A known insider - Jeff Grubb - backed up the rumors of a Super Smash Bros. clone featuring characters owned by Warner Bros., with the added wrinkle that NetherRealm Studios isn't the developer behind the project. Fans of Mortal Kombat and Injustice have been pursuing leads on what the team has in store for their next project after an uncharacteristic silence, and several previous rumors suggest that a second Mortal Kombat is in order. However, when this new Warner Bros. platform fighter rumor emerged, these speculations seemed to have gained some clarity.
Recently, previously leaked-out details about a game rumored to be called "Multiversus" arose. The name is based on a trademark filed by Warner Bros., as well as test sessions in which the leaker claims to have taken part. The game in question is a platform fighter in the vein of Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. and the recent Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl, only trading-in recognizable plumbers and sponges with luminaries from Cartoon Network, Hanna-Barbera, and Harry Potter. According to the leak, the roster includes familiar faces such as The Lord of the Rings' Gandalf and Scooby-Doo's Shaggy, as well as stars from yesteryear like Johnny Bravo. The leaker also didn't reveal the full roster they're aware of, choosing to wait for the game's official announcement.
Gaming industry insider Jeff Grubb chimed-in on the Multiversus talk due to his previous trading in rumors about NetherRealm Studios, revealing that the game was happening but without the Injustice team at the helm. This confirms that the company behind massive brand crossover Space Jam: A New Legacy will bring that energy to video games by potentially letting players bash Harry Potter with Fred Flinstone's cartoonish club. No other details were included in Grubb's recent tweet, but it's possible that the game could be a topic of conversation in the coming days on his various podcasts and web shows.
While it's exciting to hear that the potentially named Multiversus is actually in the works, the question still lingers about what NetherRealm Studios is up to. With the recent success of Mortal Kombat in Hollywood, the time may be right for a second helping of the bloody martial arts fighter, but there's no real way to know until such an announcement happens. However, considering the recent DC FanDome event came and went without a peep from the studio, it seems increasingly unlikely that the game in the works will star Batman and Harley Quinn.
Given Nintendo's runaway success with Super Smash Bros., it might feel somewhat surprising other franchise holders haven't attempted to churn out a similar platform-fighter-style video game. The house of Mario built a juggernaut with very little competition outside of a single attempt by Sony in the PlayStation 3 era. It would likely be almost foolish to attempt to top Super Smash Bros. Ultimate in terms of a video game crossover, so Warner Bros. might have the best possible strategy in bringing their movie and TV characters to the arena.
Source: Jeff Grubb/Twitter