With studios still ramping up their output following the onset of COVID-19 back in 2022 and an actor’s strike in 2023, it’s been several years since we’ve had what we would consider a “normal” Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con. Will 2024 be the year that changes?
Hall H has typically been home to some of the biggest moments of the convention (and certainly some of the most buzz-worthy), with star-studded movie panels, exciting first looks and reveals for upcoming films, and more. The hype is real, and they’re the moments everyone remembers and talks about for years to come, whether it’s Tom Hiddleston appearing on stage dressed as Loki or the cast of Star Wars together on stage.
Most years, the team at The San Diego Comic-Con Unofficial Blog takes a look at the upcoming theatrical release schedule, and give our best guesses and predictions for which films might be filling Hall H come July. So join us again this year, to see what you just might have to get excited about this summer.
Join us again next week, as we look at the TV shows we think might be heading to Comic-Con this year.
With all of that said, let’s look at this year’s possibilities:
Marvel Studios
Deadpool & Wolverine — July 26, 2024
Captain America: Brave New World — February 14, 2025
Thunderbolts — May 2, 2025
etc.
2024 is a D23 year, with the convention set for August roughly two weeks after San Diego Comic-Con. However, despite what the internet might have you believe, this has historically not been an indicator in whether or not Marvel Studios turns up to SDCC. Marvel Studios still appeared at SDCC in 2022, 2019, and 2017 — all of which were D23 years. The few years they have skipped have mostly been due to other factors. The studio skipped in both 2015 and 2018, and granted yes, 2015 was a D23 year, but Kevin Feige made comments both years they were skipping simply due to not having enough to show attendees. They also skipped in 2023, but we had several indicators that they expected to attend, and only pulled out due to the SAG-AFTRA strike.
All of which is to say, we truly don’t think that it being a D23 year will be the ultimate determining factor in if they attend the convention or not. Which leads us to our next question: Do they have enough to show? And we’re pretty sure they do.
Deadpool & Wolverine releases the Friday of the convention (July 26), which is historically too late to do promo at the con. Just look to Barbie last year, one of the biggest pop culture phenomenons in years, which received approximately zero promotion at SDCC last summer (not even an exclusive from Mattel, come on, Mattel?!). But if any film could beat the “too late” rap, we think it’s Deadpool & Wolverine. After all, 20th Century Fox did a massive push for Deadpool 2 at San Diego Comic-Con in 2018 — months after the film had already hit and left theatres — for the extended Blu-Ray. Remember the Deadpool 2 toilet seat covers? The Chuck E. Cheese-esque animatronics at the booth? The special screening? If they went that hard for a Blu-Ray release, then surely it’s not outside the realm of possibilities to think we’ll get something for one of the most anticipated films of the year.
Outside of Deadpool & Wolverine, Marvel Studios should have plenty of other announcements and footage to show off. Outside of CinemaCon, there’s been no footage of Captain America: Brave New World, and the film wrapped filming almost a year ago. Thunderbolts has also been filming for a few months and is expected to wrap in July, which should make getting the cast together to appear on stage a whole lot easier if Marvel wants. That’s to say nothing of potential casting announcements, teases, and more for The Fantastic Four, their television projects, or further projects, some of which currently seem a bit murky.
Marvel’s big office draw has diminished a bit in recent years, and building hype in Hall H and charting a new course for fans would certainly help to build excitement again, as well as build goodwill with San Diego Comic-Con attendees. Feige has always indicated that he’s a big fan of the event, and given both the uncertainty and lack of information about several of their upcoming films, we’d be shocked if they didn’t use the convention as a launching pad for their next round of announcements.
Warner Bros. Discovery
DC Slate:
Joker: Folie à Deux — October 4, 2024
Superman — July 11, 2025
etc.
