Movies (Hall H):

Megamind -They showed a five-minute trailer for the film that looked much better then anything released previously. It might have been showing off the best bits but it was still impressive. Then Will Ferrell came out in full costume and makeup. Tina Fey, Jonah Hill, and a cardboard cutout of Brad Pitt were also on the panel and they made for an awesome time. The conversation was hilarious and I was impressed with the footage. A-

Tron Legacy – Showing off a new trailer and an eight-minute clip, Disney came prepared to blow us away. Though the visuals, music, and production design totally did, the acting and dialogue left me with a bit of a bad taste. The newcomer who plays the Flynn’s son really didn’t impress me. Still, Jeff Bridges was great on the panel and the footage was good overall. B+

Salt – An extended trailer made the film look like a mediocre Bourne rip-off but Liev Schriber was a lot of fun on the panel and Angelina Jolie had some interesting things to say. If the movie had looked better I might have been a lot more interested. B-

Battle: Los Angeles – Described by the director as “black hawk down with aliens,” the movie looks a lot more like Cloverfield as it follows a group of people (in this case an army platoon), during an alien invasion. The trailer/clip they showed was intense but a bit bland and the aliens looked a bit too much like Transformers. The panel and Q+A was mediocre enough for me not to remember anything about it. B-

RED – Bruce Willis and Helen Mirren had a few fun things to say on this panel. The new trailer they showed was very good and Karl Urban also had some interesting Q+A answers. Nothing mind blowing, but the panel showed hope for a good movie and a fun cast. A-

The Visionaries – JJ Abrams and Joss Whedon did a great job discussing an amazing range of topics without ever getting boring. Funny and interesting anecdotes filled the panel and fans were left with both past and future projects discussed. Job well done. A

The Expendables – Though I sat through this panel just for the one that came after, I was pleasantly surprised. The clips and discussions bored me, but that was because I’m not really interested in the movie. Stallone was funny throughout and fans got the clips and stars that they wanted. I still wish they could have had more surprise guests though (they only had a brief hello by Bruce Willis). B+

Scott Pilgrim vs The World – The last panel in H stole the day with a hilarious Q+A and awesome footage. Every member of the 14-person panel got to say a few lines and each cracked the audience up. Michael Cera even dressed in a cheap Captain America costume since he was part of “the top 200 in the audition process. Overall, Universal did a great job assembling the talent and the footage showed off this awesome film. A+

TV (Ballroom 20):

Unfortunately I’m only one person and spent my whole day in Hall H. This doesn’t mean you can’t hear what happened in Ballroom 20 though. TV.com has a Burn Notice recap here and HitFix has a White Collar recap here. Finally, AceShowbiz has a recap of all the panels in Ballroom 20 including the Psych panel. You can read that here.

Come back tomorrow night for a Friday recap!

MTV Splashpage just confirmed that the Friday panel for ‘The Goon’ will include producer David Fincher, actor Paul Giamatti, and brand-new footage for the film. Why should you be incredibly excited? Continue reading and find out.

For those of you that are not film-fans, let me give you an overview of the guests. Fincher is a legend in modern cinema and has directed Fight Club, Se7en, Zodiac, Benjamin Button, and the upcoming film The Social Network. Giamatti is just as awesome as his roles in Sideways, American Splendor, John Adams, and The Illusionist has made him a favorite actor of many film-goers. Having these two on the panel really increases my excitement and made this a go-to event on my schedule.

Just to add to this greatness, MTV also got their hands on a 40-second trailer for the film that gives a taste of the footage attendees will see at the panel. Take a look:

Though I’m not a huge fan of the comic series, this footage looked quite good and I think ‘The Goon’ could end up a surprise hit of the con. What about you?

Marvel just sent out a Press Release announcing signings for the upcoming Thor and Captain America films. Unfortunately they require attendees to go to the Marvel booth Saturday morning a receive a ticket for whatever signing they want to attend. You must then return to the booth with your tickets at the time of the actual signing. This means that many attendees (including myself) will be unable to because of the WB panel in the morning. Still, for those wanting these autographs Marvel definitely delivered the talent. Take a look:

Marvel Studios is proud to announce the signing schedule for its two hotly-anticipated blockbuster films, Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger, at Comic-Con International in San Diego!

