“You sent Nick Fury to voice mail?!” says a surprised Happy (Jon Favreau). “I gotta go,” replies Peter Parker (Tom Holland), attempting to cut short the conversation. “You do NOT ghost Nick Fury,” warns Happy as Peter leaves for a European vacation in the 2019 superhero film, Spider-Man: Far From Home.
It’s been a few months since the epic battle against Thanos and Peter, along with the rest of the world, is still grieving those lost in the fight. Peter’s ready for a summer vacation in Europe with his best friend, Ned (Jacob Batalon). He’s also happy to be taking off and spending some relaxing time with MJ (Zendaya) who he’s developed feelings for and who he thinks/hopes likes him for more than just a friend. A bit nervous, Peter confides in Ned he plans on telling MJ how he feels about her on the trip.
However, Peter’s vacation plans get hijacked by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). Fury catches up with Peter in Venice – after being ghosted several times – and recruits him to help uncover the mystery of elemental creature attacks that have created massive damage and chaos on several continents.
Full of cute humor, a little too much teen-angst, and an impressive CGI action finale, Spider-Man: Far From Home is an entertaining enough sequel to Spider-Man: Homecoming. It’s a solid summer superhero film, yet it lacks emotional depth and a memorable villain.
Tom Holland returns as Peter Parker and his web-slinging alter ego who really wants to take a break from crime fighting to enjoy his summer vacation and to hopefully get together with MJ. Holland brings to life the awkward, geeky, good-natured persona that is Peter Parker so naturally, he seems made for the role. He’s equally impressive as Parker’s alter-ego, the smart aleck, determined, and strong superhero – Spiderman. He’s made these roles his own and has become, for many, the best film version of the iconic comic book character.
Zendaya does a great job portraying MJ, a sardonic, smart, and a bit obsessed with macabre historical events teenager who’s falling for Peter and isn’t sure how to show him. Holland and Zendaya have terrific chemistry, and the scenes of their characters displaying their mutual teen crush and not knowing how to move forward ring true.
Jacob Batalon is hilarious as Ned, Peter’s best friend who has his own girl interests to deal with. Batalon’s a scene stealing sidekick this time out. Ned has most of the film’s funniest lines and Batalon displays a great comedic touch.
Jake Gyllenhaal is solid as Quentin Beck, a man who both Fury and Parker look to for answers about what’s causing the elemental creature attacks and how to stop them. Gyllenhaal’s performance as the possible new superhero partially fills the obvious void in the film.
Although the movie has less stirring action scenes than the first Holland Spider-Man film – focusing a lot of time on teen romance – the big CGI action battle near the end pays off huge and is both impressive and exciting.
Overall, this post-Avengers: Endgame Marvel release is a breezy fun adventure considerably lighter than Avengers that shifts the emphasis to being funny rather than thrilling. It’s what superhero fans need after the emotional roller coaster of Endgame.
GRADE: B
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for sci-fi action violence, some language and brief suggestive comments
This year’s Thanksgiving movie fans will have something new to be thankful from writer/director/producer Rian Johnson. The filmmaker behind Looper, Brick, and Star Wars: The Last Jedi returns with the star-filled whodunnit, Knives Out.
Bond, James Bond (Daniel Craig) and Captain America (Chris Evans) star in the ensemble comedy that’s trying for an Agatha Christie vibe. The cast of the murder mystery also includes Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Toni Collette, Don Johnson, Michael Shannon, LaKeith Stanfield, Katherine Langford, Jaeden Martell, Noah Segan, Edi Patterson, Riki Lindhome, and Christopher Plummer.
Johnson’s behind the scenes team includes director of photography Steve Yedlin, editor Bob Ducsay, production designer David Crank, and costume designer Jenny Eagan.
Lionsgate will release Knives Out on November 27, 2019.
The Plot, Courtesy of Lionsgate:
Acclaimed writer and director Rian Johnson pays tribute to mystery mastermind Agatha Christie in Knives Out, a fun, modern-day murder mystery where everyone is a suspect. When renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Plummer) is found dead at his estate just after his 85th birthday, the inquisitive and debonair Detective Benoit Blanc (Craig) is mysteriously enlisted to investigate. From Harlan’s dysfunctional family to his devoted staff, Blanc sifts through a web of red herrings and self-serving lies to uncover the truth behind Harlan’s untimely death. With an all-star ensemble cast, Knives Out is a witty and stylish whodunit guaranteed to keep audiences guessing until the very end.
Don Johnson, Jamie Lee Curtis, Chris Evans, K Callan, Ana de Armas, Christopher Plummer, Michael Shannon, Jaeden Lieberher, Riki Lindholm, Toni Collette, and Katherine Langford star in ‘Knives Out.’Daniel Craig, LaKeith Stanfield, and Noah Segan in ‘Knives Out’ (Photo by Claire Folger)Chris Evans, Ana de Armas and director Rian Johnson on the set of ‘Knives Out’ (Photo Credit: Claire Folger)Teaser poster for Lionsgate’s ‘Knives Out’
Amazon Prime Video’s set to launch the adult action series The Boys starring Chace Crawford, Antony Starr, and Karl Urban on July 26, 2019. The series is based on Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson’s best-selling comic which takes a different, twisted approach to the standard superhero fare. The comic and the series pose the question: what if superheroes are actually jerks who abuse their superpowers?
The cream of the crop of the supes are known as The Seven, made up of Homelander (Antony Starr), The Deep (Chace Crawford), A-Train (Jessie T. Usher), Starlight (Erin Moriarty), Queen Maeve (Dominique McElligott), Black Noir (Nathan Mitchell), and Translucent (Alex Hassell). Standing against them are The Boys led by Karl Urban as Billy Butcher.
Amazon brought The Boys cast to the New York Comic Con for a panel that introduced The Seven and The Boys. The cast also participated in interviews at the New York event, with Antony Starr and Chace Crawford teamed up to talk about the show’s tone and why they gravitated to the project.