The world of DC films is currently in a transition mode, as the final film in the DC Extended Universe (Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom) came and went late last year without much fanfare. Now, we wait for James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC Universe (DCU), beginning with Superman in July 2025. That will be almost a year away from this year’s convention, and Gunn has pretty much already confirmed that he won’t be in attendance this summer, because he’ll be busy shooting. That would seem to pretty much dash the hopes of a full blown DC slate at San Diego Comic-Con, because we can’t imagine them doing it without Gunn, the face of the new universe. But it’s possible that Warner Bros. could still include some DC teases and announcements as part of their larger presence. Historically, Warner Bros. takes a slate of time (often 90 minutes) and uses it to cover ground on multiple films. They could add in a few logos, title reveals, casting announcements, and more from the DC Universe, to whet fans’ appetites in the meantime.
As for Joker: Folie à Deux… we’d be very surprised if this one shows up to the convention. There were reports when the first film, Joker, was released in 2019 that part of Warner Bros.’ strategy for the Todd Phillips film was to avoid fan conventions, and instead focus on the film festival circuit to give the aura of the film being more prestigious. If true, the strategy seems to have worked, as the film went on to earn star Joaquin Phoenix a Golden Globe for Best Actor, and also netted several other top awards and nominations. It’s possible things have changed at DC since then and they might want to push the new film at San Diego Comic-Con, but we think there’s other things on Warner Bros.’ docket they’re more likely to want to push.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice — September 6, 2024
If Warner Bros. has a panel at all this year, there’s really only one choice for what they’ll put front and center: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. The juice is loose again in the upcoming September 6 film, and it has everything you need for a splashy appearance at San Diego Comic-Con: A stacked list of A-List talent (which includes Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, and Jenna Ortega), name recognition and nostalgia, and a built-in fanbase. The original film has been a cult classic for over 30 years, and the sequel is easily one of the most anticipated films of 2024. Outside of a trailer, there haven’t been many reveals for the film yet, so WB could easily be saving some surprises for the convention this summer. If we’d put money on anything attending the convention this summer, it’s this one.
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim — December 13, 2024
While there are plenty of other films on Warner Bros.’ slate releasing before The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, we think if there’s a second film that makes it into their panel presentation, it’s this one. The original Peter Jackson films have a long history with the convention, beginning with Fellowship of the Ring footage back in 2001, and there’s a huge built-in fanbase already at the convention. Plus, Warner Bros. themselves have a long history of prioritizing family-fare animated films as part of their presentation, and the upcoming animated The War of the Rohirrim would fit that bill nicely. With a voice cast that includes the return of Miranda Otto as Éowyn, as well as Brian Cox, it could make for a very exciting, nostalgic panel.
Minecraft — April 4, 2025
It may be too far out to promote the upcoming Minecraft film, but given Warner Bros.’s penchant for promoting animated and family-oriented films, we think this stands a chance over some of WB’s other fare. The film, based on the very popular game, features a voice cast of Comic-Con-friendly stars, including Jack Black, Jason Momoa, Kate McKinnon, Jennifer Coolidge, and Jemaine Clement. The only promo to date have been a few title images, so there should be plenty WB could show off and tease this summer.
Trap — August 9, 2024
Could Warner Bros. bring back their popular ScareDiego event, an evening offsite focused around their horror properties? It hasn’t happened since 2019, but never say never. If it does, the most obvious candidate would be Trap, the upcoming M. Night Shyamalan film about a trap being set at a pop star’s concert for a serial killer dubbed “The Butcher”. While the trailer seems to give a lot away, given that it’s a Shyamalan film, there are bound to be plenty of twists and turns still to come. With a release date so close to the convention (and at least some star power in Josh Hartnett), a screening seems like an easy way to give the film a bit of an extra push if WB wants to.
