SDCC 2024: 10 Biggest Panels On Thursday, July 25

San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) is here again, with a full day of epic panels starting on Thursday (following a half-day schedule on Wednesday). Comic-Con has something for everyone, from people interested in all the sci-fi movies releasing in 2024 to those wanting to kick-start their own pop culture business. SDCC’s Thursday schedule is strangely promising, as most of the main movie and TV shows panels will happen on Friday and Saturday.

On Thursday, SDCC attendees (and those watching online afterward) will find panels focusing on more niche topics, featuring people with surprising but very interesting jobs in the entertainment industry. However, some key cast and crew members from fan favorite TV shows will still be making appearances. Whether one wants to know more about Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2 or NASA’s next trip to the moon, Thursday is sure to be a party at SDCC 2024.

10 Exploring The Moon: The Artemis Generation

10:15 AM | Room 6DE

One of the first and most unique panels happening on Thursday is not one filled with actors and producers, but astronauts and engineers. In the past few years, NASA launched a successful uncrewed mission to the moon; the Artemis 1 orbited the moon, while the first commercial landing also came to pass. NASA is planning multiple manned missions to the moon in the next few years, with intentions to launch Artemis 2 and Artemis 3.

NASA itself is coming to Comic-Con to share more information about “the Artemis Generation,” and how their work may eventually lead to manned missions to Mars. Confirmed panelists include NASA chief technologist A. C. Charania, researcher Dionne Hernandez-Lugo, Artemis mission integrator Jackelynne Silva-Martinez, and an unnamed NASA astronaut. SDCC features several panels that talk about some of the real science behind the most beloved sci-fi properties, but nothing quite like this.

9 Avatar: Braving The Elements Podcast Live!

10:30 AM | Room 6BCF

Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 is on its way following a strong debut on the streaming service this year, but love for the original isn’t going anywhere. Since their tenures with the Avatar franchise ended, Dante Basco (voice of Zuko) and Janet Varney (voice of Korra) have gone on to co-host Avatar: Braving the Elements, the original show’s official companion podcast. These two Avatar alumni will hold a live session of the podcast, following their usual trajectory of revisiting and analyzing the series’ most iconic elements.

However, it wouldn’t be Comic-Con if there wasn’t something more to distinguish this from a regular podcast recording. Basco and Varney will be joined by Greg Baldwin (voice of Uncle Iroh) and Michaela Jill Murphy (voice of the original Toph), as well as Cara O’Neil of Dark Horse Comics, the publisher of the Avatar continuation graphic novels. They are sure to mention their thoughts on the new show as well as dive back into the original, while also leading some trivia and generally enjoying being in the presence of fellow Avatar fans.

8 Cosplay 101: Bringing Your Dreams To Life

11 AM | Grand 12 & 13, Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina

Cosplay is an integral part of the Comic-Con experience. Anyone attending will be treated to seeing hundreds of intricate costumes and might feel left out if they are not dressed up themselves. Several panels focusing on different facets of cosplay — accuracy, props, photography, cosplaying as a couple — are held throughout the week. However, a good place to start is the classic Cosplay 101 panel, for those who are getting started or just want to hear from some amazing cosplayers.

The panelists include five expert cosplayers, who specialize in different genres and techniques and have varying presences in fandom culture. Several of the panelists are referred to as “charity cosplayers,” participating in charitable events where people are also dressed up as popular characters. People who attend this panel will likely learn not just about getting started with cosplay, but about the different ways they can impact others with it.

7 Marvel Rivals: The Story, Art, And Sound Of The Game

11:15 AM | Ballroom 20

Marvel Rivals is an upcoming hero shooter video game that has already seen beta tests with PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. While some may still wish to sign up for a Marvel Rivals closed beta playtest, others can learn more about the artistic process behind the game from its Comic-Con panel. Panelists set to appear are lead narrative designer Jinghua Duan and art director Dino Ma from NetEase Games, as well as executive producer Danny Koo, creative development manager Dakota Maysonet, and senior art director Dan LaDuca from Marvel Games.

Marvel creative digital marketing executive Ryan Penagos is moderating the panel, which will be an in-depth discussion about Marvel Rivals’ story, art, and sound design.Marvel Rivals is competing with Overwatch 2 to be the top hero shooter game; some insight into the design may sway gamers one way or another. This panel also has huge appeal for anyone interested in all the intricacies of game design.

6 Paramount Animation And Hasbro Entertainment: Transformers One

11:45 AM | Hall H

After many disappointing live-action Transformers movies, fans are seeing something new with Transformers One, the upcoming movie rendered in stylized 3D animation. Making for one of the most star-studded panels of the day, cast members Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, and Keegan-Michael Key will be in attendance, alongside the movie’s director Josh Cooley and producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura. The Transformers One cast also includes Scarlett Johansson, Jon Hamm, Laurence Fishburne, and Steve Buscemi.

