Titan TV Series
Titan TV Series
Titan TV Series
Action
Adventure
Science fiction
Genre
Superhero
Drama
Teen Titans
by
Based on
Bob Haney
Bruno Premiani
Akiva Goldsman
Geoff Johns
Developed by
Greg Berlanti
Brenton Thwaites
Anna Diop
Teagan Croft
Ryan Potter
Curran Walters
Conor Leslie
Starring
Minka Kelly
Alan Ritchson
Esai Morales
Chelsea Zhang
Joshua Orpin
Clint Mansell
Composer(s) Kevin Kiner
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 2
No. of episodes 24 (list of episodes)
Production
Akiva Goldsman
Geoff Johns
Greg Berlanti
Executive
Sarah Schechter
producer(s)
Greg Walker
John Fawcett
Tirsa Hackshaw
Brian Wessel
Sara Mineo
Andrew Kasch
Editor(s)
Carol Stutz
Brandon Hwang
JD Dawson
Titans is an American web television series created by Akiva Goldsman, Geoff Johns, and Greg
Berlanti for DC Universe. Based on the DC Comics team Teen Titans, the series depicts a group
of young heroes who join forces in their fight against evil. Featured as members of the
eponymous Titans are Dick Grayson (Brenton Thwaites), Kory Anders (Anna Diop), Rachel
Roth (Teagan Croft), Gar Logan (Ryan Potter), Jason Todd (Curran Walters), Donna Troy
(Conor Leslie), Dawn Granger (Minka Kelly), Hank Hall (Alan Ritchson), Rose Wilson (Chelsea
Zhang), and Conner (Joshua Orpin).
A live-action series based on the Teen Titans entered development in September 2014 for the
cable channel TNT, with Goldsman and Marc Haimes writing the pilot. The pilot had been
ordered by December 2014, but never came to fruition, with TNT announcing in January 2016 it
would no longer be moving forward with the project. In April 2017, it was announced that the
series was being redeveloped for DC Universe as its first original scripted program with
Goldsman, Johns, and Berlanti attached. Thwaites was cast as Grayson in September 2017, and
other series regulars were cast between August and October 2017.
Titans premiered on October 12, 2018, and its first season comprised eleven episodes. A
thirteen-episode second season premiered on September 6, 2019, and a third season is scheduled
to premiere in 2020. Characters introduced in Titans later reappeared in the DC Universe series
Doom Patrol, although Doom Patrol is set in a separate continuity.
Contents
1 Premise
2 Cast and characters
o 2.1 Main
o 2.2 Recurring
o 2.3 Guest
3 Episodes
o 3.1 Season 1 (2018)
o 3.2 Season 2 (2019)
4 Production
o 4.1 Development
o 4.2 Writing
o 4.3 Casting
o 4.4 Filming
5 Release
o 5.1 Broadcast
o 5.2 Home media
6 Reception
o 6.1 Critical response
o 6.2 Awards and nominations
7 Further media
o 7.1 Spin-off
o 7.2 Arrowverse
8 References
9 External links
Premise
Titans follows the young superheroes of the eponymous team as they combat evil and other
perils.[1] Disbanded when the story begins, the series sees the team return when the original and
new members reform the Titans. The Titans fight crime throughout various locations, with their
base of operations in San Francisco.
The first members of the team to appear in the series are Batman's former vigilante partner Dick
Grayson, extraterrestrial Kory Anders, empath Rachel Roth, and shapeshifter Garfield "Gar"
Logan. Dick is later revealed as one of the original Titans, alongside half-Amazon Donna Troy
and crime-fighting duo Dawn Granger and Hank Hall. After the Titans reform, the team is joined
by Batman's new partner Jason Todd, assassin Rose Wilson, and genetic clone Conner.
In the first season, Rachel comes to Dick for protection from dangerous forces pursuing her,
which leads to them meeting and teaming up with Kory and Gar. The heroes eventually learn
that Rachel is being targeted by her demon father Trigon, who seeks to enslave the world. The
season also depicts Dick's efforts to distance himself from his mentor and his Robin persona,
while Kory struggles with a bout of amnesia that leaves her unaware of her true identity.