Mickey 17 — January 31, 2025
Look, would we love if Mickey 17, the upcoming Bong Joon-ho sci-fi film starring Robert Pattinson, Steven Yeun, Naomi Ackie, Toni Collette, and Mark Ruffalo, headed to San Diego Comic-Con? Of course we would. Do we think it’s going to happen? Probably not. But let us dream. The film follows a “Mickey 17”, an expendable, disposable employee aboard a human expedition sent to colonize an ice world. After one iteration of Mickey 17 dies, a new body is regenerated, with most of the memories intact. We suspect WB will deem it too high-brow and artistic for the Comic-Con crowd (whether right or wrong), but maybe they’ll surprise us.
Untitled Ryan Coogler Supernatural Thriller — March 7, 2025
Not much is currently known about Ryan Coogler’s upcoming supernatural thriller starring Michael B. Jordan, Delroy Lindo, and Hailee Steinfield, which doesn’t even have a title yet. But Coogler has plenty of Comic-Con pedigree (given he’s directed both Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever), and Jordan described the film as a period genre vampire film, which might just give it enough edge for WB to sneak in some news about the film (which began shooting in April) into a larger panel.
Flowervale Station — May 16, 2025
With a May 16 date, it’s likely far too far out to do much promo for Flowervale Station. But the upcoming sci-fi film was written and directed by David Robert Mitchell (It Follows, Under the Silver Lake), his first in seven years. Mitchell has his own cult following, and with a cast that includes Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor, it’s possible attendees could see something on the film at the con this year. It began filming in March, so could easily have something ready to show fans by July.
Watchmen (DC Animated Movie) — “2024”
For many years now, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation have used San Diego Comic-Con as a launching pad for the world premiere of their latest DC animated film, along with a Q&A with cast. That tradition was broken at WonderCon this year, and given the general murky state of DC animated films, it could very well be broken at San Diego Comic-Con this year as well. However, if anything appears, the most likely candidate for now appears to be Watchmen, an animated project announced for 2024 at last year’s event. There’s been no news of the project since… so if it’s even still happening, San Diego Comic-Con seems like the place to promote it.
20th Century Studios
Alien: Romulus — August 16, 2024
With a release date so close to the convention, and the fact that it’s the first new entry into the Alien franchise since 2017, we think 20th Century Studios and partner company The Walt Disney Company would be crazy not to give a big push to Alien: Romulus. The film is set between the events of Alien and Aliens, and follows a group of young space colonists who stumble upon the most terrifying life form in their universe while scavenging a derelict space station. It stars Cailee Spaeny, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, and David Jonsson — and given most of the cast outside of possibly Spaeny is far from a household name, the film could probably use the extra push at the con.
The Amateur — April 11, 2025
If they bring a second film, it will surely be The Amateur, which stars Rami Malek as a CIA cryptographer who loses his wife in a London terrorist attack and begins blackmailing the agency into training him to go rescue her. While it’s not immediately genre fare, Malek is a bit of a Comic-Con darling due to his Mr. Robot fame. The film also stars Caitríona Balfe, and Laurence Fishburne, all of whom could get Comic-Con attendees excited.
Dreamworks Animation
The Wild Robot — September 27, 2024
Dog Man — January 31, 2025
It’s been several years since Dreamworks Animation has had its own separate panel for San Diego Comic-Con for their films, but anything is possible. Dreamworks has two upcoming films, The Wild Robot (September 27, 2024) and Dog Man (January 31, 2025) which could use more of a push than their usual franchise fare which fans are already familiar with. The Wild Robot is based on the Peter Brown book series of the same name and features a voice cast with plenty of star power, including Lupita Nyong’o, Pedro Pascal (who could easily be on hand the week of the con for The Fantastic Four), Catherine O’Hara (who could also be on hand already for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice), Bill Nighy, Kit Connor, and Stephanie Hsu. With several of the actors already in town, putting together a panel might be even easier — or it could also be rolled into a larger Universal Pictures panel.
For Dog Man, which is based on the Dav Pilkey comic book series, less is known about the film, which is set to stream on Peacock before moving to Netflix.
