Henry Cavill No Shows WB Comic-Con Panel ... Despite 'Superman' Rumor

Henry Cavill was rumored to possibly be a presence at Comic-Con this weekend on behalf of Warner Bros. -- but its time came and went ... and there was no red cape in the sky.

A Deadline report suggested there were rumblings Cavill might actually be appearing this weekend down at the event to talk more "Superman" during the WB/DC panel, which just wrapped ... and no sign of HC anywhere (unlike in 2012, where he was front and center).

So, yeah ... the rumor and/or report was BS -- which is a bummer, because fans were juiced about the possibility of Henry being announced for more movies in the titular role.

It's not in the stars, though, it seems. This would've been a perfect opportunity to signal some sort of plan about what Warner -- now fused with Discovery -- is going to do with their biggest IP ... but it sounds like they're still unsure of where the brand is going. That, or they're sure they're done with Cavill. Of course, some have already seen that coming.

Instead of 'Superman' news ... WB trotted out new trailers for 'Shazam! 2' and 'Black Adam' -- with The Rock actually making allusions to the Man of Steel in a hypothetical match-up.

Dwayne kept things close to the vest -- and at the same time ... did a major tease on the would-be fight between his character and Clark Kent. He says he'll defer from answering that for now ... because it depends on who's playing ol' Supes. AKA, Henry isn't cast ... yet.

2022 San Diego Comic-Con Cosplays Are Out Of This World!!!

This year's Comic-Con is in full swing in San Diego -- and as always, swarms of people are going all out to dress as their favorite pop culture creations and mash-ups.

2022's convention kicked off Friday, and the looks are just as impressive as what we've seen in years past ... including a father-and-son duo dressed as Homelander and Billy Butcher from Amazon's "The Boys."

There's even a sick trio of Poseidon with a couple of mermaids -- check out the detail.

Fans of "Stranger Things" will be runnin' up that hill after seeing a life-sized Vecna cosplay roaming the halls ... using a pair of stilts for extra height.

Of course, Comic-Con wouldn't be complete without some character mash-up costumes ... just ask Darth Austin Powers and his pink stormtrooper babes.

There's a Spider-Man decked out in Captain America-style garb, Boba Fett stuck inside a Boba tea cup, and Deadpool dressed as Doctor Strange.

Amber Heard I'm Not Cut from 'Aquaman 2' ... Just an 'Insane' Rumor!!!

Amber Heard's days in 'Aquaman 2' are numbered ... IF you believe one report claiming she's been axed, but her team says that's a false rumor born out of post-trial vitriol for Amber.

Reports have circulated over the last week -- not from traditional industry outlets, BTW -- alleging the actress has been nixed from the sequel, and not just that, but that her role is going to be recast with an unnamed actress, with reshoots scheduled to take place soon.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

That's total BS, though, according to Amber's spokesperson ... who tells us, "The rumor mill continues as it has from Day One -- inaccurate, insensitive, and slightly insane."

As for Warner Bros -- the studio that would be making the call on Amber's status -- we've reached out, but haven't heard back yet.

Here's the reality ... Amber has no say in how much she's featured in the movie, or if she gets recast in it. The studio shot all her scenes as Mera nearly a year ago, and they paid her too -- $2 million, as we learned in court -- so contractually, they're done.

052422_walter_hamada_kal 5/24/22
NO JOHNNY DRAMA IN DC

There were rumblings Amber's screen time had been cut down significantly -- the word was, as of one of the more recent screenings, she was in it for less than 10 minutes ... and DC chief Walter Hamada seemed to confirm that in his testimony, but stopped short of declaring a hard number.

While WB is, no doubt, monitoring all the fallout from the trial, it would be a pretty extreme move to recast her.

Although many fans have called for it, it would be costly and time-consuming ... and 'Aquaman 2' has already been delayed once.

But, of course, stranger things have happened.

EZRA MILLER Alleged Victim Says She's Not being Controlled ... My Parents Are Full of It!!!