The general discussion panel will be accompanied by some exclusive footage from the new movie. Transformers One is shaping up to be a fun origin story which will hopefully reinvigorate the franchise. While the trailer makes it look like a lighthearted romp, it may have some tragic undertones in its depiction of Optimus Prime and Megatron becoming lifelong enemies. Anyone looking forward to this movie cannot miss the panel, which will likely reveal the most new information about it yet.

5 Will Wight’s Cradle Becoming An Animated Series

12 PM | Room 5AB

Will Wight is a repeat New York Times and Amazon bestselling author for his sci-fi fantasy book series Cradle. In the last couple of years, Wight was approached by filmmaker Jay Olivia’s agent about adapting Cradle into an animated TV show (via willwight.com). Rather than going to one of the streaming giants, the Cradle team raised money through Kickstarter to bring the series to life. A few months ago, some of the first footage from the animated Cradle dropped on YouTube.

Now, Wight and Olivia are coming to Comic-Con to talk more about the new show. They will be joined by actors Phil LaMarr and Morla Gorrondona, as well as Cradle producers Rebecca Wight and Sam Wight. This is interesting not just because it is an exciting new animated fantasy series, but because of the story behind it concerning animation and TV production detached from the major streaming services.

4 Fan Favorites: Behind The Scenes Of Popular Films And TV Shows

1 PM | Room 7AB

In an amazing round-up of creatives working on some of the biggest projects in Hollywood right now (especially TV projects), the “Popular Films and TV Shows” panel will feature a wide variety of entertainment professionals talking about how they bring their stories to life. The live-action One Piece was well-received on Netflix, while the intricate historical drama Shōgun blew everyone away. This panel will include One Piece editor Eric Litman and Shōgun VFX supervisor Michael Cliett.

Other projects additional panelists have worked on are Only Murders in the Building, Gen V, The Boys, A Black Lady Sketch Show, and Frog and Toad. The sheer volume of material to be covered by this panel is impressive, with panelists coming from a variety of genres and professions. This SDCC panel should offer a comprehensive look into movie and TV production, covering everything from scoring to special effects to casting.

3 Unveiling The VFX Magic: 20th Century Studios’ Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes

1:45 PM | Room 6A

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes turned out to be another winner for the franchise, which is heavily dependent on stellar special effects. Its panel will delve into just this, with Halon Entertainment visualization supervisor Casey Pyke, Wētā FX visual effects supervisor Erik Winquist, and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes editor Dan Zimmerman being experts on the subject. However, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ panel will probably also discuss some story elements, which go hand in hand with the effects.

This is one of the biggest panels at SDCC 2024 due to the cast members coming as well: Freya Allen, Kevin Durand, Owen Teague, and Peter Macon. The new Planet of the Apes movies have been hugely successful due to a combination of strong storylines and groundbreaking special effects. The panel may likewise be an interesting combination of all the things that go into making these movies.

2 Percy Jackson And The Olympians

2:15 PM | Hall H

Percy Jackson fans were delighted and relieved when Disney+ delivered a far superior adaptation of Rick Riordan’s beloved novels. Walker Scobell, Leah Sava Jeffries, and Aryan Simhadri — who play the main trio of Percy, Annabeth, and Grover, respectively — now get to take their first victory lap at Comic-Con as the show’s leading stars. They will sadly not be joined by Charlie Bushnell (Luke) or Dior Goodjohn (Clarisse), but these actors may join the panel in future years.

However, this will be a very dynamic panel also including the show’s producers Jonathan E. Steinberg and Dan Shotz; it will even be moderated by Jay Duplass, who portrays Hades. There is plenty to discuss, with fans eager to hear about Scobell, Jeffries, and Simhadri’s stories from the set and what they can expect from season 2. This is likely just the beginning of a new, very successful run for the Percy Jackson franchise that may expand into a broader Riordan TV universe in years to come.

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1 The Secret To The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes Costumes

3 PM | Room 9

The world of The Hunger Games has always included an impressive wardrobe for the extensive cast, and the most recent prequel movie was no different. Providing a distinctive insight into one of the most successful movie franchises in recent history, several members of the costume team for The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes will have their own Comic-Con panel focusing on the garments seen in both the Capitol and the districts. What they reveal may have bearing on future costume production for The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.

They may discuss the art behind Lucy Gray’s rainbow ruffle dress, a vivid description from the book that must have been thrilling to recreate. They might also mention their thoughts on the theory that Lucy Gray inspired Tigris to create Capitol fashion, one of the best Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes theories. This and many more panels will keep attendees busy on Thursday, while they await the stars from other major movies and TV shows to arrive later in the week.

Source: comic-con.org,willwight.com