Lionsgate
Borderlands — August 9, 2024
It’s always a bit of a toss-up on if Lionsgate will make the trek to the convention, but with several high-profile franchise fare on their slate, we think they will in 2024. First off, there’s Borderlands, based on the popular video game series. It comes out just two weeks after the convention, which makes a last, big push that culminates at San Diego Comic-Con feel like a no-brainer decision. Could fans could a screening? And with a huge cast list of exciting names, that includes Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ariana Greenblatt, and more, there are plenty of big names they could call on for a splashy Hall H panel.
The Crow — August 23, 2024
Lionsgate already pushed the first of their two Bill Skarsgård franchise revenge flicks for the year at WonderCon with Boy Kills World — so why not promote the second (The Crow) at sister-show San Diego Comic-Con? The film, based on the 1989 comic by James O’Barr, is hotly anticipated, and given the cult classic of the 1994 film and fanbase, promoting the film at San Diego Comic-Con is surely on Lionsgate’s radar. This latest iteration also stars FKA Twigs and Danny Huston. With a release date so close to the convention, this is another that could easily get a screening as well as a big Hall H panel.
Never Let Go — September 27, 2024
Lionsgate tends to prioritize their action fare over their horror, but the upcoming Never Let Go releases in September, which might just put it close enough to San Diego Comic-Con to make an exception. The film follows a mother and her twin sons who have suffered from torment from a malicious spirit for many years, when one of the sons begins to doubt the existence of evil. It stars Halle Berry, who seems like someone Lionsgate could think could warrant a panel segment at San Diego Comic-Con.
In the Grey — January 17, 2025
Given that Lionsgate has a history of pushing action films with big cast names, could we see some promo for In the Grey, the upcoming action thriller from Guy Ritchie starring Henry Cavill, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Eiza González? We definitely give the edge to Borderlands and The Crow, but if Lionsgate wants to promote another film in the mix, In the Grey (which wrapped filming in October 2023) could make sense.
Netflix
The Electric State — 2024
After Netflix brought The Gray Man to San Diego Comic-Con in 2022, anything feels possible now. For years, Netflix notoriously skimped on the convention, but these days, they tend to focus on a few releases happening very close to the con. Unfortunately, their release schedule is also only announced a few months early, so guessing which films will hit around San Diego Comic-Con is a bit of a guessing game. Depending on timing, we’d give the edge to The Electric State, an upcoming sci-fi adventure film from the Russo brothers based on the graphic novel by Simon Stålenhag. In it, a girl is sent a robot to look for her missing brother and they set out together to find him. It stars some big, Comic-Con friendly names, including Millie Bobby Brown, Chris Pratt, Ke Huy Quan, Stanley Tucci, and Jason Alexander, as well as the voices of Brian Cox, Jenny Slate, Giancarlo Esposito, Anthony Mackie, and Billy Bob Thornton. It might be too much of family-friendly fare for Netflix to want a big push, but with a stacked cast and the star power of the Russo Bros., depending on the release schedule, we could see it getting a panel.
The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep — 2024
etc.
Then there’s The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep, the upcoming animated film set in The Witcher universe. It stars Joey Batey and Anya Chalotra reprising their roles from the TV series, with Doug Cockle taking over for Henry Cavill’s part. The Witcher feels like tailor-made Comic-Con fare, but given it’s just an animated film in a franchise that Netflix probably considers ancient by their standards, we wouldn’t expect a huge push.
There are also plenty of other films Netflix could potentially choose from, including movies they haven’t even given a release date to yet.
