In 1971, the 300-or-so people pawing through cardboard boxes of dusty comic books couldnt have possibly imagined that they were standing in what would become the cradle of nerd civilization. From a small meetup for diehard geeks, San Diego Comic-Con has grown into one of the largest and most feverishly anticipated pop-cultural events of the year. Thousands upon thousands of industry types, journalists, the devout faithful (and the suckers theyve handsomely paid to stand in line as proxies) and cosplaying fans of all stripes will descend upon the city from July 21st-24thto feast on tidbits about everything from superhero-movie multiverses to geek-TV staples.
SDCC offers more events, guests, panels, screenings, and nebulously defined experiences than you can shake a lightsaber at, so allow us to impose a little order on the chaos. Below, weve organized the buzziest previews by the company representing them (movie studio, TV network) to give you a comprehensive rundown of what to expect from the Super Bowl of people who dont like watching the Super Bowl. In the event that youve finagled a pass to this four-day benderof networking and branded promotion with a little genuine passion for entertainment mixed in godspeed and may the Force be with you. If youre observing from the sidelines, meet your newest obsessions for the next 12 months.
MOVIES
After sending Justin Timberlake and Anna Kendrick to Cannes for a little frizzy-haired promotion of the upcomingTrollsanimated feature, DreamWorks Animation will ship the pair off to San Diego for another musical number or two. Based on the freakish, bug-eyed dolls that reached the height of their popularity during the Eighties, this new comedy will give the toys theShrektreatment, with an ogre-sized payday to hopefully follow.
Having directedsearing profiles of such lightning-rods as Richard Nixon and George W. Bush (not to mention an entire movie devoted to J.F.K. assassination conspiracies),Oliver Stone is no stranger to controversy. Hes going to stir the pot once again onSeptember16th with Snowden, his biopic on the divisive NSA whistleblower starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the title traitor/American hero. Expect the filmmaker, his lead actor and the supporting cast (which includes Shailene Woodley, Melissa Leo, and Star Treks Zachary Quinto) to make a splash at the convention and to experience a next-level feeling of irony if footage of the movies panel is leaked.
The first teaser for Disneys upcoming Pacific-Island-set princess taleMoanapromised a delightful vocal performance from Dwayne Johnson as an ages-old Polynesian demigod, gorgeous animation, and another welcome dash of diversity to Disneys roster. Johnson will be sadly absent from the Moana: Art of Story panel, but the films directors and their fleet of animators will sit down to show off footage from the upcoming feature.
Luc Besson blew minds with his trippy, Scarlett Johansson-led action pictureLucyin 2014; his even more ambitious opus, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, will send having-a-moment actors Cara Delevingne and Dane DeHaan to space to rid the cosmos of evil while navigating the undeniable romantic tension between themselves. DeHaan, Delevingne, Besson, and his co-producer/wife Virginie Silla will all attend the panel; unfortunately, supporting actress Rihanna apparently had something else going on.
Sony firstbrought their animated moveable feastSausage Party to South by Southwest; expect the SDCC crowd to eat this foodcentric cartoon raunchcom up, with a screening on the agenda as well as a chat with longtime collaborators/Preacher producers/nerd royalty Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg.
Marvels big Hall H presentation will include all manner of untold wonders (perhaps a look at the upcomingDoctor Strange,orareassurance that theDoctor Strangemovie is still actually happening?), but an appearance from Chris Pratt and director James Gunn guarantees an eyeful of Guardians of the Galaxy 2. The throwback space opera remains one of Marvels most charismatic properties to date; a follow-up arrives awash in hype and high expectations. Heres hoping Gunn is up to the task.
Meanwhile, DC couldnt possibly sit this one out. While its uncertain as to whether crowds can expect a snippet of the upcomingJustice Leaguefilm, theywill be treated to the world-premiere screening of the animated adaptation of Alan Moores immortal Batman storyThe Killing Joke. A more psychologically penetrating and elegantly written arc for the popular Caped Crusader cartoons than usual, this feature-length take on the fan-favorite graphic novel outlined the razor-thin division between the Joker and our ostensibly sane hero who, it should be reminded, is a dude who dresses up like a bat and punches people at night. Expect the darkest look at the animated Dark Knight yet.
