Every year, thousands of comic, TV, movie and video game fans flock to San Diego for the city’s annual Comic-Con event. This is a four-day celebration of all things geek. From movie reveals to television screenings and comic book news, the convention has been a go-to summer destination for fans and major studios for the past couple of decades. The only problem is that there is simply too much to take in.
It’s easy to be swamped by an influx of news, making it impossible to take it all in at once. Big announcements get lost in the shuffle and items you had your eye on are easy to miss. That’s why it’s important to have a game plan and know exactly what the biggest news of the weekend will be.
Don’t worry, because we’ve got you covered. Below is a list that compiles the major stories to look forward to over the next few days. So before you go into the Con coverage blind, take a look at what you need to know below:
5.) “The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies”
Peter Jackson’s “Hobbit” trilogy may have started off slow, but the closing moments of “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” reminded fans why the director is still the king of on-screen fantasy. And the last installment in Jackson’s iconic Tolkien filmography will be on full display at Comic-Con this weekend.
The film will be part of Warner Brothers’ presentation on Saturday, where Peter Jackson himself will be on hand to show audiences the first look at the last movie in the series, “The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies.” It hasn’t been revealed whether any footage from the panel will officially make its way online afterward, but fans should at least expect a trailer to also be released in the near future.
Fans at the show, however, will likely get a trailer plus a few clips and some solid Q&A time with the director. It will be the world’s last trip to Middle-Earth on the big screen (for now), so the event will also be a bit bittersweet for some.
4.) “Jurassic World”
While nothing is confirmed yet, it would be an obvious fit for director Colin Trevorrow’s “Jurassic World” to have some sort of presence at Comic-Con. Universal already released a Comic-Con exclusive poster for the movie earlier in the week, and this is the exact crowd the executives will want to attract.
So far the film has been shrouded in secrecy, and it will still be a year until it is released, but a teaser, clip or poster would go a long way toward getting fans excited about the franchise’s return. Even just a solitary still image of a new dinosaur will be enough to get fans ready for more Jurassic Park.
Still, with nothing confirmed and no “Jurassic World” presentation on the schedule, fans should prepare for a little disappointment. With so many other movies being talked about, it’s possible that Universal didn’t want “Jurassic World” to get lost in the shuffle, which might turn out to be a brilliant strategy.
3.) “Avengers: Age of Ultron”
It's obvious that Marvel’s presentation on Saturday will mostly revolve around "Avengers: Age of Ultron," but the actual content itself is still up in the air. It’s safe to assume that some footage will be shown, but it’s doubtful that it will be a full trailer. Instead, fans can likely expect a few polished clips and some special effects, but nothing too extravagant.
Remember, the movie is still about 10 months away, so it’s likely in pretty rough shape at this point. Marvel knows how to put on a show, though, and the House of Ideas isn’t going to leave San Diego without blowing the audience away.
The main thing to keep an eye on is the first look at James Spader as Ultron. If the villain’s name is in the movie’s title, you can expect him to have a huge impact at the Con. Just a sample of his voice and movements should be enough to hold fans over until the first official trailer hits the Internet.
2.) More Marvel announcements
While everyone is waiting for “Avengers: Age of Ultron” footage to hit, you can be sure that Marvel is planning a lot more than just that. Chances are that the studio is ready to unveil more of its future plans, including information on upcoming films such as “Dr. Strange,” “Captain America 3” and “Thor 3.”
However, those movies have already been announced; what fans really want is to be taken by surprise. Marvel can do that with a bombshell announcement of an unexpected film project, such as “Black Panther,” “Captain Marvel,” “Punisher” or “Moon Knight.”
Fans have to remember that Fox will also have a presence at the Con, so it’s entirely possible that more information about the studio’s upcoming “Fantastic Four” or “X-Men” movies will also be revealed. A lot of people are pretty down on what the studio is doing with “Fantastic Four,” so a poster, concept art or even a brief clip can go a long way toward rebuilding faith. As for the “X-Men,” thankfully “Days of Future Past” delivered, so the studio just has to let fans know that more mutant mayhem is on the way.
1.) The DC Universe
Marvel may be dominating the big screen right now, but remember, Warner Bros. is just coming off a multi billion-dollar Batman trilogy and a highly successful Superman reboot. Now is the perfect time for the studio to really flex its comic book muscles by having a huge presence at Comic-Con. Namely, a clear image of Ben Affleck’s “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice” bat suit or Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman costume. Frankly, both would be the highlight of the entire show.
The studio can’t stop there, though. Fans need to know that there is a plan in place, and there is no better platform than Comic-Con to do that. Now is the chance to reveal not only the future “Justice League” movie, but to also unveil plans for other DC characters, including The Flash, Sandman, Swamp Thing and all the rest.
The fans are there for DC, and it can be argued that soon they will start looking for an alternative to the Marvel machine. If the studio is going to do it, this weekend is the perfect time. Hopefully the studio gives fans something to look forward to.
