San Diego Comic-Con is a lot of things to a lot of people, spanning comics, television, pop culture, and beyond. But ask anyone, and they’ll tell you that Hall H is what the convention is most known for. It’s the big, splashy Hollywood panels that make headlines across the globe, and what compels attendees to camp out overnight for a chance to be in on the action.

Every year, the team at The San Diego Comic-Con Unofficial Blog takes a look at the upcoming theatrical release schedule, and gives 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.

Then join us again next week, as we look at the TV shows we think might be heading to Comic-Con this year.

With all that said, let’s look at the possibilities:

Marvel Studios

Spider Man: Brand New Day — July 31, 2026
Avengers: Doomsday — December 18, 2026
etc.

We’re starting off with Marvel Studios, because hey, guess what — it’s already been announced as attending, thanks to The Wrap! The only question, really, is what they’ll be bringing to the Hall H stage on Saturday night.

The most obvious answer is Avengers: Doomsday and the following Avengers: Secret Wars, as there’s been very little promotion thus far, and given that the two films feature virtually every actor who has appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe ever, it’s not hard to imagine a panel full of A-list talent to really rock the con.

The biggest question, for me, is whether or not our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man joins the party. With Spider-Man: Brand New Day (which is really a Sony film, but as we’ve broken out Marvel Studios separately, we’re putting it here) releasing the week after the con, it’s hard not to hope for another premiere screening event ala 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine. It all just depends on if Sony will play ball.

 

Warner Bros. Discovery

The End of Oak Street — August 14, 2026

I think that WB has a tendency to go harder on their family-friendly fare, but that gap may be bridged by The End of Oak Street, an upcoming sci-fi survival film that follows a family (including Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor) who notice the rest of their neighborhood has seemingly vanished… and they find themselves instead in a mysterious new place, that will require them to stick together to survive. The teaser gives away that the mystery includes dinosaurs, and that sounds tailor-made for the Comic-Con crowd. Plus, Hathaway and McGregor on stage in Hall H is such an easy sell for audiences.

Practical Magic 2  — September 18, 2026

Look, Warner Bros., you’ve got to know that Practical Magic is a pretty beloved film. You’ve financed a sequel, after all. So please, let’s bring the sequel to San Diego Comic-Con and add some witchy magic to the festivities. The September release date makes July feel well within the promotional window for the film, and with a cast that includes not only the return of Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Stockard Channing, and Dianne West, but also sees the addition of Maisie Williams, Lee Pace, and Joey King… Well, people will turn out for this. If Warner Bros. chooses to show up but doesn’t bring this, I will eat my metaphorical witch’s hat.

Clayface  — October 23, 2026

Clayface is the first of the DCU films under James Gunn’s leadership where the timing lines up pretty perfectly for a San Diego Comic-Con appearance, so it’s DC’s first real chance (Peacemaker notwithstanding) at putting together a big panel to show off their universe. I’m not sure I believe they’ll actually go the Marvel Studios route right now though, announcing future projects and bringing out a parade of stars. Marvel has shot itself in the foot occasionally by going that route at SDCC, announcing things that didn’t always come to fruition, and I feel like Gunn, Peter Safran, and the new DCU are trying to be much more intentional with their own universe.

So the big question is: Will they? Or will they save Clayface for New York Comic Con? Personally, I think we’ll get a Clayface-specific panel, and there’s plenty to get excited about there. For one, it’s from writer Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House) and director James Watkins (Speak No Evil), who both have plenty of fans on their own. It also stars Tom Rhys Harries, Naomi Ackie, and Max Minghella, and given how little promo we’ve seen for the film thus far, there should be plenty to tease in July.

Clayface isn’t exactly a household name for the average moviegoer (though the animated Harley Quinn series offers a great look at what Alan Tudyk brings to the character), which makes Comic-Con an especially natural place to spotlight the film and build awareness.

The Cat in the Hat  — November 6, 2026

I feel in my heart that the animated The Cat in the Hat is going to be in Hall H this summer. Does anyone actually want that? Maybe — it at least has a great cast, including Bill Hader, Xochitl Gomez, Matt Berry, Quinta Brunson, Giancarlo Esposito, America Ferrera, and Bowen Yang. That alone is likely to bring in fans to Hall H. But the real reason I think we’re getting this is because… again, any chance Warner Bros. has had to push their more family-friendly fare at a Hall H panel, I feel they’ve taken it.

The Great Beyond — November 13, 2026

Not a lot is known about J.J. Abrams’ next upcoming film, beyond that it stars Glen Powell, Jenna Ortega, Emmy Mackey, Sophie Okonedo, Merritt Wever, and Samuel L. Jackson. But it’s J.J., a great cast, and sci-fi. The mid-November release date may push it just a little outside the promotional window, especially when Warner Bros. has several other films releasing earlier that also make sense for the convention.