Warner Bros. has a strong stable ofnew show ponies to parade around this year. First,the Comic-Con set will get a jump on the highly anticipated Suicide Squad, hopefully before Jared Leto can leak even more press releases about his disgusting preparations to portray the Joker. (Note: Please dont send us a dead pig for writing that.) Continuingon the superhero beat, the studio will whip er, lasso? their fans into a frenzy with the first taste of the long-demanded Wonder Womansolo film starring Gal Gadot, a brief highlight of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justiceearlier this year. Theyll also roll out early looks at The Lego Batman Movie, the Harry Potter-adjacentFantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and next springsKong: Skull Island, with noted actor/God of Mischief/Taylor Swift paramour Tom Hiddleston in attendance to hype up the crowd. And finally, perhaps the biggest question mark of the bunch, Guy Ritchie will give the crowd a glimpse of King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, the first installment of a planned six-film series (good god, the trilogies are multiplying!), that offers a gritty revisionist take on the ages-old mythology of the Knights of the Round Table.
Hard to believe its already been 30 years since James Camerons blood-curdlingAlienslunged for the jugular at cineplexes across America, but Sigourney Weaver will be on the scene to commemorate the occasion. Though no promises have been explicitly made on the Comic-Con schedule, fans may fairly hold out hope for a little peek at the upcoming fifth installment of the franchise, Alien: Covenant; production is in full swing down in Australia, so director Ridley Scott could have enough presentable footage fora little sizzle reel.
TV
CBS
This year, the Tiffany Networks slate of upcoming projects includes a sneak peek of the thirdseason of their high-tech thriller seriesScorpion,brought to you in part by executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. American Gothicbegan its run back in June, but this Six Feet Under -meetsAgatha Christie series(a recently deceased patriarch is outed as a serial killer; someonein the big dysfunctional family was his assistant) will grant audiences a preview of the back half of this season. Meanwhile, improbably resourceful man-of-actionMacGyverlives again in a new reboot of the Eighties classic hitting small screens this fall; Comic-Con attendees, however, will get a chance to check out the pilot episode early.
NBC
The Peacock has been scrambling to scorea new comedy hit in a post-30 Rock,post-The Office, post-Community, post-Parks and Recreationworld. (Remember how great Thursday nights Must-See TV used to be?) Theyre praying that theyve found one inThe Good Place, a new sitcom fromParks/Office/Brooklyn Nine-Nine producer Mike Schur about a woman (Kristen Bell) who wakes up in heaven only to realize that she does not deserve to be there. Ted Danson co-stars as her spiritual guide, and geeks take note: Daredevil producer and future Sinister Six helmer Drew Goddard directed the pilot, which will screen at SDCC.
Superhero fanatics may take a special interest inPowerless, a sitcom set in the DC universe focused not on Batman or Superman, but an office of insurance claims adjusters who must contend with a world full of super-sized damages. (Our research indicates that this is, in fact, a real TV show.) Their dark-fantasy saga Grimmis still going strong and has the panel to show for it. And before breakout thrillerBlindspotreturns on September 14th, Con-ers will get an early look at the second season.
ABC
The last of the old-school Big Three networks will take it relatively easy this year, fronting a panel forTime After Time, their remake of the 1979 film featuring Malcolm McDowell as sci-fi trailblazer H.G. Wells. In the film, the author uses an actual time machine to pursue serial killer Jack the Ripper into the present day. On the show, the historical figures will do battle in modern New York (with their antiquated spectacles and robust beards, theyll fit right in around Brooklyn). Meanwhile, ABC will push the newest season of their fairy-tale soap operaOnce Upon a Time to the perennial crowd of rabidly excited superfans. And Marvels TV branch will allow a glimpse at the next batch ofAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D.episodes.
