DC Comics

A crew member on the show "Titans" was killed during a stunt after he was struck by a heavy object.

Production sources tell TMZ ... the crew member -- a special effects coordinator -- died Thursday in Toronto where the DC Comics show is filmed.

The tragedy occurred at a test facility where production crew work out the kinks for stunts.  Once perfected, the scene is played out on location.

The stunt in question at the test facility was a car that was supposed to flip on its side. The car did indeed flip, but a piece of metal from some sort of welded contraption that was attached to the car flew off.

That object struck the special effects coordinator -- who was standing nearby -- in the head. EMT's put the man on a stretcher and took him to the hospital, but cops tell us he died en route.

Production will be shut down for 2 days. The Ministry of Labour is now investigating.

Executive Producers from "Titans" tell TMZ, "We are heartbroken and devastated by the passing of our treasured colleague, special effects coordinator Warren Appleby, after an accident which occurred at a special effects facility during the preparation and testing for an upcoming shoot.  Warren is beloved by all who worked with him during an impressive 25-year career in television and motion pictures. The executive producers, along with everyone, in the TITANS family, Warner Bros. Television Group and DC UNIVERSE, wish to express our deepest condolences, and heartfelt love and support, to Warren's family and friends at this most difficult time."

Zachary Levi felt a grown man seeking his autograph got a little too up close and personal ... so he told him to beat it.

The "Shazam!" star arrived at LAX Thursday night to a swarm of fans and graphers wanting him to sign their merch. Levi was happy to oblige ... except for the guy in sunglasses shoving a photo in his face.

Check out the clip -- the DC Comics superhero argues with the bearded man about his intentions ... then scolds him for pushing people around. The autograph hound disagrees on both accounts.

Zachary also appears to deny a fan a selfie before hopping in his getaway ride, but it's a lot more friendly.

Unclear how many of these fans said the magic word ... "please."

BTW ... "Shazam!" stars Levi as the adult superhero version of a 14-year-old foster kid who transforms into him when he shouts the film's title. It comes out April 5.

Did you know Ben Affleck made Warner Bros. stitch the No. 12 into his Batman costume during his entire run as the superhero as an ode to Tom Brady?!?

Neither did we ... 'cause it ain't true -- but Affleck joked it was Thursday on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' ... and the TB12 shout-out was hilarious!!!

Ben spoke with Kimmel on the late-night talk show and officially retired forever from playing The Dark Knight ... and to commemorate the moment -- Jimmy said they'd hang his costume in the rafters.

Guillermo -- Jimmy's ultra funny companion on the show -- brought out the bat costume (in his own Robin outfit) ... when suddenly, it was revealed the cape had "Batfleck 12" inscribed on it!!!

Ben said the number was a shout-out to none other than football's G.O.A.T., saying, "That’s Brady’s number. You can’t be a hero unless you wear number 12.”

Affleck added -- jokingly -- Warner Bros. "actually paid $80 million to digitally remove it from every movie.”

It was a funny moment ... but, it was hardly the best part of the skit -- that involved a Matt Damon thong and Affleck's nose.

Yeah, watch the clip.

Things got nasty on the set of the upcoming "Joker" movie over the weekend ... we're told extras were locked on a subway car for more than 3 hours, and it got so bad some people started peeing on the tracks.

Sources on set tell TMZ ... extras for the movie were filming a scene in a Brooklyn subway station and they were locked in a train car and denied their break after 2 hours of work ... leading to a sticky situation.

The extras started banging on the subway doors asking to be let out because people needed to use the bathroom, but they were kept inside and eventually resorted to pissing on the tracks through the small spaces between cars.

We've learned SAG received a complaint about a break time violation and they sent a rep to the set to resolve the situation ... and SAG will continue to follow up and monitor the set.

Warner Bros. tells TMZ they're looking into what went down on the tracks.

Joaquin Phoenix keeps giving us a little more as The Joker -- this time he's in full costume as The Jester of Genocide ... and he's all smiles about it.

