San Diego is buzzing with excitement as Comic-Con makes its full force return this week. Tens of thousands of fans, dressed as their favorite fantasy heroes and sci-fi villains, are eagerly awaiting a Marvel superhero film event.
Comic-Con, one of the world’s largest pop culture events, started off modestly five decades ago as a comic book-themed gathering in a hotel basement. Today, it attracts huge crowds and A-list stars promoting new movies and television shows.
Despite last year’s edition being affected by Hollywood strikes, which hindered actor attendance and fan interest, this year’s Comic-Con is expected to draw back 130,000 attendees to the southern Californian city.
The highlight of the event is the Saturday night Marvel movies presentation. Parent company Disney is set to reveal plans to revamp its highly successful superhero film franchise, following some recent missteps.
The Marvel movies have been a major force in Hollywood and global box offices, with “Avengers: Endgame” briefly holding the title of the highest-grossing film of all time at over $2.79 billion in 2019.
However, recent years have seen more failures than successes, with fans criticizing convoluted plots and mourning the exit of favorite characters like Robert Downey Jr’s “Iron Man.”
The franchise also faced controversy with actor Jonathan Majors, who was set to play a major supervillain in multiple films but was dropped by Marvel after domestic violence allegations. The Saturday presentation is expected to address how Disney will move forward without him.
– Aliens, Deadpool and Ancient Rome –
Other highlights at Comic-Con include a look at “Alien: Romulus,” the latest installment in the sci-fi saga, and a celebration for the upcoming superhero release, “Deadpool & Wolverine.”
Warner Bros., the studio behind DC superhero movies, will offer a sneak peek at the Batman spinoff TV series “The Penguin,” starring Colin Farrell.
Fans can also look forward to events related to “Those About To Die,” a thrilling adventure set in Ancient Rome, starring Anthony Hopkins, as well as updates on the second season of Amazon’s “Lord of the Rings” TV series and the new series “Yakuza: Like a Dragon.”
For many attendees, Comic-Con is an opportunity to cosplay as their favorite characters, trade comic books, and connect with fellow fans. The event runs from Thursday until Sunday.