And maybe you’re asking yourself, but didn’t you just say that The Cat in the Hat was very likely to be at the con when it premieres only a week earlier? Let me throw a question back at you: Which of these two films already has a trailer out? Hint: It isn’t The Great Beyond.

 

Dune: Part Three — December 18, 2026

We’ve heard that Warner Bros. had plans to bring Dune: Part Two to Hall H back in 2023, prior to the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes of that summer. So could 2026 be the year we finally get Dune in Hall H? And the answer is… I just don’t know. WB has a lot more options for what they could bring here in 2026 than they did back in 2023 (and they didn’t bring anything in 2024, when they again had the chance to bring Dune: Part Two after it was pushed back). I feel like I lean more towards “no” to this year as well given both of those facts, but it’s certainly still a possibility if WB wants to give the last film a bit more of a push.

If I were putting my bets down, I’d guess that WB will bring some combination of The End of Oak Street, Practical Magic 2, Clayface, and The Cat in the Hat — with Clayface possibly getting its own panel if WB wants to bring all four.

 

20th Century Studios

The Dog Stars — August 28, 2026

It’s been a long time since director Ridley Scott made an appearance at SDCC (since 2007, I believe, for Blade Runner: The Final Cut), but could 2026 be the year that changes? 20th Century Studios went big last year for Predator: Badlands (which just so happens to be my favorite release of 2025) and in 2023 for The Creator, and this upcoming film feels like it’s taking a page out of the playbook for the latter.

The original, post-apocalyptic sci-fi film follows Jacob Elordi, Josh Brolin, Margaret Qualley, Guy Pearce, and Benedict Wong in a world where a catastrophic flu virus has nearly wiped out humanity, and the survivors must battle invaders for the chance at a better life.

Big, original sci-fi films always make sense for SDCC (especially when they’ve got plenty of stars who would draw attendees to Hall H), and given that the release date is only about a month after SDCC, I feel like this is a no-brainer for both a panel and at least some of the Gaslamp banner designs. Plus, Jacob Elordi in Hall H? There’s definitely a lot of fans who are salivating over that thought.

Whalefall — October 16, 2026

I think Whalefall is much less likely than The Dog Stars, but the upcoming film follows a scuba diver searching for his father’s remains when he’s swallowed by a sperm whale, and has an hour to try to escape. That premise sounds both just silly and exciting enough that I think it has at least a chance of making an appearance at SDCC. The cast has plenty of names to draw attendees in as well, including Josh Brolin, Elisabeth Shue, and Austin Abrams, should the Disney overlords decide they want to bring a second film. Again, I think this is a longshot, but stranger things have happened.

 

Dreamworks Animation

Forgotten Island — September 25, 2026

Last year, Dreamworks Animation did something no studio has ever done (at least not during San Diego Comic-Con)… put advertising on the Gaslamp arch. Just what did that cost to make that happen?! No idea, but I have to imagine it was a hefty sum since it was the first time it had ever happened, and that is certainly prime Comic-Con real estate. And that, more than anything, says to me that Dreamworks thinks San Diego Comic-Con is a worthwhile investment.

Now, does that mean they’ll also show up for their next offering? I think so. Forgotten Island is a bit more obvious Comic-Con fare than last year’s Bad Guys 2 — it follows two best friends from the Philippines who, in the 1990’s, promise to remain close forever. Now graduating high school, they’re suddenly transported through a portal to a fantastical world of the forgotten island of Nakali.

That’s got magic and mythology, and a voice cast that I think Hall H would be excited for, including Dave Franco, Jenny Slate, Manny Jacinto, and Lea Salonga. All of those factors combined, and I definitely think this stands a good chance of popping up this year. Perhaps the Gaslamp arch will be transformed into a magical portal this summer.

 

Ketchup Entertainment

Coyote vs. Acme — August 28, 2026

Everything about Coyote vs. Acme feels ripped from a cartoon, from the fact that Warner Bros. was willing to blow up a completely finished film scoring high with test audiences for a tax writeoff, to the last-minute save by Ketchup Entertainment. So it would feel just as “looney” for this film, which was at SDCC last summer, to come back only a year later. But also maybe right?!

