The Final Day of San Diego Comic Con 2026

 

Jeri Jacquin

The final day is here, and families are everywhere, taking the opportunity to not only enjoy the San Diego sun but all the events that have been going on since Wednesday. My own granddaughter has put on her homemade costume and is making her way through all the fun and taking pictures with people, which is one of the highlights of SDCC. While she wanders, I am back in Hall H for one final time.

Starting the morning with Emily the Strange panel experience brings the fictional teenage goth girl created by Rob Reger in 1991. I can relate to her black-and-red aesthetic, but she is also known for her humor and her cats. The Cineverse: Air Bud Returns has a panel that is followed up by 35 Years of Sailor Moon. Created by Naoko Takeuchi, who has also done the illustrations, the Japanese manga series was in the Nakayoshi magazine from 1991-1997.  How Pokemon Captured Our Hearts for 30 Years was a fun look into all things Pokemon, and yes, my family and I ran all around San Diego ‘trying to catch them all,’ and it was so much fun. We spent hours running around, being together and sharing in an experience that hasn’t been repeated since.

As a juror for the San Diego International Children’s Film Festival, I had to take time to visit all that they had to offer. What I got to experience was animated shorts, stories, and such creativity that I am excited to see more of what is coming up when the SDICFF arrives in the weeks to come. The Lord of the Rings and the New Age of Adaptations is something any LOTR fan needs to experience. It is interesting to listen to the intensity of creators and what is possible in J.R.R. Tolkien's world.

For some lighter fun, Buffy: Once More, with Feeling The Musical Experience always brings in people who want to not only talk Buffy, but have so much fun singing along. I always end up laughing so hard my sides hurt. Before heading back outside one more time, the family decided to see what the Anime Screenings had to offer. It is a nice respite for our feet and a chance to see some of the best Anime that SDCC had brought for fans.

Thank you to San Diego Comic Con International for another successful event that has brought comics, entertainment, fun, and a great time reconnecting friendships, making new friends, and sharing creativity in the one time a year where it happens. The one thing you can be sure of: the excitement starts with Preview Night, but it doesn’t stop until late Sunday afternoon. It is a continual time for it all, and even when standing in long lines, it is so worth it.

Also, thank you to the staff and volunteers who go out of their way to make Comic Con a safe and fun experience. They were helpful to me in so many ways when things were going a bit wrong, and they made it right, and they did it with smiles and grace. For such a large event, I heard over and over stories of how the staff and volunteers were not only fun, but very funny, which means everyone took care of everyone. Again, thank you.

That’s it! It’s a wrap for another year, and now, if you will excuse me, I need to go soak my feet and get them ready for San Diego Comic Con International 2027!

Day Three of San Diego Comic Con Brings Marvel

 

 

Jeri Jacquin

Once again, it is hard to believe that we are only one day away from finishing San Diego Comic Con International 2026. Saturday is going to be such a busy day as more people, thank you weekend, are going to be downtown to immerse themselves in everything SDCC has to offer. Inside the convention center is always bustling, and outside, well, outside is where fun can be had by everyone because many of the events do not require a hard-to-get badge. I will be back in Hall H, so let's go!

First up, hosted by Ron Diamond, an animation producer himself; he is also the 1990 founder of Acme Filmworks. He spoke on international animation festivals where new talent is found. Also, connecting with directors of indie film for ad agencies. Sharing the vision behind the athletics, Diamond spoke on how the industry and fine-art animation have helped make Acme Filmworks a leader.

STAR TREK UNIVERSE is celebrating its 60^th anniversary with an opening by Rod Roddenberry. A panel including Michael Dorn, Robert Picardo, Dominic Keating, Cirroc Lofton, Doug Jones, Michelle Hurd, Jerry O’Connell, Christina Chong, Karim Diane, and my excitement to finally see George Takei. Karim Diane got the opportunity to bring up Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, a reveal that new Academy cadet Ruaridh Aldington will be joining as Keats, a young alien with a mysterious past. Just know, he’s more than he seems. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds brings executive producer Akiva Goldsman, and he shows the crowd a trailer showing what is coming for the U.S.S. Enterprise in season four. The panel included executive producers/showrunners Akiva Goldsman, Henry Alonso Meyers and Alex Kurtzman. Also included are Anson Mount, Rebecca Romijn, Ethan Peck, Christina Chong, Celia Rose Gooding, Melissa Navia and Paul Wesley. 

