'Star Wars' creator George Lucas to hit Comic-Con for first time
Other expected highlights of the gathering -- one of the world's biggest celebrations of pop culture -- include the world premiere of the prequel series "Alien: Earth."
This year's edition will be marked by the presence of legendary filmmaker Lucas, who has never visited the convention before despite Comic-Con culture being deeply rooted in his "Star Wars" and "Indiana Jones" franchises.
In a session on Sunday set to be moderated by Queen Latifah, Lucas will discuss the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art with Mexican director Guillermo del Toro and Oscar-winning artist Doug Chiang, who has shaped the iconic "Star Wars" universe for decades.
The museum, scheduled to open in Los Angeles next year, will be dedicated to illustrated narratives and will house the Lucas archive.
"Nearly five decades ago, Star Wars made one of its earliest public appearances at our convention, along with a booth featuring (comic book artist) Howard Chaykin's now legendary Star Wars poster as a promotional item," said David Glanzer, Chief Communications and Strategy Officer.
"Now, to have Mr. Lucas... is a true full-circle moment. His lifelong dedication to visual storytelling and world-building resonates deeply with us and our community."
Marvel Studios will have a smaller presence at the convention this year, skipping its eagerly awaited annual presentation in Hall H.
According to Variety, changes to the premiere of the new "Avengers" instalment complicated logistics for the studio, whose cast is currently filming in Britain.
Despite this notable absence, events at coveted Hall H still promise great excitement for fans of science fiction, a core genre of the convention.
On Friday, it will host the world premiere of the pilot episode of the prequel "Alien: Earth," directed by Noah Hawley and slated to hit streaming platforms in August.
The series takes place a couple of years before the events depicted in Ridley Scott's 1979 film "Alien," offering an expansion of the venerated franchise.
Another fan favourite that will have its moment in the spotlight is "Predator: Badlands," with a panel Friday set to include director Dan Trachtenberg, who revitalised the brand with "Prey" (2022).
Joining him will be stars Elle Fanning and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, who plays the predator Dek.
The panel is expected to reveal more from the production, which centres the predator as prey, not hunter, for the first time.
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