The second season focuses on the official reformation of the Titans as Dick leads a new team
composed of Rachel, Gar, and Jason. The Titans' return, however, leads to the reemergence of
feared assassin Deathstroke, whose prior conflict with the original team caused their disbanding.
As Deathstroke attempts to eliminate the heroes, the original Titans are forced to face him again,
while other threats emerge from the malevolent Cadmus Laboratories and Kory's sister Blackfire.
Main
Brenton Thwaites as Richard "Dick" Grayson / Robin / Nightwing: The leader of the
Titans and former vigilante sidekick of Batman, seeking to move past his mentor and his
Robin persona.[2][3][4] A member of the original team, he re-forms the Titans while
assuming the new identity of Nightwing. Viewing his character as a "reluctant leader",
Thwaites said that Dick is "trying to figure out who he is at the same time he's trying to
keep the crew protected and safe".[5] Tomaso Sanelli plays the young Dick Grayson.
Anna Diop as Koriand'r / Kory Anders / Starfire: An extraterrestrial royal from the planet
Tamaran who has the ability to absorb and redirect solar energy.[6] Sent to Earth to
assassinate Rachel, a bout of amnesia causes Kory to forget her mission and sends her on
a journey to discover who she really is. Diop commented that the character has a "really
innocent, naïve, pure, fun, curious thing about her", which she sought to bring to her
portrayal, and enjoyed playing an alien because of her immigration from Senegal to the
United States at an early age.[7]
Teagan Croft as Rachel Roth: An empath born to a demon father and human mother.[8][1]
At first understanding little of her lineage and abilities, Rachel's powers lead her to Dick
and subsequently becoming a member of the new Titans. Croft noted Rachel's
relationship with Dick is "more of a father-daughter relationship" since they both "share
the same feeling of abandonment".[9]
Ryan Potter as Garfield "Gar" Logan: A shapeshifter who developed the power to
transform into animals from a drug that cured him of a lethal disease.[10] Gar previously
lived with the Doom Patrol before joining Dick's new Titans team. A fan of the character
since he watched the animated Teen Titans series, Potter described Gar as bringing "a
warmth to the show" through "humor and lighthearted moments".[11]
Curran Walters as Jason Todd / Robin (season 2; recurring season 1): Dick's successor as
Batman's vigilante sidekick who is brought into the new Titans team at the request of
Bruce Wayne.[12] According to Walters, Jason has both a "fun" and a "dark side" and
transitioning between the two was the most challenging aspect of portraying the
character.[13]
Conor Leslie as Donna Troy / Wonder Girl (season 2; guest season 1): An adopted
member of the Amazons sharing their enhanced physical abilities. Formerly Wonder
Woman's sidekick, she befriended Dick at an early age and was in the original Titans
team.[14] Leslie noted that Donna has "a brother-sister friendship" with Dick and the two
"understand each other in a way no one else ever will".[15] Andi Hubick portrays Donna
Troy as a teenager and Afrodite Drossos portrays Donna as a child.
Minka Kelly as Dawn Granger / Dove (season 2; recurring season 1): A vigilante who
serves as a tactical counterpart to her partner and boyfriend Hank.[16] She was also a
member of the original Titans team and previously in a relationship with Dick. Kelly
described Dawn's fighting style as "more that of a dance" due to the character's
background in ballet, jiu-jitsu, and gymnastics, whereas Hank "is a brute and just blows
stuff up".[17]
Alan Ritchson as Hank Hall / Hawk (season 2; recurring season 1): The aggressive half in
a vigilante duo composed of himself and his girlfriend Dawn.[18] In addition to forming
the Hawk and Dove team with his half-brother Don, he was part of the original Titans.
Initially reluctant to take the role because he previously portrayed Aquaman on the series
Smallville, Ritchson said that he accepted the part after hearing a pitch from series co-
creator Geoff Johns.[19] Tait Blum portrays the young Hank.
