Comic-Con brings out the big guns
Colin Firth, Halle Berry join a weekend battle of the comic books
SAN DIEGO — Just about the loudest crowd noise I’ve ever heard in person, beyond the Super Bowl and World Series, was the decibel-heavy peal that ComicCon’s audience gave Robert Downey Jr. in 2009, as he returned to America’s biggest pop convention as the freshly crowned King of the Con.
The actor had not only regained big-screen glory a year earlier with “Iron Man,” but that movie kicked off the entire Marvel Universe we wander in today.
Now imagine just how earsplitting it could get this weekend, as Marvel Studios trots out a superhero roster big enough to field a baseball team.
No matter what else happens at San Diego’s Comic-Con International, the panels of talent paraded out over five days — complete with teaser footage — are designed not only to thrill the 7,000-plus fans who camp out in the auditorium Hall H, but also grab the lion’s share of the event’s headlines around the world.
So with so much at stake, who is best poised to win Hall H this year? Let’s take a look:
Thursday: Two years ago, “Kingsman: The Secret Service,” adapted from the Dave Gibbons/ Mark Millar comics, soared to more than $400 million in global box-office gross.
For the sequel arriving in September, Fox spared no firepower. Star Taron Egerton was joined by such Oscars winners as Colin Firth, Halle Berry and Jeff Bridges, as well as Channing Tatum. The panel had a viral moment when Berry downed a half-pint of whiskey Tatum poured for her in a single swallow.
On a day that will also feature Sony’s “Brigsby Bear” cast (including SNL castmates Kyle Mooney, who cowrote the film, and Beck Bennett) and the stars of Netflix’s “Bright” (including Will Smith).
Friday, “The Big Bang Theory” and “Twin Peaks” panels were expected to get predictable geek love, and the mainstream pop phenomena that are HBO’s justreturned “Game of Thrones” and “The Walking Dead” receive their annual huge fanfare. Plus, Seth Rogen, Garth Ennis and gang were to have their session for AMC’s “Preacher.”
But Friday evening, the cumulative excitement for Marvel/ Netflix’s “The Defenders” (launching Aug. 18) was to fully bloom, given the fanfare for each lead-up series, particularly “Daredevil,” “Jessica Jones” and “Luke Cage.” Now, can we see some fresh footage?
Saturday, the TV side will deliver two sure-to-thrill sessions: HBO’s “Westworld” (including stars Ed Harris, Thandie Newton, Evan Rachel Wood and Jeffrey Wright) and Netflix’s “Stranger Things” (with new teaser footage promised ahead of Halloween’s second season debut). The film lineup will include Steven Spielberg (“Ready Player One”), and the plug-your-ears appearances of Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford for “Blade Runner 2049.” Charlize Theron will get a richly deserved “icon” spotlight as part of the “Women Who Kick Ass” series.
But make no mistake: This is Marvel vs. DC Day. WB/DC will go for the superhero knockout by teasing “Aquaman” (starring Jason Momoa) and then introducing the five stars from November’s “Justice League,” including Momoa, Gal Gadot and Ben Affleck.
Yet Marvel Studios has been handed the night slot, and if studio chief Kevin Feige has nearly all the Avengers stars in the house to tease “Infinity War” and “Black Panther,” then this will be the Hollywood session of the weekend.
Sunday will bring perennial favourite “Supernatural” and TNT’s “The Last Ship,” but the weekend capper rightly belongs to the epic changing of the guard for BBC’s “Doctor Who.” Star Peter Capaldi will be on the dais — but will the newly announced 13th Time Lord, Jodie Whittaker, be invited? Let’s hope.
Verdict: We give the Hall H edge to Marvel.