061022-tokatawin-kal
MY TRUTH

Ezra Miller is NOT controlling 18-year-old Tokata Iron Eyes, at least according to Tokata ... who says she's sick of folks painting her as a victim, and not believing her side.

Tokata let out her frustrations in a video where she slams her parents and the media ... saying she's downright disappointed they're not taking her word that she's making her own decisions.

She says she doesn't have a phone by choice, and calls it "distressing that the narrative of the 'victim' in question is not being granted in trust".

Tokata adds "it's nobody's business, and no one is owed a story".

The tone of the video is interesting ... Tokata speaks at a very slow, deliberate pace, and some folks in the comments didn't seem to buy what she was saying.

TMZ broke the story ... her parents filed legal docs seeking a protective order for Tokata, claiming "Ezra uses violence, intimidation, threat of violence, fear, paranoia, delusions, and drugs" to control Tokata.

They're hoping a judge will see it their way, and force Ezra to stay away from their daughter.

Of course, we know Ezra has been arrested multiple times, including an incident with bar patrons in Hawaii. Tokata and Ezra have been spotted dancing at a club in Hawaii.

041122_ezra_miller_kal
LOST IN DANCE
TMZ.com

Well, despite any concerns, Tokata clearly wants to tell people she's in control of her Instagram account and her life.

Warner's DC Chief Amber in 'Aquaman 2' Not Affected by Depp Chatter

052422_walter_hamada_kal 5/24/22
no johnny drama in dc

Amber Heard's participation in 'Aquaman 2' -- however minimal it may end up being -- had absolutely nothing to do with Johnny Depp ... so says the guy who heads up DC Films.

Walter Hamada -- WarnerMedia's head honcho for all things DC movies these days -- sat for a deposition that was played in court by Johnny's team Tuesday ... this as a rebuttal witness after AH's squad rested their case, and as closing arguments approach on Friday.

Check out his testimony ... he tells JD's attorney, Ben Chew, that whatever was going on in the outside world between Amber and Johnny these past few years had no bearing on Warner's decision to downplay her role as Mera -- nor did it affect how much they paid her.

As you know ... there's been much speculation and rumors that AH is seriously sidelined in the 'Aquqman' sequel, this after significant screen time in both the OG and 'Justice League.'

Amber's attorneys have trotted out witnesses who've suggested Amber lost not just a big part in the movie, but big money that should've come with it ... in the form of a renegotiation upon the success of its predecessor, which they say is SOP in the movie biz.

052322_depp_heard_trial_kal2
FOUGHT FOR AMBER

WH addressed that head-on -- saying that under his watch, Warner made clear they wanted to reign in all these pay raises -- which can be costly -- and hold people to option agreements in contracts they originally signed with them ... and AH got a taste of that, he says.

She made a mil for the first movie, and since WM exercised her option for the sequel without rejiggering the deal ... they only gave her $2 mil -- something Amber's attorneys have called a blatant sign her career's been damaged by this whole saga.

But, Hamada says ... not so. In fact, he even gives a little insight into what 'Aquaman 2' is going to look like -- and who's been propped up as the co-lead opposite Jason Momoa. Spoiler alert ... it ain't Amber, but WH says that was always the plan from the jump.

Ezra Miller Aggressive With Cops In Hawaii Arrest Video ... I Film Assaults For NFTs!!!

051122_ezra_miller_kal 3/28/22
THE CHAOTIC ARREST
MEGA

"The Flash" star Ezra Miller was aggressive with cops during their arrest in Hawaii, yelling for badge numbers and giving a strange reason why they record incidents.

In police body cam footage from Ezra's March arrest on the Big Island, you see cops ask the actor questions inside the bar where they allegedly became agitated with patrons.

One of Ezra's alleged victims tells cops Ezra attacked him, spitting in his face and going nuts ... and when cops question Ezra, they claim they got assaulted and started filming because, "I film myself when I get assaulted for NFT crypto art."