This is such a departure for the both of you. Is that part of the reason you were drawn to the series?
Chace Crawford: “Yeah. I mean, I definitely was drawn to it, to some of the comedic aspects. You know, the character – I read the sides and I just got the tone of it. I was like, ‘This is project I can have fun with.’ You know what I mean? Evolving him and just kind of making him my own. So, yeah, for me it was a real breath of fresh air, collaboration wise.
It’s a dark show and it’s a dark character, so it was a lot of fun for me to switch it up.”
Antony Starr: “I’m not sure how much of a departure it was, although it was a superhero for me. You know, it’s adult content which I’ve been involved in before. That sounds terrible! That sounds like I did porn! Sorry…I did R-rated content not porn. Jesus, man!”
Everyone is saying this show pushes the envelope and for you it’s where you come from with Banshee.
Antony Starr: “Yeah, Banshee pushed the envelope sometimes maybe a little too much and could be a little gratuitous at times. But it was what it was. This show is…I think the source material comic book really pushes the envelope and doesn’t pull any punches. There’s probably a niche market for that kind of content.
So, when it comes to putting that on air, we’ve had to tame it down a little bit and make it a little more palatable – particularly in the current social climate. I mean, the people who make TV are not stupid and they’re very conscious of what’s going to sell and what’s not. And I anticipate this is going to do really well and I think anyone who does bad things in the show isn’t necessarily praised, doesn’t come out rewarded. So, I think there’s balance in the show in a way that there isn’t as much balance in the comic book.”
What about this character did you really love delving into? Was there something in particular you liked sinking your teeth into?
Antony Starr: “For some reason I always play characters that are really dark. I’m not really sure why. I don’t think I’m a dark person.”
Chace Crawford: “I don’t think so either.”
Antony Starr: “Apparently I’m really f*cked up. (Laughing) But, no, it was really… I’ll be honest. I didn’t know… I was shooting something else and my people said, ‘You got to try for this. It’s going to be really great. There are good people involved.’ And I didn’t really have time to read it or think about it. I sent the audition down; they really liked it.
I read it and I liked it, but I didn’t really know anything about it. Thankfully, I knew it was good people involved and I knew the material that I’d seen was really great. And it’s just gotten better and better and better. It’s just – without saying as a cliché actors always say, ‘Everyone’s wonderful,’ but this is a genuinely great bunch of people. Equally important the creativity on the show’s been so collaborative, so open. It’s been great.”
Dominique McElligott and Antony Starr in ‘The Boys’ (Photo Credit: Amazon Prime Video)
What about the scripts attracted you?
Chace Crawford: “I don’t even think I read the script. I read the sides and I was like, ‘This is good,’ you know? And I went in and I thought for sure there’d be like some long, drawn-out process, maybe even after Christmas. And they’re like, ‘No. We’ve got to get the superhero suits made.’
They used my tape for the test but then that was it. And then I read the comics over Christmas and I was like, ‘Okay, that’s enough of that! I’ll just read the scripts.’
For me, I was just attracted to the character. It was a lot of fun, good people involved, and a dark superhero show. I was pumped about it.”
Antony Starr: “The scripts have been great. We’ve got a pretty good writing team headed up by Eric Kripke who’s some sort of mad genius, I think. It’s good to have his hand on the tiller.”
Is it dark and gritty or dark and twisted?
Chace Crawford: “A little bit of both in there, really.”
Antony Starr: “Totally both, man. It’s funny because there’s almost two different shows going on at once. We’ve got The Boys who are driving the story and that’s really earthy and gritty, a lot of the camera style is handheld. It’s much more organic and has a real earthy, gritty feel. And then the superheroes – ours was much more classic, much more formal, and the shots were on rails and tracks.”
Chace Crawford: “There’s almost like an absurdist quality to it. There’s a bizarreness to it that’s really unique. That’s what makes it entertaining. You can’t really describe it. It’s really bizarre.”
Antony Starr: “Yeah, it really is. And a lot of the time when the really…there is a definite grittiness to it but when those really dark things come up, you know, without giving anything away something terrible happens to someone physically – if something really bad happens to someone – it’s comical. So, there’s a lightness with that. A lot like we were talking about Banshee and the similarities before, like a lot of the darkness in that was actually really dark comedy. So, there’s bad stuff happening but you can’t help but chuckle.”
Karl Urban was saying there’s something in one of the scripts you’ve never seen on TV before because it’s outrageous. You know what he’s talking about, I’m sure.
Antony Starr: “He was one underplaying it, I think, because there’s something you’ve never seen in every script. No sh*t, dude. I swear on my life I don’t even know how they dreamed it up.”
Coming from Banshee that says a lot.
Antony Starr: (Laughing) Oh no no no no. You ain’t seen nothing yet, my friend. Nothing!”
NBC’s 2019 San Diego Comic Con plans include panels, a Brooklyn Nine-Nine immersive experience, and the network’s special Comedy Café set up at the Tin Fish Restaurant. Plus, NBC will once again sponsor the official Comic Con app which features super useful interactive exhibit hall map as well as the schedule of events.
NBC revealed attendees at the sold-out convention will be able to check out Cloud 9’s pop-up department store and “enjoy a Forking Memorable Meal at The Good Place’s Interdimensional Hole of Pancakes (IHOP) at Maryjane’s Diner.”
Cast members from Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Good Place, and Superstore are heading to the San Diego Convention Center for Q&As with fans. Check out the full schedule NBC has planned for this year’s lucky Comic Con attendees.
NBC PANEL SCHEDULE
Thursday, July 18
Superstore (Presented by Universal Television)
5:30-6:30 p.m. | Room: Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront
Join your fellow Cloud 9 employees for a Q&A session with the cast and producers: America Ferrera, Ben Feldman, Mark McKinney, Lauren Ash, Colton Dunn, Nico Santos, Nichole Bloom, Kaliko Kauahi, and executive producers Justin Spitzer, Gabe Miller and Jonathan Green.
