How many more existential crises can San Diego Comic-Con take? This year, a disturbing chunk of major studios is pulling out of the convention held July 19 through July 22 as a jittery Hollywood grapples with the reality that a sizable portion of the industry is on strike due to outrageous labor conditions. In the past, there was the coronavirus pandemic, perhaps the most obvious debilitating event, which put the comic-book con on pause for two consecutive years, 2020 and 2021. Long before lockdowns and social distancing, though, studios had begun to signal their ambivalence to the four days of star-studded panels and fans cosplaying under the summer sun. In 2019, multiple major companies opted out of Comic-Con: Universal, which was promoting Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw at the time, said “no†to the proceedings held in the convention’s gaping Hall H, along with Sony and its Spider-Man Cinematic Universe, Warner Bros. and its DC Extended Universe, and Lionsgate’s Rambo: Last Blood. That year, industry insiders simply cited the lack of content available to present as the reason studios had skipped, though some believed Hollywood was changing its mind about the marketing value and ROI of the fair. Comic-Con 2022 might have been the exception that proved the rule — everyone from Marvel to Amazon (for its Lord of the Rings fare) to Warner Bros. (for its latest Dragon show and DCEU flicks) turned up in San Diego for a glimmer of normalcy.
Now, in the first fully “post-COVID†year that is 2023, the usual major players in Hall H could be avoiding the convention for a different reason: Marvel, Netflix, Sony, HBO, and Universal will skip SDCC as the writers’ strike enters its third month and the actors’ strike authorized after a short delay. “It’s a parlor game right now,†a Hollywood corporate strategist told Vulture over the phone, shortly before a strike was officially called. “With Disney announcing that Marvel’s not going, everyone’s had trepidation about committing to Comic-Con publicly.†They added that the previously looming SAG strike is indeed a factor in the studios’ cautiousness: “If SAG were to go on strike, then all those plans would have to go out the window because, theoretically, the actors couldn’t be available to promote product. So it seems like it’s a bit of a waiting game, but my general sense is that Comic-Con this year is gonna be a little flat. It’s just not feeling like a frenzy this year.â€
Overall, Comic-Con may have to do some soul-searching going forward as studios and midsize production companies alike rethink their marketing priorities and pivot away from Hall H. “It’s becoming much more of a niche event, where you have audience reach but it’s not an all-consuming cultural moment anymore,†the strategist said. “We’re still catching up from the pandemic. We’re not flush with product like we used to be, so a lot of studios don’t have enough to warrant the expedition to Comic-Con either.â€
Based on the current climate, it wouldn’t be strange if studios decided to pull out at the last minute. “I think the salad days of the early 2010s are gone,†the source said. “Content’s still gonna come; whether it’s for the big screen or whatever, we still need the content. So it’s more about how the marketing will change, and Comic-Con may not be as big a factor as it once was post-pandemic.â€
So what can we expect from this year’s San Diego Comic-Con? “With regard to the strike and its possible effects on Comic-Con, we tend to refrain from speculation or forecasting,†David Glanzer, SDCC spokesperson, explained in a statement. “I will say our hope is for a speedy resolution that will prove beneficial to all parties and allow everyone to continue the work they love. Until then, we continue to diligently work on our summer event in the hopes of making it as fun, educational, and celebratory as in years past.†Here are the highlights from the slate.
Invincible Powers Through
Although Amazon Prime Video has canceled several of its SDCC events, Invincible powers on with a panel giving fans an update on the long-awaited second season, joined by co-creator Robert Kirkman. Room 6BCF, July 21, 5:45–6:45 p.m.
AMC Networks Is Back With More Walking Dead
The franchise that continues to zombify itself is back at Hall H, this time with a retrospective piece and an exclusive clip for the final six episodes of Fear the Walking Dead, out this fall. In addition, the panel will offer a sneak peek at The Walking Dead: Dead City’s July 23 season finale plus a trailer-and-sneak-peek combo of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, premiering September 10. The upcoming Rick and Michonne spinoff will have a part to play as well. Hall H, July 21, 1–2 p.m.
The Animation Titles Max Didn’t Axe
Last year, the streamer formerly known as HBO Max launched an all-out war on its library titles and took down loads of content including a good amount of animated series. The ones that didn’t get axed will officially make an appearance at Comic-Con. Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake will debut a new episode during Comic-Con’s preview. Ballroom 20, July 19, 6–9 p.m.