Paramount Pictures
Transformers One — September 20, 2024
Paramount is no stranger to promoting their Transformers films at San Diego Comic-Con, with the last time being 2018 for Bumblebee (in 2023, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts came out in June before the convention, but there were a few scattered promos for the film in the Gaslamp). So we wouldn’t be shocked at all to see Transformers One head to Hall H. The film is a prequel, following the “untold” origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron and their history. It’s animated rather than live-action, and features a voice cast that includes Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, Scarlett Johansson, Keegan-Michael Key, Laurence Fishburne, and Jon Hamm — any of which SDCC attendees would be excited about.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 — December 20, 2024
Back in 2019, Paramount Pictures skipped attending the convention entirely, meaning there was no promo for the first Sonic the Hedgehog film at the con (and the second released in 2022 ahead of the first convention back after the start of the pandemic). However, at the time, Sonic was plagued by its reputation for the poor design choices for Sonic and pivoting last minute. Since then, the film franchise has gained a reputation for (gasp!) actually being lots of fun, and they’ve made enough money to warrant this third entry into the franchise. So could Paramount finally give the franchise a push at the con? We definitely think it’s possible. It sees the return of Ben Schwartz, James Marsden, Jim Carrey, and Idris Elba — as well as Keanu Reeves, so the panel could be a lot of fun with plenty of recognizable talent for fans.
The Smurf Movie — February 14, 2025
To continue with the animated fare, Paramount also has The Smurf Movie on the horizon. The new animated film is a reimagining of the classic series, with Rihanna voicing Smurfette in the animated musical. At CinemaCon in April, Paramount unveiled the rest of the voice cast, which includes Nick Offerman, Natasha Lyonne, Dan Levy, Amy Sedaris, Nick Kroll, James Corden, Octavia Spencer, Hannah Waddingham, Sandra Oh, Alex Winter, Billie Lourd, Kurt Russell, and John Goodman. There’s been no footage yet, and San Diego Comic-Con could easily be the place to show off a tease, especially if Paramount opts for a combined panel for several of their animated projects.
Gladiator II — November 22, 2024
If Paramount opts to bring any of their live-action fare this year, that honor will surely go to Gladiator II, the upcoming sequel from Ridley Scott to his 2000 epic. It’s one of the most anticipated films of the year, and stars some of the biggest names of late, including Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, and more. The only real question is — does Paramount consider it genre enough to bring to SDCC? We could easily see them deciding no, but we still hope Paramount will opt to do something, even if it’s offsite. Just imagine a few towering Roman statues in the Gaslamp during the con and how big of a splash those would make.
Sony
Venom: The Last Dance — October 25, 2024
If Sony attends the convention this year, it will be the first time since 2018. And you know what Sony pushed hard in 2018 at their Hall H presentation? If you guessed the first Venom film, then you’d be right. So it would seem fitting for them to attend again in 2024 and push what, based on the title, certainly feels like actor Tom Hardy’s final entry into the franchise. The movies have been big performers for Sony, with Venom: Let There Be Carnage finishing third in the US at the box office back in 2021 (and seventh worldwide), so even if this is the final Venom film, we could see them giving it one last, big push. All you really need is Hardy on stage, pulling faces and doing his Venom voice, but the film also stars Juno Temple and Chiwetel Ejiofor, who could easily round out a panel. There haven’t been many announcements about the film yet (including Temple and Ejiofor’s roles), so there’s plenty to tease at the convention, including possibly the first look.
And look, no one loves the Venom movie franchise more than me (except maybe Hardy himself), so I’m rooting hard for this one.
Kraven the Hunter — December 13, 2024
Also on Sony’s docket is Kraven the Hunter, which stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the classic Marvel character. It’s been pushed back several times now, with the first trailer debuting all the way back in April 2023 at CinemaCon. It could probably use the extra push at San Diego Comic-Con, and with a cast that includes Ariana DeBose and Russell Crowe, you could get fans in seats (especially if paired with a Venom: The Last Dance panel, do you hear me, Sony?).
Karate Kid — May 30, 2025
It is probably too early for a big push for Karate Kid, the latest entry into the franchise which sees the return of Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan. But the franchise has experienced a big revival in fan interest in the last decade or so, thanks in large part to the television series Cobra Kai (though producers have stated the new film will not be connected to that series). So giving it a push at San Diego Comic-Con, where it will surely be warmly received, doesn’t feel outside the realm of possibilities.