Saturday, July 20
The Good Place (Presented by Universal Television)
12:00-12:50 p.m. | Room: Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront
Join stars Ted Danson, Kristen Bell, William Jackson Harper, D’Arcy Carden, Manny Jacinto and executive producers Michael Schur and Drew Goddard for a forking great conversation moderated by Marc Evan Jackson.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Presented by Universal Television)
7:45-8:45 p.m. | Room: 6BCF, San Diego Convention Center
Join the Nine-Nine for a Q&A session with the cast and producers: Andy Samberg, Terry Crews, Melissa Fumero, Joe Lo Truglio, Dirk Blocker, Joel McKinnon Miller and executive producers Dan Goor and Luke Del Tredici.
NBC COMIC CON INTERACTIVE ACTIVATIONS
Brooklyn Nine-Nine Experience
Thursday, July 18-Sunday, July 21 at Gaslamp Square (between the Convention Center and Hard Rock Hotel in front of the Tin Fish Restaurant).
Det. Jake Peralta and the rest of the Nine-Nine are headed to San Diego Comic-Con this summer, swapping coasts in search of new recruits! Comic-Con attendees can immerse themselves in the newly designed Brooklyn Nine-Nine experience, testing their skills for a chance to join the infamous 99th precinct. Attendees will enjoy a series of hilarious and unforgettable tasks in order to make the squad, all while surrounding themselves inside the show’s most iconic setting. Fans will also enjoy exclusive content, giveaways, and several opportunities to capture photos and videos in and around the activation.
Superstore Cloud 9 Pop-Up
Thursday, July 18-Sunday, July 21 inside the Hard Rock Hotel main lobby.
NBC’s Superstore is popping up in San Diego to offer attendees the chance to beat the heat and step into the Cloud 9 Department Store, located inside the Hard Rock Hotel main lobby. The pop-up will offer exclusive content, a custom photo opportunity and a “customer service” desk to host exclusive NBC comedy-branded giveaways, while supplies last. Follow @NBCSuperstore for more information and events during Comic-Con.
The Good Place Diner – The Interdimensional Hole of Pancakes
Thursday, July 18-Sunday, July 2 at Maryjane’s Diner at the Hard Rock Hotel.
NBC is transforming Hard Rock’s Maryjane’s Diner into the Interdimensional Hole of Pancakes, as seen in The Good Place, inviting guests into the memorable diner that exists between realms. For one weekend only, the portal to the Interdimensional Hole of Pancakes is opening up in downtown San Diego where guests can enjoy a themed meal, experience a mind-blowing Time-Knife and feel what it’s like for Michael to be truly powerless. Follow @nbcthegoodplace for more information during SDCC.
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Per NBC: Attendees are encouraged to pre-register for the NBC Comedy experience starting Wednesday, July 10 by visiting www.nbcsdcc.com. Each attendee will receive a customized profile and wristband to enhance their visit. Utilizing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, attendees will be fully immersed in the NBC Comedy experience and utilize these RFID brands at each of the experiences. (Note: registration is limited and does not guarantee admission.)
Disney Television Studios will be bringing 14 series to the 2019 San Diego Comic Con including Con favorites The Orville, The Simpsons, and Bob’s Burgers. Joining previously announced panels Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Mayans M.C. will be newcomers Stumptown, Emergence, neXt, Bless the Harts, and Solar Opposites.
Disney Television’s also hosting panels promoting What Just Happened??!, The Rookie, Family Guy, and American Dad. Attendees will also be able to pick up special collectibles items at the ABC and 20th Century Fox Television booths throughout Comic Con.
The San Diego Comic Con runs July 18th through July 21st. A special preview night will be held on July 17th.
Disney Television Studios Panels:
THURSDAY, JULY 18
3:00 – 4:00 p.m. EMERGENCE (Produced by ABC Studios) – Beyond explanation … beyond understanding … lies the truth. Join the cast and executive producers for a first look at the pilot episode of ABC’s new drama series Emergence, followed by an exciting panel discussion. This character-driven genre thriller follows a police chief who takes in a young child she finds near the site of a mysterious accident who has no memory of what has happened. The investigation draws her into a conspiracy larger than she ever imagined, and the child’s identity is at the center of it all.
Executive producers Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters with cast members Allison Tolman, Donald Faison, Clancy Brown, Alexa Swinton, Owain Yeoman, Ashley Aufderheide, Robert Bailey Jr. and Zabryna Guevara will all be in attendance. (Indigo Ballroom)
3:30 – 4:30 p.m. MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. (Produced by ABC Studios) –The cast and producers of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will return to San Diego Comic-Con in epic fashion as they take over Hall H for the first time ever! Be the first to hear the scoop about the show-stopping conclusion for season six and what awaits in season seven of Marvel’s flagship television show.
With your favorite stars in attendance, including Clark Gregg, Ming-Na Wen, Chloe Bennet, Elizabeth Henstridge, Iain De Caestecker, Henry Simmons, Natalia Cordova-Buckley and Jeff Ward, along with executive producers Maurissa Tancharoen, Jed Whedon, Jeff Bell and Jeph Loeb, this is a must-see panel to celebrate seven seasons with the world’s greatest fans! This action-packed series from ABC Studios and Marvel Television airs Fridays at 8/7c on ABC. (Hall H)
4:15 – 5:15 p.m. STUMPTOWN (Produced by ABC Studios) – Based on the Stumptown graphic novel, ABC’s new drama series Stumptown follows Dex Parios (Cobie Smulders) – a strong, assertive and sharp-witted army veteran with a complicated love life, gambling debt and a brother to take care of in Portland, Oregon. Her military intelligence skills make her a great PI, but her unapologetic style puts her in the firing line of hardcore criminals and not quite in alliance with the police.
