Are you ready for Comic-Con? That shite is only a couple weeks away so you damn well better be! I’m sure I’m not the only one that feels Comic-Con is a pretty sacred movie event. Sure the convention is technically about comics, but the massive amount of movie projects at the convention every year has placed Comic-Con right up there with the yearly film events you don’t want to miss right alongside the Academy Awards. So it’s with that excitement that I bring you some more Con updates!
Last week I hit you all with the genre line-ups for both Thursday and Friday so it should be no surprise that I’m here today to tell you what genre goods will be hitting the Con on Saturday July 24th and Sunday July 25th! But first we’ve got another Con update to tell you all about….
You see the guys over at IGN recently scored themselves a Comic-Con promo poster for AMC’s “The Walking Dead.” The poster features some Comic-Con details on the project along with an old still and a pretty cool shot of some chained doors with the warning: Don’t Open, Dead Inside! Now that particular shot looks like it’s from the comic rather than the series but who are we to complain. Check the poster out directly below.
Then below that I’ve tossed up the line-up for all things genre-related that’ll be hitting The Con Saturday and Sunday of that weekend. Now some of the bigger projects include LET ME IN, “Warehouse 13,” RESIDENT EVIL: AFTERLIFE, SUCKER PUNCH, “True Blood,” “Sanctuary,” PAUL, “Eureka,” COWBOYS & ALIENS, “Supernatural,” “Lost,” “Dark Shadows,” “Fringe,” and “The Vampire Diaries.” You can scroll below to read up on the genre goods but you’ll want to head right over HERE for the full schedule. Enjoy!
Saturday, July 24
10:00-11:00 Panel of the Living Dead: Surviving the Post-Apocalyptic Zombie Onslaught on Xbox 360— Xbox 360 has become the exclusive epicenter for zombies. The team behind Capcom’s Dead Rising 2 joins the industry’s top zombie creative minds and a special guest zombie authority for a behind-the-braaaiiinnss look at the popular zombie titles on Xbox 360. Chomp on insights into how they’ve developed their unique lexicon on undead lore and storytelling approaches, and get survival tips for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. Join the flesh-hungry undead for a special Dead Rising 2 surprise from Capcom and be one of the first 25 zombies attending the panel to receive a special token for Dead Rising 2: Case Zero. Room 25ABC
10:00-11:00 Twilight Fanfiction Author Fangroup— A Q&A/dialogue with Snowqueens Icedragon (Master of the Universe), m81170 (An Introduction to Swirl & Daisy), MsKathy (The Trip Home), HMonster4 (Deconstructing Dracula), Giselle-lx (Ithaca is Gorges), ElleCC (A Murmur of Fire in the Vein), and Amethyst Jackson (Bonne Foi). Santa Rosa Room, Marriott Hotel and Marina
11:45-1:15 Warner Bros.: Green Lantern, Sucker Punch, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows— Warner Bros. showcases three eagerly awaited upcoming new films in this Hall H presentation!
Sucker Punch — Fasten your seatbelt for a sneak peek at the dark action fantasy Sucker Punch, from director Zack Snyder, who previewed his films 300 and Watchmen at past Comic-Cons. A group of young girls escape the dark reality of their lives through their vivid imagination, which takes them to various fantasy locations in different realms. The ensemble cast features Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Vanessa Hudgens, Carla Gugino, Jena Malone, Jamie Chung, and Jon Hamm.
