“I’m a giant believer in setup and payoff,” says Koontz. “We simply needed to make a present that we favored, and I like issues that aren’t spoonfed. I like issues that make me lean ahead and ask questions and attempt to determine it out.”
Melanie Scrofano is in Revival’s lead function as small city cop Dana Cypress, and her character’s struggles really feel fully life like, together with an episode the place a bullet leaves her incapacitated at a time when she must be cell.
“That was an actual problem to be bedridden and have this dialogue that’s actually excessive stakes and should do it in a mattress,” she admits. “Nevertheless it was a extremely enjoyable problem.” We’re anxious to see the place issues go within the Revival season 1 finale in August! – MA
Roddenberry and Does It Fly?
Since launching in 2024, co-hosts Tamara Krinsky and Hakeem Oluseyi have been dissecting a few of the most beloved fandoms with scientific eyes on their podcast Does it Fly? Krinsky and Oluseyi, together with Kelsey Goldberg, who additionally serves as an govt producer of Does it Fly?, and Trevor Roth, the chief working officer of Roddenberry Leisure, visited our studio at SDCC to debate the evolution of the podcast in just a bit over a yr, and the way Krinsky’s love of popular culture and Oluseyi’s science schooling background be a part of forces in surprising methods to create Does it Fly?
Goldberg shared that she was excited when the present expanded its vary of genres and subjects past purely sci-fi—lately, the podcast examined the logic of Superman’s sun-powered skills and evolution in Tips on how to Prepare Your Dragon.
“It was an absolute pleasure the second we found we are able to go exterior of strict sci-fi, and I can begin to have a look at fantasy or horror,” Goldberg says. “I obtained a bit evil, however I feel the viewers advantages from it.”
Krinsky and Oluseyi’s friendship and appreciation towards what they’re discussing shines by each episode of Does it Fly? For Oluseyi, discovering a co-host like Krinsky was a dream come true as he by no means actually thought he’d discover somebody to share his passions with on this capability.
“I’m from Mississippi, and no person was into what I used to be into,” Oluseyi says. “They might at all times say issues like, ‘Man, ain’t no person into that shit you’re into.’ Effectively, guess what? I discovered any person who’s into that shit I’m into!”
Roth expressed his appreciation of the fandom, and voiced that the podcast’s mission was not solely to investigate characters and tales however to look at them with out tearing them down or dismissing devoted followers.
“Generally we are saying, ‘We’re placing one thing on trial,’ however we’re placing one thing on trial within the nicest means doable,” Roth says. “We’re not right here to chop something down. We all know that the issues we’re speaking about are beloved by somebody, together with us, a lot of the time, and due to that, we need to experience no matter pleasure that it brings.” – DZ
Ron Moore
Ronald D. Moore is on an actual tear as of late with two of his most profitable reveals, Outlander and For All Mankind, each receiving extremely anticipated spinoffs (Blood of My Blood and Star Metropolis respectively), so we had been anxious to talk with him in-studio about his secret to creating each a profitable hit collection and a companion present to discover.
“It’s at all times at the back of my thoughts: what may this be?” Moore says. “Since you’re at all times taking part in round with what’s the potential for the story. How large is the story? What number of seasons is it? Are you able to develop the universe into one thing else? Nevertheless it’s actually a again of the pinnacle type of factor.”
We additionally requested Moore about his progress on the God of Conflict adaptation, and whether or not it would observe Kratos and Atreus. “As somebody who’s new to this world, I used to be actually impressed with the depth of what you’re speaking about,” he tells us. “It’s such a wealthy atmosphere… it’s been actually enjoyable to dive into this world.” -MA
Shin Godzilla
Shin Godzilla was one thing of a game-changer for the Massive G when it hit theaters practically 10 years in the past in Japan. After a long time of sequels, team-ups, and crossovers, the monster that after seemed like a strolling metaphor for nuclear armageddon had turn into cute and cuddly. In reality, trying again on the impression Shin had on the tradition, co-director Shinji Higuchi tells us in our SDCC studio that they had been adamant to exit of their means and keep away from making a “Godzilla goes to combat in opposition to one thing” film.
As an alternative they crafted a bitter parable for bureaucratic inaction and paralysis within the face of existential disaster, one thing Japanese audiences had been eminently accustomed to following the Fukushima nuclear meltdown catastrophe of 2011. And but, even so, Higuchi admits that he and his co-director Hideaki Anno had been stunned after they realized that they’d inadvertently invented the cuddliest trying Godzilla ever: you understand the one with the large, googily eyes.