The complete Marvel Studios signing schedule for Saturday July 24th at the Marvel Booth (#2329), is below:

11:15 – 12:00: Thor signing—Kenneth Branagh

12:30 – 1:30: Thor signing—Chris Hemsworth & Tom Hiddleston

2:00—3:00: Captain America: The First Avenger signing—Chris Evans & Hugo Weaving

3:30—4:30: Captain America: The First Avenger signing—Joe Johnston

Each signing is a ticketed event and requires a specific ticket for that individual signing. Fans should come to the Marvel Booth (#2329) as soon the convention opens to the public on Saturday morning for a chance (no purchase necessary) to receive one of the limited number of signing tickets.

Don’t miss your chance to experience a once-in-a-lifetime event at Comic-Con International in San Diego, courtesy of Marvel Studios on Saturday, July 24th, at the Marvel Booth (#2329)!

THOR will come to theatres on May 6, 2011 and CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER will be released on July 22, 2011. Paramount Pictures will distribute both films.

The Thursday schedule is jam packed with awesome panels but the question becomes which are must see and what can you skip. In this post I’ll break down the major Thursday panels in both Film and TV. After a brief rundown of what is expected I’ll give it a grade between A+ (Must See) and F (Avoid). Read on to see what I think.

Movies

• “Megamind” – 10:00-11:00 AM - Hall H

Description: Though the part of the panel for the movie itself will probably end up in the C or D range (it looks terrible), the presence of Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, and Jonah Hill will definitely make this a super fun Q+A. A surprise visit by Brad Pitt could even bring it up to an A- (See the “Salt” panel for more on that).
Grade: B

• “Tron Legacy” - 11:15-12:45 PM - Hall H

Description: Pretty much every star of the movie (including Jeff Bridges) returns to SDCC with the first clips in tow. Disney is unlikely to show a 20-minute section of the film (like Avatar did last year), but the smaller clips are sure to please fans and Disney managed to pack the panel to the brim.
Grade: A

• “Battle for Los Angeles” + “Salt” - 1:00-2:00 PM - Hall H

Description: Though Battle for Los Angeles sounds like a fun action movie and the first trailer is likely to impress, Salt seems like an odd addition considering the film is coming out a few weeks after the con and almost no one is excited about it. A likely way to elevate the Salt portion of the panel to greatness would be an appearance by Angelina Jolie (the description promises “very special guests”). This is possible because the panel for Brad Pitt’s movie Megamind is so close to this one but neither are confirmed so we’ll have to wait and see.
Grade: B- (B+ With Jolie)

• “Red” - 2:15-3:15 - Hall H

Description: The fact that they have Bruce Willis and Helen Mirren together on a panel makes this pretty awesome. The one disappointing factor is the lack of clips considering the film’s Fall release date.
Grade: B+

• Visionaires - 3:30-4:30 PM - Hall H

Description: J.J. Abrams and Joss Whedon are very entertaining people and should speak well together, no question. The panel does have the possibility of growing stale though, especially if they’re forced to avoid every Avengers, Super 8, and Star Trek 2 question.
Grade: A-

• “The Expendables” - 4:45-5:45 PM - Hall H

Description: Sure, the panel has Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundren, Steve Austin, Randy Couture, and Terry Crews. But considering the film also stars Jet Li, Jason Statham, Eric Roberts, and Mickey Rourke, it’s a bit disappointing that Stallone is the only big name on the guest list. Other stars might make unannounced appearances, but as of now I’m unimpressed.
Grade:  C+

• “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World” - 6:00-7:00 PM - Hall H

Description: The fact that the panel will consist of the eleven major stars and the director is mind-blowingly impressive. The real question is how they’re gong to fit all those people on stage. Universal went all out and the clips are likely to be big hits.
Grade: A+

