WIRE Buzz: Batwoman's Ruby Rose skips Comic-Con; two ex-Supermen set for Infinite Earths

You can turn off the Bat-Signal. Though Batwoman is one of the highest profile projects being promoted at Comic-Con this year, the star of the upcoming series won't be in San Diego. Ruby Rose announced on Instagram that scheduling conflicts on the new CW superhero drama have halted her efforts to join the convention.

"I will unfortunately not be able to make it to Comic-Con this year and it is devastating," the Australian actress said in the video post below. "I have wanted to go to Comic-Con for a million years, and never did I think that I would be invited as a guest." Apparently, a last-minute logistical issue is preventing her from traveling down from the Vancouver Batwoman set. "There really wasn't any other way to finish this episode, this ambitious episode that we're doing, and create this amazing show that really is special."

This is unfortunate for The CW and Warner Bros. series, as Rose's (masked) face is plastered throughout San Diego on posters, swag bags, hotel key cards, etc. But it's not a complete wash. The pilot episode was screened Wednesday night, and the show's official panel (with producers and other cast members) is still scheduled for Saturday morning at the San Diego Convention Center.

Batwoman was introduced in last year's Arrowverse crossover event, "Elseworlds." Rose plays Kate Kane, who dons cape and cowl to protect Gotham City in the mysterious absence of her cousin Bruce Wayne and his alter ego Batman. Batwoman, which premieres Oct. 6, will feature the first lesbian superhero as the star of her own TV series.

In the caption to the Instagram post Rose wrote, "I love you, I appreciate you and I’m so sorry for anyone who is let down by this but I will make it up to you xx."

One place we know we'll see Batwoman is in this year's massive Arrowverse crossover. And it looks like it's going to be quite a crowd. The "Crisis on Infinite Earths" event will also include not one, but two versions of the Man of Steel. Both Tyler Hoechlin and Brandon Routh will play Superman in the upcoming CW confab, which is inspired by the iconic comic book miniseries that reshaped the DC Universe in 1985-86.

According to Deadline, which broke the news, the two actors "will both portray him in different time frames" in the five-part event, which will span Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, DC's Legends of Tomorrow, and Batwoman in episodes airing in December and January.

Hoechlin has appeared as Superman and Clark Kent on Supergirl since 2016 and was a key part of "Elseworlds" last year. But for Routh, the gig is a bit of a surprise. In the Arrowverse he plays Ray Palmer (aka the Atom) on Legends of Tomorrow, but he had his breakout role as the star of the 2006 film Superman Returns. "Honored, humbled, grateful, and still pinching myself," the actor tweeted of the news.

More news about "Crisis" is expected this weekend as the various shows take the stage at Comic-Con.

Andrew Lincoln's return to the world of The Walking Dead has been delayed. The actor, who left AMC's long-running zombie drama last fall, was set to direct an episode in Season 10. "It seems schedules could not be aligned for the star to make his triumphant return for the coming season," notes Entertainment Weekly, which first reported the news.

Lincoln still hopes to go behind the camera in the future, though the show has not officially been renewed yet for an 11th season. Either way, we haven't seen the last of Rick Grimes. Though the beloved leader was written out of the series — and the friends he left behind assume he is dead — he will return for a series of TV movies. (That's better than his comic book counterpart made out!)

The show's Comic-Con panel will be held Friday afternoon, and perhaps more details about Rick's future (and Lincoln's) will be revealed there.

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