Image via Complex Original
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This weekend, the San Diego Convention Center will receive an influx of nearly 130,000 of the biggest aficionados of comics, television, movies, and books for the 44th International Comic-Con. Die-hard superfans and cosplayers will arrive from all over the world to catch a glimpse of actors and characters from their favorite films and shows. Those who were lucky enough to get tickets to the hyped-up media event will have access to exclusive previews, panel discussions, and special guest appearances for some of the entertainment industry's most highly anticipated releases of the year.
From the creators of the much awaited Sharknado 2 to the cast of the critically acclaimed (and underappreciated) Orphan Black, here are some panels and presentations at this year's San Diego Comic-Con that you won't want to miss.
2.The Flash (The CW)
Type of event: Pilot screening
Talent expected to attend: Grant Gustin
Day and time: Wednesday, 6:00-10:00 p.m.
Following in the recent trend of bringing comic book characters to life, the CW is set to premiere The Flash, a spinoff of Arrow, this October, but SDCC 2014 preview night attendees will get a sneak peak at the pilot, which will be screened in its entirety on Wednesday at 6 p.m.
3.Under the Dome (CBS)
Type of event: Panel
Talent expected to attend: Mike Vogel, Dean Norris, Rachelle Lefevre, Alexander Koch, Colin Fordand, Eddie Cahill, and executive producer Neal Baer
Day and time: Thursday, 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Based on a Stephen King novel, CBS's Under the Dome tells the story of a small Maine town cut off from the rest of the world by a mysterious indestructible dome. With the show currently in its second season, its stars will discuss season 2 in a Thursday morning panel.
4.Scorpion (CBS)
Type of event: Panel
Talent expected to attend: Elyes Gabel, Robert Patrick, Katharine McPhee and executive producers Nick Santora, Nicholas Wootton, Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and Justin Lin
Day and time: Thursday, 12:05-1:10 p.m.
As part of CBS's Comic-Con invasion, the network plans to discuss details and reveal exclusive footage of their new show Scorpion, about a genius who rounds up a team of other geniuses to solve world problems only geniuses can solve. Its stars and executive producers will come together for a surely enlightening panel.
5.The Giver
Type of event: Presentation
Talent expected to attend: Stars Jeff Bridges, Brenton Thwaites, Odeya Rush, director Phillip Noyce, and author Lois Lowry
Day and time: Thursday, 1:30 p.m.
After 20 years in the making, The Giver is finally coming to theaters on August 15. SDCC will be premiering exclusive footage from the long-anticipated film. Main cast members, sans Meryl Streep, will be there to promote it, along with director Phillip Noyce and author Lois Lowry.
6.Paramount Pictures
Type of event: Showcase
Talent expected to attend: N/A
Day and time: Thursday, 3:00 p.m.
With an upcoming year full of highly anticipated releases, Paramount Pictures will be showcasing new films at this year's SDCC, with possible titles to include Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Paranormal Activity 5, and Christopher Nolan's sci-fi space epic Interstellar.
7.Star Wars Rebels (Disney XD)
Type of event: Panel
Talent expected to attend: Executive producers Dave Filoni and Simon Kinberg, along with stars Freddie Prinze, Jr., Vanessa Marshall, Steve Blum, Tiya Sircar, and Taylor Gray.
Day and time: Thursday, 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Set between Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, Disney/Lucasfilms' new animated series, Star Wars Rebels will bridge the gap between the two trilogies as the Galactic Empire continues to crack down on the Jedi Knights. While the show won't air until this Fall, a panel on the making of the show will happen Thursday.
8.Sharknado 2: The Second One (Syfy)
Type of event: Panel
Talent expected to attend: Ian Ziering, Tara Reid, Vivica A. Fox, Kari Wuhrer, Judah Friedlander and director Anthony C. Ferrante
Day and time: Thursday, 7:15-8:15 p.m.
What's better than a made-for-TV B-list horror movie about sharks attacking Los Angeles? A sequel to a made-for-TV B-list horror movie about sharks attacking Los Angeles! Returning stars will be accompanied by newcomers Vivica A. Fox, Kari Wuhrer, and Judah Friedlander for a panel about the film, titled Sharknado 2: The Second One, which will premiere on Syfy next Wednesday, July 30.
9.The Walking Dead (AMC)
Type of event: Panel
Talent expected to attend: Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus, Steven Yeun, Lauren Cohan, Danai Gurira, Melissa McBride, Chad Coleman, and Michael Cudlitz, executive producer and showrunner Scott Gimple, executive producer Robert Kirkman, executive producer Gale Anne Hurd, executive producer Dave Alpert, and special effects makeup supervisor and executive producer Greg Nicotero
Day and time: Friday, 12:20-1:20 p.m.
Talking Dead's Chris Hardwick will moderate this panel featuring the show's biggest stars and head honchos. The discussion will revolve around the show's shocking season 4 finale, and the highly anticipated season 5 premiere this October.
10.MARVEL: Avengers NOW!
Type of event: Panel
Talent expected to attend: Axel Alonso (Marvel Comics editor), Rick Remender (writer and artist), Jason Aaron (writer)
Day and time: Friday, 12:45-1:45 p.m.
Join some of Marvel Comics' creative minds in this hour-long panel disucssion about the latest and greatest in the company's comic-verse. Editor-in-chief Axel Alonso, Rick Remender, Jason Aaron, and other guests will be discussing the evolution of the Avengers and where everybody's favorite superheroes will end up next.
11.Game of Thrones (HBO)
Type of event: Panel
Talent expected to attend: Kit Harington, Gwendoline Christie, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Natalie Dormer, Rose Leslie, Rory McCann, Pedro Pascal, Sophie Turner, Maisie Williams, John Bradley, executive producers and writers David Benioff and D. B. Weiss
Day and time: Friday, 1:20-2:40 p.m.
