The scheduling madness has begun. San Diego Comic Con announced the entire programming schedule for Preview Night Wednesday July 21 and Thursday, July 22. As usual, the movie highlights are in Hall H where the line up is as follows: Megamind, Tron: Legacy, Battle: Los Angeles, Salt, Red, The Expendables and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. Plus, can you say J.J. Abrams and Joss Whedon together?
But there is so much going on outside of Hall H too. DC Comics is celebrating their 75th anniversary with a panel, the cast of Dexter will be in the house, Bruce Campbell will talk Burn Notice not to mention the infamous Masters of the Web panel which is surely of interest to anyone who reads sites like ours and the world premiere of The Lost Boys: The Thirst. Hit the jump for what I think is worth your time on Thursday, July 22nd at this year's San Diego Comic-Con.
Click here to check out the entire schedule for Thursday, July 22nd. Here's what's playing in Hall H:
10:00-11:00 DreamWorks Animation: Megamind— DreamWorks Animation makes its Comic-Con debut with Megamind. The characters Megamind and Metro Man are jettisoned to Earth as babies when their home planets are destroyed. Megamind crash-lands inside a maximum-security prison, where he evolves into the wicked and diabolical genius he is today, while the dashingly handsome superhero Metro Man grows into the universally adored savior of Metro City, beloved by every man, woman and child -- and especially the city's ace reporter Roxanne Ritchi. These life-long archenemies will rewrite superhero movie lore when they challenge each other to the ultimate showdown of Good vs. Evil! Megamind stars Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, and Jonah Hill and director Tom McGrath join forces to unveil footage from DreamWorks Animation's November 5 release.
11:15-12:45 Walt Disney Pictures: TRON: Legacy— Returning for an unprecedented third year to the fans and convention that started it all, Walt Disney Pictures is pleased to present a special insider look at the upcoming TRON: Legacy. Panelists include filmmakers and talent from the film: director Joe Kosinski, producers Sean Bailey and Steven Lisberger, and cast members Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde, Michael Sheen, and Bruce Boxleitner. The discussion, moderated by Patton Oswalt, is set to include exclusive glimpses of the film, as well as a Q&A involving all panel participants, along with special surprise guests.
1:00-2:00 Sony Pictures Entertainment: Battle: Los Angeles and Salt— Two great new films from Sony Pictures Entertainment are showcased in this Hall H presentation!
Battle: Los Angeles—When unknown forces suddenly and mercilessly attack the City of Angels out of nowhere, it's up to a local Marine staff sergeant (Aaron Eckhart) and a new platoon of unseasoned soldiers to meet the threat. As the invasion hits the streets of LA, these Marines become our first and last line of defense in an intense battle against an enemy unlike any they've ever encountered before. Appearing in person are Michelle Rodriguez, Aaron Eckhart, Neal Moritz, and director Jonathan Liebesman.
Salt -- Opening in theaters everywhere tomorrow, Columbia Pictures brings an exclusive and surprising look at Salt to Comic-Con today, featuring some very special guests. As a CIA officer, Evelyn Salt (Angelina Jolie) swore an oath to duty, honor and country. Her loyalty will be tested when a defector accuses her of being a Russian spy. Salt goes on the run, using all her skills and years of experience as a covert operative to elude capture, but her efforts to prove her innocence only serve to cast doubt on her motives as the hunt to uncover the truth behind her identity continues and the question remains: "Who is Salt?"
2:15-3:15 Summit Entertainment: RED— Summit Entertainment presents a sneak peek of exclusive footage from RED. They used to be the CIA's top agents -- but the secrets they know just made them the Agency's top targets. Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich, and Helen Mirren star in RED, an explosive action-comedy based on the cult DC Comics graphic novel by Warren Ellis. Join him, director Robert Schwentke, and the film's stars as they share footage from the film and debut the final trailer before it's ever in theaters.
