Superhero Bits: A New Justice League Video Game, Marvel's Ambitious Oscar Campaign & 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:

• "Justice League: Cosmic Chaos" is coming.

• Marvel has surprisingly big awards season ambitions.

• Seems like we're getting some "Spider-Man 2" video game news.

• A synopsis for the "Blue Beetle" movie.

• All that and more!

The first Marvel Comics event series of 2023 is headed our way in January in the form of "Sins of Sinister." This is an X-Men-centric book that, as the title implies, will center on none other than Mister Sinister himself (who was almost played by Jon Hamm at one point). And, if this trailer is anything to go on, it's going to be a dark ride. A synopsis for the first issue reads as follows:

POWERS OF ESSEX! It's the end of the world as we know it, and at least Sinister feels fine. For now. Can that last? Especially when we discover that he really is his own worst enemy ... The universe-melting X-event begins here, in a horror timeline that makes Age of Apocalypse look like the X-Men Swimsuit Special. Join Kieron Gillen (IMMORTAL X-MEN, AXE: JUDGMENT DAY) as he kicks off the X-Men crossover Sinister has been planning since the beginning and is going to have to see through to the bitter end.

Be on the lookout for "Sins of Sinister" #1 on January 25, 2023.

The folks at McFarlane Toys have revealed a first look at the upcoming Earth-2 Batman figure inspired by "Batman: Arkham Knight." This is a very specific version of Bruce Wayne's superhero identity from elsewhere in the DC multiverse, and now fans of the character can add this 7-inch figure to their shelves in the not-too-distant future. No word yet on pricing or retailer availability, but that news should be coming soon. Stay tuned.

It has been quite some time since we heard anything official regarding "Marvel's Spider-Man 2," the much-anticipated video game sequel headed our way in 2023. That appears to be changing though as several have noted on Twitter that the game can now be wishlisted through the PlayStation store. That seems to indicate some news is coming imminently, most likely a trailer that will bring with it a release date. Keep your eyes peeled; we'll bring you official word as soon as we have it.

It's been a long time coming, but "Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League" will finally be coming to a console near you in May of next year. But during the Game Awards, a pretty big surprise came in the form of the new trailer above. While the trailer itself wasn't a huge surprise, it was finally confirmed that the game will feature Batman, and what's more, it will be the late Kevin Conroy's final performance as the Dark Knight. That makes this one pretty damn special, and makes it so this trailer tugs at the heartstrings. "Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League" arrives May 26, 2023.

As noted by The Hollywood Handle, a For Your Consideration awards season pamphlet has been making the rounds lately as Disney and Marvel Studios prepare to try and get in on the Oscars. While it was absolutely expected that "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" would be in the mix, what's really surprising is that the studio is also campaigning "Thor: Love and Thunder" and "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" for a multitude of awards, including Best Picture. That seems like wishful thinking, and some of the categories seem like a real stretch, with "Love and Thunder" going for visual effects as well. That movie, quite frankly, had some rough VFX out of the gate. But these are the biggest movies at the box office, so if you're Disney, why not give it a go?

As we approach the end of the year, some of the end of year lists are starting to make their way out into the world. IMDb has revealed which movies were the most popular amongst its users in 2022, and perhaps not surprisingly, "The Batman" came out on top. While "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" made more money, it landed at number two. But, overall, it was Matt Reeves' reboot of the Caped Crusader that drew the most attention on the platform. "Thor: Love and Thunder" and "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" also made the top five, giving us another year of superhero dominance.

Despite all of the shakeups at Warner Bros. and DC Studios this year, the "Blue Beetle" movie is still coming our way next summer, and we recently got a poster to prove it. Now, we've finally got a synopsis for the movie as well! The plot details were revealed at CCXP (via Heroic Hollywood) and, though it doesn't reveal too much, it does give us some idea of what to expect. The synopsis reads as follows:

Recent college grad Jaime Reyes (Xolo Mariduena) returns home full of aspirations for his future, only to find that home is not quite as he left it. As he searches to find his purpose in the world, fate intervenes when Jaime unexpectedly finds himself in possession of an ancient relic of alien biotechnology: the Scarab.

"Blue Beetle" is currently set to hit theaters on August 18, 2023.

Lastly, Warner Bros. and DC have partnered with the folks at Outright Games for a brand new, open-world game centered on the Justice League. Titled "Justice League: Cosmic Chaos," the game looks to be aimed at younger fans, though it certainly also seems like it could be enjoyed by a variety of players. So what are we getting into, exactly? The rather lengthy synopsis lays it all out:

Designed to be fun for the whole family, play as fan-favorite Super Heroes Batman, Superman, or Wonder Woman to battle Mr. Mxyzptlk, the trickster from the 5th Dimension, who has arrived to reign chaos. He is one of the most powerful Super-Villains, with the ability to manipulate space and time, and who also really enjoys pranks. Mr. Mxyzptlk has summoned Starro the Conqueror to keep the Justice League busy while he becomes the new self-appointed Mayor of Happy Harbor. One of the first villains that the Justice League fought against together in The Brave and the Bold No.28 in 1960, Starro the Conqueror, the mind-controlling alien, wreaks havoc across the town. Players will face action-packed missions and must defeat hordes of enemies using each hero's unique abilities, from Superman's Heat Vision and Super Breath to Wonder Woman's Truth's Pull, to restore peace. Fly, lasso, and flip across Happy Harbor to complete puzzles and unlock outfits and special upgrades to customize the DC Super Heroes in this colorful open-world adventure. Players can also interact with other Justice League members Green Lantern, Cyborg, The Flash, and Aquaman who make cameos throughout the game.

"Justice League: Cosmic Chaos" is set to arrive on March 10, 2023, for the Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, and Xbox Series X. No price point has been revealed yet, but that information should be coming shortly.