Panelists include cast members Cobie Smulders, Jake Johnson, Michael Ealy, Camryn Manheim, Tantoo Cardinal, Cole Sibus and Adrian Martinez, with executive producer Jason Richman and “Stumptown” graphic novel author Greg Rucka. (Indigo Ballroom)
FRIDAY, JULY 19
11:00 – 11:45 a.m. BLESS THE HARTS (Produced by 20th Century Fox Television) – From the network that brought you the Simpsons, the Griffins and the Belchers now present the Harts! FOX’s new half-hour comedy, Bless The Harts, features your new favorite, good ol’ Southern family. Jenny Hart (Kristen Wiig) supports her lottery scratcher-obsessed mother, Betty (Maya Rudolph), and her witty, creative daughter, Violet (Jillian Bell). With the help of her eternally optimistic, dreamer boyfriend Wayne (Ike Barinholtz), they hope to one day achieve the American dream. While they are always struggling to make ends meet, they’re already rich in friends, family and laughter.
Join us for an exclusive first look into your next animation obsession with executive producers, Emmy® Award winner Emily Spivey and Academy Award® winners Phil Lord & Chris Miller, and the all-star cast behind the Harts! (Indigo Ballroom)
3:00 – 3:45 p.m. SOLAR OPPOSITES (Produced by 20th Century Fox Television) – From the minds behind Rick and Morty comes Solar Opposites, a new animated series that follows a family of aliens “from a better world” who take refuge in middle America.
Join Justin Roiland, Sean Giambrone and Mary Mack, along with executive producers Mike McMahan and Josh Bycel, for an exclusive first look into the series premiering in 2020 on Hulu. (Indigo Ballroom)
4:00 – 4:50 p.m. BOB’S BURGERS (Produced by 20th Century Fox Television) – Always one of the most entertaining panels at Comic-Con, the Emmy Award-winning animated FOX series Bob’s Burgers returns to San Diego with a few surprises in store!
Creator and executive producer Loren Bouchard and executive producer Nora Smith will break news about the upcoming season, and the always entertaining cast including H. Jon Benjamin, Dan Mintz, John Roberts, Kristen Schaal, Larry Murphy and Megan Mullally will have you howling with laughter with never-before-seen footage, followed by a lively panel discussion and audience Q&A. (Indigo Ballroom)
5:30 – 6:30 p.m. What Just Happened??! WITH FRED SAVAGE (Produced by 20th Century Fox Television) – Acclaimed director and television star Fred Savage cannot wait a second longer to share the world of The Flare, the most mind-bending, thrilling, edge-of-your-seat sci-fi show never created. The Flare, based on TJ Whitford’s classic series of sci-fi novels, “The Moon is the Sun at Night” not only sizzled its way into living rooms nationwide but also inspired Fox to create its first-ever after-show, What Just Happened??! With Fred Savage.
Join Fred, alongside stars of The Flare, Shiri Appleby, Kevin Zegers, Tyler Ritter, and co-creators Matt Silverstein and Dave Jeser and director Jon Cassar to get a sneak-peek screening of the fourth episode of the after-show dedicated to exploring the fandom surrounding the The Flare. What Just Happened??!, Fred’s half-hour hybrid comedy/talk show, airs on FOX on Sunday nights. Screening to be followed by conversation moderated by Fred Savage and fan Q&A. (Room 6DE)
6:00 – 7:00 p.m. The Rookie (Produced by Entertainment One and ABC Studios) – Join series star and executive producer, Nathan Fillion, as he discusses his latest role as John Nolan on ABC’s high-action drama The Rookie, as production begins on its second season.
Joining Nathan for this intimate conversation will be longtime friend and The Rookie showrunner, Alexi Hawley. The two collaborators will also reflect on Nathan’s overarching career, spanning from Firefly to Shakespeare, and now, playing the oldest rookie in the LAPD. (Horton Grand Theatre)
6:45 – 7:45 p.m. neXt (Produced by 20th Century Fox Television) – Join us for the world premiere of neXt, a propulsive, fact-based thriller about the emergence of a deadly, rogue artificial intelligence that combines pulse-pounding action with an examination of how technology is invading our lives and transforming us in ways we don’t yet understand. Coming to FOX in 2020, neXt stars John Slattery as a Silicon Valley pioneer, who teams with cybercrime agent Fernanda Andrade, to fight a villain unlike anything we’ve ever seen.
Panelists to include creator and executive producer Manny Coto, executive producers and directors John Requa and Glenn Ficarra, Fernanda Andrade, Michael Mosley, Jason Butler Harner and Eve Harlow for a moderated conversation and fan Q&A. (Room 6DE)
SATURDAY, JULY 20
12:00 – 12:45 p.m. THE SIMPSONS (Produced by 20th Century Fox Television) – Now 30 years old and part of the mighty Disney empire, get inside insights and secret tips on the upcoming, brand-new season from Matt Groening, Al Jean, Mike B Anderson, Stephanie Gillis and the voice of Lisa Simpson and panel moderator, Yeardley Smith. There WILL be freebies! (Ballroom 20)
1:00 – 2:15 p.m. AMERICAN DAD! and FAMILY GUY (Produced by 20th Century Fox Television) – It’s a Smith-family fun day with Hayley (Rachael MacFarlane), Steve (Scott Grimes), Klaus (Dee Bradley Baker) and Principal Lewis (Kevin Michael Richardson), plus executive producer and co-creator Matt Weitzman and producers Kara Vallow & Jeff Kauffmann who will treat American Dad! fans to a first look at scenes from all-new episodes coming soon to TBS … plus a few other surprises!
