Comic-Con has grown beyond comics as superheroes have grown beyond the comic pages. With all the epic cosplays, the artists’ alleys and the photo ops with your favorite on-screen heroes, Comic-Con is a chance for fans and creators to connect face to face.
Fans can get together and share what they love with the people that make it. It also is a chance for creators to tease audiences with their upcoming work. So, here is a short look into some of those big looks that were released at San Diego Comic-Con.
Marvel
So “Endgame” wasn’t the end of everything. The world of the Marvel Cinematic Universe goes on. Audiences know that with the release of “Spider-Man: Far From Home” in early July, but many people have been wondering what was next for some of our favorite heroes that survived “Endgame.” This Comic-Con gave fans a look at the next phase in the MCU until 2021.
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It’ll start with a “Black Widow” solo movie set to release May 1, 2020. Looking at the darker parts of her life, the movie will focus on her time in the Black Widow training program where she will team up with some fellow female assassins to face off against the un-casted Taskmaster.
Following that will be the first Marvel miniseries for Disney+, “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” in the fall of 2020. Starring Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan as the titular heroes, the show will see the two fighting against Barron Zemo, the villain from “Captain America: Civil War,” finally in his iconic purple mask. Then following those familiar faces, there will be “The Eternals,” a new group of immortal heroes facing off against Gilgamesh while learning about humans and humanity they’ve sworn to protect.
The film will star Angelina Jolie, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, Lauren Ridloff, Brian Tyree Henry, Salma Hayek, Lia McHugh and Don Lee and is slotted to release Nov. 6, 2020. In February 2021, Marvel has plans for the first Asian protagonist with the movie “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.” Joining lead actor Simu Liu will be Awkwafina and Tony Leung, as the real Mandarin.
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After that, it goes back to Disney+ for the “WandaVison” show where those two titular characters will return with a grown Monica Rambeau from “Captain Marvel.” Scarlett Witch will also play a large role in “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” where director Scott Derrickson hopes to make this cosmic sequel Marvel’s first horror movie.
While Derrickson is scaring fans, Disney+ is soothing them with the “Loki” series to answer the remaining questions for his character and the animated series “What If…?”. That series will feature the voice of the original actors to explore those pesky what-if questions. Disney+ also has plans for a “Hawkeye” series featuring Jemery Renner’s Hawkeye training his comic apprentice Kate Bishop while Thor comes back to the big screen.
“Thor: Love and Thunder” will see the return of Natalie Portman in her role as Dr. Jane Foster as she picks up the hammer. The film will also confirm Tessa Thompson’s character as the first openly LGBT character. With its set date at Nov. 5, 2021, it is the last dated project to be released. However, “Captain Marvel 2,” “Black Panther 2,” “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” and newcomer “Blade,” starring Mahershala Ali, are in the works for Marvel’s future.
Comic-Con also saw Marvel confirm the end to “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” to go along with the cancellation of the Netflix Marvel shows. In comic news, Marvel also announced plans to relaunch X-Men with a comic series called “Dawn of X.”
DC
On the other side of the comics world, DC had big announcements of their own. While the DC movies have never reached the acclaim that Marvel’s have, DC holds their own with their TV shows. The “Arrowverse” on the CW had a few announcements this Comic-Con, including the final trailer for “Arrow,” the show to start them all.
“The Flash” and “Black Lightning” also gave audiences a look at their next seasons, including a chilling introduction of Bloodsport. While the trailer for “Supergirl” gave audiences a taste of that classic Luther and Super rivalry with Lena and Kara’s friendship on the fence, it was the announcement that the man of steel himself was returning that stole the show.
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Brandon Routh, from the “Arrowverse” show “Legends of Tomorrow,” will reprise his role as Superman from “Superman Returns.” This “Kingdom Come” Superman will be older and wearier than Tyler Hoechlin’s version that has already appeared in the “Arrowverse.” Routh’s Superman will most likely be during the crossover event “Crisis.” He was not given his own show, but people’s favorite Batman villain was.
DC announced that they are releasing a Harley Quinn animated series. The adult comedy features Harley after she breaks up with an abusive Joker and strikes out on her own, with some help from Poison Ivy and other Batman castoff. Along with the trailer, DC also released a date for Season 2 of “Titans” and confirmed the next seasons of “Young Justice” and “Doom Patrol.”
Star Trek
Moving away from the comic world into the last frontier, Star Trek offered a couple of first looks during Comic-Con. “Star Trek: Picard” was the biggest announcement and its trailer blew audiences away. With star Sir Patrick Stewart returning to his rule as Captain Picard, the upcoming show will be the eighth about Jean-Luc Picard and will feature some familiar faces, including Data and Seven of Nine.
While those actors are returning to their roles, the show will focus on a non-Starfleet crew helping to protect a young woman with one of Star Trek’s biggest villains pulling some strings. Picard was not the only Star Trek discussion. “Star Trek: Discovery” announced its third season and creators announced an animated half-hour comedy called “Lower Decks,” rounding out the Star Trek news.
Veronica Mars
The return of “Veronica Mars” has been a long awaited and Hulu decided fans had waited long enough. Hulu released “Veronica Mars” a week early in thanks to the support it received at Comic-Con.
The Witcher
Netflix also had a show to showcase. After the upsetting first images from their new show “The Witcher,” Netflix finally gave fans of the book series what they had been wanting with an amazing trailer.
The trailer featured star Henry Cavill as he takes on the role of Geralt, a mutated monster-hunter struggling to figure out who the real monsters are. The trailer, and the fact that original author Andrzej Sapkowski is a consultant, has renewed audiences’ excitement for the series.
It Chapter 2
Horror fans everywhere got a pre-scare this year with the final look at “It Chapter 2.” The “It” sequel is supposed to be even grander and scarier than the original.
Rick and Morty
It’s finally returned. Fans of “Rick and Morty” have been waiting a long time, but creators this Comic-Con promised it won’t happen again. They gave audiences a look at Season 4 of the long-awaited animation and gave a little insight on the confirmed Season 5.
Steven Universe Movie
On the other side of the animation spectrum, fans saw the “Steven Universe Movie” trailer. It shows older Steven finally relaxing after the events of the series, until that’s interrupted by a new villain set on destroying all organic life on Earth. Fans at the Steven Universe panel also got to see a live performance of one of the songs in the movie.
