I’ve finally arrived in sunny San Diego, and while I wait for the plane carrying my Comic-Con roomies (Film School Reject’s Neil Miller, Kevin Carr and Brian Gibson) to land, it seemed like a good idea to discuss what goodies are in store over the next couple of days. Though last year’s Con may have seemed bigger, the studios (sans Paramount, of course) aren’t holding back with the amount of films and TV series being promoted during this year’s event. Below, you’ll find a list of the panels I plan on covering during my stay, as well as a little insight into the ones I’m especially looking forward to.
20th Century Fox kicks off Thursday with an exclusive look at the remake of “The Day the Earth Stood Still” and the big-screen adaptation of “Max Payne,” and along with having Keanu Reeves and Mark Wahlberg in person to discuss their latest projects, both films also promise to have plenty of footage to show off. Following Fox’s panels will be ones for Summit Entertainment’s trio of sci-fi/fantasy films (“Push,” “Knowing,” and the much-hyped “Twilight”) and Disney’s remake/sequel of “Race to Witch Mountain.” The day gets much better from there, however, as Warner Bros.’ first of many Comic-Con panels will include exclusive looks at Guy Ritchie’s newest film, “Rocknrolla,” and the Wachowski brothers’ “Ninja Assassin” (top right), which could erase the bad memories of their last film quicker than you can say “Go, go, Speed Racer!” Neither film is a particularly high-profile release, but suffice it to say, I’m really excited for both. Rounding out the first day will be Lionsgate’s late-night trio of panels for “Punisher: War Zone,” “Saw V” and “Repo: The Genetic Opera.” Of those three films, only “Repo” really interests me, and I can’t wait to see if Darren Lynn Bousman’s rock opera really can be the successor to “Rocky Horror Picture Show.”
If Thursday is the appetizer, then Friday is the main course. The day begins with the most anticipated panel of the Con as Warner Bros. brings director Zack Snyder and the cast of “Watchmen” (bottom right) to the illustrious Hall H to show off footage from the film and talk about the difficulties of adapting the greatest graphic novel in history. I’d be lying if I didn’t say this wasn’t my most anticipated panel of the weekend as well, but I still wish Snyder had held off on premiering the official trailer until after everyone at Comic-Con saw it first. The rest of the day is packed with plenty of other treats including a panel dedicated to Rick Baker’s makeup work on Universal’s “The Wolfman,” a first-look at Warner Bros.’ “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” and an Entertainment Weekly Visionaries panel with directors Zack Snyder, Judd Apatow, Frank Miller and Kevin Smith. And speaking of Miller and Smith, both men will also be headlining panels for their own films (Lionsgate’s “The Spirit” and The Weinstein Co.’s “Zack and Miri Make A Porno,” respectively), a double-header that should prove to be jam-packed with laughs. After all, there’s only one thing better than seeing Samuel L. Jackson in person, and that’s seeing Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Smith in the same night.
Saturday isn’t quite as star-studded as Friday, but there’s still plenty to look forward to. Last year, I was unable to catch any of the TV panels due to their overlapping time schedules with the movie-related stuff, but apparently, NBC’s “Heroes” and ABC’s “Lost” have become such cultural icons that they’ve finally been deemed ready for the big show. This year, the cast and crews behind both shows will be holding panels in the enormous Hall H, and thanks to my colleague Will Harris’ excellent coverage at the TCA over the past two weeks, I might just be able to sit back and enjoy. Then again, I’m sure there will be plenty of exclusive news and footage released to the Comic-Con crowd, so expect to hear something on that front. Also being featured in some capacity on Saturday is Warner Bros.’ “Terminator: Salvation” (sans Christian Bale, unfortunately), Pixar’s new film “Up,” and a Universal panel dedicated to upcoming releases like “The Mummy 3” and “Death Race,” as well as a first-look at “Land of the Lost.” Sony wraps up the night in style with the boys of “Pineapple Express,” and though I missed out on Seth Rogen and Co.’s antics last year during the “Superbad” panel, there’s no way I’m skipping out this time around. Expect big laughs and tons of footage.
For anyone that’s still around, Sunday is the day for catching up (on work, sleep, and anything else you may be seriously deprived of), but that doesn’t mean there still aren’t a few things going on. If time permits, I hope to check out panels for Focus Features’ “Hamlet 2,” the DVD release of New Line’s “Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay” (where Neil Patrick Harris will likely be asked more about “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-A-Long Blog” than his work on the film), and Warner Bros.’s “Friday the 13th” reboot. Like I said, nothing particularly exciting, but news is news.