Ezra raises their voice as they demand names and badge numbers from the officers, but the police ignore them and go back to the alleged victim, who claims he was playing darts and minding his own business when Ezra came up and spit on him.

Once Ezra understands they're the one getting busted for disorderly conduct and harassment, they ask why and again repeat their claim that they were the one who was assaulted.

Ezra also tells police they were complying, but they tell them they weren't ... and when Ezra asks what they did wrong they tell them they're getting cuffed because they allegedly spit in someone's face.

Ezra's claims escalate ... they say their alleged attacker declared himself a Nazi and then they bring up Judaism.

032922-ezra-miller-kal MARCH 2022
TROUBLE IN PARADISE
TMZ.com

As we've reported ... Ezra's had other run-ins with police in Hawaii, including when they got denied entry to another bar.

Famed Illustrator George Pérez Dead at 67 ... DC, Marvel Comics Legend

George Pérez -- one of the most famous and prolific comic book artists of our time, with work in both DC and Marvel -- has died.

The famed penciller passed away Friday at his home, surrounded by friends and family -- this according to his official Facebook page, which announced the sad news. Perez was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year, to which some outlets are attributing his death.

Waiting for your permission to load the Facebook Post.

The tribute reads, in part ... "Everyone knows George's legacy as a creator. His art, characters and stories will be revered for years to come. But, as towering as that legacy is, it pales in comparison to the legacy of the man George was. George's true legacy is his kindness. It's the love he had for bringing others joy - and I hope you all carry that with you always."

Perez is, perhaps, best known for his work in DC ... although he technically got his start with Marvel, contributing drawings to the 'Avengers' series and 'The Fantastic Four' in the '70s.

It wasn't long, though, that he transitioned to DC -- where he did some of his most iconic artwork to date ... including helping launch "The New Teen Titans" in '85 alongside writer Marv Wolfman. They added key characters to the squad that would later become widely known and beloved on Cartoon Network in the 2000s -- namely, Starfire, Cyborg and Raven.

The new comic became a smash hit, but Pérez wasn't done leaving his mark with DC -- in addition to 'TNTT,' he also helped draw what became a divisive comic book series entry ... "Crisis on Infinite Earths," for which he drew much of the main art in the mid-'80s.

'Crisis' was big because it kinda put an end to the whole concept of the multiverse -- which was running rampant at the time in comics -- and unified all the DC superheroes in world/universe/earth ... and killing A LOT of the main costumed crusaders along the way.

In fact, so many heroes got knocked off ... that DC eventually had to reboot everything altogether just to crank out new storylines with some fan faves still in the picture.

Waiting for your permission to load the Facebook Post.

In any case, Pérez helped helm the comic book giant through some of its most formative years -- and his work will be long referenced and remembered. He was 67.

RIP

Ezra Miller 911 Call They 'Hit Me in the Head with a Chair!!!'

0504-Ezra-Miller-audio-art-tmz
NIGHT TURNED BAD

Open your home to "The Flash" star Ezra Miller, and next thing ya know there's total chaos and you're dodging flying chairs ... at least that's what their most recent alleged victim told a 911 operator.

During the 911 call, a woman claims Ezra hit her in the head with a chair and then fled the property on Hawaii's big island. She says she'd offered up her home to them, and insisted she'd been very nice to Ezra.

You can hear how distressed she was, urging cops to show up and find Ezra before they could escape.

As we reported, the 29-year actor was arrested for second-degree assault last month after officers responded to the incident at a private residence in Pāhoa. Cops say Ezra got annoyed after being asked to leave, and that's when he allegedly hurled the furniture. The woman ended up with a half-inch cut to her forehead.

Of course, this isn't Ezra's first run-in with the law, in Hawaii. They were arrested another time, in March, for disorderly conduct in a karaoke bar.

