San Diego Comic-Con has just started to announce the schedule for its annual convention, and the first full day is looking pretty TV and gaming-heavy.
There were some concerns about what would happen at the usually very busy Comic-Con, where Marvel phases 5 and 6 were announced just last year. Marvel will reportedly not be holding panels this year, as will Netflix, Universal, and Sony Pictures. The ongoing writers’ strike and potential actors’ strike have made planning more uncertain, particularly as SAG-AFTRA has extended the contract period with Hollywood Studios to July 12 – meaning we may not know for a few days before whether the organization will go on strike or not not SDCC.
Still, there are some lively panels and performances scheduled for the first full day – Thursday, July 20th. Perhaps one of the biggest is Spider-Man 2 from Insomniac Games, which is celebrated as a blockbuster in Hall H. On this day, Pokemon will also hold its first SDCC panel.
On the TV side, Max is involved with animated shows like Harley Quinn and Adventure Time: Fionna & Cake, Prime with his fantasy adaptation Wheel of Time, and Peacock with Twisted Metal. Paramount Pictures will also have a panel for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.
Check out the highlights below, updated each day as Comic-Con releases its schedule. All times are in the Pacific. For the full schedule click here.
Thursday
11:00 – 12:30 – Max. original animation: Max Original Animation celebrates new and returning animated series, including an expansion in the Adventure Time universe, Adventure Time: Fionna & Cake; a new animated series, Young Love, based on the characters from Matthew A. Cherry and Sony Pictures Animation’s Oscar-winning animated short Hair Love; and a preview of the upcoming fourth season of the fan-favorite Harley Quinn. The panel offers exclusive insights, surprising panelists and more. Moderated by Damian Holbrook (TV Guide Magazine).
11:30am – 12:30pm – Paramount Pictures: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem: Paramount Pictures will feature a panel discussion and film presentation with filmmakers.
11:45 – 12:45 – Pokémon: Presenting iconic animations to global audiences: The Pokémon Company International (TPCi) takes a behind-the-scenes look at how the popular Pokémon animated series was localized from its original Japanese version into one of the most popular series, loved by international audiences. A panel moderated by streamer and comics writer Meghan Camarena (aka Strawburry17) will feature TPCi’s Taito Okiura (Vice President of Marketing and Business Development), Andy Gose (Senior Director of Media Production) and Hilary Thomas (Senior Producer). Discuss how the series is being optimized for global viewers, give fans a sneak peek at the special episode collection that will conclude the 25-season journey of Ash and his Pikachu in Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series, and share new insights behind the Scenery The highly anticipated Pokémon Horizons: The Series is coming soon to fans around the world.
12:45pm – 1:45pm – Ghosts: Ghosts, one of the top comedy television shows on CBS and Paramount+, returns to Comic-Con after a season cliffhanger in which Sam saw a piercing white light shoot straight from the sky into their home. Please join us for a special Ghosts presentation.
1:45pm – 2:45pm – Behind the scenes with the cast of Jury Duty: From the producers of “The Office,” “The White Lotus,” and “Bad Trip,” the Amazon Freevee Original Series “Jury Duty” chronicles the inner workings of an American grand jury trial through the eyes of a certain juror, Ronald Gladden, who doesn’t knows that everyone around him he is an actor and the whole process is fake. Hear from the cast and creative team behind the scenes during the making of the series and meet San Diego’s hometown hero Ronald.
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. – The wheel of time: The wheel continues to turn at Comic-Con as the cast of Prime Video’s hit series, The Wheel of Time, give a preview of the highly-anticipated second season. Alongside a discussion of how the show is bringing Robert Jordan’s iconic book series from page to screen, they will unveil exclusive Season 2 content as well as some other exciting surprises for viewers. Season 2 of The Wheel of Time will premiere on September 1st.
2:30pm – 3:30pm – Marvel’s Spider-Man 2: Symbiotic Relationships: Insomniac Games’ Creative Director Bryan Intihar, Game Director Ryan Smith, Narrative Director Jon Paquette and Senior Art Director Jacinda Chew are joined by actors Yuri Lowenthal (Peter Parker), Nadji Jeter (Miles Morales) and Laura Bailey (Mary Jane Watson). . , and Tony Todd (Venom), along with Marvel Games’ VO and Creative Director Bill Rosemann, to discuss the upcoming PlayStation 5 game. Go behind the scenes at Insomniac Games’ version of the monstrous Venom and learn how the symbiote plays a role in the sequel to the hit PlayStation games Marvel’s Spider-Man and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales.
3:00pm – 4:00pm – A look inside Cruel Summer Season 2: The stars and creative team behind Freeform’s hit series Cruel Summer take you behind the scenes of Season 2 and reveal all the twists and turns viewers can expect from the shocking final episodes. Fans get an exclusive sneak peek at the rest of the season and a chat with stars Lexi Underwood, Sadie Stanley and Griffin Gluck, and executive producers Michelle Purple and Bill Purple. New episodes of Cruel Summer air Mondays at 10/9am on Freeform and stream the next day on Hulu.
3:15pm – 4:15pm – Peacock’s original comedy series Twisted Metal: Get an exclusive taste of Peacock’s new original comedy series, Twisted Metal. Based on the classic PlayStation game series, Twisted Metal is a fast-paced action comedy based on an original adaptation by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick (Deadpool) and written by Michael Jonathan Smith (Cobra Kai) about a motor-mouthed misfit who takes a chance at one better life, but only if he manages to successfully deliver a mysterious package across a post-apocalyptic wasteland. The ten-part series stars Anthony Mackie, Stephanie Beatriz, Thomas Haden Church, Will Arnett and Joe Seanoa, and guest stars Neve Campbell, and will stream July 27 only on Peacock.
4:15pm – 5:15pm – Talk to Me by A24: Danny and Michael Philippou (aka RackaRacka) talk about their journey from the creators of YouTube to their feature film debut and how their love of the genre led them to make the most anticipated horror film of the summer. They will be joined by Talk to Me cast members Sophie Wilde, Joe Bird, Alexandra Jensen and Zoe Terakes.
4:30pm – 5:30pm – FX’s What We Do in the ShadowsMission: We’re sending ravens – 500 ravens! – to invite you to join America’s Favorite Vampire Roommates at Comic-Con! Be among the first to see a brand new episode full of surprises! What We Do in the Shadows airs Thursdays at 10:00 am ET/PT on FX and streams the next day on Hulu. BAAAaaat!
Credit: JB Lacroix/Getty Images
Alex Stedman is Senior News Editor at IGN, overseeing entertainment coverage. When she’s not writing or editing, she reads fantasy novels or plays Dungeons & Dragons.