Universal Pictures
Speak No Evil — September 13, 2024
Of all the studios, Universal has typically felt the most comfortable promoting its horror fare at the convention. So there’s reason to think that Speak No Evil, a remake of the 2022 psychological horror-thriller film of the same name, could land a place on a Universal Pictures panel. The film follows Mackenzie Davis and Scoot McNairy as The Daltons, who meet another couple (played by James McAvoy and Aisling Franciosi) while on holiday. Years later, the Daltons decide to visit their friends, only to discover there’s more going on under the surface. McAvoy alone is a big draw for the Hall H crowd, and there’s surely some fellow fans of Halt and Catch Fire at the con.
Wicked — November 27, 2024
Given that Universal has often prioritized its horror fare at the convention, would they push a big, splashy, musical fantasy film? We think it’s possible — after all, the film stars plenty of Comic-Con friendly names, including Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Jonathan Bailey, and Peter Dinklage, and there’s been a history of The Wizard of Oz inspired films appearing at the con (the last time Disney had their own panel, they brought Oz). Wicked has the potential to be one of the biggest films of 2024, and it’s just up to Universal if they decide to push it at San Diego Comic-Con or not. And while Universal Pictures has typically shied away from offsites, if you’re listening Universal — the Yellow Brick Road in the Gaslamp would definitely get some attention.
Nosferatu — December 25, 2024
Could 2024 be the year that director Robert Eggers makes his San Diego Comic-Con debut? Focus Features, a division of Universal, dipped their toe into the world of San Diego Comic-Con last year with an offsite celebrating 30 years of Dazed and Confused. Perhaps that was a precursor for Nosferatu, Eggers’ upcoming gothic horror film, the remake of the classic 1922 film. Star Bill Skarsgård could already be on hand for The Crow, making promotion even easier.
The film also stars Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson (who could potentially also be in town for Kraven the Hunter), Emma Corrin, and Willem Dafoe, any of whom would make for great panelists in Hall H. It may be deemed too “high-brow” for the Comic-Con crowd, but we think that would be a mistake.
Wolf Man — January 17, 2025
If Universal Pictures does go big on their horror at San Diego Comic-Con this year, then Wolf Man could fit right in. The film, which is a reboot of the 1941 film The Wolf Man, is director Leigh Whannell’s first entry in five years. He’s very much a horror darling, and with the Universal Classic Monsters IP, there’s plenty for fans at the convention to get excited about. The film stars Christopher Abbott, Julia Garner, and Sam Jaeger, and began filming in March, so there should definitely be footage ready to show off by July.
Piece by Piece — October 11, 2024
Another Focus Features film that has a chance of appearing this year is Piece by Piece. The animated musical drama film tells the life story of musician Pharrell Williams, in the style of LEGO animation. Given the LEGO connection, SDCC certainly feels like it could be an easy place to give the film an extra push.
Walt Disney Studios & Pixar
Moana 2 — November 27, 2024
Mufassa: The Lion King — December 20, 2024
Snow White — March 21, 2025
It’s been a long time since Walt Disney Studios brought one of their films to Hall H (over a decade, in fact), and we don’t think that’s going to change now. Disney and Pixar have tons of animated and live-action fare they could potentially bring if they wanted to, but it’s likely not seen as “genre” enough to bother cross-promoting it at the con as opposed to simply saving their reveals for their own events (like D23). A big reason that Marvel presumably continues to attend the convention is that Kevin Feige has made no bones about being a fan of the event, and likely enjoys Marvel “owning” Hall H every year. The rest of Disney’s fare simply doesn’t have that kind of star draw at San Diego Comic-Con, and nor does it have someone of Feige’s stature standing in its corner to push for an appearance at SDCC. Basically: Don’t expect this one back any time soon.