032922-ezra-miller-kal MARCH 2022
TROUBLE IN PARADISE
TMZ.com

Weeks before that incident, they were physically blocked from getting into another bar.

The furniture tossing case is still under investigation.

Josh Brolin I Almost Played (Older) Batman ... Snyder Went with Affleck

0416-josh-brolin-ben-affleck-tmz-audio-art-desktop_01
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN
Happy Sad Confused

Josh Brolin just made comic fanboys' brains explode -- he says he was almost set to play the Dark Knight once upon a time ... that is, until the director went with Ben Affleck instead.

The veteran actor -- who's already got a couple superhero/villain roles under his belt now as Thanos ('Avengers') and Cable ("Deadpool 2") -- made the revelation this week on MTV's "Happy Sad Confused" podcast ... when they asked him about losing the role of Batman.

Brolin confirmed ... yes, Zack Snyder had, in fact, approached him as he was ramping up for 'Batman v Superman' -- and it sounds like JB was onboard and fully willing to do it.

But, as he explains, it was Snyder who decided to go with BA in the end -- which is a bummer (for some fans) because Brolin would've been more true to the version of Batman depicted in the flick ... namely, the older version from "The Dark Knight Returns" (the comic).

This is in the weeds, but Snyder kinda mashed up storylines for his 2016 movie -- including the one where Batman fights Superman -- and decided to employ a younger Batsy, plus ditch much of that comic storyline, including the fact Superman was a government pawn.

You can tell Brolin was excited by the prospect of donning the cape and cowl ... and even shouts out George Clooney for his turn on the character, no matter how panned it was.

Here's the good news ... Brolin might actually get a second bite at the apple here -- assuming anyone at the newly merged Discovery-Warner is listening. Lots of changes are on the horizon ... including Discovery honchos reportedly wanting to overhaul the DCEU.

That entails revisiting and revitalizing staple characters (like Superman) and perhaps further down the line ... maybe Batman again too. Robert Pattinson seems to be in the driver's seat for now -- but if Discovery wants to take another swing at 'TDR,' Brolin might be their man.

Like we said, Brolin's got the resume to back him on the Marvel front ... so, time will tell if DC wants to bring him in the fold eventually. FWIW, he seems totally game -- so why not!

'The Flash' Star Ezra Miller Cops Called For Other Bar Incident ... Weeks Before Karaoke Arrest

032922-ezra-miller-kal MARCH 2022
TROUBLE IN PARADISE
TMZ.com

Ezra Miller certainly doesn't seem to be making friends in Hawaii -- not only were they just arrested for a karaoke bar dispute -- cops were also called for another disturbance at a bar just weeks before.

In the video, shot earlier this month, you see "The Flash" star get denied entry to a bar -- with a female employee physically preventing them from going inside the Chinatown-area watering hole. A witness tells us the confrontation went down after Miller was kicked out of another establishment across the street.

Things got so contentious between Miller and the female staffer that cops were called, and more than half a dozen officers showed up.

You can see Miller chatting with officers before they asked the actor to leave ... law enforcement sources say EM was given a trespass warning, but they were not arrested.

As we reported, Ezra was arrested Monday for disorderly conduct and harassment after an incident at a bar in Hilo on the Big Island. Cops say they responded to a report of a disorderly patron at a pub ... officers were told Ezra became agitated when folks at the bar started singing karaoke.

Ezra allegedly hurled obscenities and grabbed the mic from a woman who was singing ... and cops say they were told EM also lunged at a guy playing darts and refused multiple requests from the bar owner to calm down.

We reached out to Ezra's camp ... so far, no word back.

Ezra Miller Arrested In Hawaii Disorderly Conduct, Harassment

"The Flash" star Ezra Miller has been arrested in Hawaii ... local law enforcement tells TMZ.

A rep for the Hawaii Police Department tells TMZ ... Miller was busted for disorderly conduct and harassment shortly after midnight Monday after an incident at a bar in Hilo.

