with Michael Keaton. As long as DC’s sidekicks are thriving elsewhere, the DCEU can continue to focus on core heroes and its growing ensemble.