Scott Mantz announces that the first original animated YouTube series, Star Trek: Scouts, will be available on Star Trek Day on September 8^th. The show tells the story of three eight-year-olds, JR, Sprocket, and Roo, who are training to be Starfleet Explorers. Going on epic journeys, the series is produced by Nickelodeon Digital Studios.

Apple TV makes its first-time appearance in Hall H of San Diego Comic Con. I am a huge fan of the streaming service with so many favorite shows and movies, so I’m excited to see what they are bringing here. Moderated by Josh Horowitz, Apple TV brings a list of films, sci-fi, and comedy. In its second season, Dark Matter brings creators Blake Crouch along with Matt Tolmach, Jacquelyn Ben-Zekry, the panel also includes stars Joel Edgerton, Jennifer Connelly, and Dayo Okeniyi. If you haven’t seen Dark Matter, put it on your must-see watch list because it is amazing. If you love stories about alternate realities and multiverses, then this is the show for you. John Cena is up for MATCHBOX: The Movie, also starring Jessica Biel, Arturo Castro, Sam Richardson, and Teyonah Parris. After a long time away, Sean returns to his small town and no one knows that he’s an undercover CIA agent.

My excitement came when Silo came to the panel. Showrunner Graham Yost brings the damn stellar cast of Rebecca Ferguson, Common, Tim Robbins, Ashley Zukerman, Jessica Henwick, and Alexandria Riley show up for the third season. Season 3 has already started, and the panel discusses what they call the “Before Times” story in flashbacks and conspiracies from long ago. Ferguson talks about what happened to Juliette when she was forced out to clean and the continual problems with the new power. She describes her character as a hero who is “sedimented with trauma” (which is so true). Yes, there will be a season four, but it will be the final season. It is just amazing to see the camaraderie between the cast, especially for a show that is so dark, dangerous, and tense.  Directors John Francis Daley and Johnathan Goldstein are up to talk about their Ryan Reynolds/Kenneth Branagh movie MAYDAY. Reynolds plays Troy “Assassin” Kelly who flies a mission over Soviet Airspace in 1987, and when things go wrong, he meets Branagh’s character Nikolai Ustinov.

WIDOW’S BAY is celebrating 19 Emmy nominations for Apple TV. The series is a story created by Katie Dippold and stars Matthew Rhys as a Mayor Tom Loftis who is trying to make a New England island that is supposedly cursed into a tourist spot. The only problem is the supernatural evils and legends that might have something to say about it. The show also stars Kate O’Flynn and Stephen Root. Rhys came to the panel through Zoom, and on stage is O’Flynn, Stephen Root, Kingston Rumi Southwick, Kevin Carroll, and Dale Dickey. Root decided to start off the panel with “Let’s get started. – with cannibalism, right Mayor?” Rhy reminded him that “we don’t talk about cannibalism!” He also says that his character Tom has a lot of enthusiasm and wants what is best for the island.

Finally, MARVEL and H.E.R.B.I.E. get to kick off the presentation, having everyone singing Don’t Stop Believin’. Kevin Feige takes over the stage, and what all those people who stood in line for days to see. AVENGERS: Endgame is going to be re-released, which will have Doomsday peeks. “In 2019, one cinematic event brought the world together; this is the encore.” Of course, if you’re going to be part of Marvel, you can trust that Doom masks and green cloaks will be part of the fun. That means over 7,000 people turned Hall H green with a wave of doom! He announces that Shawn Levy of DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE fame will be directing Ryan Gosling jumps into the franchise in the new GHOST RIDER film slated for a 2028 release date. Gosling says that Levy is the man behind the film, adding, “As you know, this is a character I’ve wanted to play for a very long time.” Feige also took time to congratulate Gosling on STAR WARS: Starfighter. Spider-Man: Brand New Day brings Jon Bernthal to the stage. The last time I saw him at Comic Con was in 2010 for THE WALKING DEAD, so I cheered a little bit louder for his return. He brought exclusive footage of Spider-Man and the Punisher fighting an out-of-control Smart Hulk!