Then join cast Seth MacFarlane, Alex Borstein, Mike Henry and executive producers Rich Appel, Alec Sulkin and Kara Vallow from FOX’s hit animated comedy Family Guy as we celebrate our 20th anniversary! We’ll take a look back at some of our favorite moments over the last 20 years, plus a special sneak peek at the hilarity and hi-jinx in the upcoming season! (Ballroom 20)
2:30 – 3:15 p.m. THE ORVILLE (Produced by 20th Century Fox Television) – From Emmy Award-winning executive producer and creator Seth MacFarlane, The Orville is back for season three and stopping in San Diego! Join the full crew of the U.S.S. Orville: Seth MacFarlane, Adrianne Palicki, Penny Johnson Jerald, Scott Grimes, Peter Macon, Jessica Szohr, J Lee, Mark Jackson and Chad L. Coleman, and executive producers David A. Goodman, Jon Cassar and Brannon Braga to get an exclusive look back at some of our favorite, never-before-seen moments of season two and a special sneak peek at the new and exciting missions in the upcoming third season! (Ballroom 20)
SUNDAY, JULY 21
1:00 – 2:00 p.m. MAYANS M.C. (Produced by Fox 21 Television Studios) – Mayans M.C. is the next chapter in Kurt Sutter’s award-winning Sons of Anarchy saga. Set in a post-Jax Teller world, Ezekiel “EZ” Reyes is fresh out of prison and a prospect in the Mayans M.C. charter on the Cali/Mexi border.
Come for an exclusive sneak peek at a scene from the upcoming season and a not-to-be-missed conversation with co-creator/executive producer/writer Kurt Sutter, co-creator/executive producer/writer/director Elgin James and executive producer/director Kevin Dowling, plus stars JD Pardo, Clayton Cardenas, Edward James Olmos, Sarah Bolger, Michael Irby, Carla Baratta, Antonio Jaramillo, Raoul Max Trujillo, Richard Cabral, Danny Pino, Emilio Rivera, Frankie Loyal, Joseph Lucero and Vincent Rocco Vargas discussing what to look forward to from season two. (Hall H)
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. cast (ABC/Matthias Clamer)Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is getting an upgrade for the 2019 San Diego Comic Con. The comic book-inspired series will move into the Con’s largest hall, Hall H, for its panel set for July 18th at 3:30pm ET/PT.
Marvel Entertainment is also hosting Women of Marvel, Marvel Games, Marvel Comics #1000, MARVEL COMICS: Spider-Man, and Marvel Animation Celebrates Marvel’s 80th Anniversary panels at the sold-out convention. Comic Con attendees will also have the opportunity to get autographs from the Marvel talent and purchase special exclusive Marvel merchandise.
The 2019 San Diego Comic Con gets underway with preview night on July 17th. Comic Con runs July 18th through July 21st.
Marvel 2019 San Diego Comic Con Panels:
THURSDAY, JULY 18th
Marvel Games Panel
1:30 PM, Hall H
Get an inside look at the latest and greatest from Marvel Games! Attendees will see exciting new content from MARVEL ULTIMATE ALLIANCE 3: The Black Order, Marvel’s Iron Man VR, and Marvel’s Avengers, with many unannounced surprises and panel exclusives. Host Greg Miller (loudmouth at KindaFunny.com) will be joined by Bill Rosemann (VP & Creative Director, Marvel Games) and other special guests from titles throughout the Marvel Games family!
Marvel Television: Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
3:30 – 4:30 PM, Hall H
The cast and producers of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will return to San Diego Comic-Con in epic fashion as they take over Hall H for the first time ever! Be the first to hear the scoop about the show-stopping conclusion for season six and what awaits in season seven of Marvel’s flagship television show. With your favorite stars in attendance, including Clark Gregg, Ming-Na Wen, Chloe Bennet, Elizabeth Henstridge, Iain De Caestecker, Henry Simmons, Natalia Cordova-Buckley, and Jeff Ward, along with executive producers Maurissa Tancharoen, Jed Whedon, Jeff Bell, and Jeph Loeb, this is a must-see panel to celebrate seven seasons with the world’s greatest fans! This action-packed series from Marvel Television and ABC Studios airs Fridays at 8/7c on ABC.
FRIDAY, JULY 19th
Marvel Comics #1000 Revealed: A This Week in Marvel Special Event
12:30 – 1:30 PM, Room 5AB
Marvel’s flagship podcast comes to Comic-Con loaded with secrets, giveaways, reveals, news, guests, and more! And, if you think you’ve got the stuff and want some swag, you can challenge the Marvel crew in a special House of Ideas Throwdown! Join host Ryan Penagos (aka Agent M, VP & Creative Exec, Marvel) along with CB Cebulski (Marvel Comics Editor in Chief) and an array of Marvel creators as they dig into Marvel Comics #1,000, one of the biggest Marvel Comics projects ever assembled, and celebrate Marvel’s 80th Anniversary!
MARVEL COMICS: Spider-Man
1:30 – 2:30 PM, Room 5AB
Get caught in Spider-Man’s tangled web along with Executive Editor Nick Lowe, Assistant Editor Kathleen Wisneski, as well as writers Nick Spencer (Amazing Spider-Man), Seanan McGuire (Ghost-Spider), and Frank Tieri (Absolute Carnage vs. Deadpool, Absolute Carnage: Lethal Protectors) to find out what’s on the horizon for all of your wall-crawling favorites! Spider-Man’s mysterious new foe sets his plan into motion! Ghost-Spider joins the Marvel Universe! And New York experiences Absolute Carnage! PLUS – Don’t miss an exclusive giveaway variant comic of SPIDER-MAN: CITY AT WAR #5! The stunning rendering by Skan depicts an homage to the classic AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #3 cover by Steve Ditko!
Marvel Animation Celebrates Marvel’s 80th Anniversary
3:30 – 4:30 PM, Room 6A
Join Cort Lane (SVP, Animation and Family Entertainment), Kalia Ramirez (Director, Family Entertainment – Development & Partnerships), writers Mark Hoffmeier (Spider-Man: The Animated Series) and Marty Isenberg (X-Men: The Animated Series), and fan-favorite voice actors Josh Keaton (Spectacular Spider-Man, Marvel’s Avengers Assemble) and Jennifer Hale (Wolverine & the X-Men, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy) as they take a journey through highlights of over five decades of Marvel cartoons. Including behind-the-scenes dish on the making of classic shows, a run-down of all ten of Spider-Man’s series, and a 10th anniversary retrospective of Marvel’s Animation division, this is a panel you don’t want to miss! Plus a special in-memoriam look at Stan Lee’s greatest animation moments.