Fox
First, the returning shows: While Batman stumbles to find his footing in the Batfleck era at cineplexes, the networks spin-offGotham will preview its third season; after11 seasons and 232 episodes,Bones will enter its final season come 2017, and the stars will be on the scene to prep for the long goodbye; supernatural cop proceduralLucifer will court potential converts in San Diego with a first lookat its second season; and after creating buzz with its youth-friendly cast (Nick Jonas gets stabbed!), Scream Queenscarved out a niche for its weird horror-comedy combo. (Jamie Lee Curtis, Lea Michele, and Emma Roberts will be on hand to drum up support for Season Two.) And annual staples Bobs BurgersandThe Simpsonswill make their kingly return to San Diego.
As for the new series and one-offs: When the pilot episode ofThe Exorcist spinoff program screens for a discerning crowd, were hoping the audience members heads wont start spinning.Fox will fuse live-action and animation for family comedySon of Zorn. And, most tantalizing of all, the network will be previewing their musical event of the Rocky Horror Picture Showstarring Victoria Justice and Laverne Cox. Transporting the bawdy midnight-madness staple intothe SFW constraints of network TV is no enviable task, and the gathered watchers will be the first to rule whether Fox pulls it off.
USA
The basic-cable upstart has turned into a legitimate player with the ascendance of Current It ShowMr. Robot; the cast and creators will be present at Comic-Con for a panel discussion as well as an overall peek at the new season. Executives are also gunning for aRobot-caliber reception at the preview forFalling Water, a mysterious program about which little is known beyond its roots in the supernatural and the participation ofThe Walking DeadproducerGale Ann Hurd. And finally, sticking to the sci-fi beat, USA will also tease the second season of dystopian life-in-alien-wartime dramaColonyin advance of its 2017 return.
Syfy
Arguably the geekiest original-programming network in basic cable, Syfy will arrive at Comic-Con in full force, with sixfull panels promoting their upcoming season of goodies. Despite a marked lack of crossbow-wielding Hugh Jackman, the latest iteration of legendary monster hunterVan Helsingwill castKelly Overton in the title role sort of. Her name is Vanessa Helsing, but shell still poachall the expected vampires and occult beasties. The Harry-Potter-but-grittier charms ofThe Magiciansearned a substantial following during the first season, and those fans will be eager to get a look at the 2017-slated second season of the real-sorcery action program. The debut season of theirthriller series Wynonna Earpconcluded near the tail end of June, but the cast and crew will be on hand regardless to answer fan questions and stoke the fires.
Also: Matt Damon and Ben Affleck put their names on the upcoming corporate espionage thrillerIncorporatedas executive producers; with new shark-tornado Z-list disaster flicks now practically an annual holiday, SyFy will trot outSharknado: the 4th Awakens; andspace opera The Expanse will be back with an early glimpse of its sophomore year.
The CW
A one-time purveyor of high-grade teen soap operas, the CW has matured into a serious TV contender. (Not that theyve completely left the soap game behind them Supernatural,The Vampire Diaries and its spinoffThe Originalswill tease their new seasons in San Diego.)CBS and Warner Bros. joint venture is the home of most ofDCs forays onto the small screen, withSupergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, the Flash,andArrowall trotting out their new season for wide-eyed devotees. Throwing their full support behind cult-courting hits likeThe 100and iZombiehas brought the network success the likes of which wouldve been unthinkable as recent as five years ago.
They are also aiming for another youth-geared smash withRiverdale, a Dawsons Creek-ified take on Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, and the rest of the gang. The wild card on the CWs docket is Frequency, a supernatural thriller with an odd hook: A detective discovers she can speak to her dead father via ham radio, and together, they solve crimes. Points for originality!
AMC
With full-blown panels devoted toThe Walking Deadand spin-offFear the Walking Dead, theexecutives at AMC know exactly why theyre here. For an added dose of nerd-dom, Kevin Smith and Greg Grunberg will be on hand to promote their new pop-culture talk showGeeking Out, set to debut July 24th. And given that the zombie crazecant last forever (or can it? Discuss.) so AMC has already begun crafting its next crossover genre hit with the comic-book adaptationPreacher; the cast and crew will be on hand with an advance look at the rest of their debut season.
