Reporting from San Diego — Universal’s double-header theatrical panel kicked off with a first look at “Glass,” filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan’s follow-up to 2016’s “Split” and 2000’s “Unbreakable.”
Shyamalan, who moderator Yvette Nicole Brown credited as kicking off the big-screen superhero craze with “Unbreakable,” revealed that he was advised against mentioning the words “comic book” or “superhero” in campaign materials because it was deemed too “fringe.”
An origin story about the hero David Dunn (Bruce Willis) and villain Mr. Glass (Samuel L. Jackson), “Unbreakable” also originally included Kevin Wendell Crumb, the antagonist of “Split,” but the character was pulled out because he made the story too “unwieldy.”
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It was fitting that Shyamalan & Co. came to Comic-Con to debut the trailer for “Glass” because “The Sixth Sense” director said he was inspired to make its predecessor, “Split,” at the convention. He recounted that he got the idea to make the movie after he ran into James McAvoy at a party when the actor was promoting one of the recent iterations of “X-Men” films. McAvoy, whose hair had been closely cropped for the role of Professor X, inspired the look of the character he’d play in “Split,” the filmmaker revealed.
Though McAvoy was not present on the panel (he was sick and shooting in Canada, Shyamalan reported) stars Willis, Jackson, Sarah Paulson and Anya Taylor-Joy were on hand to introduce the world premiere trailer for “Glass” and to answer audience questions.
Jackson, who plays the titular character, says he was drawn to the role because of the character’s complexity.
“He has a fragile body but his mind is so strong,” said Jackson, who also praised the fact that the character is “quiet.”
“I don’t actually play the same mother ... all the time,” he said to huge laughs from the audience. Though he did concede that he has an affinity for the “loud ones.”
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“Glass” hits theaters Jan. 18.
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Aquaman’s Jason Momoa, who plays the titular hero, makes a playful face during an autograph signing.
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Thomas Napper, cosplaying as the Amazing Spiderman, leaps off a railing.
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People take pictures together at Marvel’s #GroupHug pop-up on the third day of the 2018 San Diego Comic-Con International. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
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Nick Phillips of San Diego holds a sign while people wait in line for panels in the Indigo Ball Room.
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Kathrynn Cobbs of Los Angeles points to group member Dalton Ross in the interrogation room in the Amazon Prime Jack Ryan activation event. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
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A participant in the Amazon Prime Jack Ryan activation ducks to avoid enemy combatants in a VR simulation. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
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Sheila Marler cosplaying as steampunk Catwoman and David Marler cosplaying as Captain Time walk down Fifth Avenue in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter.
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A capacity crowd packs the 2018 Comic-Con exhibition hall floor.
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Brandon Isaacson, 35, of Alameda poses for pictures as “McThor,” a combination of Marvel’s Thor and McDonald’s Ronald McDonald, outside of Hall H.
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A group makes their way through the Castle Rock activation event.
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James Lavelle, cosplaying as the Future Foundation costume Spider-Man, walks down a hallway inside a DC Universe activation site.
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Austen Bue, 11, from San Diego sends a text message to space, at the Hsitory Channel’s “Project Blue Book” activation site.
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Lauren Quan, 18, fo San Diego, and Caroline Duong, 18, of San Diego are pulled back by a hydraulic system at Marvel’s Cloak and Dagger activation event.
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Angel Mendoza of San Diego walks down 5th Street with an American flag on the first day of the 2018 San Diego Comic-Con International.
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Lee Joyner demonstrates a sculpting technique at the Cinema Makeup School booth in Hall H during the first day of the 2018 San Diego Comic-Con International.
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A squad of costumed Spider-Man fans — (alphabetically) Brandon Buisan, Paul Buisan, Kate Friedo, Nona Golan, Jacob Lavelle, James Lavelle and Milan Lavelle — poses for pictures outside of the DC experience area on the first day of the 2018 San Diego Comic-Con International.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
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People dressed with the Court of Owls masks from DC Comic’s Batman at work in a maze building.
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At left, Tim Walker, 26, of San Diego, and Julia Homitano, 27, of San Diego, take a selfie with zombies while waiting in line at “The Walking Dead” booth.
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Tyler Lokum, 8, of Los Angeles offers his lollipop to a Mega Construx of the Pokemon Blastoise at the Mega Construx booth during a preview of the 2018 San Diego Comic-Con International.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
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Fans raise their cell phones to take video of an animatronic performance at the Deadpool booth.
Sonaiya Kelley is a reporter at the Los Angeles Times. The Bronx, N.Y., native has also contributed to the New York Times, Essence and Keyframe Magazine. She is an alumna of Stony Brook University’s School of Journalism and the Bronx High School of Science. Find her on Instagram @sonaiya_k.