SATURDAY, JULY 20th
Women of Marvel: 10 Years and 200 Episodes
10:00 – 11:30 AM, Room 5AB
Celebrate ten years of Women of Marvel panels and 200 podcast episodes! Join hosts Sana Amanat (VP of Content & Character Development, Marvel) and Judy Stephens (Producer, Marvel) and special guests to talk 80 years of Marvel history, what it’s like working as a woman in comics, and the future of the industry.
MARVEL COMICS: Next Big Thing
1:45 – 2:45 PM, Room 6A
Legendary writer Jonathan Hickman is joined by Editor in Chief C.B. Cebulski and other Mighty Marvel Guests to bring you all the latest and greatest news straight from the House of Ideas! Learn what comes next for the X-Men after the senses-shattering revelations of the House of X and Powers of X!! Plus, stick around for a few things we can’t even hint at yet!
MARVEL COMICS: Marvel Fanfare with C.B. Cebulski
3:00 – 4:00 PM, Room 6A
This is your chance to meet the head of editorial at Marvel! In an exclusive and intimate panel experience, Editor in Chief C.B. Cebulski, along with superstar talents including Rob Liefeld and Skottie Young, will talk about anything and everything involved with Marvel Comics. What secrets are held in the House of X? Can Venom prove himself a true hero in Absolute Carnage? When is Dazzler’s next album coming out? What were C.B., Rob and Skottie’s favorite Marvel characters as kids, and how do they feel about those characters now? Ask these questions and more in the Q&A! PLUS – Don’t miss an exclusive giveaway variant of SILVER SURFER BLACK #2, Giuseppe Camuncoli’s take on Carnage soaring the spaceways on Silver Surfer’s board! Cover image here.
SUNDAY, JULY 21st
Making Comics the Marvel Way
11:15 AM – 12:15 PM, Room 5AB
A slew of Mighty Marvel guests take you behind-the-scenes and show you how a Marvel comic book is made! Learn about every aspect of production including writing, penciling, inking, coloring, editing, and more – with creators on hand to offer personal insights and anecdotes. If you’re interested in the ins-and-outs of the comic book industry, this is the one panel you can’t miss!
San Diego Comic Con key card featuring WBTVG’s ‘Batwoman’
This year’s collectible San Diego Comic Con hotel key cards will feature Warner Bros. Television Group’s Batwoman (The CW), Pennyworth (EPIX), and Watchmen (HBO). More than 40,000 room keys will feature the three upcoming comic book/graphic novel-inspired series. The collectible keys will be distributed at nearly 40 of the hotels participating in hosting 2019 Comic Con attendees.
Batwoman and Pennyworth will be hosting panels during the Con, and Watchmen will also have a presence at the sold-out pop culture convention that runs July 17 through July 21 in downtown San Diego.
EPIX’s Pennyworth stars Jack Bannon as a young Alfred Pennyworth, “a former British SAS soldier who forms a security company in 1960s London and goes to work with Thomas Wayne (Ben Aldridge), Bruce Wayne’s billionaire father.” The series is set to premiere on Sunday, July 28th at 9pm ET/PT. Bruno Heller (Gotham, The Mentalist) and Danny Cannon (Gotham, CSI series) executive produce the one-hour drama.
The CW expands their superhero lineup with the addition of Batwoman on Sunday, October 6th at 8pm ET/PT, pairing the new series up with Supergirl starring Melissa Benoist. Ruby Rose stars in the titular role, playing the “highly trained street fighter who soars onto the streets of Gotham as Batwoman.” Greg Berlanti (Arrow, m>The Flash), Caroline Dries (The Vampire Diaries, Smallville), Geoff Johns (Wonder Woman, Aquaman) and Sarah Schechter (Supergirl, Black Lightning) executive produce.
HBO’s much-anticipated Watchmen will premiere this fall and is executive produced by writer Damon Lindelof, director Nicole Kassell, Tom Spezialy, director Stephen Williams, and Joseph Iberti. The cast includes Yahya Abdul-Mateen, Christie Amery, Hong Chau, Adelaide Clemens, Frances Fisher, Louis Gossett Jr, and Andrew Howard. Jeremy Irons, Don Johnson, Regina King, Jacob Ming-Trent, Tom Mison, and Tim Blake Nelson also star in season one.
San Diego Comic Con hotel key card featuring ‘Pennyworth’
AMC’s bringing zombies, vampires, and The Terror to the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con. The network just confirmed Comic-Con regulars Fear the Walking Dead, The Walking Dead, and Preacher will indeed return to the sold-out pop culture convention held in downtown San Diego. In addition, NOS4A2 and The Terror: Infamy will be making their first appearances at Comic-Con.
The DeadQuarters fan zone returns as does the Walker Horde which is hoping to gather the biggest horde to date. And attendees will be treated to demos of The Walking Dead Onslaught VR game during the July 18 – 21 event.
It’s not just all about show panels and exhibits for AMC at this year’s Con. The network is also teaming up with Feeding San Diego to help end hunger.
Panelists include cast members Lennie James, Alycia Debnam-Carey, Danay Garcia, Maggie Grace, Jenna Elfman, Alexa Nisenson, Austin Amelio, Rubén Blades and Karen David, along with chief content officer of The Walking Dead Universe, Scott M. Gimple, showrunners and executive producers Andrew Chambliss and Ian Goldberg, executive producers Robert Kirkman, Dave Alpert, Gale Anne Hurd and Greg Nicotero, and director and co-executive producer, Michael Satrazemis.
The Walking Dead panel on Friday, July 19 from 1:00pm-2:00pm in Hall H
Panelists include cast members Norman Reedus, Melissa McBride, Danai Gurira, Ryan Hurst, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Avi Nash, Nadia Hilker, Eleanor Matsuura and Cailey Fleming, along with chief content officer of The Walking Dead Universe, Scott M. Gimple, showrunner and executive producer Angela Kang, executive producers Robert Kirkman, Dave Alpert, Gale Anne Hurd and Greg Nicotero.