Television

• “Burn Notice” – 1:00-2:00 PM – Ballroom 20

Description: Yes, Bruce Campbell is the star that 95% of SDCC wants to see. That doesn’t mean it’s okay to make him the only star on the panel. Pre-packaged videos and a sneak peak of next season both sound good but the lack of Jeffrey Donovan, Gabrielle Anwar, or Sharon Glass is disappointing.
Grade: C

• “White Collar” – 2:15-3:15 PM – Ballroom 20

Description: This is a panel that Burn Notice should learn from. USA made sure that this show’s first SDCC appearance has all the stars that fans would want to see. The sneak peek of Season 2 only sweetens the deal.
Grade: A

• “Psych” – 3:30-4:30 – Ballroom 20

Description: The best of the USA bunch, Psych brings its stars, creator, executive producers, and a ton of awesome content to the panel. A giveaway that can get your name in the show and a con-exclusive shirt push this over the top and fans are likely to be ecstatic. A prime example on how to run a Comic-Con panel.
Grade: A+

• Our Heroes Have More Fun: the Anti-Heroes of Showtime – 4:45-5:45 PM – Ballroom 20

Description: Though Michael C. Hall was expected because of his presence at the Dexter panel, including David Duchovny and Mary-Louise Parker elevates this panel to every Showtime viewer’s must see list. The lack of Nurse Jackie talent is a bit disappointing, but Showtime still did a great job setting up an interesting and diverse group.
Grade:  A-

• “Dexter” – 6:00-7:00 PM – Ballroom 20

Description: Michael C. Hall makes this panel. Though the presence of Jennifer Carpenter and the executive producers is welcome, fans will flock to this panel just for the sight of Hall. A premiere trailer for the new season and a Q+A/discussion with Hall should leave fans completely satisfied by the time the panel is over.
Grade: A

Agree/Disagree? What are your must see panels?

10:30-11:30 Danny Elfman— From Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure to Alice in Wonderland, composer Danny Elfman discusses his 25-year collaboration with director Tim Burton. Their legendary partnership includes such films as Beetle Juice, Batman, Edward Scissorhands, Nightmare Before Christmas, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Joining Mr. Elfman will be Warner Brothers Records executives to announce their plans to celebrate this quarter-century milestone. Room 6BCF

10:30-11:30 TheOneRing.net Talks The Hobbit movies— Chris Pirrotta, Cliff Broadway, and Larry D. Curtis, staff members from TORn (the gold standard of fansites and a consistent breaking news source) talk about the latest on the two coming Hobbit films, including mainstream news, spy reports, and rumors. Special guests are a possibility; audio and visuals are a given with a Q&A and all sorts of fun. Room 7AB

11:00-12:00 That Chris Gore Show— Attack of the Show’s film expert Chris Gore promises a glimpse into geekdom and a raucus Q&A. Gore will show a preview of his upcoming documentary, present a sneak peek of his new show, and finally answer the burning question, what is the greatest DVD of all time? Room 5AB

11:00-12:00 The Clockwork Girl— The Clockwork Girl is in production as a stereoscopic 3D computer generated feature film based on the comic book series published by Arcana. Producer Sean O’Reilly will talk about how CJ Entertainment financed Dreamworks Animation in 1995 and is now behind The Clockwork Girl through Luximation Animation.Alexa Vega (Spy Kids) and Sean Covel and Doc Wyatt (Napoleon Dynamite) talk about the feature film and show an exclusive featurette for The Clockwork Girl. Room 9

1:00-2:00 Digital Bits: Blu-ray Producers 2010— Bill Hunt, Adam Jahnke, and Todd Doogan (of TheDigitalBits.com) drill down on the latest DVD and Blu-ray developments with some of the leading special-edition producers in Hollywood! Panelists include Cliff Stephenson (Rambo: Director’s Cut, Expendables), Charles de Lauzirika (Robin Hood, Alien Anthology), Javier Soto (Predators, Mimic, The Devil’s Backbone), and Brian Ward(Transformers, G.I. Joe, Max Headroom). Don’t miss out on all the insider scoops, audience Q&A, and sneak peeks at great upcoming discs! Room 32AB

