Superhero Bits: Mark Ruffalo On How Long He'll Play Hulk, Dan Lin's DC Deal Isn't Done Yet & More
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
(Superhero Bits is a collection of stories, updates, and videos about anything and everything inspired by the comics of Marvel, DC, and more. For comic book movies, TV shows, merchandise, events, and whatever catches our eye, this is the place to find anything that falls through the cracks.)
In this edition of Superhero Bits:
-
Mark Ruffalo has no idea how long he's going to play Hulk.
-
DC Films might (emphasis on might!) have a new boss.
-
The "Batgirl" directors break down the heartbreak of the film being canceled.
-
"Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" hits a major milestone.
-
All that and more!
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers hits 100 issues
Boom! is kind of the king when it comes to licensed comics and one of their biggest licenses is the "Power Rangers" franchise. Well, the heroes are about to hit a major milestone next month as "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" issue #100 will hit stands. Above, we get a glimpse at some cover art for the landmark issue, including several variant covers. A logline for the issue reads as follows:
News of a deathly threat reaches the team—one that threatens every Ranger and everyone else in the entire Universe. As the climactic battle against unspeakable enemies unfolds, the lines between friend and foe blur, and difficult decisions await even the strongest of Rangers.
Be on the lookout for "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" #100 on September 28.
These Marvel Megamjoi busts can soon be yours
The 100% Soft Shop has teamed up with Marvel for a new line of collectibles that aims to make the digital world tangible. These Megamjoi busts will bring characters such as She-Hulk and Moon Knight to life as vinyl busts that are modeled after an emoji one might find on Twitter or other social media platforms. Other characters in the line include Hulk, Black Panther, Sam Wilson's Captain America, and Scarlet Witch, with each one retailing for $16. They are expected to ship in September. Those interested can pre-order one (or all of them) by clicking here.
Abomination gets an official Funko Pop! figure
The folks at Funko are expanding their "She-Hulk: Attorney at Law" line to include a former MCU villain, Abomination. We hadn't seen Tim Roth's Emil Blonsky, aka Abomination, since "The Incredible Hulk" until very recently. He had a brief cameo in "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" before showing up in the latest MCU Disney+ series. Now? He's getting a Funko Pop! The figure is set to be released in January 2023. Those interested in pre-ordering one can do so by heading over to Amazon.
Marvel's Avengers game studio Square Enix acquired by Embracer Group
It's official: Square Enix has been acquired by the investment firm Embrace Group. The video game studio behind "Marvel's Avengers" and "Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy" is now in the hands of a new owner, with the company's catalog of properties like "Thief" and "Deus Ex" now in Embracer's control, as was confirmed by a press release. Whether or not this impacts any future collaborations between Crystal Dynamics and Marvel remains to be seen. It is also important to point out that Embracer has been on one heck of a spending spree lately, acquiring Dark Horse Comics, Limited Run Games, the "Lord of the Rings" franchise rights, and much more. So Embracer Group is a name fans of media are probably going to become very familiar with.
Batgirl directors share heartfelt video about the movie being canceled
Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah recently suffered a huge loss when the "Batgirl" movie was canceled by Warner Bros. Discovery despite the fact that it had already been completely filmed and was well into post-production. Now, the directors have taken to Instagram to share a video detailing the situation, shedding some light on the events and how they transpired. The directors also offer a glimmer of hope, saying their film won't be "canceled." The studio has already made up its mind but there seems to be a growing movement to un-cancel the movie. To what degree that can even have a chance at being successful remains to be seen but it's nice to have a bit of positivity around an otherwise ugly situation.
Hold the phone! Dan Lin isn't the new head of DC Films...yet
We know that Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav is looking to overall DC Films, and we know that he is looking for a new head of the company in an attempt to emulate what Marvel has with Kevin Feige. Recently, it was reported that veteran producer Dan Lin, who counts hits such as "The LEGO Movie" and "It" on his resume, amongst many others, was circling the job. But not so fast! As Variety points out, Lin is in contention for the job, but the deal is far from done. Part of the problem is that Lin's production company Rideback has deals with Universal Pictures and Disney, and that would create a bit of an issue. If that can be sorted, then Lin may very well be DC's answer to Feige. But anything could happen between now and actually signing on the dotted line.
Ant-Man 3 director Peyton Reed had to break his friend's heart for all to see
Peyton Reed directed both previous "Ant-Man" films and is also in the director's chair for next year's "Quanumania," which will once again center on Paul Rudd's Scott Lang. In both previous movies, Reed had filmed a scene with his pal, comedian Tom Scharpling, and that scene was cut both times. Well, during a recent interview on Scharpling's "The Best Show" podcast, Reed once again had to deliver some bad news to his pal as his part was once again cut from "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania." Unfortunately, this was news to Scharpling and we get to see him react to it in real-time. It's pretty brutal and you can tell Reed feels bad about it. One heck of a way to find out you've been cut from a third major Marvel movie in a row.
How long will Mark Ruffalo play the Hulk? He has no idea!
Mark Ruffalo has been a part of the MCU for a decade since taking over for Edward Norton as Hulk in 2012's "The Avengers." Currently, he's starring in "She-Hulk" but, beyond that, his future in the role remains somewhat uncertain. So, how long will he play Bruce Banner? In a recent chat with Variety, Ruffalo explained that he has no idea, yet seemed very open to sticking with it, so long as Marvel will have him.
"I don't know! I'm always surprised that I'm still here. I mean, me and Ed Norton joke that the Hulk is like our generation's Hamlet — we're all going to get a shot at it. I keep waiting for the next version of it. I mean, I'll probably do it as long as they'll have me, if people are interested, and I can bring something that's interesting to me to it, and interesting to the fans. But I have no idea. I mean, you know, when you look at the comics, there's some pretty grizzled, old versions of him. I'm like, OK, the 67-year-old Hulk, that would be interesting — if all of us are still here making movies and there's a world that allows for us to do that anymore. With what we're living in and heading towards, the future feels more precarious than any other time. So I don't want to get too far ahead of myself. But I hope I'm still around to do it."
So who knows? Maybe we'll get that "World War Hulk" movie after all. "She-Hulk: Attorney at Law" returns with a new episode Thursday on Disney+.
The Spider-Men unite in new No Way Home re-release promo
Lastly, Sony has released another new promo for the upcoming re-release of "Spider-Man: No Way Home" in theaters next weekend. The latest video sees Tom Holland, Tobey Maguire, and Andrew Garfield reuniting to reminisce about the film, with a little bit of charming behind-the-scenes footage woven in. We don't get much of a look at any of the 11 minutes of new footage that will be included in the re-release, but it's interesting seeing advertising for the movie that isn't absolutely draped in secrecy. Tickets for next week's screenings are on sale now for those who are interested.