“It’s evolution, it’s not progress,” Higuchi says of Godzilla’s ever-mutating look. “There’s a distinction. So I needed to actually observe an virtually Darwinism [form] of evolution.” Thus to symbolize the halfway level between the ocean creature in the beginning of the film and the extra iconic reptilian visage that ends it, he and Anno settled on a picture they thought can be chilling, not charming.
“Director Anno doesn’t like fish and doesn’t like meat,” Higuchi reveals. “So director Anno hates once you go to a fish market and also you see the eyes, the way in which they take a look at you. In order that was what we determined. ‘Let’s give him these eyes!’ However Anno is type of confused, as a result of he thought he made the scariest creature possible, however all the children find it irresistible and everybody says it’s tremendous cute. So there’s this hole.” Merchandising windfalls have began from much less. – DC
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy
After numerous spinoffs, films, comics, and different tasks, Star Trek is lastly boldly going the place many rootless Gen Xers go: again to highschool. No, Gene Roddenberry’s sunny imaginative and prescient of a collaborative sci-fi future isn’t going to grad college to get its masters; it’s going all the way in which again to Starfleet Academy within the fittingly titled Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.
Den of Geek was joined by a supersized roster of Starfleet cadets and producers to debate the venture, together with Holly Hunter (Nahla Ake), Robert Picardo (the Physician), Noga Landau (govt producer), Alex Kurtzman (govt producer, co-showrunner), Sandro Rosta (Caleb Mir), Bella Shepard (Genesis Lythe) , Kerrice Brooks (Sam), George Hawkins (Darem Reymi), and Karim Diane (Jay-Den Kraag).
“It was very intentional to set it within the thirty second century,” Landau says. “As a result of it’s a time of rebuilding and it’s a time when the pressures of the rebuilding actually falls on the shoulders of the youthful era. There’s so much with these youngsters occurring that different generations haven’t needed to face.”
Kurtzman elaborates on why the time was lastly proper for a collection that includes younger Starfleet cadets after so many earlier rumors and false begins.
“It appears like this era specifically is going through so many deep challenges. Everyone is making an attempt to determine ‘how will we get again to hope?’ I feel that’s the place Roddenberry is available in. I at all times really feel like Star Trek is a compass that factors us towards our higher angels and the individuals we need to be.”
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is ready to premiere to Paramount+ in 2026. – AB
Star Trek Unusual New Worlds
When Paramount’s freshly-installed Star Trek czar Alex Kurtzman invited Akiva Goldsman to work on the primary trendy Trek spinoff Star Trek: Discovery, Goldsman ran a easy Google search to get what the collection was all about. It instantly led him astray.
“I found that it was a present about Pike and Quantity One… at the least in keeping with the web. Then I obtained there and found it had zero to do with any of that,” Goldsman says.
That preliminary web analysis, nevertheless, planted the seed for the spinoff that might turn into Star Trek: Unusual New Worlds, arguably probably the most creatively profitable Trek endeavor of its period. Now with the present in its third season (and with two extra ultimate seasons on the way in which) Goldsman, producer Henry Alonso Myers, and castmembers Rebecca Romijn (Quantity One), Christina Chong (La’An Noonien-Singh), Ethan Peck (Spock), Paul Wesley (James T. Kirk), and Jess Bush (Christine Chapel) stopped by the studio to speak about season 3 and the present’s final legacy.
“What we’ve executed to date exceeds something I’d ever imagined,” Goldsman says. “I hoped we’d get the unique Star Trek values again as a result of God is aware of we’d like them in occasions like this. I had no concept that we’d be gifted with this extraordinary forged. They’re greater than collaborators, they’re authors. If we’re fortunate and if we stick the touchdown we’ll have added a major piece to the canon of Star Trek.”
Earlier than the tip comes, nevertheless, season 3 finds Unusual New Worlds being its goofy, formidable self, together with a fourth episode that pays homage to The Authentic Sequence and Star Trek parodies in additional methods than one.
