Warner Bros. Pictures and Disney Pictures look to be the must-see film-related panels in the 6,000-seat Hall H at this year’s San Diego Comic Con, a year in which several of the major studios look to be opting out.
Variety reports that Warners has reserved a three-hour block Saturday with presentations for Peter Jackson’s “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” Zac Snyder’s “Man of Steel” and Guillermo del Toro’s “Pacific Rim” being the big draw cards.
Despite the film opening the following Friday, at present there isn’t expected to be any “The Dark Knight Rises” presentation or screenings.
Disney will be pushing “Iron Man 3,” “Wreck-It Ralph” and “Oz: The Great and Powerful,” with a possible brief presentation from “The Lone Ranger”.
Sony Pictures is showing up but likely only with product much closer to release like “Total Recall”. First looks from either of its two 2013 sci-fi epics “Elysium” and “After Earth” or from the upcoming Bond film “Skyfall” could be big draws, but nothing is being mentioned as yet about those films making appearances.
Lionsgate-Summit will likely be devoting their panels to the upcoming sequels to two of their biggest franchises – “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2” and “The Expendables 2”.
The surprise this year is the sit outs. 20th Century Fox is out, Relativity is out, DreamWorks is only doing a small animation-related Thursday panel in another room.
Paramount also looks to be out for the moment despite “G.I. Joe: Retaliation,” “World War Z” and “Star Trek 2” on its upcoming slate.
Universal certainly remains in question though if it does come there’d be expected pushes for “R.I.P.D.” and “47 Ronin”.
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