2:00-3:00 Walt Disney Animation Studios: Character Creation!— Throughout the years, Walt Disney Animation Studios has brought us some of the most memorable, unique, and appealing onscreen characters. Disney Animation’s upcoming release Tangled introduces a fresh and irresistible new bunch. Nathan Greno and Byron Howard (directors), Glen Keane (animation supervisor), and other artists from Tangled discuss the creation of their unforgettable characters. Room 5AB

3:00-4:00 Masters of the Web— Hollywood writer/producer Roberto Orci (Cowboys & Aliens, Transformers, Star Trek) and AMC Theatres blog editor John Campea(AMCTheatres.com/ network/ scriptscreen), moderate a panel of the most popular movie website personalities as they come together to discuss how new media has influenced moviemaking and marketing, what it takes to run a popular site, and much more in a panel discussion and Q&A session. The panel consists of Jen Yamato (former senior editor of Rotten Tomatoes, now writing for Cinematical, Hitfix, Film.Com and FEARnet), Edward Douglas (Coming Soon.net), Vic Holtreman (Screenrant.com), Mike Sampson (Joblo.com),George “El Guapo” Roush (Latino Review.com). Erik Davis (Cinematical.com), and Devin Faraci (CHUD.com). Passes to the annual, highly anticipated “From Dusk til Con” party will be given out to a few lucky attendees, and one attendee will win a pass good for one year of free movies at any AMC Theatres location. Room 32AB

9:30-11:45 Night of the Living Dead: Reanimated Screening and Panel Discussion—NOTLD: R is a collection of animated and illustrated responses created by nearly 150 international artists/animators and arranged to the original 1968 film’s audio track by curator Mike Schneider. Contributing artists John Chesnut and Josh Barnett (claymation and cut-out animation), Jacquelyn Bond (watercolor paintings), Grant Fuhst (mixed-media artwork),Sean Williams (hand-drawn animation), Zina Lahr (toy modification/ experimental animation), Brad Uyeda (stop-motion animation), Anthony Amos (digital animation), andEric Schock (comic book illustration) meet to screen NOTLD: R (which comes out on DVD July 27), discuss their involvement with the project, and take questions. Moderated by Beth Accomando (KPBS film critic). Giveaways at the screening will include horror-hosted DVDs ofNOTLD: R and limited-edition teaser posters. Room 5AB

Though Showtime will only have two panels at SDCC, both sound like big hits for the TV crowd. The Dexter panel was very well received last year and fans are sure to be ecstatic with the appearance of Michael C. Hall. Meanwhile, their other panel, entitled The Anti-Heroes of Showtime, is a complete surprise but should be like a lot of fun. Hall, David Duchovny, and Mary-Louise Parker all on one panel sounds like a surefire hit. Check out the press release for all the details:

THE SHOWTIME ANTI-HEROES TO HEADLINE OPENING DAY OF COMIC-CON 2010

Panel Sessions For Dexter And The Anti- Heroes Of Showtime Featuring Michael C. Hall, David Duchovny And Mary- Louise Parker To Kick Off This Year’s Comic-Con On Thursday, July 22 in San Diego

LOS ANGELES, CA July 7, 2010 – SHOWTIME has announced its panel line-up for the 2010 Comic-Con which will feature stars from some of the network’s biggest original series. This year’s panels will include the Emmy-nominated series DEXTER, as well as a special SHOWTIME Anti-Hero panel featuring Dexter’s Michael C. Hall, Californication’s David Duchovny and Weeds’ Mary-Louise Parker. Both panels will be presented on the first day of the world-famous gathering in San Diego on Thursday, July 22. Additionally, the panels will feature producers and writers from Dexter, Weeds, Californication and NURSE JACKIE. The panel schedule and descriptions are as follows:

THE ANTI-HEROES OF SHOWTIME – Thursday, July, 22 from 4:45 PM – 5:45 PM in Ballroom 20

The 21st century anti-hero has become one of the driving forces in recent pop culture and when it comes to the television anti-heroes, SHOWTIME has the winning formula, with subversive characters that connect with the viewing audience. Hear first hand from some of the showrunners, creators and actors who have helped define this phenomenon. Los Angeles Times Pop Culture writer Geoff Boucher will moderate this panel you won’t want to miss. Featured panelists will include Michael C. Hall and new showrunner Chip Johannessen of DEXTER, David Duchovny and Executive Producer and creator Tom Kapinos of Californication, Mary-Louise Parker and Executive Producer and creator Jenji Kohan of Weeds, along with Linda Wallem, Executive Producer, writer and one of the creators of NURSE JACKIE.