Directors Jo and Anthony Russo are up for AVENGERS: Doomsday. Feige says he feels bad for people in the back of the hall, but then two platforms show the cast of the film. On one side are the X-Men and the other are the Avengers. New footage of DOOMSDAY is shown with Doctor Doom sitting on a throne. I enjoyed watching Reed Richards, played by Pedro Pascal, go against Robert Downey Jr. I swear this movie is going to be fun. It seems most of the audience side with Doom when Robert Downey, Jr. says “It’s not easy being green!” I’m sure Kermit the Frog can attest to that comment. Let’s not forget Ryan Reynolds taking his shot at the stage wearing what he called a “Canadian Tuxedo,” which was really Deadpool's suit, but instead of the regular colors, it was totally grey. He also didn’t want to mess up his tux with anything Doom-related.

To wrap up the Marvel panel, a Black Panther III logo shines as Feige and director Ryan Coogler announce that David Jonsson will take up the role of the new Black Panther as the son of T'Challa, with a release date of December 15, 2028. Coogler says, “The last time we were together, we got to make a movie; we introduced a character that was the son of the character that the late Chadwick Bosem played.” The crowd gave him an amazing welcome.

It has been another long but very eventful and informative day packed with so many surprises, so many announcements, and ending with some of the coolest Marvel surprises. Tomorrow is the last day; hold your tears because you still have time to get there for deals on the last day and all the outside fun you can handle. Don’t worry, I’ll be there as well because I want to get slimed!

Until then….

Day Two of Comic Con 2026 Brings Rings and Zombies

 

Jeri Jacquin

The second day of San Diego Comic-Con International has the lines full and longer to get into Hall H today, and for the Marvel panel tomorrow. The sun held off long enough to get in the doors, but the cooling down has to wait until everyone settles. That’s difficult when six thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine people are finding a seat – yes, that would make me number seven thousand. It is time to rekindle friendships that come together once a year but feel like we were together just yesterday. It’s also a chance to see more costumes all in one place, and they, as always, are amazing and creative.

The morning begins with two of Prime’s upcoming slates, starting with BLADE RUNNER 2099. Premiering on November 25^th on Prime Video, the eight-episode series (streaming all at once) is a 2017 sequel to BLADE RUNNER 2049. The panel includes Executive Producers Silka Luisa, Andrew Kosove, and Broderick Johnson, as well as Michelle Yeoh as Olwen and Hunter Schafer as Cora. The future world has made humans second-class citizens. The replicants won the past war, and the reborn Los Angeles is being run by non-humans. Cora is a human who has been running and changing identities and takes on the identity as a Blade Runner. Partnering up with Olwen, they have no time to waste as she is fading. Hall H is treated to an exclusive scene from the series. A messed-up Cora is being dragged into an interrogation room, and Olwen enters. After seeing Cora, she wonders if she has what it takes!

Yeoh says of her role, “Blade Runner is iconic, visionary, and one character that always stayed with me was Roy Batty. So when I was offered to play a replicant, I was like, yes! I really want to explore the character that I would never gotten the opportunity, who was not human. What is being human after all, at the end of the day.” Schafer also speaks on her role, “So Cora has been grinding and trying to survive under the sort of new order of the world. And that’s sort of where we meet her. She has to endure quite a lot to come out of it on the other side.  