“That was probably the most enjoyable episode I feel I’ve filmed,” Chong says. “Once I obtained to see all these guys as their completely different characters, it was simply unimaginable. La’An has been actually uptight. Season 3 I had a chance to lighten her up. She’s exploring her passions, full cease.” – AB
Todd McFarlane
Todd McFarlane’s King Spawn is about to hit problem 50 later this yr. It’s a benchmark and milestone for the creator of Hell’s monarch, a personality he created in 1992. That’s additionally the identical yr McFarlane co-founded Picture Comics, the place he stays president. Nonetheless, that’s a modest run when in comparison with mainline Spawn’s 350 and counting points. But the way in which McFarlane tells it in our studio, it’s the character’s longevity which is the key to his success.
“In some unspecified time in the future over time, and I don’t care which enterprise it’s, you’ll have excessive and low factors,” McFarlane says. “However what’s going to matter is that the model, that phrase that you simply’re placing on the market, simply by no means goes away. It’s at all times there. Attrition of the identical factor time and again. Has Spawn had highs and lows? In fact it has. What it has [though] is it’s been there nonstop for over 30 years. That’s the key sauce.”
McFarlane additionally confides that his greatest problem with many creators at the moment, even at Picture Comics, is that they wrap up a narrative they personally created after 5 – 6 points.
“You get large gross sales within the first 5 after which they begin to flatten and paper down,” the comedian maestro notes. “And the thought is ‘I can cease and go begin one other e-book and get good gross sales for these subsequent 5 of these.’ The reply economically is sure, within the brief time period, however I’m telling you, long-term I hold saying get to problem 50. Each e-book that Picture Comics has executed that has gotten 50 or extra points has gotten exterior the bubble. And the bubble by definition is comedian books and us within the geek [community]. The choir. The choir’s at all times coming, however how do you get it now out to T-shirts, hats, toys, video video games, films, TV reveals? Exterior so your neighbor could have heard of the work?”
Right here’s to 50 extra points, King. – DC
Tony Hale
Tony Hale is sort of merely probably the most profitable comedic actors of this TV era. After embodying motherboy Buster Bluth on Fox and Netflix’s beloved Arrested Improvement for 5 seasons, Hale would go on to win Emmy gold as President Meyer’s bagman Gary Walsh on HBO’s acidic satire, Veep. Now Hale is producing and starring in Sketch, a movie he excitedly calls a mix of Inside Out and Jurassic Park.
“It took eight years to get made,” Hale says. “My buddy Seth Worley had the thought and wrote the script. We simply went backwards and forwards for a number of years. I play a single dad who’s frightened as a result of his daughter retains drawing these loopy footage that find yourself coming to life. It’s a extremely enjoyable household journey with a phenomenal theme of processing emotions.”
Along with teasing the madcap journey to come back in Sketch, Hale was sort sufficient to go deep on his profession, discussing his time on Arrested Improvement, Veep, Neighborhood, Toy Story 4, Inside Out 2, and even his transient Marvel and Star Wars voice appearing forays. One theme that emerged is that you simply would possibly simply keep in mind Hale’s greatest roles higher than he does.
“Certainly one of my favourite issues is when individuals come up and are like, ‘I like this joke,’ and I’m like, ‘Please inform me it as a result of I’ve fully forgotten.’ The one one I keep in mind, as a result of it’s my favourite, is Tobias becoming a member of Blue Man Group as a result of he thinks it’s a help group for depressed males. That was the extent of comedy you had been working with.”
Subsequent time you see Tony Hale out and about, please remind him of some extra nice Arrested Improvement gags. – AB
The Poisonous Avenger
Author-director Macon Blair and the celebrities of The Poisonous Avenger remake, together with Peter Dinklage, stopped by to speak about their new superhero film—err, make that “super-human” film. Yep, as producer Lloyd Kaufman, who co-wrote and co-directed the unique Poisonous Avenger, tells us, he has suggested each Blair and Ahoy Comics to knock off utilizing the time period “superhero” whereas working with ol’ Toxie.
“[It’s] a super-human film,” Kaufman insists. “You get a lawyer’s letter as a result of Warners and Marvel co-own the phrase ‘superhero.’ When Poisonous Avenger was a Marvel comedian e-book, he was a superhero, however as quickly as Warners dumped the Poisonous Avenger remake, then instantly we obtained a lawyer’s letter to not use ‘superhero.’ So it’s a super-human hero… That’s the way you do issues within the film enterprise.”
