“Out there, past them trees…” – Predator. The city of San Diego, CA has been heralding the arrival of its homegrown, pop culture phenomenon, San Diego Comic-Con, for most of July. First it was banners previewing upcoming flicks like Predator: Badlands and Tron: Ares. Now the Convention Center surrounding area is in full swing with in progress building wraps and activations making for a construction zone before opening to the masses on Wednesday evening.
2025 special guests include writers and artists from the worlds of comic books and manga like Jim Lee (X-Men, Batman), J.M. DeMatteis (Captain America), Frank Miller (300, Sin City) and Dan Jurgens (Superman). Over 1,000 hours of programming through Sunday run morning to night with Spotlights on special guests, live podcast recordings, costume design, business and finance, the science of superheroes and martial arts along with movie and anime screenings, table top and PC gaming, pinball…essentially if you can’t find something to do, it’s your own fault.
DC, Hulu, Paramount+, Crunchroll, Disney and Amazon Prime are just some of the studios and sponsors showing up this year with anticipated previews of aforementioned Predator and Tron joining The Walking Dead, Outlander, Project Hail Mary and Peacemaker in the 6,000 seat venue Hall H with appearances from Norman Reedus, Ryan Gosling, John Cena and for the first time, George Lucas, scheduled to attend. Sterling K. Brown (The Predator) will be there for a Paradise panel so that means season 2 is happening right?! With Fantasic Four: First steps releasing the same week and no Marvel Studios panel, I doubt there will be any surprises like 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine screening debacle followed by surprise highlight drone and fireworks show.
Outside the convention center will offer plenty to do, whether you’re attending the con or not. Offsites and activations have sold out quickly, starting with the Paramount + Lodge featuring Dexter: Resurrection, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Landman and Mission Impossible. DC has Peacefest 2025 touting Peacemaker season 2 and an “80’s glam rock bar experience” with a bar, merch and a Mortal Kombat gaming station. Alien: Earth has a wreckage activation or you can hit a block party with Abbot Elementary.
See you around town!