The next panel, THE LORD OF THE RINGS: The Rings of Power brings moderator Benjamin Walker and cast members Cynthia Addai-Robinson as Queen Miriel, Daniel Weyman as The Stranger, Jamie Campbell Bower as Celeborn, Ismael Cruz Cordova as Arondir, Charlie Vickers as Sauron/Halbrand, Benjamin Walker as Gil-galad and Owain Arthur as Prince Durin IV. Speaking about becoming part of the cast, Bower says, “It came forward, and I just jumped at the opportunity. I got the phone call in my car, and I burst into tears and Facetimed my brother and, yeah, and it’s felt like that ever since. It really has. I have felt so grateful to be here, and you guys have done an amazing thing. It’s a privilege, it really is, so thank you.” Cordova follows that emotional moment up with, “Can I add something here real quick because there are a lot of Jamie-fans out here. He is one of the best things that has happened to us, I think, having Jamie join us on the cast. He is one of the most special people, folded right in, the biggest heart, the greatest actor, and we are just incredibly grateful to have you, really.” You could hear hearts melting through the whole room, especially when the two actors give a warm bro-hug.

The premiere date is set for November 11^th on Prime Video (November is a big month then!). The teaser shown in Hall H finally shows the forging of the One Ring at Mount Doom and the outbreak of the War of the Elves and Sauron. Ringwraiths are not just on screen but stand on the Hall H stage as Sauron corrupts the Nazgnagol! There are reunions that get interrupted, open war in Middle-Earth, the Elven kingdom, and a weird Orc alliance that I want to see play out. Now, with a five-year time jump since Eregion has fallen, include (omg!) Simon Pegg as The Balrog, Eddie Marsan as Thrain, Andrew Richardson as Anarion, Zubin Varlar as Khamul the Easterling, Adam Young as Marnukh, and Daniel Weyman as the one and only Gandalf the Grey. LOTR: The Rings of Power will be released in three parts: four episodes on November 11^th, two episodes on November 18^th, and two on November 25^th.

AMC grabs the next two panels beginning with THE WALKING DEAD: Dead City. Moderator Dalton Ross from Entertainment Weekly, also Executive Producers Scott M. Gimple, Seth Hoffman, Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan, and Lauren Cohan as Maggie. Other cast members on stage are Aimee Garcia as Renata and Raul Castillo as Omar. So much has been brought up about the third season, and a few are that the fourth and final season of THE WALKING DEAD: Daryl Dixon with Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride will come in 2027. Gimple surprised the audience with the announcement that Emily Kinney will return as Beth during Season 3. Let’s see how that plays out. Aimee Garcia also gives her video diary on set along with a first look at Season 3. Of course, the few lucky ticket holders will be at The Loft later tonight to see the premiere of the show and have a little fun while they are at it.

This season, Maggie and Negan want to start a community in Manhattan, but that’s hard to do when there is always someone around the corner who wants to take what you have. Hopefully, the characters of Maggie and Negan have finally calmed down a little and gotten to the point of survival. Hoffman is the showrunner, and he seems to be guiding the ship in a good direction. Having been around the franchise for years, his writing has led to some stellar episodes. Morgan says there is an underlying shift in the new season and that Negan moves away from conflict into a more “multidimensional” person. “We are making the show we have wanted to do three years ago,” says Morgan. Also, his new bestie is none other than Jimmi Simpson as Dillard; check out the bar trailer for that juicy (literally) bit of info.

Conrad also talks about the reunion with sister Beth for an alternate-reality episode. She stresses that it is “incredibly deep and moving,” telling the audience they will need tissue. I always love a tissue warning. She also talks about the change in Maggie, and it is in part to Aimee Garcia’s character Renata, who helped her get through garbage “buried under years of hurt and resentment.” (Let’s hope that applies to Negan!) I’d like to see a calmer Maggie that’s for sure. I’ll find out soon since the wait is almost over as THE WALKING DEAD: Dead City premieres July 26^th on AMC and AMC+.

The next panel from AMC is the smash hit LESTAT, moderated by Jacqueline Coley. Also on stage are Executive Producers and Showrunners Hannah Mascovitch, Mark Johnson, and Rolin Jones, along with Jacob Anderson as Louis, Assad Zaman as Armand, Eric Bogsian as Daniel, Sheila Atim as Akasha. So where is Lestat himself, Sam Reid? Well, he is in Australia doing the stage production of Doubt. Before diving deeper into the panel, there are some incredible announcements that must be shared. First, (hold your breath) the series will officially be returning for a fourth season, but (wait for it), it will return as ANNE RICE’S QUEEN OF THE DAMNED (yes, you can scream now!). It will be taken from her third book, The Vampire Chronicles. “We cannot wait to continue the journey with QUEEN OF THE DAMNED, one of the most iconic stories in Anne Rice’s mythology. Watch our established and beloved characters confront Akasha with their world, and ours, very much hanging in the balance,” says AMC's Dan McDermott.