We should always word that Marvel and DC have since misplaced their try and trademark the phrase ‘superhero’ in courtroom, however the truth that Toxie has to remain DIY about even his job description—and even because the star of a glitzy (if nonetheless gory) new Legendary Footage remake—is fairly on model for a superhero who obtained dunked in poisonous sludge. Watch the above video to see the remainder of our dialogue, together with why Dinklage is not underneath the in depth Toxie make-up post-transformation. – DC
The primary season of Twisted Metallic on Peacock supplied nearly the whole lot followers of the long-running vehicular fight online game collection may have hoped for. Along with Anthony Mackie’s nameless hero John Doe, the season launched many characters, autos, areas, and even the long-lasting fiery harlequin Candy Tooth from the mythos. The one factor lacking, nevertheless, was the all-important demolition derby itself. That’s now set to reach in Twisted Metallic season 2 due to the introduction of one other necessary recreation character: the mysterious Calypso, performed by Anthony Carrigan (Barry, Superman).
“He’s simply type of your fundamental, run-of-the-mill MC of a vehicular loss of life match. Go together with the previous requirements,” Carrigan says.
Becoming a member of Carrigan to tease the season to come back had been Mackie (John Doe), Joe Seanoa (Candy Tooth), Stephanie Beatriz (Quiet), and showrunner Michael Jonathan Smith.
“To start with, New San Francisco is an excellent place,” Mackie says of John Doe’s preliminary season 2 digs. “For those who get an opportunity, go test it out. I found carpaccio in New San Francisco. It’s fairly good. We uncover John there having an exquisite time and making an attempt to maneuver ahead with out his proper hand…”
“His proper hand,” Beatriz interrupts with a masturbatory hand movement. A quick second of sincerity instantly adopted up by a dick joke? Onerous to think about a extra becoming illustration of Twisted Metallic than that. – AB
Higher Deck and Rush of Ikorr
We obtained the possibility to talk with Travis Rhea, head of Higher Deck about Rush of Ikorr, and what Higher Deck has coming now and for the close to future.
The brand new buying and selling card recreation dropped earlier this yr, with Rush of Ikorr counting on technique as you compete in epic mythological battles with as much as 3v3 PvP. As Rhea explains, “Final yr we launched NeoPets TCG; this yr, Rush of Ikorr. Rush of Ikorr is mostly a recreation changer. It’s a homegrown IP for us and has some fairly cool variations that you simply don’t see within the TCG world.” We touched on its distinctive qualities, together with how the sport encourages 2v2 and 3v3 play. However the type of play isn’t the one factor that separates it.
Says Rhea, “We tapped into stuff individuals had been already enthusiastic about and considerably accustomed to.” This references the assorted cultures and units of mythology the artistic workforce researched for the creation of this recreation’s lore, which helps it to have a singular type within the TCG area. What’s so nice is that this can be a return to type for Higher Deck, with Rhea stating, “We’ve been right here earlier than; we’ve a legacy on this aspect of the enterprise. We did Yu-Gi-Oh!, World of Warcraft, Name of Obligation…we’ve been in that world. It’s simply we took a break from it for some time… again to TCG’s is de facto in our DNA.” – CM
The Strolling Useless: Daryl Dixon
The oldsters behind The Strolling Useless: Daryl Dixon stepped into the studio triumphant, having simply introduced on the previous panel that their Strolling Useless spinoff would obtain a supersized fourth and ultimate season. Producers Scott Gimple, Greg Nicotero, and David Zabel; and producers and stars Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride had been pleased to tease the ending to come back.
“The French a part of this present was at all times envisioned as a two-season story,” Zabel says. “After which beginning this season we’ve three and 4. By the tip of that, Carol and Daryl’s European journey would have a extremely good conclusion and open up no matter comes subsequent.”
Following two full seasons of preventing the lifeless in France, Daryl (Reedus) and Carol (McBridge) head west (in a really roundabout means that features a journey by the “Chunnel”) to absorb some post-apocalyptic sightseeing on their lengthy journey dwelling.
“There’s an actual ardour in Spain,” Reedus says. “It’s like a Western. There’s an actual Spanish fireplace to the forged and crew. You are feeling the fervour within the present. We tried actually arduous to not make an American present and plop it down in Europe. We tried to not pretend the funk. We didn’t need everybody in France to have a beret on and a poodle and eat brie. In Spain we had been genuine as properly.” – AB
Yaeji
One of many many attracts of SDCC 2025 was the extremely anticipated Crunchyroll Anime FanFest, two free days of reside music, starting from Japanese different bands to anime-inspired hip-hop teams. On the second day, Brooklyn-based DJ Yaeji carried out a set on the Crunchyroll stage earlier than stopping by the studio.