South Hilo patrol officers say they responded to a report of a disorderly patron at the bar late Sunday night. Cops were told Miller became agitated while patrons at the bar began singing karaoke.

Miller allegedly yelled obscenities and grabbed the microphone from a 23-year-old woman singing karaoke. Cops say they were told Miller also lunged at a 32-year-old man playing darts. According to officers, the bar owner asked Miller to calm down several times with no success.

Ezra Miller appeared to have a physical altercation with a woman in Iceland, and though it started out seeming like a joke ... people at the bar took it very seriously. 4/6/20
YOU'RE GOING DOWN!!!

We're told Miller was arrested and charged on both offenses and later released on $500 bail.

As we reported, footage circulated in 2020 that appeared to show Miller choking a woman at an Iceland bar, which led to him being kicked out by employees. No arrests were made.

Miller -- who plays The Flash in the DC universe -- was featured during Sunday night's Oscars ceremony, with a scene from “Zack Snyder’s Justice League” winning the newly-created Oscars Cheer Moment, a fan-picked award.

We've reached out to Miller's reps ... so far no word back.

Robert Pattinson New Bruce Inspired by Cobain!!! ... Says 'Batman' Director

Matt Reeves really said "come as you are" to Robert Pattinson for his new Batman movie -- and he meant it in every sense of the word ... because Kurt Cobain is on his brain.

The 'Batman' director spilled the beans this week in a new Empire interview about the inspiration behind his version of Bruce Wayne -- with Pattinson playing the billionaire playboy by day, and the Caped Crusader by night.

Lo and behold ... it was the late Nirvana singer that actually inspired RP's look -- which makes a ton of sense. The guy looks pretty grungy, and now we know why.

Reeves says of the process behind figuring out a new take ... "When I write, I listen to music, and as I was writing the first act, I put on Nirvana's 'Something In The Way.'"

He adds, "That's when it came to me that, rather than make Bruce Wayne the playboy version we've seen before, there's another version who had gone through a great tragedy and become a recluse. So, I started making this connection to Gus Van Sant's Last Days, and the idea of this fictionalized version of Kurt Cobain being in this kind of decaying manor."

That's a pretty sweet tribute to Kurt, no doubt. But, fans are pointing out Pattinson's Wayne appearance is perhaps less punk rock ... and more emo. Or at least it was before this new shot of Bob surfaced, where his hair is a little more messy -- and he gives off Cobain vibes.

Anyway, Reeves apparently thought Pattinson was the whole package after watching 2017's "Good Time," from which he discerned this ... "In that movie you could really feel his vulnerability and desperation, but you could also feel his power ... He's also got that Kurt Cobain thing, where he looks like a rock star, but you also feel like he could be a recluse."

New Superman Clark Kent's Son, Jon, Comes Out as Bi ... DC Comics Confirmed!!!

The Man of Steel is coming out of the phone booth like no other iteration before -- Superman's son will be bisexual going forward ... ushering in a new era under DC.

The announcement came down Monday by the comic book giant ... namely, that Jon Kent -- Clark Kent and Lois Lane's son, who's the new Superman -- is indeed both into guys and girls. Not just that ... but a male relationship will be explored within a forthcoming issue.

This new series, titled "Superman: Son of Kal-El," got underway back in July ... and it follows young Jon as he navigates taking on the red cape and the responsibilities as Earth's superest of heroes -- while his pops steps back. Starting in November, DC says Jon will officially come out ... with promotional photos of him kissing his pal, Jay, surfacing to tease the release.

The adventures of Jon are way more relevant and timely than anything Kal-El ever dealt with -- thus far, he's battled climate change crises, stopped a school shooting and even addressed immigration head-on ... not with fists, but with protest!

As for this new move to make him bi ... the series' lead writer, Tom Taylor, says they didn't want to pass up the opportunity to make Superman as modern (and inclusive) as possible -- saying the idea of making a new Superman another straight white savior seemed lame.