12:00-1:00 Fang Girls and Fang Boys: The Popularity of Vampire Lit— Authors of vampire fiction for young adults and adults discuss the appeal of their worlds and characters. Authors include Charlaine Harris (the Sookie Stackhouse Series), Heather Brewer (the Chronicles of Vladimir Tod), Rachel Caine (the Morganville Vampires series), Christopher Farnsworth (Blood Oath: The President’s Vampire), Chris Marie Green (the Vampire Babylon series), Richelle Mead (the Vampire Academy series), and Jeanne C. Stein (the Anna Strong series). Moderated by Brian Truitt, associate editor, USA Weekend Magazine/USA Today. Room 7AB
1:00-2:00 The Write Stuff: Creating Genre Television— An incredible insider look at the making of genre television from the scribes behind some of today’s hottest shows who share their candid thoughts on how to make the series we love (and sometimes loathe)…and beyond. Featuring Javier Grillo-Marxuach (The Middleman, Lost), Gabrielle Stanton (The Vampire Diaries, Moonlight), Jesse Alexander (Heroes, Lost, Alias), Jose Molina (Castle, Firefly), Robert Hewitt Wolfe (The Gates, Deep Space Nine), Charles Murray (V, Criminal Minds), Sarah Watson (Middleman, Parenthood), Ashley E. Miller (Fringe, Terminator), Steve Kriozere (NCIS, V.I.P.), Steve Melching (Clone Wars, Transformers, The Batman), and Mark A. Altman (Castle, Elvis Van Helsing). Moderated by Creative Screenwriting’s Jeff Goldsmith. Room 8
1:00-2:00 Sanctuary— Walk on the wild side at Syfy’s highly anticipated Sanctuary panel. Moderated by Josh Gates (Destination Truth) and featuring Amanda Tapping (Helen Magnus), Robin Dunne (Will Zimmerman), and executive producers Martin Wood and Damian Kindler, you’ll experience this revolutionary Syfy original series like never before. Indigo Ballroom, San Diego Hilton Bayfront
1:30-2:30 Overture: Let Me In— The cast and filmmakers of Let Me In, a haunting and provocative thriller written and directed by filmmaker Matt Reeves (Cloverfield), give the Hall H audience a sneak peek at this highly anticipated film. Let Me In is an astonishing coming-of-age story involving a young girl (Kick Ass’s Chloe Moretz) and an alienated boy (Kodi Smit-McPhee from The Road) unlike any you have seen. Based on the bestselling Swedish novel Lat den Ratte Komma (Let The Right One In) by John Ajvide Lindqvist and the highly acclaimed film of the same name, Let Me In takes audiences straight to the troubled heart of adolescent longing and loneliness. Academy Award–nominee Richard Jenkins (The Visitor) also stars in this exhilarating reboot of the beloved original. Hall H
3:15-4:15 Fringe Screening and Q&A— Fringe returns to Comic-Con as Lance Reddick and Blair Brown make their first appearance at the convention, joining fellow series stars Anna Torv , Joshua Jackson, John Noble, and Jasika Nicole plus executive producers Jeff Pinkner and J. H. Wyman for a Q&A with fans and an exclusive video presentation. Join the discussion of this critically acclaimed thriller, which explores the ever-blurring line between science fiction and reality, where hybrid monsters tear through sewers, thieves walk through walls and portals open to worlds unknown. From Bad Robot Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television, Fringe airs Thursdays at 9pm ET/PT on FOX, and Fringe: The Complete Second Season will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on September 14. Ballroom 20
3:30-5:00 Warehouse 13 and Eureka— Don’t miss two of Syfy’s biggest hit series in one exclusive event. Catch back-to-back Warehouse 13 and Eureka panels, featuring Warehouse 13’s Eddie McClintock (Pete Lattimer), Joanne Kelly (Myka Bering), Saul Rubinek (Artie Nielsen), Allison Scagliotti (Claudia Donovan), and Jack Kenny (showrunner/executive producer) and Eureka’s Colin Ferguson (Jack Carter), Salli Richardson-Whitfield (Allison Blake), Neil Grayston (Douglas Fargo), James Callis (Grant), Jaime Paglia (co-creator/executive producer/writer), and Bruce Miller (executive producer/writer). Room 6BCF
