SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 25: Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool cosplay speaks during the 2026 Comic-Con International: San Diego - Marvel Studios Hall H presentation at San Diego Convention Center on July 25, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)

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San Diego International Comic-Con, also known as Comic-Con, is one of the biggest entertainment events in the world. Held at the San Diego Convention Center in downtown San Diego's Gaslamp District, Comic-Con officially kicked off on Thursday, July 23, and ran through Sunday, July 26 (preview night at the expo portion was on Wednesday, July 22). Comic-Con draws over 135,000- 160,000 badge attendees, but even more for the outside activations that do not require a badge.

Major film and television studios, like Marvel Studios, DC Studios, Apple TV, HBO Max, Paramount/CBS, Amazon MGM / Prime Video, AMC, DreamWorks Animation, and more, have taken over the main presentation rooms – Hall H and Ballroom 20. Almost all the major film and television studios attend to promote or announce their biggest releases, promotions, discussions, and reveals. From Marvel dominating Hall H to the specials for Hulu’s (then FOX) hit animated series Futurama, Comic-Con had something for (almost) everyone in their fandom.

Here are some of the highlights:

Marvel Studios Dominated Hall H with Black Panther and Ghost Rider Casting

Last year, Marvel Studios skipped their prestigious Saturday spot in Hall H, but came back stronger with all their news for the upcoming films, TV, and phases. Marvel Studios Producer and President Kevin Feige welcomed the enthusiastic crowd of 6,500+ people to catch an exclusive look at the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Feige told the crowd, “Today, we’re mainly going to talk about movies. We’re mainly going to talk about movies because that is what brings us together in the world."

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Ryan Gosling has been revealed as the new Ghost Rider, with the film set to be released in 2028. The film will be directed by Shawn Levy (Deadpool & Wolverine), who is currently in post-production for the Star Wars film, Star Wars: Starfighter, also starring Gosling. Now, Gosling will be part of both the Star Wars and Marvel universe in 2027 and 2028, respectively.

Black Panther director and executive producer Ryan Coogler announced he will return to direct the third Black Panther film. He then announced David Jonsson (The Long Walk, Alien: Romulus) as the new Black Panther for the third film – playing T'Challa II (Toussaint), the son of T’Challa (the late Chadwick Boseman). Johnson will be joining Letitia Wright and Winston Duke in the film. Set for 2028, the third film will follow Toussaint as he grows up to take his father’s mantle. Jonsson addressed the excited crowd, “I want to say thank you so much. “ Thank you, Ryan; thank you, Kevin [Feige]; thank you to this amazing family that I have the honor and the privilege and the blessing to join. I actually don’t want to say too much because I want to let the screen do the talking. But believe me, the honor is entirely mine."

Ryan Reynolds has been walking around Comic-Con as Grey X-Force Deadpool

This isn’t an announcement, but more of a surprise reveal, especially for Comic-Con attendees.

If any Comic-Con attendees saw a grey X-Force Deadpool cosplayer walking around the convention center, you probably saw Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds.

He revealed himself during the Hall H panel as he (given the name “Ricky,” a person who is “cosplaying hard”) asked the Avengers: Doomsday cast two questions. He first asks Paul Rudd, “Where is Thor and why is he crying?” Rudd responds, “He’s a Wrexham fan” — a reference to the Welsh soccer team that Reynolds owns with Rob McElhenney. “Ricky” then addresses “Hawkeye” (Jeremy Renner), “You know goddamn why he’s crying.”

“Ricky” then asks the group when they plan to start filming for Avengers: Doomsday? Robert Downey Jr., who plays Dr, Doom, tells him, “It’s in the can, bro. Look around you. Did you bump your head?” “Ricky” proceeds to inquire if there’s no additional photography or filming planned. When he is rejected, he calls Happy Hogan to bring the Audi and leaves.

Spaceballs: The New One opens up the Spaceballs Cinematic Universe – and the return of Rick Moranis

Amazon MGM Studios held its Hall H presentation on Friday evening, promoting the release of Spaceballs: The New One, the sequel to the 1987 Mel Brooks’ parody film, Spaceballs. Moderated by director Kevin Smith, director Josh Greenbaum (Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, Strays) and the cast- Rick Moranis, Daphne Zuniga, Josh Gad, Keke Palmer, Lewis Pullman, and screenwriters Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit were in attendance.

Mel Brooks and Bill Pullman sent virtual messages. In Mel Brooks’ parody fashion, the Spaceballs team parodied Marvel’s Hall H panels with an expansive Spaceballs Cinematic Universe, stretching across 180-degree screens in the room.

But the real kicker is getting retired actor Moranis to attend Comic-Con, who came out of retirement just for the Spaceballs sequel. The team asked to “comb the room” to find Moranis, who was found wearing a Dark Helmet – and received a standing ovation. It was an emotional scene for everyone, especially since many in the crowd – especially millennials – grew up watching Moranis in Ghostbusters, Spaceballs, and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.