“It was undoubtedly completely different,” Yaeji stated about her FanFest set. “I ready for it specifically on the aspect. I needed to play solely anime edits and get deep if I can, so it wasn’t like a typical set I might play in any respect.”
Yaeji’s typical units are platforms for her bilingual lyricism and twin lofi/digital sounds. In accordance with the DJ, the aim behind writing lyrics in each Korean and English has modified for her over time.
“At first, I simply sang in Korean as a result of I needed my pals to not know what I used to be singing about, after which I found that Korean sounds actually texturally attention-grabbing, so it was extra of an instrument,” the musician says. “Now, I discover it to be useful expressing in each languages … and likewise speaking through sounds and the sonics.”
Though Yaeji doesn’t level to at least one particular artist as her main affect, she has resonated with icons of hip-hop and pop all through her life. Nevertheless, she has most notably discovered inspiration inside mediums she shares in frequent with many SDCC attendees.
“Generally I might discover random indie music by a weblog most likely, however I used to be at all times on the web,” Yaeji tells us. “I feel the extra influential ones are literally most likely from video video games or anime openings and endings that I listened to all through my teenagers.” – SR
Panels
Coyote vs. Acme Panel
Vibrant and early in Corridor H, Looney Tunes followers at very lengthy final obtained to observe never-before-seen clips from the long-awaited Coyote vs. Acme, the film that Warner Bros. Discovery—I imply, Acme!—didn’t need you to see. The panel was hosted by comic Paul Scheer and featured director Dave Inexperienced, forged members Will Forte, Eric Bauza, Martha Kelly, and shock appearances by Wile E. Coyote himself, plus P. J. Byrne in-character as Acme’s authorized rep. We noticed three clips, together with six minutes of footage and the movie’s first official trailer. Byrne handed out pretend stop and desist papers and had the panel eliminated by unpaid Acme interns.
These bits referenced WBD’s choice to shelve the finished movie in 2023 as a part of a $30 million tax write-off, which sparked immense fan outrage. Ketchup Leisure later picked up the movie for $50 million. The panel additionally revealed that Coyote vs. Acme is ready for world launch on Aug. 28, 2026. The movie’s plot relies on a 1990 The New Yorker article by Ian Frazier, and imagines Wile E. Coyote lastly suing Acme after years of accidents from their faulty merchandise.
“Whereas [Wile E. Coyote] is the star of the film, he’s not the hero of this film. As a result of I feel what Paul [Scheer] and I, and everybody you’re going to fulfill on this panel at the moment would say, is that the true hero of this film is all you guys sitting in these seats,” Will Forte says on the panel. “Like Wile E. Coyote, you guys had been underdogs who fought in opposition to a serious company, and since you by no means gave up, this film is now going to come back out in a worldwide vast launch.” – DZ
George Lucas and the Lucas Museum of Narrative Artwork Panel
Within the dialogue of geek tradition’s greatest influences, few names loom as giant as George Lucas. This yr, the creator of the Star Wars and Indiana Jones universes, founding father of Lucasfilm, and veritable godfather of science fiction made his first look at SDCC for a panel titled “Sneak Peek of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Artwork Panel.”
Over the course of fifty years, Lucas has collected over 40,000 items of narrative artwork. Lots of these artworks will quickly be on show on the museum in Los Angeles, based by Lucas and his spouse, Mellody Hobson.
“It’s extra a few connection, an emotional reference to the work, not how a lot it value or what celeb did it,” Lucas stated concerning the art work he collects. “It’s extra a private factor, and I don’t assume it’s something that anyone else can inform you… when you’ve got an emotional connection, then it’s artwork.”
Sitting subsequent to Lucas had been director and museum board member Guillermo del Toro, artist and designer Doug Chiang, and musician and panel moderator Queen Latifah. Every member of the panel has their very own connection to Lucas’ work, in addition to their very own ardour behind narrative artwork.
“Most of the items we’ve rejoice freedom or anarchy,” del Toro stated. “… Comics have lots of social conscience, earlier than or across the similar time as films and so forth. You will have graffiti, you could have lots of the widespread mimeographed types of artwork that try this, they aren’t dominated… What’s necessary for me or what’s magical, [the museum] isn’t a person and his assortment, it’s a lineage of photographs… We’re in a essential second wherein one of many issues they prefer to disappear is the previous, and that is memorializing a well-liked, vociferous, expressive, eloquent second in our visible previous that belongs to all of us.”
