Gandalf Grr
Image: Tolkien Enterprises, Inc. / New Line Cinema Corporation

[Update: Thu 18th Nov, 2021 09:30 BST]

It seems like the Warner Bros. spin on platform fighting could be getting closer to a reveal, with multiple IPs posting social media teases and tagging WB Games. If it wasn't for the extensive leaks it'd be relatively subtle, and seems to point to a gradual official reveal of the upcoming roster.

We'll keep an eye out for more official details.

[Update: Mon 25th Oct, 2021 11:45 BST]

The rumour of a Warner Bros. Smash Bros. is gathering more steam, as YouTuber and pro Super Smash Bros. Melee player hungrybox shared an alleged leaked image of the roster, as well as a title, "Warner Bros Multiversus":

There's an accompanying video, too, but it looks like it was taken down. Wonder who did that...?

However, the internet never forgets, and images are still being posted on social media accounts:

[Original: Mon 25th Oct, 2021 11:45 BST]

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has had its final hurrah, and will now gracefully ride off into a sunset of acclaim, arguments about Sora and competitive tournaments. Nintendo's platform fighter (for that's the genre name) leads the way in that particular kingdom, but it has had to face down some challengers. Recently we had Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl which put a big emphasis on SpongeBob to lure in players; early indicators are that it's not been a smash (really? Ed.) hit as the publisher would have hoped.

Still, there's often talk of other IP-owning powerhouses hoping to find the magic formula and challenge Nintendo's franchise. The latest rumour suggests it's Warner Bros. actively working on a platform fighter, at least according to this Reddit post. This has been backed up by the now familiar industry chatter Jeff Grubb, though there's disagreement on who's developing the game. Not exactly concrete rumours then, but it certainly feels feasible.

Perhaps the most intriguing detail, considering the sorts of trailers and screenshots it'd produce, is the potential cast. Warner Bros. obviously has a daunting stable of IPs under its wing, but even so some of the potential showdowns would be rather funny.

  • Shaggy (Scooby Doo)
  • Gandalf (Lord of the Rings)
  • Tom & Jerry
  • Batman
  • Fred Flintstone
  • Mad Max
  • Johnny Bravo

In a fight between Mad Max and Shaggy there's really only one winner, but Batman vs Gandalf would be a battle for the ages.

The original Reddit post suggests NetherRealm (Mortal Kombat XI) is the developer, but this was somewhat rubbished by Grubb. It can get ugly when insiders disagree.

As we've suggested a Warner Bros.-published multi-franchise fighter actually sounds feasible, especially as Nintendo's series will presumably now have a couple of quieter years.

Let us know what you think of this cheeky rumour, and speculate on who would win a fight between Fred Flintstone and Johnny Bravo.

[source reddit.com]