4:00-4:45 Screen Gems: Resident Evil: Afterlife— In a world ravaged by a virus infection that turns its victims into the Undead, Alice (Milla Jovovich) continues on her journey to find survivors and lead them to safety. Her deadly battle with the Umbrella Corporation reaches new heights, but Alice gets some unexpected help from an old friend. A new lead that promises a safe haven from the Undead takes them to Los Angeles, but when they arrive the city is overrun by thousands of Undead and Alice and her comrades are about to step into a deadly trap. The fourth installment of the hugely successful Resident Evil franchise, Resident Evil: Afterlife is again based on the wildly popular video game series and this time will be shot in 3D using the same state-of-the-art cameras created for Avatar. Writer/director Paul W. S. Anderson, along with the film’s stars Milla Jovovich, Ali Larter, and Wentworth Miller, will be on hand to show you some stunning 3D sequences and answer your questions. Hall H
4:15-5:00 The Vampire Diaries Screening and Q&A— The cast and creative team behind The Vampire Diaries return to take a bite out of Comic-Con! Series stars Nina Dobrev (Degrassi: The Next Generation), Paul Wesley (Roll Bounce), Ian Somerhalder (Lost), Michael Trevino (Cane), and Matt Davis (Blue Crush) join executive producers/writers Kevin Williamson (Scream) and Julie Plec (Kyle XY) to show fans a fang-tastic season-one highlight reel, followed by a Q&A session. This edgy, romantic drama quickly became the number one series on The CW in its first season. The Vampire Diaries director/co-executive producer Marcos Siega (Dexter) will moderate the panel. From Bonanza Productions Inc., Outerbanks Entertainment and Alloy Entertainment in association with Warner Bros. Television and CBS Television Studios, The Vampire Diaries will return for its second season this fall, airing Thursdays at 8 pm ET/PT on The CW, and The Vampire Diaries: The Complete First Season will be released on Blu-ray and DVD August 31. Ballroom 20
4:45-5:45 Universal: Paul and Cowboys & Aliens— Universal presents two upcoming films in this exclusive Hall H presentation.
Paul — Scheduled to appear for Universal Pictures’ sci-fi comedy-adventure Paul are a who’s who of film comedy. Director Greg Mottola (Superbad) will be joined by cast members Simon Pegg (Hot Fuzz), Nick Frost (Shaun of the Dead), Kristen Wiig (Date Night), Bill Hader (Forgetting Sarah Marshall), Jeffrey Tambor (The Hangover), Joe Lo Truglio (Role Models), Seth Rogen (The Green Hornet), and Sigourney Weaver (Baby Mama) as they discuss the movie about two sci-fi geeks whose pilgrimage to Comic-Con ultimately takes them to America’s UFO heartland. While there, they accidentally meet an alien who takes them on an insane road trip that alters their universe forever. Q&A session to follow.
Cowboys & Aliens — Director Jon Favreau (Iron Man series) discusses what’s happening behind the scenes of Universal Pictures and DreamWorks’ action-thriller Cowboys & Aliens, based on Platinum Studios’ graphic novel. Currently shooting in New Mexico, Cowboys & Aliens stars Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford and takes audiences into the Old West, where a lone cowboy leads an uprising against a terror from beyond our world. Q&A session to follow. Hall H
5:00-6:00 Dark Shadows: The Classic Series, the Comic Books, and the Upcoming Film— Hermes Press celebrates Dark Shadows with a panel discussing the past, present, and future of the series. Join series stars Jonathan Frid (Barnabas Collins, via special video appearance), Lara Parker (Angelique), Kathryn Leigh Scott (Maggie Evans/Josette), with Jim Pierson (Dark Shadows) and Daniel Herman (publisher, Hermes Press) for a discussion and Q&A session. Room 3
5:00-6:00 Hellboy, The BPRD, and Beyond— As Mike Mignola and Duncan Fegredo near the end of their epic Hellboy trilogy (Darkness Calls, The Wild Hunt, and now The Storm), join them and long-suffering editor Scott Allie in a Q&A session covering the entire Hellboy universe, plus Mignola’s new series Baltimore: The Plague Ships. Room 25ABC