The Lucas Museum of Narrative Artwork is scheduled to open in 2026 and can characteristic authentic works from the Star Wars universe, together with authentic Peanuts sketches, an authentic Flash Gordon caricature, the primary Iron Man cowl and far more. – SR
Gundam Wing
The flowing locks of unkempt ‘90s nostalgia had been on full show when the anime heartthrobs of Heero Yuy, Duo Maxwell, Quatre Winner, and the remainder of the Gundam Wing pilots took an extended overdue encore on the conference middle on Thursday evening. Earlier than 1000’s of cheering followers, actors Mark Hildreth, Scott McNeil, and Brad Swaile–who voiced Heero, Duo, and Quatre within the beloved 2000 English dub of Gundam Wing—took a bow and recited a few of the followers’ favourite traces whereas reminiscing about how greatest to vocalize imminent annihilation by the hands of a Gundam.
The largest piece of stories out of the panel was undoubtedly a contemporary tribute video to Gundam Wing’s thirtieth anniversary with dazzling hand-drawn imagery that set the thoughts aflutter with prospects. Gundam govt producer Naohiro Ogata was available to additionally tease people to “hold watching” in the event that they favored the above video (which could simply be fan-baiting the dream of a Wing sequel). Nevertheless, for attendees within the room, the spotlight is perhaps one fan asking for Hildreth to tear up a hand-delivered invitation to his birthday celebration with the identical coldness that Heero infamously exhibited to Relena Peacecraft within the first episode of Wing… Hildreth even made certain to throw the torn scraps in order that the paper may catch the air-conditioning, like a feather within the wind. – DC
Peacemaker Panel
Touching down on the Peacemaker panel in Corridor H at San Diego Comedian-Con, we had been graced with the presence of the crew behind Peacemaker, together with actors John Cena, Jennifer Holland, Freddie Stroma, Steve Agee, Sol Rodriguez, Frank Grillo, Tim Meadows, and writer-director James Gunn.
Not solely did they reply questions and converse on their characters’ motivations coming into the following season, however we additionally obtained a number of clips of the brand new season 2 coming to HBO Max on Aug. 21, together with a comedic “chook blindness” bit with Steve Agee’s John Economos and Tim Meadows’ new ARGUS agent character, “Langston Fleury,” in addition to a hard-hitting motion scene that includes Jennifer Holland’s Emilia Harcourt giving out haymakers and head kicks in a biker bar.
James defined to the viewers that coming into season 2, Peacemaker feels shunned from the superhero neighborhood, his love curiosity, and the issues he desires from life basically. With Gunn chatting with the place we discover peacemaker: “He’s coping with the demons he form of uncovered from the primary season and making an attempt to cope with them and the world isn’t accepting him the way in which he’s.” However as soon as his father’s inter-dimensional storage door, aka the Quantum Unfolding Chamber, comes into play, Chris has an opportunity to see if the grass is greener on the opposite aspect on this parallel world. – CM
Percy Jackson and the Olympians Panel
The mythological world of Percy Jackson & the Olympians has seen many iterations, from the unique e-book collection by Rick Riordan to the movie variations within the 2010s to a derivative collection to, most lately, a TV rendition. The primary season aired in 2023 and after a yr and a half of affected person ready, members of the forged and manufacturing workforce supplied followers a sneak peak at Season Two within the first Corridor H panel of SDCC 2025.
“We prefer to say it (Season Two) is supersized,” govt producer and author Dan Shotz stated. “Season Two is epic, it’s so big what we had been capable of construct … We’re out at sea, we’re on a 175-foot ironclad ship, we’re on cruise ships, we’re in chariot races, we’re preventing unimaginable monsters … It’s so huge and we can not look ahead to you guys to see what we do.”
Season Two will dig deeper into Riordan’s written world, this time following the story of the collection’ second installment: The Sea of Monsters. Solid members like Walker Scobell (Percy), Leah Jeffries (Annabeth) and Dior Goodjohn (Clarisse) all spoke to the expertise of returning to a movie set that has turn into a house to them and the way Season Two allowed them to divulge heart’s contents to their characters in a means viewers is not going to need to miss. The panel ended with a video message from Riordan, wherein he introduced the official launch date of Season Two – Dec. 10 on Disney+ – and the casting of two very important characters set to seem in Season Three: Levi Chrisopulos as Nico di Angelo and Olive Abercrombie as his sister, Bianca. – SR
Predator: Badlands Panel
Disney and twentieth Century Studios have lots of confidence in Predator: Badlands, and for good cause. It was, in any case, solely three years in the past after they introduced Dan Trachtenberg’s earlier live-action film within the Predator universe, the Hulu unique Prey, to SDCC. There the historic interval piece set in the course of the 18th century and in Comanche Nation tore the roof off of a close-by theater. So seeing Trachtenberg again, now in Corridor H alongside stars Elle Fanning and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi and moderator Kevin Smith, amounted to one thing of a victory lap. Besides this win had an entire different film to wow attendees.