Of course, this comes on the heels of DC announcing that their latest version of Robin/Tim Drake would also be bisexual ... which was hinted at and way less explicit as this is.

Here, Superman is straight-up making out with a guy -- so DC's going all-in on LGBT representation.

Robin Coming Out Encourages Inclusion, Normalization ... Says DC Comics Creator's Granddaughter

Batman's sidekick, Robin, coming out as bisexual isn't just big for comic book superheroes, but it's also a major step in the right direction for society ... Dana Wheeler-Nicholson tells TMZ.

Dana's an actress best known for her roles in "Fletch" and "Tombstone," but she's also the granddaughter of Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson -- the man credited with the creation of DC Comics -- and she's thrilled about the latest plot twist in the DC universe.

She tells us she loves that Robin's bisexual, because having a classic, beloved, character come out bodes very well for tolerance and inclusion in the real world.

Dana says comic book figures are cultural icons, so when homosexuality is included in the storytelling ... it helps normalize that culture and hopefully encourages audiences to be loving toward those characters, if they weren't already.

She adds that Robin being bisexual is a shout-out of support for the LGBTQ+ community ... and she hopes gay and queer characters are featured more in art, literature and comics.

As for her grandfather, whose National Allied Publications company would evolve into what we know as DC Comics today ... Dana tells us she hopes he would be accepting of Robin's big news, and embrace this evolution as well.

Robin Comes Out as Bisexual!!!

Holy LGBTQ, Caped Crusader!!! Robin's dropping big personal news in the latest installment of "Batman: Urban Legends" ... he's bisexual.

Tim Drake is the DC character who fights crime as Robin, and when the sixth installment of the comic book dropped Tuesday the story ended with Tim saying yes to going on a date with a guy named Bernard Dowd.

The story goes ... Robin had a "lightbulb moment" while fighting side-by-side with Bernard. After coming to his rescue as Robin, Tim later hits up Bernard's pad, and you can see the anticipation's building 'cause he hypes himself up, saying ... "It's OK, Tim. You got this."

When Bernard opens the door he's on the verge of asking out Tim on a date, but Tim interrupts with ... "I’m really glad you got home okay. I was relieved. And I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, about that night. And I -- I don’t know what it meant to me. Not yet. But I’d like to figure it out."

Bernard responds, "I was hoping you would. Tim Drake … do you want to go on a date with me?” Robin says yes, and that's the cliffhanger ... until the next issue drops in December.

Fans have long buzzed about Robin -- who's previously dated women -- being gay, and many are ecstatic with this DC plot twist. One fan wrote, "Crazy thing, I saw Tim DRAKE coming out,  years ago.. congrats to DC for making it a reality."

'Harley Quinn' Animated Series DC Cuts Batman Oral Sex Scene ... 'Heroes Don't Do That'

Not-so-fun fact about Batman -- he doesn't go down ... or so we've learned after DC Comics dropped the hammer on an oral sex scene in the "Harley Quinn" animated series.

Producers of the HBO Max adult animated series really tried to push the envelope, but co-creator Justin Halpern says he was told by DC he "absolutely cannot do that" because a) heroes don't do that, and b) how are they supposed to sell Batman toys if the hero's performing oral sex?

Halpern told Variety they get a lot more creative freedom when it comes to writing and developing villains -- they can do pretty much anything -- but there are all kinds of rules for the superheroes.

He says the cunnilingus confrontation went down during production of the upcoming third season of 'Harley.' BTW, you gotta love their retort to the DC suits. According to Justin, "So, we said, ‘Are you saying heroes are just selfish lovers?’"

You might notice DJ Khaled is now trending, with many fans joking that he's actually the Caped Crusader. If you're wondering why, look it up -- there's only so much we can say here.

The third season of "Harley Quinn" -- who BTW is voiced by "Big Bang Theory" star Kaley Cuoco -- streams later this year.

Old news is old news!
Be First!

Get TMZ breaking news sent right to your browser!