San Diego Comic-Con is going virtual once again this year due to the pandemic and it will be doing so without two major studios for the digital event. [email protected] has released its tentative schedule, which could continue to update, and while it’s very heavy on TV, lacking Marvel Studios and DC Films is bound to be a big blow to the event’s prospects.
With Disney’s Marvel Studios and Warner Bros.’ DC Films deciding to sit this one out, that means there will be no new major updates regarding any of their upcoming projects. It’s not like both entities don’t have projects to promote. Marvel Studios has Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Eternals, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Thor: Love and Thunder, and many other MCU projects on the horizon to share with fans but they may be plotting their own media blitz to showcase new material from these upcoming projects.
DC Films’ reasoning for skipping the event may be a bit more obvious. This will be the third year in a row they have been absent from Comic-Con, but last year they launched a virtual event called DC Fandome, showcasing their film, television, and comic book projects, which proved to be very popular successful. In fact, their event was received far better than the [email protected] event last year and it was previously announced that they will be holding the event again this year. With films like Black Adam, The Batman, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, The Flash, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom on their docket, I’m sure they’re saving new goodies from those films for their own event.
If you look at the schedule, Paramount’s Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins is the only major theatrical studio release that will be showcased at the event. Movies in general won’t be completely ignored. Netflix has scheduled panels for Army of Thieves, The Last Mercenary, starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, and the indie documentary For Madmen Only: The Stories of Del Close.
Television is going to be heavily represented at the event and that could be a draw for fans of the series that are featured. Shows like The Walking Dead, Roswell, New Mexico, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Fear the Walking Dead, Family Guy, American Dad, Doctor Who, Creepshow, and many more will have their moment during virtual panels spread out throughout the weekend.
There is a live edition of San Diego Comic-Con planned this year, albeit at a smaller scale, to make up for going virtual once again but it’s during a very inconvenient weekend. Someone thought that November 26-28, the weekend after Thanksgiving, would be ideal to do this but with many people getting to see some of their family and friends again after missing out on that due to the pandemic last year, will it still draw the crowd they desire? In the meantime, this year’s San Diego [email protected] begins on Wednesday, July 21, and concludes on Sunday, July 25. As of now, nothing is scheduled from film or TV on Thursday but we will update if more panels are announced. All times for the panels are PDT and they will stream on Comic-Con’s YouTube channel. You can check out the schedule by going HERE!
