Zack Snyder’s visual retelling of the DC universe - particularly Batman’s narrative - addresses iconic comic book moments that other live actions have not yet explored. Robin’s demise in the four-issue A Death in the Family has been heavily referenced in the SnyderVerse before and Justice League touches on it again in the epilogue with sinister beauty.
A Death in the Family was a somewhat controversial story arc for Jason Todd’s Robin in 1988 - a narrative voted for by fans. Todd was an unpopular character amongst readers and editor Dennis O’Neil allowed the community to decide Todd’s outcome after being kidnapped by the Joker. Over 10,000 votes were made in favor of killing him, therefore, Todd met his end after the Joker blew up the warehouse where he had been held. Todd was later revived in 2005 as the Red Hood, but the voting poll that delivered his fate as Robin has remained an intriguing part of comic book history.
The epilogue of Zack Snyder’s Justice League subtly addressed Todd’s death, as the Joker began goading Batman in Bruce Wayne’s "Knightmare." The reference was an apt continuation of what was introduced in Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, where Ben Affleck’s Wayne often gazed upon a graffitied, tattered Robin suit in his Batcave. It was also briefly mentioned in David Ayer’s Suicide Squad, suggesting that the Joker and Harley Quinn had previously taken Todd’s life. Justice League’s epilogue, however, was designed to tee up Snyder’s sequels, and despite Warner Bros. putting a halt on them, the exploration of this narrative in future projects could be something to look forward to.
Jared Leto’s stab at Todd’s death in the epilogue perfectly orchestrated Wayne’s ongoing grief over the matter and painted a darker relationship between Batman and Joker than previous iterations. Apart from Joel Schumacher’s films and a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it nod to the character in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises, Robin hasn’t had his time in the spotlight. The Titans series gives us a closer look at Dick Grayson’s Robin, but perhaps it’s time for Grayson and Jason Todd’s switcheroo to be given the live-action origin treatment - which could also pave the way for Red Hood and Nightwing adaptations.
Zack Snyder has given DC fans hope for the DCEU’s future, but Warner Bros. seems to be having none of it. “RestoreTheSnyderVerse” began trending on Twitter this week after CEO Ann Sarnoff revealed that there were no planned sequels in development. Perhaps the company is taking a leaf from Marvel’s book and keeping tight-lipped on future projects - at least we hope so.