Check it out -- it's the first look at Phoenix in makeup on set as the notorious villain of Gotham City. The filming was going down inside an NYC subway station in Uptown, Manhattan. You see The Joker get off the train in a mask ... which he really didn't need.

As we reported ... Joaquin's "Joker" look was revealed Friday by Warner Bros. in a short promo, showing the transformation from Arthur Fleck to the Clown Prince.

But, even when he's just Arthur ... he's still pretty creepy.

This flick is an origin film about Batman's archenemy. Announced costars include Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Marc Maron and Bryan Callen. Martin Scorsese is producing and Todd Phillips is directing.

Joaquin Phoenix is gonna make you remember -- if you'd even forgot -- why clowns are so damn creepy ... by revealing the new big screen Joker.

Filming for "Joker" just got started this month and Warner Bros. just pulled back the curtain on Joaquin in full makeup. The studio dropped this time-lapse video of him getting into character.

This flick is an origin film about Batman's archenemy ... so we'll get a new, closer look at how Arthur Fleck became Gotham's clown prince of crime.

So far, Joaquin's announced costars include Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Marc Maron and Bryan Callen. Martin Scorsese is producing and Todd Phillips, of "The Hangover" fame, is directing.

It's scheduled to come out next October. Bring on the creepiness.

Bryan Callen thinks Batman should keep on his Batsuit ... 'cause we now know there's nothing all that special about Bruce Wayne's birthday suit.

We got Bryan at LAX and showed him DC's new adult comic with images of Batman's manhood ... and the comedian tells us the Batcave is, umm ... lacking.

His point is, size does matter -- for superheroes -- and Bruce Wayne just ain't getting it done.

Bryan, who has a role in the upcoming "Joker" movie, explains why he thought Batman would be more gifted and tells us which comic book heroes are packing ... most likely.

The Dark Knight's penis shows up 4 times in "Batman: Damned," and the uncensored version is only available in print editions of the adults-only comic. In the online version, DC has darkened the image, but you can check out the original here.

Batman fans are getting a good hard look at Bruce Wayne like never before -- 'cause the Dark Knight's manhood is on display in a new comic that's definitely not for kids.

DC just added a new installment to their Black Label series with "Batman: Damned" -- which is pretty much graphic novels for adults ... only, in this case, it's REALLY graphic. In the new Batsy publication that just recently dropped, you see a full-on naked Bruce Wayne ... but you'll only be able to see his penis on certain platforms. Allow us to explain.

The uncensored version of the member only shows up in print editions of 'Batman: Damned,' which are out in comic book stores now. It depicts a slightly obscured shot of Bruce's penis -- but you can definitely still see it in the shadow... head, shaft and all. In the online version, however, DC has darkened the image ... and you can only make out vague traces of his penis.

If you wanna see the real McCoy, you can check it out here.

Sources close to Batman tell us that Black Label stories are not intended for children -- while also pointing out that Batman's penis shows up a total of 4 times in this particular comic.

Chadwick Boseman and Joseph Gordon-Levitt crossed comic book lines for a little POW wow while chowing down ... superhero costumes, sadly, not included.

The Black Panther and Robin grabbed a bite to eat Monday afternoon in L.A. and, judging by the huge grins on their mugs ... it hit the spot. We're guessing they didn't compare Marvel and DC box office numbers. Let's be honest, Joseph wouldn't be smiling if that was the case.

Attendees at Comic-Con's 2018 Cosplay immediately kicked things into third gear Day 1 with their studio-quality costumes ... trust us, they're incredible.

Comic-Con kicked off Thursday in San Diego and tons of fans flooded the city showing off their super fashion sense. It's pretty awesome ... from some freakishly realistic-looking Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and The Flash to an adorable family rocking The Incredibles' costumes.

5:24 PM PT -- Morgan tells us, "For over 10 years I have shown nothing but love, respect & kindness to Stan Lee, & his wife, a fact he has repeated countless times."

He continues, "This is a witchhunt by his daughter and her lawyer against me because she cannot stand the fact Stan likes me so much. I will 100% prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the allegations against me are false. The truth will come out."

Stan Lee's legal battle with business partner Keya Morgan has intensified ... with ANOTHER restraining order.