Whereas Trachtenberg didn’t deliver his full Predator follow-up to San Diego in 2025 (it’s nonetheless being made), he and Disney confidently unveiled the primary quarter-hour of Badlands, together with parts of motion sequences and particular results which might be unfinished. They had been proper to be bullish, the sequence, which quantities to an prolonged prologue set on the Predators’ homeworld, reveals simply how a lot of Schuster-Koloamatangi’s protagonist, a Predator named Dek, really is the principle character of the future-set film (a primary within the Predator franchise). His story is given vaguely Shakespearean heft as he should battle in opposition to the expectations of his clan and a murderous father.
Our full impression of the primary quarter-hour may be discovered right here, however relaxation assured that there’s a lot but to be revealed, together with the complete extent of Elle Fanning’s function as a pair of Weyland-Yutani synthetics that Dek discovers on a hostile alien world the place there’s an apex predator so ferocious that even the alien race which hunts Arnold Schwarzenegger for sport fears it. What that creature appears like has but to be glimpsed–or simply how a lot enjoyable Fanning may have taking part in twin roles (Smith teased she portrays two very completely different sorts of robots)—however suffice to say the longer term appears shiny for popular culture’s most beloved ugly MFer. – DC
Tron: Ares
Disney additionally introduced Tron: Ares to SDCC this yr with maybe probably the most spectacular mild present Corridor H has ever witnessed. Heralded by a number of red-hued packages and neon-crimson beams piercing the darkness, an all-star forged, together with Jeff Bridges (and for higher or worse Jared Leto) took the stage to debate the legacy of Tron, the way forward for expertise, and simply how superior it’s to stroll on a Disney soundstage made to rebirth “the Grid.”
Nonetheless, probably the most tantalizing tease supplied followers was an prolonged glimpse and pay attention on the authentic rating written by 9 Inch Nails for the film. Following within the footsteps of Daft Punk’s iconic rating from Tron: Legacy (2010), all of NIN has reassembled to jot down and carry out on a soundtrack that features literal vocal tracks and new NIN songs. In reality, a killer music video was even fired up for Corridor H attendees. Belief us, it’s superb, as some naughty social media posts have confirmed with leaks just like the one above. – DC
Occasions
Avatar Celebration
Earth, fireplace, water, air… the 4 nations had been greater than represented on the Nickelodeon x Den of Geek Avatar the Final Airbender twentieth anniversary get together in San Diego, celebrating the massively widespread animated collection and its ever-expanding world, with a few of the forged and crew that made it particular. together with voice actors Jack De Sena, Jennie Kwan, Olivia Hack, Dante Basco, Zach Tyler Eisen, Michaela Jill Murphy, and Dee Bradley Baker, in addition to co-creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko.
The get together was a full of life time with signature blended drinks from every of the 4 nations and loads of meals besides, together with a superbly crafted sushi bar made out of ice within the water tribe part, and a big charcuterie platter inside the mini earth kingdom, whereas servers handed out an enormous quantity of meals and treats like vegetarian spring rolls, cabbage dumplings, hand-cut potato chips, bao buns, and numerous different Avatar-themed snacks. We had been additionally fortunately entertained with the thrilling sounds of DJ Dante, aka Dante Basco, pleasing the gang with a set checklist signature to his swagger whereas on the DJ sales space, Basco truly introduced up his fellow Avatar castmates one after the other, on stage by identify and character identify, to exclaim, “We simply need to say thanks guys a lot for 20 years, simply being in help of the present and altering all of our lives… ours and yours.”