Save a little scream because there is a sizzle reel of Sam Reid’s performing at a New York concert with The Vampire Lestat: One Night Only LIVE.  The exclusive trailer shows Atim as Akasha calling upon the women of the world to basically get rid of men completely. If you have read any of Anne Rice’s books, you know why she is the way she is. She makes her stance fairly clear with, “And I say this to you now, do not let them shape you into the size of their cage. Women, get up out of the ditches where they have thrown you, and come with me now to where the men are gathered, and do what you have long longed to do, kill them all.” Atta girl!! I mean, that’s what happens when you touch things that shouldn’t be touched, Lestat!

HBO’s LANTERNS is the next panel set to premiere on August 16^th in an eight-episode season and air weekly (also on Max). Josh Horowitz is the host of the panel that includes executive producer Damon Lindelof, co-creators Chris Mundy and Tom King, along with cast Kyle Chandler, Aaron Pierre, Garret Dillahunt, and Poorna Jagannathan. Chandler plays Hal Jordan, and Aaron Pierre is John Stewart, and they are partners in an investigation into terrestrial murder. This happens Earth-based but across two distinct timelines, 2016 and 2026 (wouldn’t Loki and the TVA love that!). Dillahunt and Jagannathan are William and Zoe Macon who cross paths with Hal and John. Other cast include Ulrich Thomsen as Thaal Sinestro and, as the audience lost its mind about, Nat Fillion as Guy Gardner. If that wasn’t enough, Fillion dropped by, sending the audience into a frenzy as he reminded us all that he had an obligation to be in Hall H. “So sorry, somebody left my email off the invite list to this event. I don’t know if you know this, but I’m kind of a big deal. There is a building outside with my face on it legally; I’m required to be here. I brought my rig.”

Finally, to close off Day Two of Hall H, it's just something so amazing and spectacular; I’m just a kiddie gal. The whole place is in an uproar for SPACEBALLS: The Comic Con Panel. The cast is on stage, but first, the audience has to be combed to find Rick Moranis, and the audience could not get enough of him chanting “Rick! Rick! Rick”; it was amazing! Back on stage, Mel Brooks sent his greetings via video message, but hey, the guy just turned 100; give him a break. In his message, he said the sequel could not be called The Search for More Money because he actually found the money. “It was in my basement. So, we don’t need any more money at this point.” He signed off his message with “May the Schwartz be with you.” I laughed and cried at the same time. Besides, Mr. Moranis, Bill Pullman's son Lewis Pullman, Daphne Zuniga, Josh Gad, and director Josh Greenbaum all take a seat. A bit of footage has debuted, and even though the film is still several months away, I’ll take what I can get. The story? Well, it seems Lone Starr and Barf are missing as Princess Vespa needs a new group to go find them before Dark Helmet gets his little, tiny, black-gloved hands on them. Of course, Dark Helmet still wants the Schwartz, but who wouldn’t, right?

I love that Bill Pullman’s son is playing the son of Lone Starr. I’ve become a big fan of Lewis Pullman since his film opposite Sally Field, Remarkably Bright Creatures, which is on Netflix (definitely check that out). Lewis talked about how “incredibly bizarre and special it was to act alongside my father.” Pullman says of returning to the film four decades later that “the experience is amazing but now requires more naps and coffee.” Lewis read a wonderful and hilarious letter from his father.  SPACEBALLS: The New One will be in theatres April 23, 2027, marking exactly 40 years from the 1987 iconic and classic film. Mark your calendars for this one!

That’s it for me on a full Day Two of San Diego Comic Con. It was a day full of surprises, trailers, announcements, and fans having the best time. Tomorrow is going to be insane, as the line outside Hall H can attest to. The line for the Marvel panel is long and getting longer, but always worth the wait.

See you then!