Stan's legal team was in court Friday and requested the restraining order granted last month against Morgan to be dismissed. Stan's lawyers argued the first order -- submitted by attorney Tom Lallas on Stan's behalf -- should be voided as Lallas hadn't repped Stan for months.

The judge agreed -- tossed the order -- and Lee's legal team filed a new restraining order against Morgan.

In the new docs -- obtained by TMZ -- Stan's attorneys claim Morgan's mishandled more than $5 million of Stan's money and he's suffered severe physical and emotional injuries because of Morgan. The docs also claim Keya's tried to isolate Stan from his family and moved him to an undisclosed location last month.

Kirk Schenck, a legal rep for Lee tells us, “The Lee Family is conducting its own investigation, and working with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and the LAPD, in various investigations into Keya Morgan’s and others’ who may have taken advantage of the Lee Family. We will not comment further on the ongoing investigations for witness and evidentiary protection.”

Jack Dylan Grazer -- otherwise known as Eddie of the Losers' Club in the "It" movie -- has a good shot at making some scary money ... in an upcoming superhero franchise.

According to Jack's contract -- obtained by TMZ -- he's going to bank at least $150k for his role as Freddy Freeman in the 2019 DC Comics film "Shazam!" ... starring Zachary Levi.

It gets better -- he can make up to $200k more in box office bonuses ... and gets a cut of the movie's merchandise cash.

But get this -- if there's a "Shazam!" sequel, Grazer's pay more than doubles to $400,000 with up to $300k in bonuses ... and his salary will DOUBLE for every additional installment of the film franchise after that.

Chris Pine is back from the dead, or part of a ridiculous dream sequence, in the next 'Wonder Woman' flick ... based on pics from the set. Ummm ... spoiler alert?

Chris was spotted Wednesday in Virginia with costar Gal Gadot. We knew Chris was returning to his role of Steve Trevor, but since he died in the first one ... we don't how HOW he's coming back. There's a big clue, we think, in this pic. Two words: FANNY. PACK.

The sequel is set in 1984, so the stylish wardrobe piece makes sense.

Since the sequel fast forwards about 66 years, we're guessing science or time travel has to be involved for Steve to still be alive -- but it can't be a dream sequence. NO ONE would include a fanny pack in a dream!

Jason Momoa purposely hurled his phone into the open ocean to prove a point -- he's not just an actor, man ... he's a real-life Aquaman.

Momoa lived up to his superhero alter ego in the water off Honolulu. Looks like he was playing a game of chicken with his phone -- tossing it and then flaunting his skills by diving in to retrieve it.

No proof from the pics that he pulled off the rescue, but we'd bet on Jason.

He had been filming reshoots for "Aquaman," which comes out later this year, but looks like this stunt was pulled during his off time.

Stan Lee's checking account is $300k light, and cops are on the hunt for the perp who swiped the cash ... TMZ has learned.

We're told the Marvel Comics legend filed a report with Beverly Hills PD Tuesday after one of Stan's business partners discovered the money had been withdrawn without his knowledge. After some digging, it was discovered a $300k check was written to a merchandising company, Hands of Respect, for a "loan."

Sources tell us neither Stan or his money managers wrote or authorized the transaction, and Bev Hills PD is investigating the case as a check forgery.

We're told Stan's people believe this might be an inside job -- someone within the foundation wrote the check in an attempt to keep the cash themselves.

Kanye West and Kid Cudi got their fill of caped crusaders, and at the same time fueled rumors they're working on new music together.

The dynamic duo took in "Justice League" Monday in L.A. -- and the looks on their faces indicate they at least liked it more than critics (not saying much, we know). 'Ye and Cudi have been reconnecting recently ... Kanye hopped onstage with him a few weeks ago in Chicago.

There's a rumor out that 'Ye will be producing Cudi's new album, something that hasn't happened since Cudder's 2008 debut. Cudi eventually parted ways with G.O.O.D Music in 2013.

We don't know if this was a break from the studio or just two pals catching up, but all signs point to justice prevailing ... for music fans.