And he wasn’t the one one with phrases for the viewers; co-creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko got here up on stage to lend some phrases, with DiMartino stating, “We have now Den of Geek to thank for that, for throwing, to my information, the very first actually superior, actually enjoyable get together… Thanks, Den of Geek.” Konietzko added, “Right here we’re, we’ll hold going so long as we are able to go.” –CM
DC Comics x eBay Reside
Den of Geek was honored to host the fruits occasion of our Summer season of Superman charity auctions reside at San Diego Comedian-Con. Partnering with eBay and DC Comics, we introduced you all-new and authentic Superman art work from seasoned comics veterans like Rafael Albuquerque, Cully Hamner, Scott Koblish, Joe Prado, Ian Churchill, John Timms, Eddy Barrows, Daniel Sampere, Clayton Henry, Tony S. Daniel, Dan Jurgens, Kenneth Rocafort, and Ivan Reis.
The occasion was hosted by Sam Stone and Rosie Knight, with visitor appearances from comedian creatives Jurgens, Hamner, Phillip Kennedy Johnson, and Tom King, in addition to Peacemaker actor Steve Agee becoming a member of in on the enjoyable. Followers and fellow geeks got here out in droves to help the trigger, serving to elevate over $7,000 for the BINC Basis. BINC’s mission is to help the emergent monetary, medical, and psychological well being service wants of comedian and e-book store homeowners and staff throughout the nation, who’ve guided fellow comedian fans alongside the way in which.-CM
Op Video games
The Op Video games Celebration got here alive with shared laughter, the cheerful clink of glasses and a nostalgic soundtrack that includes ‘90s icons like Madonna and New Radicals, which captured the electrical, feel-good vibes of the evening. Tables buzzed with pleasure as followers and first-timers alike dove into basic titles like Telestrations and Clean Slate. Based in 1994, The Op Video games, formally referred to as USAopoly, is celebrating over 30 years of bringing households and pals collectively over enjoyable, easy-to-learn get together video games. The Op has constructed a legacy of laughter and reference to authentic fan favorites and licensed video games from famend manufacturers like Disney, Marvel, Sanrio, and Nickelodeon. Partygoers who needed to recreation rotated from desk to desk, speed-dating-style, sampling 4 of the corporate’s best-selling and most fast-paced video games. Tasty hors d’oeuvres, beer, wine and specialty drinks on the open bar had been restocked all through the evening because the over 400 visitors that attended handed by the Andaz Resort on the primary evening of San Diego Comedian-Con.
At one desk, every participant would alternate between sketching and guessing to see how wildly their authentic phrase transforms by the tip of the spherical whereas taking part in Telestrations. Others raced in opposition to the timer to shout out solutions that match a class with out repeating letters throughout a number of intense rounds of Tapple. Trying to learn the room however not be too apparent, others tried to match one phrase with one other participant to finish a phrase in lots of hilarious rounds of Clean Slate. One of the crucial widespread and aggressive video games of the evening needed to be Flip 7, which earned the 2025 Golden Geek Award for Celebration Sport of the 12 months. Folks roared throughout this fast-paced, push-your-luck card recreation the place gamers race to play numbered playing cards in sequence, which includes flipping and swapping playing cards to outwit opponents and be the primary to clear their hand. Friends arrived in full cosplay, their greatest 90s trend, in teams and solo, however irrespective of how they confirmed up, everybody discovered one thing to get pleasure from.
“My mission, and The Ops mission, is to deliver individuals collectively, the place we are able to all play these video games and really expertise them in an actual world scenario that you could replicate at dwelling and present to your mates,” Adam Minton, affiliate director of selling at The Op Video games, says. “We would like nothing greater than pleasure, laughter, lifetime recollections, and doing occasions like these with cool individuals in a cool environment.” – DZ
Mission Brewing Celebration
No SDCC is full with out stopping downtown at Mission Brewing, and with the Comedian-Con crowd nonetheless buzzing from the current launch of Superman (2025), what higher method to rejoice than with a brilliant pleased hour?
In collaboration with Mission Brewing, Higher Deck and Den of Geek, the brewery hosted two reside podcast tapings. The podcast Energy-Up mentioned Higher Deck’s Rush of Ikorr card video games, and Roddenberry Leisure’s Does it Fly and iHeartRadio’s X-Ray Imaginative and prescient teamed as much as chat concerning the Man of Metal himself.
The primary 50 visitors acquired a pack of Higher Deck Fleer Brilliants Superman buying and selling playing cards, and the primary 150 snagged a free Mission x Den of Geek customized pint. The vibes had been good as individuals unwinded with tailored canned Den of Geek lagers, deliciously refreshing pale ales made only for the occasion. – DZ