Esai Morales as Slade Wilson / Deathstroke (season 2): A biologically-enhanced assassin
and former Delta Force operator who has a history with the original Titans.[20] Morales
stated that Deathstroke's conflict against the Titans is "personal" for him "because you
don't mess with a man's family".[21]
Chelsea Zhang as Rose Wilson (season 2): Deathstroke's daughter, who shares his
enhanced reflexes and regenerative healing.[22][23]
Joshua Orpin as Subject 13 / Conner (season 2): A genetic clone of Superman and Lex
Luthor, possessing the abilities and personality traits of both. Created at Cadmus
Laboratories, he comes into contact with the Titans after escaping from the facility with
Krypto.[24][25] Acknowledging that he was fascinated by Conner's internal conflict, Orpin
noted that "he has an extraordinary capacity for good, and for evil" where "nothing is
black and white to him, and yet everything is".[26] The character was previously portrayed
by body double Brooker Muir in the first season.
Recurring
Rachel Nichols as Angela Azarath: Rachel's biological mother, secretly in allegiance with
Trigon.[27]
Seamus Dever as Trigon: An interdimensional demon with the power to destroy worlds
and Rachel's father.[28] Dever also portrays Frank Finney, a Gotham City police captain,
along with an ice cream truck driver and a drug supplier in the illusions created by
Trigon.
Reed Birney as Dr. Adamson (season 1): A high-ranking member of Trigon's
organization.
Jeff Clarke as Nuclear Dad (season 1): The patriarch of the Nuclear Family.
Melody Johnson as Nuclear Mom (season 1): The matriarch of the Nuclear Family.
Jeni Ross as Nuclear Sis (season 1): The daughter/sister figure of the Nuclear Family.
Logan Thompson as Nuclear Biff (season 1): The son/brother figure of the Nuclear
Family.
Iain Glen as Bruce Wayne / Batman (season 2): A billionaire who moonlights as a feared
vigilante in Gotham City and Dick's mentor.[29] The character was previously portrayed
by stunt doubles Alain Moussi and Maxim Savarias in the first season.[30][31]
Michael Mosley as Dr. Arthur Light (season 2): A former physicist who turned criminal
after gaining the ability to control light energy.[32][33]
Chella Man as Jericho (season 2): Deathstroke's mute son and Rose's half-brother, who
has the power to possess other people's bodies through eye contact.[34]
Raoul Bhaneja as Walter Hawn (season 2): The vice president of special projects at
Cadmus Laboratories.[25]
Natalie Gumede as Mercy Graves (season 2): The personal security specialist to Lex
Luthor, assigned to oversee Cadmus Laboratories.[35]
Demore Barnes as William Wintergreen (season 2): Deathstroke's handler and friend.[36]
Mayko Nguyen as Adeline (season 2): Jericho's mother and Deathstroke's ex-wife.
Dog actors Wrigley, Digby, and Lacey portray Krypto, a dog possessing Kryptonian powers who
accompanies Conner.[26]
Guest
Introduced in season 1
Lindsey Gort as Amy Rohrbach: A Detroit police detective partnered with Dick Grayson.
[37]
Introduced in season 2
Drew Van Acker as Garth / Aqualad: A member of the original Titans from Atlantis
possessing hydrokinetic and enhanced physical abilities.[45]
Robbie Jones as Faddei: A royal guard from Tamaran and former romantic interest of
Kory.[46]
Ann Magnuson as Jillian: An Amazon monitoring Donna.
Genevieve Angelson as Eve Watson: A scientist at Cadmus Laboratories who created
Conner.[47]
Damaris Lewis as Blackfire: A Tamaranean royal and Kory's sister.[48][49]
Evan Jones as Len Armstrong: A prison guard at the Kane County Correctional Facility.
Orel De La Mota as Rafi: A Kane County inmate who illegally entered the United States
after he fled Corto Maltese.
Julian Works as Luis: An undocumented immigrant from Corto Maltese detained in Kane
County with Rafi and Santos.
Rey Gallegos as Santos: Rafi and Luis's cellmate and fellow Corto Maltese
undocumented immigrant.