Velma, Young Love (based on Matthew A. Cherry’s Oscar-winning short film Hair Love), Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake, and a sneak preview of Harley Quinn will also be celebrated at a panel. Ballroom 20, July 20, 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
A24’s Talk to Me
Join YouTube creators turned filmmakers Danny and Michael Philippou as they discuss their highly anticipated horror film. Indigo Ballroom, July 20, 4:15–5:15 p.m.
The CW’s Riverdale
A new episode from the teen mystery’s seventh and final season will screen on preview night. Ballroom 20, July 19, 6–9 p.m.
The DC Extended Universe
DC announced its full slate on June 29 — a random diet of animated series, comics, and web toons, per The Direct. No live-action DC Studios events were announced. A new episode of Cartoon Network’s Teen Titans Go! will be screened, together with the first episode of Superpowered: The DC Story, a new Max original. Ballroom 20, July 19, 6–9 p.m.
FX Is Giving the People What They Want
So what if Comic-Con is weird this year because of strikes and a changing industry or whatever; we have horny, out-of-touch vampires to look forward to. FX will sneak-preview a brand-new episode of the crème de la crème of comedy, What We Do in the Shadows. Ballroom 20, July 20, 4:30–5:30 p.m.
Archer will also get the sneak-preview treatment, giving audiences a first look at the first episode of the 14th and final season, complete with additional surprises. Ballroom 20, July 20, 5:45–6:45 p.m
Paramount Will Bring Its Teenage Mutants Down Highway 5
Paramount will hold a panel for its upcoming animated romp Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, featuring a discussion and new footage from the film. Hall H, July 20, 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Then the mutants will make way for Ghosts. Paramount+ and CBS’s hit comedy returns to Comic-Con after last season’s cliffhanger, which consisted of main character Sam seeing a white light shoot straight from Heaven into his home. Ballroom 20, July 20, 12:45–1:45 p.m.
Elsewhere in the Hall H galaxy, the Star Trek universe will hold a panel featuring the premiere of the Lower Decks and Strange New Worlds crossover episode. Plus, you’ll hear “exclusive reveals and surprises†about Strange New Worlds, Lower Decks, and Star Trek: Discovery. Hall H, July 22, 1:30–2:45 p.m.Â
Paramount’s other upcoming projects include A Quiet Place: Day One, Transformers One, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, and Gladiator 2, though the studio hasn’t confirmed whether it will roll out the carpet for these.Â
Peacock Untangles Twisted Metal
Before diving into new content, Peacock will hold a screening of Mrs. Davis, the science-fiction comedy about a nun getting her lick back from an AI overlord. Ballroom 20, July 19, 6–9 p.m.
The streamer will later debut an exclusive sneak peek at its upcoming original comedy Twisted Metal, based on the PlayStation game of the same name. The ten-episode series stars Anthony Mackie, Stephanie Beatriz, Thomas Haden Church, Will Arnett, and Joel Seanoa and guest-stars Neve Campbell. Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick (Deadpool) created the series written by Michael Jonathan Smith (Cobra Kai). Ballroom 20, July 20, 3:15–4:15 p.m.
Additional Events
Funko
Someone’s moving in the opposite direction of the studios: The toy company that makes collectibles of fan-favorite characters will double its booth presence, per Gizmodo.
Jurassic Park Unleashes Dinosaurs
A true Comic-Con experience is a LARP of Jurassic Park’s famous toilet scene. Universal Products & Experiences and Amblin Entertainment are set to celebrate the beloved film’s 30th anniversary with a free, timed-entry event that places fans right in the middle of the chaos, EW reports.
Nickelodeon Has an Avatar: The Last Airbender Personality Quiz
Nickelodeon’s booth features an activation and photo opportunity letting fans take a personality quiz to discover their element. Trading cards with your element will be provided. Other experiences include a re-creation of the restaurant from Good Burger 2 and a photo op with a 12-foot skateboard to celebrate Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, per Comic Book IRL.
Canceled Events
School is out for the summer for ABC’s Abbott Elementary as their panel has been canceled a few weeks out from the event due to the SAG and writers’ strikes. Other cancellations include a That ‘70s Show 25th-anniversary panel, AMC’s Interview With the Vampire season two event, and an inside look at Cruel Summer season two. Legendary also backed out of their Hall H Saturday panel that reportedly included the first looks of Dune: Part Two with Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.
Additionally, Variety reports that three Amazon Prime Video events have been taken off the schedule as a result of the SAG strike. Amazon Freevee’s Jury Duty, Amazon’s The Wheel of Time, and The Boys spinoff Gen V were removed from the lineup without replacements.
This is a developing story.