Game of Thrones is back with a vengeance this year with an hour-plus-long panel about the upcoming seasons, and, since Rose Leslie will be there, perhaps this year's most shocking (SPOILER ALERT) deaths. In addition to the panel, there will be an HBO pop-up store selling a vast array of Game of Thrones merchandise, including some new and exclusive merch.
12.Wayward Pines (Fox)
Type of event: World premiere of the pilot
Talent expected to attend: M. Night Shyamalan (producer), Matt Dillon, Melissa Leo, Toby Jones, Carla Gugino and Terrence Howard
Day and time: Friday, 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Starring Matt Dillon, the story, based on the Blake Crouch novel, Pines, follows the mysterious disappearance of two federal agents. After a world premiere screening, M. Night Shyamalan, producer of the upcoming mystery series, will participate in a panel alongside Matt Dillon, Melissa Leo, Toby Jones, Carla Gugino, and Terrence Howard.
13.Archer (FX)
Type of event: Panel/exclusive screening
Talent expected to attend: H. Jon Benjamin, Aisha Tyler, Chris Parnell and series creator Adam Reed
Day and time: Friday, 5 p.m.
Archer is the raunchy, witty animated series that follows the misadventures of the International Secret Intelligence Service (ISIS) and its head agent, Sterling Archer. There will be a screening of an original, SDCC-exclusive animated short, plus the upcoming premiere episode of season 6. The voice cast and creators will also be holding a panel to discuss the show.
14.Orphan Black (BBC America)
Type of event: Panel
Talent expected to attend: Tatiana Maslany, Jordan Gavaris, Dylan Bruce, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Evelyne Brochu and Ari Millen
Day and time: Friday, 6:00-7:00 p.m.
BBC America’s acclaimed sci-fi drama series, Orphan Black, will get its own hour-long panel this year. Its cast and crew will be present to discuss that Clone Club dance party, the upcoming season three, and how Tatiana manages to convince everyone that she is actually seven different people.
15.Arrow (The CW)
Type of event: Panel and “Special Video Presentation”
Talent expected to attend: Stephen Amell, Katie Cassidy, David Ramsey, Emily Bett Rickards, Colton Haynes, Willa Holland, Paul Blackthorne, John Barrowman, executive producers Greg Berlanti (The Flash), Marc Guggenheim (Green Lantern), and Andrew Kreisberg (Fringe)
Day and time: Friday, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Following a special video presentation of Arrow, the CW hit based on DC Comics’ Green Arrow, the cast and executive producers will sit on a panel to discuss what’s next for the billionaire playboy-turned-superhero. Warner Bros. will also distribute Arrow backpacks at check-in.
16.The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies
Type of event: Presentation
Talent expected to attend: Peter Jackson
Day and time: Saturday, 10:00 a.m.
As the final installment of The Hobbit series is set for a December 2014 release, Battle of the Five Armies will likely be Peter Jackson's final venture into the world of JRR Tolkien's Middle Earth, which makes this presentation more exciting than ever. Jackson himself will lead the presentation.
17.Warner Bros. Pictures
Type of event: Showcase
Talent expected to attend: N/A
Day and time: Saturday, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Warner Bros. Pictures takes a look at three upcoming films: Jupiter Ascending, Mad Max: Fury Road, and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.
18.Marvel Studios
Type of event: Panel
Talent expected to attend: Marvel Studios president and producer Kevin Feige, along with “special guests”
Day and time: Saturday, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Marvel has a history of outstanding performances at past Comic-Cons. For this year’s crowd-pleaser, Marvel will be promoting its upcoming film The Avengers: Age of Ultron with exclusive footage and possibly more. There are rumors the whole cast should be in attendance, so it will be an event for the ages. There's also hints of discussion about future Marvel ventures in the works. (Can you say "the first black Captain America"?)
19.Gotham (Fox)
Type of event: World premiere of pilot
Talent expected to attend: Ben McKenzie
Day and time: Saturday, 8:00-11:00 p.m.
Ben Mckenzie stars as Detective James Gordon in this highly anticipated series about the eponymous fictional city. FOX's Gotham also stars Donal Logue as Detective Harvey Bullock, Jada Pinkett-Smith as Fish Mooney, and David Mazouz as Bruce Wayne, who will actually not be the focus of the entire series. The cast and producers will make an appearance after the screening of the series’ pilot episode.
20.The Following (Fox)
Type of event: Panel
Talent expected to attend: Kevin Bacon, Shawn Ashmore, Sam Underwood, and Jessica Stroup, creator/executive producer Kevin Williamson, and executive producer Marcos Siega
Day and time: Sunday, 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
Returning for the third year in a row, the cast and producers of FOX's serial killer drama, The Following, will discuss the exhilarating season two finale and what to expect in season three. A special video presentation will precede the panel.
21.The Strain (FX)
Type of event: Presentation
Talent expected to attend: Series co-creators Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan, showrunner Carlton Cuse ( Lost), and cast members Corey Stoll, David Bradley, Mia Maestro, Sean Astin, Kevin Durand, Jonathan Hyde, Richard Sammel, Miguel Gomez, Ben Hyland, and Jack Kesy.
Day and time: Sunday, 1:45-3:45 p.m.
From the great mind of Guillermo Del Toro comes this new horror drama, about a mysterious plane full of dead passengers infected by a disease which threatens the entire human race. The show premiered earlier this month, but Del Toro will be present for a sneak peak of the show's third episode along with the show's co-creator Chuck Hogan, show runner Carlton Cuse and main cast members.