Preacher panel on Friday, July 19 from 7:00pm-8:00pm in Hall H
Panelists include executive producer Seth Rogen and cast members Dominic Cooper, Ruth Negga, Graham McTavish and Mark Harelik.
Panelists include cast members Derek Mio, George Takei, Kiki Sukezane and Cristina Rodlo, along with co-creators and executive producers Alexander Woo and Max Borenstein.
NOS4A2 panel on Saturday, July 20 from 5:30pm-6:30pm in Room 6A
Panelists include cast members Zachary Quinto and Ashleigh Cummings, along with showrunner and executive producer Jami O’Brien, and author and executive producer Joe Hill.
AMC’s Activations and Activities:
“DeadQuarters,” the official fan zone of The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead, will feature a curated walk through of settings from both series, including the Winter Escape from the Season 9 finale of TWD, as well as an elaborate treehouse and plane crash site inspired by the Season 5 storylines in Fear. Fans can pre-register here to beat the lines.
Located on Martin Luther King Promenade, in front of the Hilton Gaslamp Hotel (4th Avenue and L Street, across from the Convention Center), “DeadQuarters” will open to the public Thursday, July 18 through Saturday, July 20 from 11:00am-6:30pm; Sunday, July 21 from 11:00am-4:00pm.
AMC is partnering with Feeding America and encouraging “DeadQuarters” visitors to donate canned foods throughout Comic-Con weekend to benefit the organization’s local chapter, Feeding San Diego. Donors will receive an exclusive Hilltop Token, which can be used to unlock special deals on food, retail and entertainment around San Diego. For more info and to support Feeding San Diego, click here.
The network is inviting The Walking Dead fans to dress as walkers for an official Walker Horde moment at Petco Park on Saturday, July 20 with doors opening at 9am. Attendees will help recreate a walker scene for a photo that will be part of an official marketing campaign for TWD’s milestone 10th season. Fans can register at: www.amc.com/horde.
Ahead of the Fall release of the much-anticipated VR game, “The Walking Dead Onslaught,” AMC and gaming studio Survios will host demos at “DeadQuarters” to give Comic-Con attendees an opportunity to step into the shoes of their favorite survivors and get an exclusive sneak peek of the game.
Next Games will hold auditions for their “Become a Hero” contest, for which fans can film their best hero poses from the series for a chance to transform into a playable character in the popular location-based augmented reality mobile game, “The Walking Dead: Our World.”
FTX Games will encourage fans to test their luck with “The Walking Dead: Slots,” a virtual slot machine on a 65” screen. Players will be given three spins for a chance to make it to the top of the leaderboard and win a year’s subscription to The Walking Dead Supply Drop – and every player will receive a scratch-off card to win in-game coins. FTX will also be demoing their upcoming puzzle battle role-playing game, “The Walking Dead: Outbreak.”
Season two of The CW’s summer drama Burden of Truth continues with episode six airing July 7, 2019. Episode six titled “Manic Street Preacher” was directed by Michelle Latimer from a script by Renee St. Cyr and Felicia Brooker.
Season two airs on Sundays at 8pm ET/PT.
The second season stars Kristin Kreuk as Joanna Chang (formerly Hanley), Peter Mooney as Billy Crawford, Star Slade as Luna, Jessica Matten as Gerrilyn, and Sarah Thompson as Molly.
The “Manic Street Preacher” Plot: JOANNA IS FEELING THE PRESSURE – Sleepless and suppressing her feelings, Joanna (Kreuk) begins to unravel as she struggles to maintain her job at Steadman Lavery while preparing for jury selection in another case. Billy (Mooney) uncovers evidence from Shane (Andrew Chown) that may provide an alternate theory about the murder.
The Plot:
Burden of Truth is a serialized investigative drama about life-altering legal cases, the helpless plaintiffs searching for answers, and the boots-on-the-ground lawyers fighting incredible odds to deliver justice.
Attorney Joanna Hanley (Kreuk) leaves her picture-perfect legal career as a partner in a corporate law firm to solve the case of a mysterious illness affecting the female high school students of her hometown Millwood in Manitoba – a prairie town with an industrial past and an uncertain future. She joins her former high school nemesis, local attorney Billy Crawford (Mooney), to find the source of the illness and win justice for the girls.
Billy and Joanna will have to put aside their resentments and opposing legal styles to find the answers they seek. Joanna also realizes there’s not just a legal investigation waiting for her in Millwood, but a personal one. She starts investigating herself just as she would a case, beginning with her darkest family secret: the reason her family was forced to suddenly leave town.
Burden of Truth explores human relationships in the context of a legal mystery, highlighting the stress and impact on the investigators fighting a case that might come to nothing, and the danger of a growing illness that they may never be able to identify or cure.
CBS Television Studios will be bringing cast members from Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Lower Decks, and Star Trek: Picard to the 2019 San Diego Comic Con. The Star Trek: Discovery crew have made the trek to Comic Con before, but this year marks the first appearances for Star Trek: Picard and Star Trek: Lower Decks. The Star Trek panels will take place back-to-back in the San Diego Convention Center’s largest hall, Hall H.
The network will also be introducing Comic Con attendees to their upcoming dramas, EVIL and Nancy Drew. CBS plans to screen the first episode of both shows at the Con.
CBS 2019 San Diego Comic Con Panels and Events:
THURSDAY, JULY 18
EVIL EXCLUSIVE SCREENING AND PANEL 12:45-2:00 PM, BALLROOM 20 – EVIL is a psychological mystery that examines the origins of evil along the dividing line between science and religion. The series focuses on a skeptical female psychologist who joins a priest-in-training and a carpenter as they investigate the church’s backlog of unexplained mysteries, including supposed miracles, demonic possessions and hauntings. Their job is to assess if there’s a logical explanation or if something truly supernatural is at work.
