Superhero Bits: The Russo Bros On Returning To Marvel, An Update On The Wakanda TV Show & More

(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:

• The Russo brothers probably aren't coming back to Marvel.

• "Smallville" stars Tom Welling and Erica Durance are game for a return.

• An unencouraging update on the Wakanda series for Disney+.

• The "Red Sonja" movie adds a cast member.

• All that and more!

As we noted in this column a while back, some evidence from social media suggested that "Stargirl" may be crossing over with "Titans" over on HBO Max. TVLine caught up with "Titans" showrunner Greg Walker to ask him about it directly, who said the following:

"I would love to do a Stargirl crossover...Geoff Johns, he works in mysterious ways. So that's all I'll say about that."

At the very least, it's not a denial. So who knows? We'll see what comes of it. One thing we know for sure is that "Stargirl" is nearing the end of its run as its current third season will be its last.

The folks at McFarlane Toys appear to be clearing out some inventory related to "The Batman," meaning fans of the movie can get figures for half off right now. The company is letting you, dear reader, use code TB50 at checkout to get 50% off figures from director Matt Reeves' movie while supplies last. So go forth and spend, if you feel so compelled. The figures can be found by clicking here.

As per The Hollywood Reporter, Veronica Ferres ("Salt & Fire") has joined the cast of the long-in-the-works "Red Sonja" movie, which will be headlined by Matilda Lutz ("Revenge"). The report states that Ferres will be playing the title character's mother. M.J. Bassett ("Silent Hill: Revelation") is directing the adaptation, with filming currently underway in Bulgaria. No release date has been set but it is expected to arrive sometime in 2023.

"Marvel's Midnight Suns" hits shelves in just about a month and soon, gamers will be able to control a number of dark heroes from the Marvel universe in turn-based combat. One such hero is Ghost Rider, who takes the spotlight in this latest trailer for the game. The trailer gives an overview of what it's going to be like to play as Johnny Blaze, and how he's going to function. Rather appropriately, it looks metal AF. Be on the lookout for the game on December 2.

We got a little taste of a return to "Smallville" in the "Crisis on Infinite Earths" Arrowverse crossover event. But would Tom Welling and Erica Durance return in a more significant capacity? Addressing the question at the MCM London Comic Con recently (via Comic Book Resources), they both seemed open to it. "Like our own multiverse? Sure. Why not," Welling said, with Durance adding, "It'd be fun." Though not exactly a ringing endorsement, they're working actors, so who knows? But with the Arrowverse winding down, this seems less likely than ever before, honestly.

Marvel fans who also happen to enjoy the fast food offerings of McDonald's may want to pay attention, as "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" Happy Meals have officially arrived at the chain. Yes, McDonald's has partnered with Marvel on arguably the biggest blockbuster of the year, and these Happy Meals come with one of ten toys connected to director Ryan Coogler's sequel. The Happy Meals are available now while supplies last.

Producer Nate Moore has provided a little update to Collider on the Wakanda-centric TV show that is in development for Disney+. The bad news? It sounds like the project is very much still in the earliest stages of development. So, those hoping that this might be something we'll see soon need to adjust expectations.

"Because of the amount of time and attention that went into this film, and frankly the Ironheart show, that is probably not as far along as people want it to be, but there are certainly great ideas that we're still talking to Ryan about. So, we'll see how far we can get with it."

If I'm reading the room, I would guess this wouldn't be happening until at least Phase 6 in 2025 at this point. But we'll see how things develop after "Wakanda Forever" hits theaters.

"Avengers: Endgame" directors Joe and Anthony Russo are not going to be coming back to Marvel Studios any time in the near future. While the Russo brothers had stated in the past that they would be very interested in directing "Secret Wars," in the above cover article for Variety, the filmmakers explained that they are far too busy with their production company AGBO to consider heading back to the MCU. Joe Russo had this to say about it:

"We're always talking; we'd need to see what would work. We won't be ready to do anything with Marvel until the end of the decade."

Not exactly an encouraging response. So, who knows? Maybe the Russos can direct something in Phase 8 of the MCU in 2032? It's hard to even wrap one's head around something that far off. With that being the case, we should think of the Russo's time in the MCU as something in the past and not really in the future.

Lastly, some variant covers for new "Spider-Man" comics hitting shelves next week have been revealed and, even for those who don't read comics regularly, it's tough not to be impressed by what's on display here. The covers are for "Spider-Man" #3, "The Amazing Spider-Man" #13, and "Dark Web." In particular, the cover that offers a throwback to "Kraven's Last Hunt" is pretty compelling. Look for these books on shelves on November 9.