McKinley Freeman as the psychiatrist: A psychiatrist who encounters Kory in Las Vegas.
Currie Graham as Stuart: The creator of Dick's costume, posing as a shoemaker.
Peter MacNeill as Lionel Luthor: A retired scientist and Lex Luthor's father.[25]
Curtis Lum as Benny: A contact of Dick.
Elizabeth Whitmere as Ellis' sister: The sister of Hank and Dawn's farmhand.
Drew Scheid as Faux Hawk: A teenager who poses as Hawk.
Patrick Garrow as cage announcer: The announcer for Hank's cage fights.
Hanneke Talbot as Selinda Flinders / Shimmer: A metahuman criminal with the ability to
alter compounds and elements.[50][51]
Sarah Deakins as Martha Kent: Superman's adoptive mother.[25]
Olunike Adeliyi as Mati Matisse: A burlesque dancer formerly in a relationship with
Wintergreen.[52]
Sydney Kuhne as Dani: A runaway fleeing from an abusive household.
Ishan Morris as Caleb: Dani's abusive father.
Episodes
Originally released
Season Episodes
First released Last released
1 11 October 12, 2018 December 21, 2018
2 13 September 6, 2019 November 29, 2019
Season 1 (2018)
Season 2 (2019)
Production
Development
A potential live-action Titans project for cable channel TNT was announced in September 2014.
[53]
By December 2014, a pilot written by Akiva Goldsman and Marc Haimes had been ordered
that would feature Dick Grayson emerging from Batman's shadow to become Nightwing, the
leader of a band of heroes including Starfire, Raven, Hawk and Dove, and Oracle. The pilot was
set with filming to occur in Toronto in mid-2015.[54][55] In May 2015, TNT president Kevin Reilly
said that they hoped to have the casting locked down by the start of filming and that the show
would be "very true" to the comics and "groundbreaking".[56] The series, called Titans and then
Blackbirds, was first set to begin shooting in Toronto in mid-2015.[57] Production was then
postponed to October.[58] In January 2016, it was announced that TNT would no longer be
moving forward with the project.[59][60] In February 2016, Geoff Johns stated "We [at DC] have
known about [TNT nixing Titans] for months and months and months. That's not new news to
us. We have plans for Titans. It's a huge piece of DC and we have plans."[61] Johns, who had
spent seven years developing the material with Goldsman, said in October 2018 that the project
depended on securing the rights to Dick Grayson.[62] He said, "You couldn't do Titans without
Robin ... So there was a lot of behind-the-scenes work that went into that."[62] Previous Titans
projects had been hampered by the rights to Batman being locked up.[62]
In April 2017, Warner Bros. announced that Titans would debut in 2018 on DC Comics' own
direct-to-consumer digital service. The series is developed by Goldsman, Johns, Greg Berlanti
and Sarah Schechter, with Goldsman, Johns and Berlanti writing the pilot episode. All are also
executive producers of the series for Weed Road Pictures and Berlanti Productions in association
with Warner Bros Television.[63] Though twelve episodes were initially announced,[64] the
eleventh episode was billed as the first-season finale in December 2018.[65][66]
Ahead of the series' premiere at New York Comic Con in October 2018, Titans was renewed for
a second season[67] and the twelfth episode of the first season was moved to become the second
season's premiere.[68] For the season, Greg Walker and John Fawcett were added as executive
producers.[67] The second season premiered on September 6, 2019,[69] and consisted of 13
episodes.[70] Production of season 2 was temporarily put on hold in July 2019 due to the
accidental death of special effects coordinator Warren Appleby; the season 2 premiere is
dedicated in his memory.[71][72]
In November 2019, DC confirmed a third season, which is scheduled to premiere in the fourth
quarter of 2020.[73][74]
Writing
Johns noted the series was inspired mostly by the Teen Titans comics of the 1980s, since that
comic's run "had so much drama" and "was so revolutionary for its time". He added, "We really
wanted to lean into the idea that every Titan of these Titans is a doorway into another genre.