Please join series stars Katja Herbers, Mike Colter, Aasif Mandvi and Michael Emerson along with co-creators and executive producers Robert King and Michelle King for an exclusive sneak peek of the first episode followed by a panel discussion. EVIL will air Thursdays this fall on CBS.
NANCY DREW EXCLUSIVE SCREENING AND PANEL 2:00-3:15 PM BALLROOM 20 – Nancy Drew is a brilliant teenaged detective whose sense of self had come from solving mysteries in her hometown of Horseshoe Bay, Maine – until her mother’s untimely death derails Nancy’s college plans. Devastated by her mother’s passing, Nancy swears off crime-solving, but when a socialite is murdered, Nancy finds herself embroiled in a ghostly murder investigation.
A supernatural presence begins to haunt Nancy’s investigation, and she discovers that the current crime has an astonishing connection to the unsolved murder of a local girl. Whether the ghost is here to help or hinder Nancy remains to be seen, but one thing’s for sure: Nancy’s going to have to unravel the clues from both the living and the dead to solve the crimes.
Please join series stars Kennedy McMann, Leah Lewis, Maddison Jaizani, Alex Saxon and Tunji Kasim, along with executive producers Noga Landau, Melinda Hsu-Taylor and Stephanie Savage for an exclusive sneak peek of the first episode followed by a panel discussion. Nancy Drew will air Wednesdays this fall on The CW.
SATURDAY, JULY 20
“ENTER THE STAR TREK UNIVERSE” PANEL 11:30 AM -1:00 PM HALL H– Over 50 years ago, the world was first introduced to what would quickly become a cultural phenomenon for the ages. Star Trek broke barriers then and continues to do so now, inspiring people of all generations and walks of life with its celebration of cultural diversity, scientific exploration and the pursuit of uncharted frontiers. Today, the Star Trek universe continues to thrive, exploring all new missions for Starfleet.
CBS All Access invites you to join the cast and producers of its hit series Star Trek: Discovery and be the first to hear about two new upcoming additions to the Star Trek universe: the highly anticipated new series Star Trek: Picard, starring Sir Patrick Stewart, and the animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks.
ACTIVATIONS AND GIVEAWAYS:
STAR TREK UNIVERSE BOOTH: U.S.S. DISCOVERY TRANSPORTER EXPERIENCE AND “TREK” TALENT MEET-AND-GREETS – CBS All Access is bringing the Star Trek universe to the San Diego Comic-Con Exhibit Hall, Thursday, July 18 through Sunday, July 21, where fans are invited to step aboard the U.S.S. Discovery and travel to strange and distant lands through an immersive transporter experience. Fans will also have the opportunity to meet some of their favorite Star Trek talent in person with meet-and-greets in the booth (Booth #4237) on Saturday, July 20. Comic-Con badges are required for entry.
STAR TREK UNIVERSE EXCLUSIVE PINS – A number of exclusive, limited-quantity Star Trek pins will be available to fans during Comic-Con. All week long, a Starfleet Headquarters visitors badge will be available for those who visit and complete the Star Trek transporter experience on the show floor.
On Saturday afternoon and Sunday, a limited quantity of pins featuring the debut of two characters from the upcoming CBS All Access animated show Star Trek: Lower Decks will also be available from the Star Trek booth. At the “Jean-Luc Picard: The First Duty” museum experience at Michael J. Wolf Fine Arts, fans can get an exclusive replica pin of the Picard family crest as seen in Star Trek: Picard.
“JEAN-LUC PICARD: THE FIRST DUTY” EXHIBIT – In celebration of Patrick Stewart’s return to his iconic Star Trek: The Next Generation role, “Jean-Luc Picard: The First Duty” is a special exhibition showcasing original props, costumes and other artifacts tracing Picard’s life and Starfleet career. Items on display include his cherished Ressikan flute, the legendary Picard family album, his Starfleet uniforms, models of ships Picard captained, and all that remains of the “Borg Queen.” The gallery also features exclusive first looks at costumes and other items featured in the upcoming CBS All Access series Star Trek: Picard.
Visitors will have the first chance to purchase exclusive Star Trek: Picard merchandise and opportunities for exclusive giveaways. The gallery is located at Michael J Wolf Fine Arts, 363 Fifth Ave., San Diego, Calif. 92101 and will be open Thursday, Friday and Saturday of Comic-Con from 11:00 AM until 9:00 PM and on Sunday from 11:00 AM until 5:00 PM.
COMIC-CON COMEDY SHUTTLE – CBS will offer complimentary rides throughout the Gaslamp District in branded shuttles. Featured shows will include the new fall comedies Bob ♥ Abishola, Carol’s Second Act and The Unicorn. Trailers of the series will be screened for the passengers as well.
Additionally, EVIL will be offering festival-goers complimentary rides during the day throughout the Gaslamp District, while hosting “Frightseeing Tours” in the evenings in Old Town. Trailers of EVIL, a CBS original series, will be screened for the passengers, and brand ambassadors will distribute giveaways. Exclusive “Frightseeing Tours” will run Thursday and Friday nights for select fans.
STEP INTO THE TWILIGHT ZONE EXPERIENCE – From Thursday, July 18 to Sunday, July 21. Located in the Interactive Zone at Petco Park, fans will be transported into CBS All Access’ The Twilight Zone as they enjoy an immersive experience not only of sight and sound, but of mind. Reserve FREE tickets at: StepIntoTheTwilightZone.com.
CARPOOL KARAOKE THE MIC – The Singing Machine launches CARPOOL KARAOKE THE MIC at San Diego Comic-Con from July 18 to July 21, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Located in space “J” at the Interactive Zone at Petco Park, fans will be able to recreate the fun of James Corden’s wildly popular “Carpool Karaoke” segment and become the star of the car as they hop inside a branded Range Rover to sing along to their favorite songs. There will also be a daily CARPOOL KARAOKE THE MIC giveaway to a lucky fan that has posted their performance on social media.