5:30-6:30 The Winston Effect— Creature and VFX luminaries discuss Stan Winston’s impact on the art of character creation — past, present and future. The panel will include messages from Jim Cameron and Tim Burton about a thrilling new Stan Winston endeavor. Panelists include John Rosengrant (Stan Winston lifer and co-owner of Legacy Effects), Shane Mahan (Academy Award nominated co-owner of Legacy Effects), J. Alan Scott (animatronic effects supervisor and co-owner of Legacy Effects), Alec Gillis (Academy Award–nominated co-founder of Amalgamated Dynamics, Inc.), Tom Woodruff, Jr. (Academy Award–winning co-founder of Amalgamated Dynamics, Inc.), Howard Berger (Academy Award–winning co-owner of KNB EFX), Van Ling (VFX supervisor), Alex Alvarez (founder and president, Gnomon School of Visual Effects), and Matt Winston (actor and co-founder of SWSCA). Followed by a Q&A session. Room 7AB
5:30-6:30 Avatar Press and Max Brooks— Max Brooks (World War Z) leads off the Avatar panel with one of his legendary Zombie Survival talks and a Q&A session. Then editor-in-chief William Christensen fills you in on all the upcoming Avatar projects with Mike Wolfer (Gravel, Wolfskin, Lady Death) and Jacen Burrows (Crossed, Neonomicon). Room 26AB
6:00-7:00 War of the Worlds: Goliath— War of the Worlds: Goliath is an animated, 95-minute, battle epic set in a Steampunk 1914 Earth that has rebuilt and rearmed following the failed Martian Invasion of 1900. Set for release in early 2011, War of the Worlds: Goliath features voices by Peter Wingfield, Adam Baldwin, Elizabeth Gracen, Jim Byrnes, and Adrian Paul, among others. Producer Kevin Eastman (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Heavy Metal), producer/director Joe Pearson (Roswell Conspiracies, Captain Simian and the Space Monkeys), producer/writer David Abramowitz (Highlander), and producer Leon Tan screen footage from the upcoming feature, discuss the production process, and hold a Q&A session. Room 5AB
6:00-7:00 Lost But Not Forgotten— Lost Encyclopedia authors Tara Bennett and Paul Terry, along with other special Lost guests, discuss this seminal show’s legacy, their thoughts on the finale, and the creation of the forthcoming Lost Encyclopedia. Attendees will have a chance to win a signed copy of the Lost Encyclopedia. Room 8
6:30-7:30 What’s Hot @ Harper: A Special Sneak Preview of Upcoming SF, Fantasy, Urban Noir, Horror & More— Want to hear about The Fall by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan? Get a sneak preview of the next Kim Harrison? Meet some of the Eos and Avon authors and hear about their upcoming books? Plus get free stuff (including a chance to win a new e-Reader, so you can enjoy all of Harper’s ‘e’ offerings)? Then don’t miss this panel on HarperCollins’s upcoming sci-fi/fantasy/horror titles and more! Moderated by Diana Gill, executive editor, HarperCollins Publishers, with authors Brom, Richard Kadrey, Marjorie M. Liu, and others. Room 26AB
7:00-8:00 Halo-8 Comics and Illustrated Films— Art and cinema collide at Halo-8, where stories are created simultaneously as comic books and “illustrated films,” merging motion comics with 3D-CGI, intense voice performances, and cinematic storytelling. Following the breakthrough success of Godkiller, Halo-8 president Matt Pizzolo (writer/director, Godkiller) presents the studio’s bold new slate of comics and illustrated films, unveiling never-before-seen art and announcing new projects with fellow panelists, creators Ben Templesmith (30 Days of Night) and Tim Seeley (Hack/Slash), producers Brian Giberson (Godkiller) and FJ DeSanto (The Spirit, upcoming The Shadow), Godkiller stars Danielle Harris (Halloween) and Justin Pierre (Motion City Soundtrack), and more special guests. A limited-edition mystery gift will be available exclusively to panel attendees. Room 8
7:30-8:30 12-Gauge Comics: Boondock Saints: The Comic Series!— Troy Duffy, the writer/director of the cult-hit films The Boondock Saints and The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day, takes you behind the scenes of his comic trilogy, In Nomine Patris. Find out what’s next for the McManus Brothers and Il Duce, as Duffy and comic series co-writer J.B. Love fill you in on their plans for the next exciting storyline. But that’s not all…get a sneak peek at the new Boondock Saints iPhone game with developer Terrence Myers, and as an extra-special treat, David Della Rocco (the beloved “Rocco” from the films) will be taking your questions during the Q&A session! Moderated by comic series producer Eben Matthews and 12-Gauge publisher Keven Gardner (The Ride). Room 9