DC Studios gives a few hints of HBO Max’s Lanterns During Comic-Con Panel, including Sinestro, Manhunters, and Laura Linney

With the disappointing reaction towards Supergirl, DC Studios brought an onsite Lanterns Experience for Comic-Con attendees as well as a Hall H panel with upcoming HBO Max series stars Kyle Chandler, Aaron Pierre, Garret Dillahunt, Poorna Jagannathan, Nathan Fillion, and co-creators Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof, and Tom King. The creators confirmed during the panel that Sinestro will be in the series. The Manhunters, extraterrestrial, shape-shifting aliens, will be the villains in the series, and Laura Linney would be playing an important Guardian.

Mundy reveals during the panel, “Laura [Linney] is in the show. Yes, she plays one of the Guardians, who has a lot to say to John about the role of being the Green Lantern. We were very lucky in a lot of ways. I'm not saying anything else, or else this panel will be mad at me.”

The new series, set for August 16, follows new Green Lantern recruit John Stewart (Pierre) and Lantern veteran Hal Jordan (Chandler) as “two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, Earth-based mystery with cosmic ties as they investigate a murder in the American heartland." Fillion’s Guy Gardner, who first appeared in James Gunn’s Superman, will have a role in the series, which means it should connect with the Superman sequel, Man of Tomorrow (July 9, 2027).

Simon Pegg is Balrog in Prime Video’s The Rings of Power

During Amazon Studios / Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Comic-Con Hall H panel, fans got a first look at the third season of the J.R.R. Tolkien fantasy series. Cast members Charlie Vickers, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Daniel Weyman, Owain Arthur, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Jamie Campbell-Bower, and executive producers John D. Pane and Patrick McKay were all in attendance for the panel.

Pane and McKay revealed that British actor Simon Pegg will voice the Balrog, a giant demonic monster who helps Sauron forge the One Ring. It is the same creature known as Durin’s Bane in the Mines of Moria.

The third season will take place at the height of the “War of the Elves and Sauron, as the Dark Lord seeks to craft the One Ring that will give him the edge he needs to win the war, bind all peoples to his will – and at last rule all Middle-earth.”

Campbell-Bower plays Galadriel’s long-lost husband, Celeborn. Eddie Marsan (King Durin IV’s older brother Thrain), Andrew Richardson (Elendil’s younger son and Isildur’s brother, Anarion), Zubin Varla (Khamûl the Easterling of Rhûn), and Adam Young (Marnûkh) have also joined the cast for Season 3. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3 premieres on November 11.

Seth Green’s long-awaited Star Wars animated series, Star Wars: Detours, will be released

During the “Inside the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art” panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2026 on Thursday, Green had a conversation with Matt Senreich (Stoopid Buddy Stoodios), DC Comics chief creative officer Jim Lee, and Ryan Linkof, senior curator and head of film programs for the Lucas Museum. The museum, owned by George Lucas, is set to open this September in Los Angeles.

Moderated by Keke Palmer, Green revealed that the animated comedy series, Star Wars: Detours, which has been shelved for the past 14 years – since Disney acquired Lucasfilm – will finally see the light of day and premiere at the Lucas Museum. It was first announced during 2012’s Star Wars Celebration, with the voice cast including Green, Felicia Day, Donald Faison, Seth MacFarlane, Andy Richter, Jennifer Hale, and Zachary Levi.

Green had worked closely with Lucas to create this Simpsons-style Star Wars animated series for the Star Wars Universe. Green reveals, “There’s going to be a curation of episodes from that show on display for the public.” He called it “one of the greatest experiences” he’s ever had.

The series completed several episodes before being shelved and has multiple scripts ready, which Green calls “timeless.”

Futurama is coming back with Season 14, and with three “XXXL-Sized” Specials

During Futurama’s Saturday panel in Ballroom 20, Hulu announced three “XXXL-Sized” specials in addition to Season 14. Creator Matt Groening, showrunner and head writer David X. Cohen, and stars John DiMaggio, Billy West, Katey Sagal, Tress MacNeille, Maurice LaMarche, Lauren Tom, Phil Lamarr, and David Herman attended the panel. Groening and Cohen unveiled the Season 14 trailer, which is set to premiere August 3.

The Futurama “XXXL-Sized” specials will begin in 2027 with the Christmas-themed episode. This season’s premise has the Planet Express crew bracing themselves as “The future is about to get a whole lot stranger! It’s a non-stop onslaught of swaggering space pirates, lab-grown meats, sexy scams… plus the shocking return of Dr. Zoidberg’s lost love! You didn’t see that coming, before being told about it just now!”

San Diego International Comic-Con was held at the San Diego Convention Center from July 23 to July 26.