That August release date feels too close to the convention to ignore, and that’s to say nothing of the fact that longtime Comic-Con exhibitor Legion M is also involved int he film. I’m not sure I believe they would host a second Hall H panel two years in a row, but I feel in my soul that we will have some kind of promotion for the film at the con. Perhaps screenings? (Though as for “where”, I have no idea, as the options near the Gaslamp keep dwindling, including the recent announcement that the Rooftop Cinema Club is moving further inland and away from the Manchester Grand Hyatt’s rooftop, womp womp. It, unfortunately, likely means AMC in Mission Valley).

But there’s got to be some kind of shenanigans for Coyote vs. Acme at SDCC this year.

 

Lionsgate

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping — November 20, 2026

Look, let me just get this out of the way… I don’t think Lionsgate is coming to San Diego Comic-Con this year. They surprised me last year by bringing The Long Walk, but the only upcoming film on their slate for 2026 that I think makes sense for the con is The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.

“But they’ve brought The Hunger Games to Comic-Con before!”, you may be saying. And yes, they have, but not since 2015 for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2. That was eleven years ago (feel old yet?!), and both the Hollywood and the Comic-Con scene are completely different now. While The Long Walk premiered just two months after SDCC 2025, The Hunger Games‘ November date is much further out. Lionsgate chose not to feature any promotion for 2023’s The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes when it had a similar November release date (though it is worth noting this was the year of the strikes, when actors couldn’t attend). But the fact that we saw nothing — not an offsite, a street team, or a pedicab — does not fill me with hope.

Which is a shame, as there’s plenty of buzz around the new film given how positive reactions were to The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, and there would be no lack of stars to choose from for a Hall H panel, including Joseph Zada as the younger Haymitch Abernathy, Mckenna Grace, Jesse Plemons, Elle Fanning, Kieran Culkin, Ralph Fiennes, Glenn Close, Billy Porter, Maya Hawke, and even the return of Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson.

But I’d love to be wrong here, so hey, if you are hoping this makes an appearance… may the odds be ever in your favor.

 

Netflix

Netflix is always a tricky animal to pin down at San Diego Comic-Con. While many of the studios are more predictable, Netflix never is. Years you don’t think they would turn up, they do! (See: 2022 with The Gray Man). Years you think they would turn up, they don’t! And with only a few years of exceptions, Netflix has just never shown that much interest in SDCC as a whole.

I side with “not showing up” this year, at least not on their film slate. They notoriously don’t announce their release schedule very early, so it’s difficult to know which films would even line up with a potential SDCC 2026 appearance. But nothing upcoming “feels” Comic-Con-y to me aside from possibly Enola Holmes 3, and bringing the third film in a franchise, when neither of the first two films have attended, simply feels too random.

 

Paramount Pictures

Avatar: Aang, The Last Airbender — October 9, 2026

Unlike Netflix, I think Paramount is a complete lock for San Diego Comic-Con 2026. The animated film The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender, which continues the saga from the Avatar franchise, was originally slated for January this year before being pushed to October. I think this is going to get a big push at Comic-Con, just as last year saw a big push for the 20th anniversary of the animated series. I’m also calling right now that this will be the main wrap on the Hard Rock.

Street Fighter — October 16, 2026

If Avatar isn’t the main wrap on the Hard Rock, then Street Fighter surely is. I also think Paramount will go big for this one at SDCC this year — a live-action adaptation of the Street Fighter game, with a cast that includes some big, exciting, and very Comic-Con-friendly names. That includes Noah Centineo, Andrew Koji, David Dastmalchian, Cody Rhodes, 50 Cent, and Jason Momoa. Like, no duh, this one’s going to be at SDCC.

Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol — November 13, 2026

Just by nature of being a Christmas film, this fantasy film by Ti West may not feel like the right fit for July in San Diego (though hey, Christmas in July is also a thing!). But if Paramount is already bringing along several films, I could easily see Ebenezer squeaking in a spot as well. And if they can get Johnny Depp, Tramell Tillman, Ian McKellan, Rupert Grint, and Daisy Ridley on the Hall H stage, I think they know they can make some headlines.

Focker-in-Law — November 25, 2026

Look, given that Paramount brought The Naked Gun to SDCC last year, it’s obvious Paramount at least thinks there’s a space for comedy films at the con. So I think there truly is a possibility we see Focker-in-Law, the first new entry in the Meet the Fockers franchise since 2010. The new film sees the return of Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller (who has even more of a Comic-Con pedigree given the wild success of Severance), as well as Owen Wilson and the new addition of Ariana Grande.

I actually think this one has a decent chance of being a wild card for appearing at the con, especially if Paramount is already planning to go all out in 2026 (and I really think they are). But it’s also not traditional Comic-Con fare, and may be too mainstream to warrant a stop.

