An Easter egg for the film, DCEU films. Though Batgirl is still filming, set photos reveal fascinating tidbits regarding the DCEU’s continuity, including its inclusion of a Nightwing comic storyline.
Nightwing, a.k.a. Dick Grayson, was the first person to become Batman’s sidekick, Robin. Once a circus acrobat, Grayson’s parents were murdered by a criminal, reminding Bruce Wayne of the traumatic loss of his own parents, leading him to adopt the boy and eventually train him as a crime fighter. As an adult, Dick Grayson took on the Nightwing moniker, allowing other protegees of Batman to succeed him as Robin. In the DCEU, Dick Grayson never got a chance to become Nightwing, having been killed by the Joker when he was still Robin.
One set photo from Batgirl (Court of Owls, a villainous secret society that has been controlling Gotham City for generations. The cover also teases that a “former circus child star” claims that the Court of Owls tried to recruit him. This teases that not only are Dick Grayson and the Court of Owls part of the DCEU, but the continuity itself is being changed, allowing for an adaptation of the Court of Owls’ comic storyline.
The Court of Owls was introduced in DC Comics’ New 52 lineup of comics, following a massive continuity reboot in their Flashpoint storyline. In addition to adding the mysterious society to the battled the Court of Owls, including his grandfather, William Cobb, who did become a Talon.
The magazine cover’s obvious reference to Dick Grayson is the latest of many implications that 2022’s The Flash will result in a massive continuity reboot for the DCEU. Ben Affleck’s Batman will make his final appearance in Barry Allen’s solo film, and a mural seen in another Batgirl set photo includes what appears to be Keaton’s Batman and a classic version of Dick Grayson as Robin. Considering how often Nightwing and Batgirl work together in the comics, bringing Dick Grayson back and changing his history in the altered DCEU timeline was a wise move.
Although Firefly is set to be the antagonist of Batgirl, the Court of Owls are a significant threat to the Bat-Family and the Batgirl Easter egg indicates that they may be a major threat in a future installment or perhaps the power behind Firefly in the film. Dick Grayson could now be a ing character in Batgirl or a sequel, giving Barbara Gordon a key ally from the comics. Nightwing’s Court of Owls storyline from the comics now appears to be part of the DCEU canon, thanks to Batgirl, but whether or not it occurs on-screen remains to be seen.
