'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."
Comic-Con began holding events in San Diego in 1970, as a low-key and rather niche huddle, but has now grown to an annual get-together that attracts 130,000 people eager to hear behind-the-scenes tidbits from Hollywood stars and directors unveiling their latest projects.
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."
- Alien, Predator, and the End of the World -
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" installment 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 favorite that will have its moment in the spotlight is "Predator: Badlands," with a panel Friday set to include director Dan Trachtenberg, who revitalized 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 centers the predator as prey, not hunter, for the first time.
On Saturday, award-winning actor Ryan Gosling and directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (behind the new "Spider-Verse" trilogy) will present their "Project Hail Mary," which is due in theaters next year.
The film, based on the book by Andy Weir ("The Martian"), follows Ryland Grace (Gosling), a former science teacher who wakes up on a spaceship to discover he's on a mission to save the Earth.
Another buzzed-about presentation is for the highly anticipated second season of "Peacemaker," in which James Gunn ("Superman") and his cast are expected to offer sneak peeks.
But it won't all be deadly serious -- thousands of those in attendance will come dressed as princesses, warriors, aliens and other characters from the pantheon of pop culture.
Comic-Con runs from Thursday to Sunday, July 27.
pr/hg/sla
Solve the daily Crossword
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
6 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Timothy Andrés Pabon Wins AudioFile Earphones Award for Cultural History Audiobook
FREDERICK, Md., July 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Award-winning voice actor and director Timothy Andrés Pabon has been honored with a 2025 AudioFile Earphones Award for his narration of " The Last Great Dream: How Bohemians Became Hippies and Created the Sixties" by Dennis McNally, published by Hachette Audio. The recognition highlights Pabon's ability to bring historical depth and vocal nuance to this sweeping account of America's mid-century countercultural movement. "Receiving this award is incredibly humbling," said Pabon. "This project meant a great deal to me because it was not just about recounting history—it was about embodying a cultural moment. I wanted listeners to hear the heartbeat of a generation through my performance." The audiobook explores the cultural and political rise of the Grateful Dead in the context of the 1950s and 1960s American counterculture. AudioFile Magazine praised Pabon's performance for elevating McNally's dense research into a vivid narrative experience: "Pabon deftly manages long lists of names, deep scholarship, and stories of bohemian life… Sounding at times like a newscaster, at other times like a fan, and occasionally like a participant, Pabon ensures that the great cultural and political counterculture of the mid-20th century is even more fascinating." "To prepare, I immersed myself in period broadcasts, poetry readings, and oral histories to capture the voices and energy of the era," Pabon added. "The performance was built on understanding not just what people said—but how they said it, and why it mattered." The audiobook is available through major retailers and audiobook platforms. Purchase on Amazon: About Timothy Andrés Pabon Timothy Andrés Pabon is a Frederick, Maryland–based voice actor, director, and performance coach with more than 500 audiobook narrations to his name. Known for his versatility, preparation, and vocal authenticity, he collaborates with major publishers and serves as a mentor to aspiring narrators and authors through personalized coaching and group workshops. For more information, visit View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Timothy Andrés Pabon Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Forbes
9 minutes ago
- Forbes
A Perfect Saratoga Weekend Starts At SPAC But Doesn't End There
I went to Saratoga Springs for the music. Specifically, I went to see Phish. What I didn't expect was to see was a town so rich in culture, history and charm that it made the concert feel like just one act in a much bigger performance. It was my first time seeing a show at SPAC, the iconic Saratoga Performing Arts Center tucked inside the heart of the 2,400-acre Saratoga Spa State Park. I'd heard whispers from friends that it's the best venue in the Northeast, the ideal place to catch a summer show. But nothing prepared me for the feeling of actually being there - the towering pines overhead, mineral springs burbling nearby and the sense that art and nature are all in it together up here. The lawn scene at Saratoga Performing Arts Center Saratoga Performing Arts Center You don't just arrive at SPAC, you journey through it. There's something sacred about walking through the tree-lined paths to the venue, right as the pre-show jitters take hold. It's warm and welcoming, with families dancing on blankets in the back, and legions of fans dancing shoulder-to-shoulder in the pavilion up front. It's a venue for music lovers, nature lovers and caters to all types of music - from bands like Phish and Dave Matthews, to Yo-Yo Ma, Renée Fleming and Joshua Bell. 