3:30-4:30 Entertainment Weekly: The Visionaries— A discussion with geek gods J. J. Abrams (Star Trek) and Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) on the future of pop culture. EW presents an in-depth conversation with these two creative geniuses about how technology, gaming, and global culture are reshaping how we tell and consume stories on television, film and the web. Plus: Is the superhero movie waning, or is it on the cusp of reinvention? And what do they think the pop culture universe will look like a decade from now? Moderated by Jeff "Doc" Jensen.
4:45-5:45 Lionsgate: The Expendables— Prepare to have your ass kicked by The Expendables, the biggest action movie this summer! Lionsgate presents exclusive scenes and the inside scoop on every punch, kick, and bloodied lip from the most iconic cast of heroes and villains ever assembled, including the director, writer, and star Sylvester Stallone (Rambo), along with Dolph Lundgren (Universal Soldier), Steve Austin (The Condemned), Randy Couture (Scorpion King: Rise of the Warrior), and Terry Crews (Gamer).
6:00-7:00 Universal: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World— Genre-bending filmmaker Edgar Wright (Hot Fuzz), graphic novel author Bryan Lee O'Malley, and the cast of Universal Pictures' Scott Pilgrim vs. the World provide a sneak peek of summer 2010's epic of epic epicness. Joining Wright will be our hero, Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera of Superbad); Scott's two current girlfriends, Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead of The Thing) and Knives Chau (Ellen Wong of Unnatural History); his band, SEX BOB-OMB: Kim Pine (Alison Pill of Milk) and Stephen Stills (Mark Webber of Broken Flowers); SEX BOB-OMB super-fan Young Neil (Johnny Simmons of Jennifer's Body); Scott's awesome roommate, Wallace Wells (Kieran Culkin of Igby Goes Down); and four of Ramona's seven evil exes: Matthew Patel (Satya Bhabha of Fair Game), Todd Ingram (Brandon Routh of Superman Returns), Gideon Graves (Jason Schwartzman of Funny People) and Roxy Richter (Mae Whitman of Parenthood); plus Scott's younger sister, Stacey Pilgrim (Anna Kendrick of Up in the Air), and the obnoxious Julie Powers (Aubrey Plaza of Parks and Recreation). Q&A to follow.
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That’s Hall H. Here are just a FEW of the other awesome events on Thursday, July 22:
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10:30-11:30 Danny Elfman— From Pee-Wee's Big Adventure to Alice in Wonderland, composer Danny Elfman discusses his 25-year collaboration with director Tim Burton. Their legendary partnership includes such films as Beetle Juice, Batman, Edward Scissorhands, Nightmare Before Christmas, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Joining Mr. Elfman will be Warner Brothers Records executives to announce their plans to celebrate this quarter-century milestone. Room 6BCF
10:30-11:30 TheOneRing.net Talks The Hobbit movies— Chris Pirrotta, Cliff Broadway, and Larry D. Curtis, staff members from TORn (the gold standard of fansites and a consistent breaking news source) talk about the latest on the two coming Hobbit films, including mainstream news, spy reports, and rumors. Special guests are a possibility; audio and visuals are a given with a Q&A and all sorts of fun. Room 7AB
12:00-1:00 Caprica, Battlestar, and Beyond— Hosted by actor/author Richard Hatch (Tom Zarek, Capt. Apollo, So Say We All), this panel features composer Bear McCreary (Battlestar, Ureka, Caprica), producer/writer Michael Tayler (Battlestar, Caprica, Star Trek), science consultant Kevin GrazierBattlestar, Ureka), and special guests. Richard and the panelists will proide reviews, discussion, and Q&A of Caprica, Battlestar Galactica, and the upcoming BSG movie, including trailers. Room 6A.