The Angry Birds Movie 3 — December 23, 2026

I would give the edge to any of the other Paramount films on this list simply by virtue of being the last to come out and the fact that none of the other Angry Birds films have ever graced the Hall H stage, but is there a world in which Paramount thinks trotting out some of their stars at San Diego Comic-Con makes sense here? Sure, probably. There are plenty of cast members to get excited about, including Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad, Rachel Bloom, Danny McBride, Keke Palmer, Tim Robinson, Nikki Glaser, and more. But I think this is a longshot.

 

Searchlight Pictures

Super Troopers 3 — August 7, 2026

License and registration, please. I think there is a very strong chance that we get Super Troopers 3 in Hall H this year. After all, the second film made an appearance back in 2018, so it only makes sense for a repeat this year. And with that early August release date, this may be the most obvious “it’s going to be there this year, kids” film on this whole list.

The Broken Lizard team will surely be in attendance (which includes Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter, and Erik Stolhanske), but if they can get Brian Cox in attendance, I will be truly impressed.

Consider this panel officially pulled over, searched, and booked for a full Hall H takeover.

 

Sony / Columbia Pictures

We’ve placed Spider-Man: Brand New Day under Marvel Studios, so if you’d like to read our thoughts on that, see the top of this post.

Resident Evil — September 18, 2026

It’s been since 2012 since we had a Resident Evil panel with cast at San Diego Comic-Con, and I don’t really think that’s going to change here in 2026… but the latest entry in the franchise is a reboot, which could mean that Sony may decide it needs a bit of extra promotion.

It’s directed by horror film darling Zach Cregger (Barbarian, Weapons), and he would get a good swath of people into the panel room all by himself. But the film also stars Austin Abrams (who is, coincidentally, in Whalefall — perhaps he could pull double duty), Zach Cherry (adding the possibility of another Severance cast member), and Kali Reis. None of those are household names, but that may be exactly why Sony thinks it’s worth a stop at Comic-Con.

Jumanji: Open World — December 25, 2026

None of the other Jumanji films have been at San Diego Comic-Con, and I don’t see that changing this year. Sony has tended to favor New York Comic Con for their panel presentations when they bother to do one at all, and the release window in which studios are willing to promote their films at SDCC seems to grow shorter and shorter, so I think December is just too far out for them anyway.

The Legend of Zelda — May 7, 2027

And on that note, if Jumanji in December is too much of a long shot, I really think that The Legend of Zelda is too far out. Which is a shame, as there’s a built-in audience at San Diego Comic-Con. It’s the first live-action Zelda film, starring relatively unknowns with Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as Link and Bo Bragason as the title character… and those are all reasons why a push would make sense.

But I just don’t see Sony doing it. What we may see, though, is the return of Nintendo to the show floor, and some hefty promotion there.

 

Universal Pictures

Other Mommy — October 9, 2026

Universal has skipped out on Hall H for the last few years, and I’m not really expecting a return this year. But if they did, their most obvious option is Other Mommy, about a paranormal entity haunting a young girl and her home. Universal has had plenty of horror films with similar release dates and skipped the con (though they did do a screening in 2024 for Speak No Evil), and there’s some exciting cast for a possible Hall H panel with Jessica Chastain, Jay Duplass, and Dichen Lachman (another notch in the Severance cast member list, for those keeping track at home).

But I just don’t really see Universal being there this year.

Violent Night 2 — December 4, 2026

Again, I just don’t think Universal is making the trek to SDCC… but they’ve also got the Christmas horror sequel, Violent Night 2. David Harbour returns as a deadly Santa Claus, this time battling the likes of Daniela Melchior, Kristen Bell, and Jared Harris. And if this was 2012, sure, I would think this stood a chance. But in this economy, December might as well be ten years from now in terms of promotional windows. So don’t expect this one to slide down the chimney.

 

Walt Disney Studios

I can finally write that it hasn’t been more than a decade since Walt Disney Studios has been at SDCC with a panel (not counting Marvel Studios or 20th Century Fox)! They brought Tron: Ares last summer for some heavy promo. But… there is nothing on their upcoming slate near-ish to the convention that makes sense for San Diego Comic-Con, so it may yet be another decade before we get them back again.

Other

Ice Cream Man — August 7, 2026

It’s definitely not unheard of for a smaller film to squeak into San Diego Comic-Con… and that may just happen for Ice Cream Man, the upcoming horror film by Eli Roth, from Iconic Events Releasing. It feels like the sort of more independent studio release that we always enjoy attending, and that August release date is so close.

But if I was a betting man, I would think their promotional dollars would likely go towards a street team (I mean, handing out ice cream seems like a total no-brainer here) or a screening.

 

Join us again next week, as we look at the TV shows we think might be heading to Comic-Con this year.