'I always tell people to walk the park before the show,' SPAC chief executive officer Elizabeth Sobol told me in the days leading up to the weekend. 'It's a cathedral of trees—quiet, restorative and totally transportive.' Sobol fell for the town much the way we all do. The tenured music industry executive didn't set foot in Saratoga until she was offered the top job at the venue nearly a decade ago. 'I came up for the interview and thought, wait, how did I not know about this place,' Sobol said. It's a fair question. Saratoga is the kind of destination that flies under the radar. It doesn't carry the pomp of nearby Lake George, nor have the influx of day-trippers that descend on closer-to-the-city towns like Beacon or Hyde Park. It's further from the city, yet it offers everything you'd want in a weekend or full-time retreat: extraordinary cultural offerings, a walkable downtown with independent shops and cafes, one of the country's oldest horse racing tracks and a restaurant scene that rivals any urban hub. We stayed downtown at the Hilton, but I found myself eyeing the porch of the Saratoga Arms across the street—a charming, family-run inn that dates back to the 1870s. It's that kind of place that's full of Victorian architecture, wraparound porches and stories traded with strangers on the sidewalk outside. By day, we wandered Broadway and ducked into hat shops, women's clothing boutiques filled with horse-race couture and independent bookstores. On the Saturday between shows, we made our way to the Saratoga Race Course - a bucket-list destination for my husband, and the only way I could get him to see two nights of Phish. Inside the Saratoga Race Course The Saratoga Race Course The track is as storied as it is stunning. The energy was electric, with a crowd that felt equal parts Saratoga society and upstate casual. Men were decked in wide-brimmed hats and suits, while the women's fashion exploded with fascinators and polka-dotted dresses. We settled into our seat as bets were being placed, jockeys went parading by and families sat enjoying their Saturday. We watched the races, sipped cold drinks and marveled at the pageantry of it all. While I'd never label myself a racing enthusiast, there was something undeniably nostalgic about it. For a few hours, the world slowed down as we lingered about people-watching, soaking up this historic pastime. Only in a place like Saratoga could you pair a Phish concert with a day at the races and have it all make sense. I left already planning my return, only next time with my kids in tow. Because once you've traveled to Saratoga, it's impossible not to want more.
Vogue
9 minutes ago
- Vogue
I Want What They Have: Alison Brie and Dave Franco
'Creatively, I think [Brie] is one of the best actresses working today, which makes my job very easy,' said Franco, who, with his wife, is also a producer on Together. And while I hesitate to give men credit for being nice about their partners (likely thing for them to do, in an ideal world!), I do like how infatuated Franco seems to be with Brie; to paraphrase Mindy Kaling's mom, the best hetero couples are the ones in which the guy likes the girl a little bit more than the girl likes the guy. Obviously, I don't know anything about Brie and Franco's real-life dynamic, since my IRL familiarity with them as a couple is limited to once glimpsing them at a bottle shop in Highland Park and swiftly texting everyone I knew about it, but I've loved Brie an inordinate amount ever since she voiced Diane Nguyen on BoJack Horseman (not to mention her deep dive into the weird and wonderful world of '80s women's wrestling on Glow!). And while I'm not a fan of his brother James, Franco seems to be cut from a different cloth, though he's basically always cast as Douchey Frat Guy thanks to the haunting symmetry of his face. Perhaps my favorite detail of the Together rollout is the fact that distributor Neon is giving couples who see the film on opening weekend free therapy via the online service OurRitual (yes, we live in a late-capitalist hellscape). Personally, I am a huge couples' therapy stan after going into my first appointment with my partner fearing that we were already cooked if we needed a couples' therapist in the first place—we're not, FYI, and I was being extremely dumb—so I'm enjoying this little bit of mental-health-meets-movie-magic synergy. Here's hoping that Brie and Franco are, too.