DEXTER – SEASON 5- Thursday, July 22 from 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM in Ballroom 20

What’s next for America’s favorite serial killer? Moderator Ralph Garman from KROQ’s The Kevin & Bean Morning Show presides over a revealing interview and Q&A session with the stars and executive producers of Dexter that will include an exclusive first-look trailer of the highly anticipated season five premiere. Featured panelists include series star/Executive Producer Michael C. Hall (Dexter), Jennifer Carpenter (Deb), Desmond Harrington (Quinn) and Executive Producers John Goldwyn, Sara Colleton, Chip Johannessen (24) and Manny Coto (Star Trek: Enterprise). The fifth season of DEXTER premieres September 26, at 9 p.m. ET/PT only on SHOWTIME.

The SHOWTIME anti-hero messaging will be prominently featured throughout Comic-Con with high-impact advertising both outdoor and within the convention center. The official lanyards for the over 130,000 attendees at Comic-Con will be branded by SHOWTIME, and in a media company first, every shuttle bus at Comic-Con will be branded with the SHOWTIME anti-hero creative.

All weekend long, fans can satisfy their obsession with America’s favorite serial killer by heading over to the SHOWTIME booth (#4129) for Dexter giveaways and signings. In addition, licensed merchandise for the series can be found at the Entertainment Earth and Biff Bang Pow booth (#2343).

The network will also launch an interactive game exclusively for Comic-Con titled “Dexter Game On,” where players will step into Dexter’s mind and unlock content from season five. Additional details for the interactive promotion will be released in the upcoming weeks. Devoted fans of the series know that all of Dexter’s victims are marked with a small incision on their right cheek, and at Comic-Con, those fans can show their love for the series by sporting a DEXTER “cheek slash” tattoo. SHOWTIME will distribute over 100,000 lick-’n-stick tattoos throughout all four days of Comic-Con. Fans are encouraged to take pictures of themselves at various locations around the convention and upload them to the “Dexter Game On” site. As they play throughout the weekend, gamers have the chance to unlock exclusive content and pick up DEXTER- themed merchandise including season four DVDs. SHO.com will launch a dedicated Comic-Con microsite that will bring the convention experience to the fans who are not able to attend. The site will host the highly anticipated season five Dexter trailer and content from the Anti-Hero panel, to be showcased immediately after the Comic-Con panels.

The Ausiello Files over at EW.com just posted all the details on the Smallville panel at this year’s con. Here’s a breakdown of the announcements:

- The panel will include stars Tom Welling, Erica Durance, Cassidy Freeman, and Justin Hartley. They will be joined by showrunners Kelly Souders and Brian Peterson.

- An exlusive first look at the show’s tenth (and final) season will be shown.

- Fan-favorite writer Geoff Johns will be the moderator.

- The panel will be on Sunday at 10 am.

Head over to the article here if you want to give it a look.

Comedy Central just released the details on their con panels and party. They will only be having panels for Futurama and Ugly Americans. The Futurama one is sure to be a huge hit but the Ugly Americans panel is more questionable as the show doesn’t have a huge following. The free comedy show they are hosting at the House of Blues should amass a crowd because of the high prices that other comedy shows during SDCC are charging. Take a look at the press release below for all the details:

• Friday, July 23: “Ugly Americans” panel (Room 25ABC)

10:00-11:00 a.m. Join David M. Stern (Showrunner and Executive Producer), Dan Powell (Executive Producer), Jeff Poliquin (Supervising Producer), Devin Clark (Producer and Series Creator), Aaron Augenblick (Director of Animation), Matt Oberg (voice of Mark Lilly), Kurt Metzger (voice of Randall Skeffington) and Randy Pearlstein (voice of Leonard) for a behind-the-scenes look, a sneak peek into the return of new episodes in October, Q&A and more of COMEDY CENTRAL’s new original animated series. One audience member will be selected to be drawn into an upcoming episode.