Comedy Central
The foulmouthed grade-schoolers ofSouth Parkare worshipped like lower-tier deities around the function halls of Comic-Con and with the 20th season coming down the pike, theyll need a proper blowout. South Park20 will go beyond a sneak peek at the upcoming season; this multifaceted experience also offers fans the chance to insert themselves into a scene of their choosing. The reliably amusing Drunk Historywill stagger into San Diego to promote the newest round of booze-soaked anecdotes through the ages. (No word on whether the panel will have a two-drink minimum.) Also on hand: Simpsonsveteran Brad Ableson and the rest of the folks behind the networks new animated seriesLegends of Chamberlain Heights, a comedy mixing urban-set social commentary with slacker hijinks.
HBO
The remaining days of world-conquering, Comic-Con-friendly smashGame of Thronesare numbered literally. But before HBO parts with their reigning money-factory, theyll unleash one more nerve-shredding season full of twists, flashy deaths, and firebreathing beasts, and the cast will hit the storied Hall Hto get the legions of fans frothing at the mouth. Silicon Valley creator Mike Judge and the stars will sit for a Q&A before hinting at what season 4 might hold. And then theres Vice Principals, a promising sitcom featuring the master of alpha-male a-hole characters himself, Danny McBride, andJustifiedalum Walton Goggins as public-school employees sniping at one another over the vacant principal position.
Starz
Though its not held in a regard as high as its premium-cable cousin HBO, Starz has what just might be the most hotly anticipated show on this years schedule. Once thought unadaptable, Neil Gaimans mythology-meets-Americana graphic novelAmerican Godswill finally come to our nations living rooms in 2017. With his tenure onHannibalnow at a sad end, Bryan Fuller will take over as showrunner, and hell join select members of the cast for a way, way-early preview of this high-profile projects.
Starz also found an unlikely hit in Ash vs Evil Dead,an unnatural revival ofEvil Dead, thecampy horror franchisefittingly about unnatural revivals. At Comic-Con, theyll bring out Bruce Campbell to cock his eyebrow and get the crowds jazzed about another season.
FX
Spoiler alert: The most recent season of FXs espionage/sitcom hybridArcherended with the worlds most lovably doucheysecret agent floating dead in a swimming pool. He cant possibly be that dead, though, because Sterling Archers voice actor H. Jon Benjamin, his fellow castmates, and creator Adam Reed will converge on San Diego for a discussion about the most recent season and what the future holds for the investigations agency formerly known as ISIS.
Meanwhile, thethird season of the Guillermo del Toro-fronted horror seriesThe Strainarrives August 28th, and while the celebrated filmmaker will not be on hand for the panel, the co-creators and cast will be only too happy to answer any and all vampiric inquiries.
BBC America
Send in the clones: Tatiana Maslany, Tatiana Maslany, Tatiana Maslany, and Tatiana Maslany star in the latest season of sci-fisensationOrphan Black(with outstanding supporting character work from Tatiana Maslany). Shell only occupy one seat on the stage, however, when the cast promotes its fifth and final season.
New on the scene isDirk Gentlys Holistic Detective Agency, an adaptation of work fromHitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy;author Douglas Adams, mounted by polarizing screenwriter Max Landis, the pen behindChronicle,American Ultra, and last yearsVictor Frankenstein.
The rest
MTV shows off the latest season of their steamyTeen Wolfmodernization The Nazis are up to no good in the newseason of AmazonsThe Man in the High Castle History Channel continues to sully its reputation with another round ofVikings, everyones favorite SFWGame of Thrones Cinemaxsdemonic-possession horrorshowOutcastwill spook audiences with a preview of the rest of their freshman season The Daily ShowsWyatt Cenac leads a support group for alien abductees in TBSPeople of Earth Netflix pulls back the curtain on the long-awaitedMarvels Luke Cage TNT will tease the third season of their post-apocalyptic seafaring adventureThe Last Ship the BBC will hop across the pond, with theSherlockteam in tow WGN America continues their witch hunt with another season of supernatural dramaSalem Norman Bates spends some quality time with his mama in the upcoming season of A&EsBates Motel.