8:00-9:00 Troma Troma Troma— Movie-making insights with irreverent filmmakers Lloyd Kaufman (Poultrygiest: Night of the Chicken Dead), Adam Green (Frozen), Adam Rifkin (The Dark Backward), Dennis Dreith (Creep Van), Darren Bousman (Mother’s Day), James Gunn (Super), and moderator Mimi Cruz (Night Flight Comics). Troma Entertainment is Reel Independence! Room 8
8:30-11:30 Simulcast of HBO’s True Blood Presents: The San Diego Comic-Con International Masquerade— Avoid the crowds and watch the simulcast. See our Masquerade page for more details. Room 5AB
8:30-11:30 Simulcast in 6A of HBO’s True Blood Presents: The San Diego Comic-Con International Masquerade— Avoid the crowds and watch the simulcast. See our Masquerade page for more details. Room 6A
8:30-9:30 World Premiere of The House That Drips Blood on Alex: An Evening With Tommy Wiseau— Visionary cult auteur Tommy Wiseau, creator of midnight movie phenomenon The Room, has teamed up with Atom.com and Studio 8 for The House That Drips Blood On Alex. See the world premiere and join the cast and creators Tommy Wiseau, Brock LaBorde, Jared Richard, Yaque Silva-Doyle, Chris Trew, Joey Greco (Cheaters), and Justine Ezarik (iJustine) for a lively discussion. Room 7AB
8:30-11:30 HBO’s True Blood Presents: The San Diego Comic-Con International Masquerade— Fabulous original and re-created costumes crafted by our talented attendees appear on stage before an audience of thousands, with impressive awards and cash prizes bestowed to those judged most outstanding. Doors will open for audience seating at 7:45 pm, but the line will start much earlier! Tickets will be required for seating and will be given out free to those lining up near Ballroom 20 beginning at 3:00pm Saturday until all tickets are gone. The Masters of Ceremony are writer/artists Phil Foglio and Kaja Foglio of Studio Foglio. Ballroom 20, with additional live broadcasts of the event in Rooms 5AB and 6A, and in the Sails Pavilion. Ballroom 20
8:30-11:30 Simulcast Under the Sails of HBO’s True Blood Presents: The San Diego Comic-Con International Masquerade— Avoid the crowds and watch the simulcast. See our Masquerade page for more details. Sails Pavilion
Sunday, July 25
11:00-12:00 Halo Universe Panel— Frank O’Connor (343 Industries) hosts this panel of renowned Halo creators, including appearances by authors and representatives from long-standing partners such as McFarlane Toys and Weta. Room 32AB
11:15-12:15 Supernatural Screening and Q&A— Cast members, executive producers Sera Gamble (Eyes) and Ben Edlund (Angel), and creator/executive producer Eric Kripke (Boogeyman) present an exclusive sneak peek at footage from the highly anticipated sixth season of Supernatural, which moves to a new day, Fridays at 9pm ET/PT on The CW this fall. The panel will answer questions from the audience and also show a portion of the special features from the upcoming Supernatural: The Complete Fifth Season DVD and Blu-ray release, in stores September 7. Supernatural is produced by Wonderland Sound and Vision in association with Warner Bros. Television. Ballroom 20
12:00-2:00 Browncoats Fan Group— Fans of Firefly and Serenity are welcome to join the California Browncoats. Get the scoop on upcoming ‘verse-related and ‘verse-friendly events and products that you’ll really love. Drop by any time to join the fun and find out what the group is up to, but those arriving by 12:20 can enter to play “Serenity Spin”: put your ‘verse-related trivia to the test to win shiny prizes! You never know what else might happen! Room 32AB
4:00-5:00 Buffy the Musical— Let’s end this show with a bang! The powers that be behind Fandom Charities Inc. and Whedonopolis.com present a screening of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer musical episode “Once More With Feeling” as Comic-Con 2010’s big closing event! Many say this is the finest, funniest, most ingenious episode ever to come out of the Buffy-verse. But remember, the best part of the show is up to you! This episode was made for talkin’ — back, that is — and singing and shouting and dancing in the aisles, with or without your dry cleaning! Audience participation: it isn’t just for Rocky Horror and mob riots anymore. Ballroom 20
LOST’s Evangeline Lilly
COWBOYS & ALIENS’ Oliva Wilde
SUCKER PUNCH’s Carla Gugino