• Saturday, July 24: “Futurama” panel (ballroom 20)

12:45-1:30 p.m. Join the cast and crew in celebrating “Futurama’s” triumphant re-return to the airwaves! World-premiere footage will offer an exciting and informative glimpse of Comic-Con in the year 3010. Panelists include Executive Producers Matt Groening and David X. Cohen, cast members Billy West, John DiMaggio, Katey Sagal, and Maurice LaMarche, writers Ken Keeler and Patric M. Verrone, and director Crystal Chesney-Thompson and animation Producer Claudia Katz.

• Saturday, July 24: COMEDY CENTRAL Live @ Comic-Con from the House of Blues

7:00-9:00 p.m. (doors open at 6:00 p.m.) Comedian Pete Holmes (“Ugly Americans”) will host a special evening of free comedy including exclusive sneak peeks from COMEDY CENTRAL’s new shows and more with performances by “Ugly Americans” cast members Maria Bamford, Kurt Metzger, Matt Oberg and Randy Pearlstein; Chris Gethard and Horatio Sanz, stars of the new series “Big Lake,” premiering Tuesday, August 17; Nick Swardson, whose new series “Pretend Time with Nick Swardson” premieres Tuesday, October 12; and Adam DeVine from the forthcoming series “Workaholics” (1Q 2011). The House of Blues is located at 1055 5th Avenue and attendees must be 18 to enter and 21 to drink.

“Ugly Americans,” a new original animated comedy series, with two million total viewers, returns with new episodes on October 6 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT. The series follows Mark Lilly (voiced by Matt Oberg), a social worker at the “Department of Integration,” as he helps new citizens, both human and “other,” adapt to hectic life in New York City.

There are easier tasks than weaning vampires off blood, socializing land-whales and housebreaking werewolves, but Mark is up to the challenge. Between his stressful job, a zombie roommate and a demon girlfriend, Mark’s lucky if he can sneak in a few minutes of sleep. But who can sleep when there’s a drop-dead gorgeous mermaid sitting at the bar?

David M. Stern, Series Developer and Executive Producer, began his career writing for “The Wonder Years” during its first three seasons. He went on to serve as a producer on “The Simpsons” during the first four seasons where he wrote many memorable episodes. He has served as a co-executive producer on the premiere season of the USA hit series ‘Monk,” as well as a co-executive producer on the Fox series “Oliver Beene.”

Series-creator Devin Clark has been involved with a broad range of television projects including work with HBO, MTV, Nickelodeon, TCM and The Cartoon Network, applying his design and narrative skills to everything from network graphics to traditional cartoons. His films and animation have been featured in Stash magazine, Animation Block Party, Rooftop Films, Ottawa Film Festival, Platform and Atom Films.

Stern and Daniel Powell are the Executive Producers of “Ugly Americans.” Aaron Augenblick serves as Animation Director, with animation by Augenblick Studios and Cuppa Coffee.

Lisa Leingang is the executive in charge of production for COMEDY CENTRAL.

Currently, new episodes of “Futurama” air on Thursdays at 10:00 p.m. ET/T on the network. The Emmy® Award-winning animated sci-fi comedy series made an out-of-this-world return on Thursday, June 24, 2010 with 2.9 million total viewers, becoming the highest-rated and most-watched season premiere for an animated series on cable with the exception of “South Park.”

The series follows the life of Philip J. Fry (Billy West), a pizza delivery boy who accidentally stumbles into a freezer on December 31, 1999 and wakes up a thousand years later. In his future home of New New York City, Fry goes to work for the Planet Express Intergalactic delivery company, where he befriends Bender (John DiMaggio), a booze-fueled robot, and sets his romantic sights on Leela (Katey Sagal), a sexy cyclops who enjoys beating him up.

“Futurama,” created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen, is produced by Twentieth Century Fox Television.

(Press Release comes from Monsters and Critics)