John Connor, it is time…for San Diego Comic-Con! The annual mecca of all things creative arts, popular culture, comic books, movies, gaming, TV and everything else, SDCC returns in what looks like a banner year. After the Writer and Actor strikes changed the show’s flow in 2023, the studios are back in full force to woo crowds with big ticket panels, guests and activations. On top of the always stacked Comic-Con International programming and a huge exhibit floor across Preview Night Wednesday and running through Sunday.
As Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman continue their press blitz, they’re making a stop at Comic-Con Thursday, July 25 for a late surprise panel and screening of Deadpool and Wolverine. Rhonda Rousey makes her foray into comic books with Expect the Unexpected about a hit woman who poses as a pregnant lady with David Bautista moderating the panel. Chris Hemsworth, Keegan Michael-Key and more will be on hand for Transformers One from Paramount, one of the big studios sponsoring much of 2024’s content across Star Trek, Transformers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, SpongeBob SquarePants and Tracker.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles “shellebrates” 40 years with multiple panels across comic books, animation and toys with co-creator Kevin Eastman attending. Creator of Spawn Todd McFarlane dropped an update on the long gestating King Spawn reboot/sequel film and will also be around talking toys from his booming Todd Toys line which seems to have picked up the license for just about everything across sports, movies and comics. Universal Soldier director Roland Emmerich is on hand to talk his new gladiator show on Peacock, Those About to Die and will also chat it up with Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, The Equalizer trilogy) on a panel about Directors and likely competing White House action movies.
There are several panels on stunts, martial arts and the annual Superhero Kung Fu Extravaganza. Keanu Reeves will talk BRZRKR and there’s first looks and celebrations of The Boys, The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power, The Walking Dead and Alien:Romulus. Fans will line up overnight to catch Saturday nights Marvel panel which I’m sure will trot out the cast for the upcoming Fantastic Four, Captain America: Brave New World and maybe the Russo Brothers returning for more Avengers?
On the creator side, Spotlights and special guests run the gamut including Eric Powell (The Goon), Jim Lee (X-Men), Bill Amend (FoxTrot), Gerry Conway (The Punisher, Conan the Destroyer) and Klaus Janson (Daredevil). Part of the SDCC magic is its takeover of nearby hotels and dining/shopping district The Gaslamp Quarter with building wraps everywhere and offsites being hot tickets to take an immersive walk and get some swag. 2024 offsites are being built for Those About to Die, Borderlands, The Penguin, The Simpsons, Futurama and Shaun of the Dead.
See you at the show!