With Rachel [a.k.a. Raven], it's the supernatural and the horror, and the first season really
focuses on who Raven is and how the Titans galvanize around her." Johns also felt the series
would be "a little more adult" than the television series Riverdale, calling it "not necessarily a
teen drama, [but] more of an adventure piece".[75] He said that tonally, "We wanted to do
something different from everything else out there. We wanted to arrive at a tone that wasn't as
welcoming as some of the DC shows have been, nor as nihilistic as some of the films have
been."[62] Goldsman said that as the series continues, it will ask "How are these broken people
going to cohere? Or will they?"[62] Johns noted that Robin's infamous line in the pilot—"Fuck
Batman"—was a late addition to the script.[62] Thwaites said of the line, "I thought it was
perfect ... This is not a show about Batman. It's a show about Dick."[62]
Casting
In early August 2017, Teagan Croft was cast as Rachel Roth,[8] followed at the end of the month
with the casting of Anna Diop as Kory Anders,[6] and Brenton Thwaites as Dick Grayson.[2][3]
Ahead of the series premiere, Diop reduced her presence on social media because of racist
attacks towards her casting.[76][77][78] The main cast for the first season would be rounded out by
Ryan Potter as Gar Logan, who was announced in October 2017.[10] In early September 2017,
Alan Ritchson and Minka Kelly were cast in the recurring roles of Hank Hall and Dawn Granger,
respectively.[18][16] By the end of the month, Lindsey Gort had been cast as Amy Rohrbach.[37] In
January 2018, Seamus Dever was cast in an undisclosed role that would later be revealed as
Trigon,[28] and a month later, members of the Doom Patrol were announced with Bruno Bichir as
the Chief,[40] April Bowlby as Rita Farr,[38] Jake Michaels as Cliff Steele,[41] and Matt Bomer as
Larry Trainor.[42] Curran Walters and Conor Leslie appear as Jason Todd and Donna Troy,
respectively.[12][14] In August 2018, Elliot Knight was cast as Don Hall.[43]
In February 2019, it was announced that Joshua Orpin had been cast as Conner Kent for season
two.[24] After the character was teased by Johns,[79] Esai Morales was cast as Deathstroke in
March 2019,[20] with Chella Man and Chelsea Zhang announced as his children Jericho and Rose.
[34][22]
Iain Glen was cast as Bruce Wayne / Batman on April 11, 2019, marking the character's
first physical appearance after being portrayed by stunt doubles in the first-season finale.[29] In
June 2019, Natalie Gumede and Drew Van Acker were cast as Mercy Graves and Garth,
respectively.[35][45] In July 2019, Genevieve Angelson was announced as Cadmus Laboratories
scientist Dr. Eve Watson.[47] In August 2019, Michael Mosley was revealed to be portraying Dr.
Light.[32] The same month, Olunike Adeliyi announced on her Instagram she had joined the cast
in an undisclosed role that was later revealed as burlesque dancer Mati Matisse[52] and Hanneke
Talbot was revealed to be Shimmer.[50][51] In September 2019, Demore Barnes was revealed to be
portraying Wintergreen.[36] Following the character's appearance in an October 2019 trailer, Anna
Diop confirmed on her Instagram that Damaris Lewis would be portraying Kory's sister
Blackfire,[48] which was also confirmed by Lewis.[49]
In December 2019, it was announced that Damaris Lewis had been promoted to series regular for
season three.[80]
Filming
Filming for the first season began on November 15, 2017, in Toronto, and Hamilton, Ontario,[81]
[82]
concluding on June 28, 2018.[83] Filming for the second season began on April 2, 2019,[84] and
concluded on October 8, 2019.[85] Production was put on hold due to the July 18 accidental death
of special effects coordinator Warren Appleby,[71][72] but resumed on July 24, 2019.[citation needed]
Release
Broadcast
After the first episode was screened on October 3, 2018, at New York Comic Con, Titans
officially premiered on October 12, 2018.[64] The first season comprised eleven episodes[65] and
each episode was released weekly on DC Universe until the season finale aired on December 21,
2018.[86] Outside the United States, the first season became available for streaming via Netflix on
January 11, 2019.[87][88]
