Comic-Con Notepad: It’s A Marvel (or a DC)
Attendees were still jackin’ it in San Diego as the 2015 Comic-Con extravaganza continued with more costumes, more cosplay (whatever that is), and more panels of your favorite TV shows, movies, and comics. More highlights:
– Even though Marvel Studios’ film studios sat out Comic-Con, its television division held plenty of panels – including Marvel Television Presents on Friday, with exec Jeph Loeb presiding over the festivities. First up was Agent Carter, with star Hayley Atwell and showrunners. The series is shifting its locale to 1940’s Los Angeles for season two, as Carter (Atwell) is called in to help solve a murder. Next show up was Agents Of Shield, featuring most of the cast. Loeb promised a shakeup in season three on Shield, and announced a new addition to the show, a character named Lash.
Shield had its own, separate panel at Comic-Con the following day, and for more information on the upcoming third season, you can view the panel below:
– Equal Time (to DC Comics): The long-awaited Batman v. Superman showdown is almost here. The minions in Hall H went wild during the Batman vs. Superman: Dawn Of Justice panel on Saturday, with Ben Affleck (Batman), Henry Cavill, and Amy Adams in attendance, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Also in the film: making her first live-action appearance in more than three decades is Wonder Woman, and also in the film are Aquaman and The Flash. The crowd was also treated to a surprise appearance by the cast of the upcoming movie Suicide Squad and was treated to – you guessed it – a trailer of the not-yet-finished movie. Someday I suppose, there will be an upcoming trailer to a trailer shown at Comic-Con.
The trailer – which has been criticized in some quarters– is right below:
– It’s not every Comic-Con you see a canceled show hold a panel. But that’s what exactly happened Saturday as the Hannibal presentation went on as planned, despite the show’s unexpected cancellation by NBC several weeks ago. Fans gave the network a hard time at the panel, but creator Bryan Fuller defended NBC executives, lauding them for giving him and the show a chance, according to Broadcasting & Cable. Despite Netflix and Amazon passing on picking up the horror-themed drama, Fuller said he’s looking at the possibility of bringing Hannibal to the big screen.
Not sure why Fuller would defend NBC; yours truly wouldn’t be so nice if the network yanked a show under you – especially for a show that performed decently well against the NBA Finals. While it was nice to give the peacocks some thanks, you know doing something like that wouldn’t go over well with the crowd.
Here’s the full Hannibal Panel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dmi1ubZQtZo&feature=youtu.be
For the record, the now-former Disney XD animated series Phineas and Ferb also held a panel, but no one cares about that. Well, at least I don’t (good riddance.)
– Well, look who’s back after a long absence… it’s the Muppets, who received a standing ovation at Comic-Con– an action worthy of Michael Jordan. The crowd packed the ballroom on Saturday to see what’s in store for the new half-hour single-camera comedy, the first regularly scheduled Muppets series since Muppets Tonight ran from 1996-98 for 22 episodes.
Showrunner Bill Prady (The Big Bang Theory) and other producers were on hand – as well as the Kermit The Frog and Miss Piggy. The new version of The Muppets is basically The Office meets The Larry Sanders Show: a more adult-oriented approach as viewers go behind-the-scenes of fictional late-night talk show Up Late With Miss Piggy, mockumentary style.
This method should have been applied to the Late Show With Joan Rivers, the first late-night talk show ever fronted by a woman. It would be a smash hit!
Muppets premieres September 22 on ABC. The Comic-Con Panel is below.
Comic-Con Quick Bits:
– With all the voice actors signed now for the next few years, The Simpsons unveiled plans for next season, including a Boyhood parody; a Treehouse of Horror segment where Sideshow Bob gets revenge on Bart; and Spider-Pig makes his first appearance since The Simpsons Movie. Matt Groening appeared on the panel, along with showrunner Al Jean and executive producer Matt Selman. The panel discussed the recent off-season news they made, including a misunderstanding over Homer and Marge’s marital status and the show skewing Donald Trump in a viral video. The Simpsons‘ season premiere is on Sept. 27.
– Seth MacFarlane appeared at Comic-Con for the first time in years at the Family Guy/American Dad panel. Among the goodies for Family Guy fans this upcoming season: Chris is registered as a sex offender and Quagmire (who already is) reveals he starred in a Korean soap opera, and there is an one-act story taking place in Stewie’s mind after he’s had his first nightmare. Guest stars include Ed O’Neill, SNL’s Kate McKinnion (as Peter’s sister) and Neil deGrasse Tyson. At least no Simpsons cross-over this season, although Scooby Doo is available…
– Once Upon A Time is going to the darkside…at least one of its characters is. Emma goes dark (no, she doesn’t become black.)
– Panel was held Thursday for a new Ron Pearlaman show for Amazon titled Hand Of God as he plays a judge who hears voices in his head. Too bad they couldn’t market this as a real daytime courtroom show – Judge Pearlman would beat the shit out of Judge Judy in the ratings.