1:00-2:00 USA Network's Burn Notice— Bruce Campbell (Sam Axe), Matt Nix (creator and executive producer), and Alfredo Barrios, Jr. (executive producer) host a panel discussion and answer questions about the creative process of evolving an embryonic idea into a finished episode of cable's #1 show. Fans will gain an intimate look inside the world of Burn Notice, complete with war stories from the writer's room and filming on location in Miami. Exclusive video content will include tips on how to survive Comic-Con from your favorite burned spy, Michael Westen (played by Jeffrey Donovan), highlights from all four seasons and an exclusive sneak peek at upcoming episodes. Ballroom 20
2:00-3:00 DC Focus: Geoff Johns— Geoff Johns's storytelling and creativity fueled event blockblusters Blackest Night and the new Brightest Day and the character rebirths of Green Lantern and The Flash. As the new chief creative officer of DC Entertainment, Geoff can be expected to deliver even more thrills and excitement as his focus shifts to bringing the DCU to life outside of the comics, starting with the Green Lantern film and many other surprises! Don't miss this panel hosted by Eddie Berganza, group editor, interviewing one of the most exciting talents in comics. Room 6DE
3:00-4:00 Masters of the Web— Hollywood writer/producer Roberto Orci (Cowboys & Aliens, Transformers, Star Trek) and AMC Theatres blog editor John Campea (AMCTheatres.com/ network/ scriptscreen), moderate a panel of the most popular movie website personalities as they come together to discuss how new media has influenced moviemaking and marketing, what it takes to run a popular site, and much more in a panel discussion and Q&A session. The panel consists of Jen Yamato (former senior editor of Rotten Tomatoes, now writing for Cinematical, Hitfix, Film.Com and FEARnet), Edward Douglas (Coming Soon.net), Vic Holtreman (Screenrant.com), Mike Sampson (Joblo.com), George "El Guapo" Roush (Latino Review.com). Erik Davis (Cinematical.com), and Devin Faraci (CHUD.com). Passes to the annual, highly anticipated "From Dusk til Con" party will be given out to a few lucky attendees, and one attendee will win a pass good for one year of free movies at any AMC Theatres location. Room 32AB
5:00-6:00 Adult Swim: Childrens Hospital— Check out the Childrens Hospital panel and hear from the show's creative team led by Rob Corddry (Hot Tub Time Machine, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart) and Jon Stern (producer of The Ten and Scotland, PA). They will be joined by members of their ensemble cast of comedic heavyweights, including Lake Bell (How to Make It in America, It's Complicated), Erinn Hayes (Parenthood, Worst Week), and Rob Huebel (I Love You Man, Human Giant). Childrens Hospital explores the emotional struggles and sexual politics of a group of doctors charged with healthy libidos. Their dedication to their personal lives is relentless, interrupted only by the occasional need to treat sick children. Room 25ABC
6:00-7:00 Showtime's Dexter— What's next for America's Favorite Serial Killer? If the dramatic season finale left you in an, OMG-what-just-happened frenzy, you don't want to miss this killer panel! You'll see the exclusive world premiere of the new season's trailer, then moderator Ralph Garman (KROQ entertainment reporter) presides over a revealing interview and Q&A session with the stars and executive producers of Dexter. Featured panelists include Michael C. Hall (series star/executive producer), Jennifer Carpenter (Deb), Desmond Harrington (Quinn), and executive producers John Goldwyn, Sara Colleton, Chip Johannessen (24), and Manny Coto (Star Trek: Enterprise). The new season premieres September 26, at 9:00 pm ET/PT only on Showtime. Ballroom 20
8:00-11:00 BBC America: U.S. Premiere Screenings of Doctor Who and Being Human— Catch the all-new season opener of Being Human, written by Toby Whithouse and starring Russell Tovey, Lenora Crichlow, Aidan Turner and Sinead Keenan and the two-part finale of Doctor Who, written by Steven Moffat and starring Matt Smith and Karen Gillan. Room 6DE
10:00-12:00 World Premiere of Lost Boys: The Thirst— The Frog Brothers return to Comic-Con with holy water balloons ablazin' for the world premiere of Lost Boys: The Thirst, the latest high-energy, action-packed adventure in the ongoing franchise. Original cast members Corey Feldman and Jamison Newlander present the first-ever screening of the cult classic's third film, in which the lost boys and girls of San Cazador prepare to party under the Blood Moon -- while an alpha vampire conspires to turn these unsuspecting ravers into an army of undead. The only thing that stands between him and the annihilation of the entire human race are the infamous vampire-fighting Frog Brothers. Expect some serious bloodsucker butt kicking. And Warner Bros. is providing the free popcorn!