The second season premiered on September 6, 2019, and concluded on November 29, 2019,
comprising 13 episodes.[89]
Home media
The first season of Titans was released digitally on March 21, 2019,[90] and on DVD and Blu-Ray
on July 16, 2019.[91] The second season was released digitally and on DVD and Blu-Ray on
March 3, 2020.[92]
Reception
Critical response
On Rotten Tomatoes, the first season of Titans holds a "Certified Fresh" approval rating of 80%,
with an average rating of 6.66 out of 10 based on 45 reviews. The site's critical consensus states,
"Despite a few tonal growing pains, Titans does justice to its source material and truly shines
when its titular ensemble finally assembles."[93] Metacritic gave the series' first season a score of
55 out of 100 based on eight critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[94]
Susana Polo of Polygon praised Titans for "tempering brutal violence and dark subject matter
with humor—and by giving its characters plenty of time to stretch, breathe and become attached
to one another".[95] Charlie Ridgely of Comicbook.com wrote that Diop "conveys so much
wonder and intrigue with her subtle and genuine expressions, but there is a consistent fierceness
and tenacity that is always lurking just beneath the surface."[96] Rosie Knight of Nerdist wrote
that the "cast is at the core of what makes Titans so enjoyable", while giving praise to the script
as well.[97] Forbes contributor Merrill Barr compared the show to The CW's Riverdale,
describing it as "a dark and gritty series very far removed from the image the Teen Titans have
garnered through a variety of animated outings over the last decade". Barr found that viewers
"that take the tone in stride are going to find themselves in the middle of a series dialed directly
into their interests".[98] Rob Salkowitz of Forbes wrote that Titans "somehow managed to deliver
on the dark-and-foreboding tone that the early DC movies so conspicuously got wrong".[99]
Kevin Yeoman of Screen Rant was critical of the show's excessive violence, writing that Titans
"doesn't put forward any new or particularly compelling thoughts about its characters or about
superheroes in general".[100] Similarly, Vinne Mancuso of Collider said that "if you're just a fan of
some good old-fashioned ultra-violence and moody storytelling, this simply isn't a well-done
example of that".[101]
The second season holds an 81% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 21 reviews. Its
critical consensus reads, "Though Titans's sophomore season suffers from a slight slump at the
start, it quickly resets itself, building on the momentum from its first season while laying
fascinating framework for where the show could go."[102]
Further media
Spin-off
In May 2018, DC Universe announced the live-action series Doom Patrol had received a direct-
to-series order as an intended spin-off to Titans. Despite the initial order and sharing characters
and actors, however, Doom Patrol occupies a separate continuity.[107][108][109] Developed by
Jeremy Carver (who wrote the pilot), Berlanti, and Johns (who also serves as executive
producers along with Schechter) for Warner Bros. Television and Berlanti Productions, the series
features the Chief, Cliff Steele, Larry Trainor, Vic Stone, Rita Farr, and Jane as the members of
eponymous Doom Patrol. April Bowlby, Matt Bomer, and Brendan Fraser reprise their roles as
Rita, the voice of Larry, and the voice of Cliff, while Matthew Zuk and Riley Shanahan replace
Dwain Murphy and Jake Michaels for the physical portrayals of Larry and Cliff[110] and Timothy
Dalton replaces Bruno Bichir as the Chief.[111] The cast is also joined by Diane Guerrero as Jane,
Joivan Wade as Vic, and Alan Tudyk as Mr. Nobody. Production began August 2018[112][113] and
the series premiered on February 15, 2019.[114]
Arrowverse
The Titans incarnations of Hank Hall, Jason Todd, Rachel Roth, Kory Anders, and Dawn
Granger make cameo appearances in the Arrowverse crossover event "Crisis on Infinite Earths",
with Alan Ritchson, Curran Walters, Teagan Croft, Anna Diop, and Minka Kelly appearing in
their respective roles through archival footage. The event establishes Titans as being set on the
world of Earth-9, which is destroyed and later restored during the crisis.[115]