Welcome to the 60th Episode of Collider’s Heroes, hosted by Jon Schnepp, with regular guest Robert Meyer Burnett and special guest Heath Corson. On this episode of Collider’s Heroes (Tuesday June 8th, 2016) we discuss:

  • Namor back to Marvel
  • Minor Mutations
  • Spotlight: X-Statix

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Image via Paramount

Mandrake the Magician in Development

Sacha Baron Cohen is Mandrake the Magician, coming soon from Warner Bros., which is based off of Lee Falk’s syndicated 1934 newspaper comic strip. Mandrake has an enchanted hat, clock and wand, and can levitate, teleport, turn invisible, hypnotize, you know, all things magic wizards can do. Its being written by David and Janet Peoples, and directed by Etan Cohen. No release date is set.

Namor Returns to Marvel

Finally, Marvel has got the rights back to their own original King of the Sea, Namor the Submariner! Is this a done deal, and will they introduce him the same way they did for the Incredible Hulk? How will they get him into the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Will they immediately throw him into the Infinity Wars pool of heroes, or wait until their upcoming Fantastic Phase Four is set into motion?

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Image via DC Comics

Animated Justice League Dark

Yes, the Justice League Dark will be an animated feature film. Does this mean that Guillermo Del Toro’s movie is officially done? Who will be in this animated version? Constantine, Deadman, The Spectre, Zatanna, Swamp Thing? Will we get The Demon or Mandrake?

Superman Added to Supergirl in Season 2!

So we finally get Superman back on the small screen! With Supergirl moving from CBS to the CW for her second season, word is that the Man of Steel will be appearing for the first time (not counting a shadowy appearance) in his cousin’s series. Can this signal the return of Smallville’s Tom Welling, or will they cast a new Superman?

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Image via Marvel

Brie Larson is frontrunner for Captain Marvel

Oscar Winner Brie Larson (Short Term 12, Room) has been named the front runner for the role of Carol Danvers, aka Marvel's first feature length lead heroine Captain Marvel. This leads us to wonder how will they introduce her into the Marvel cinematic Universe. It would make sense to get her involved in the Infinity War, and possibly get her origin wrapped into it as well, before we go into her own feature. How will Captain Marvel be introduced?

Flash Hires Dope New Director

The feature film version of The Flash has a new director in Rick Famuyiwa, who recently directed the incredible independent film called Dope. Rick posted an image of Flash Comic Book Trades on his Instagram with the quote “Today was a blur.” How much will the screenplay written by previous director Seth Grahame-Smith change, and will this mean possibly recasting the Flash himself?

Minor Mutations:

  • Justice League title
  • Channing Tatum says he’s still Gambit
  • Toby Kebbell talks a darker cut for Fantastic Four 
  • Wolverine 3 title could be Weapon X
  • Wonder Woman writer Jason Fuchs is still writing Lobo movie
  • Suicide Squad gets a PG-13 rating

Flashback - The Punisher (2004)

The second feature film for the The Punisher, who already had a low budget film version in 1989 starring Dolph Lundgren, got a lot right... and a lot wrong. Thomas Jane portrayed Frank Castle, an ex FBI agent whose his entire family is killed as revenge by crime boss Howard Saint played by John Travolta. Castle is the sole survivor, and begins a plan of revenge against Saint and his clan of criminals. This film, written and directed by Jonathan Hensleigh, takes a lot of elements from the Garth Ennis run, including a super long fight with “the Russian;” but suffers from taking too long to setup a grim dark ending. Does everyone have to have their logo be lit up in a ring of fire?

Spotlight: X-Statix

This weeks Spotlight is on X-Statix, one of the more offbeat series derived from the X-Men comic franchise. Peter Milligan and Mike Allred rebooted X-Force as a group of mutant narcissists, interested in living the high life as celebrity popstars; making deals with promoting brands while on missions, selling their own likeness and appearing in reality TV shows when they weren’t being sent on grueling life or death missions. The very first issue their team leader Anarchist dies a gruesome death, along with his entire team save two.With a suicidally depressed main character named Orphan who levitates and  Deadgirl, who can control her dismembered body parts, along with a ton of other really unique and interesting characters, this series went places that the other X-comics never did. Can this comic be adapted into a movie or television series?

Twitter Questions

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