DC Studios Boss Peter Safran Says Mason Thames Was “Obsessed” With Playing Dick Grayson in DYNAMIC DUO
Mason Thames is set to play Dick Grayson in DC Studios’ upcoming animated film Dynamic Duo, and it turns out the young actor has been chasing the role for quite some time. According to DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran, Thames is a massive DC fan who really wanted the chance to play Batman’s original Robin.
Thames’ casting was confirmed about a month ago, but Safran recently shared some fun details about the actor’s enthusiasm for the character and what convinced the studio he was right for the part.
Speaking with Collider, Safran explained that he and James Gunn want actors who are genuinely excited to become part of DC Studios and its projects. Thames certainly fits that description.
“We always talk about wanting volunteers and not recruits to be part of the DCU, to be part of DC Studios, and Mason always wanted to be Dick Grayson. He just did,” Safran said, calling Thames’ audition “awesome.”
“He’s a wonderful young actor, but boy, did he want this. He was just obsessed. When he came over to the DC offices … we’ve got tons of great archives and stuff in there, and [he] wanted to take a picture of everything and with everything. He’s a fan.”
It's pretty cool to hear that Thames, who starred in The Black Phone and How to Train Your Dragon, is such a huge fan of the character. That kind of excitement is always great to see from an actor taking on a beloved comic book hero.
Dynamic Duo will bring together two of Batman’s most famous Robins, Dick Grayson and Jason Todd, with Logan Kim (Ghostbusters: Afterlife, The Walking Dead: Dead City) voicing Jason.
The movie is also taking a very different approach to animation. Instead of traditional CG animation, Swaybox Studios is using a combination of physical puppetry and computer-generated effects to bring the characters and action to life.
Safran is particularly excited about the technology, comparing Swaybox’s work to a major turning point in animation history. He described it as “as original today as Pixar was when it did Toy Story.”
He also explained why the filmmaking technique could give Dynamic Duo an action style unlike anything we've seen in a DC animated movie.
“Even though it’s puppets with an overlay of CGI, the fact that it’s shot with real cameras brings a visceral nature to the action in a way that I don’t think animation itself ever can really capture.”
That's an interesting approach for a Batman-related movie, especially one focused on two characters known for their acrobatic fighting styles. I'm curious to see how the puppetry translates to the action sequences and what the finished movie will actually look like.
The film is being directed by Swaybox co-founder Arthur Mintz, with Gunn and Matt Reeves, director of The Batman, among its producers. Lee Pace and Steve Buscemi are also part of the voice cast.
With an actor who clearly loves Dick Grayson and an animation style that could offer something completely different, Dynamic Duo is shaping up to be one of DC Studios' more interesting projects.
The film is scheduled to hit theaters on September 22, 2028.