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Comic-Con 2016: Marvel turns focus away from the Avengers, ‘Game of Thrones’ cosplay proposals, and more

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San Diego Comic-Con is officially over, and now it’s time for the breakdown. Who left Hall H a champion and who just left Hall H? We’ve got the full blow-by-blow recap of what Warner Bros. and their DC Entertainment slate brought and how Disney and Marvel countered. There were big surprises (Brie Larson is Captain Marvel!), plenty of teasers (looking at you “American Gods” and “The Walking Dead”) and amazing cosplay aplenty. Stay with us as we bring you more news from the panels, crazy moments from the convention floor and exclusive photos from the L.A. Times studio.

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Cast of ‘Dirk Gently’ lines up for prom pics in the L.A. Times photo studio

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Check out more photos from the LAT studio at Comic-Con>>

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Everything revealed in the CW Comic-Con panel — from new ‘Flash’ footage to what’s in ‘Supergirl’s’ pod

The CW, which has the most impressive TV block of comic book fodder, unleashed back-to-back-to-back-to-back panels late Saturday at Comic-Con for “Supergirl,” “Legends of Tomorrow,” “The Flash” and “Arrow.” Each bright beacon of genre fare brought with it a bit of information, a couple of clips or teases and a lot of silly.

Find out who (or what) is in the “Supergirl” alien pod!

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‘He was a really cool dude, but then he asked for a kiss on the cheek’: Cosplaying at Comic-Con

Cosplayers Juliey-Mae Luster, Caroline Calhoun and Victoria Van Wyke take time to talk about the what it’s like to dress up at Comic-Con and the polite way to ask for a photograph. And the wrong way.

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Even after 15 years in a row of braving Comic-Con crowds, this journalist can still find the love

The San Diego Comic-Con is a gathering founded on, and fueled by, love. The only way to nurture a convention like this for 46 years, to get people to make an annual pilgrimage from around the world, is with a shared affection.

And yet, sometimes, Comic-Con can make it hard to feel that love.

The bigger Comic-Con gets, the harder it is to navigate, and the more difficult it is for me to find that love at its core.

But every convention, I encounter something that reminds me. And this year, I found it more than once.

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This is the ‘Star Wars’ cosplay you’re looking for

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Marvel turns Comic-Con’s focus from the Avengers and onto its new crop of heroes

(Chris Pizzello / Invision / AP)

If Warner Bros. came into this year’s Comic-Con with the goal of resetting (and lightening the mood of) its DC superhero slate after the disappointment of “Batman v Superman,” the Marvel Studios panel Saturday showed Marvel making its own kind of change-up.

For the first time in years, this was a Marvel rollout with no Iron Man, no Captain America, no Black Widow and no Hulk. Instead, Marvel pushed further into its third phase of big-screen comic-book world-building.

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Watch the ‘Steven Universe’ live musical performance by the cast at Comic-Con

Watch Rebecca Sugar perform the ending theme from “Steven Universe” at the show’s panel at Comic-Con in San Diego.

“Steven Universe” is known for many things: charm, inclusive storytelling, oddball fantasy plots, various gemstones and its absolutely excellent, original soundtrack. At Comic-Con that world came alive for one day only, and we’ve got plenty of footage from the truly special performance.

Here’s show creator Rebecca Sugar singing the full end credit theme which they only use segments of for the show, and it changes per season.

Many, many more beautiful songs here.

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First look at ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ villain The Vulture

Tired of gritty, real life superhero movies where the villains and heroes are merely vague nods to their comic book counterparts? Then you’re going to love the concept art from “Spider-Man: Homecoming.”

Sony just dropped concept art of the next Spider-Man villain The Vulture, and he looks like he was ripped right out of the comic books.

If you weren’t in San Diego with the thousands of screaming Hall H fans, never fear the whole Spider-Man panel has been uploaded for your viewing pleasure (minus the special footage sadly).

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‘Dirk Gently’ trailer introduces the world to TV’s newest ‘insane’ detective

BBC America debuted the first trailer for “Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency” at the show’s Comic-Con presentation on Saturday.

What exactly is a “Holistic Detective Agency”?

Well, according to Elijah Wood’s character, Todd, Dirk Gently (played by Samuel Barnett) is “a detective who doesn’t find clues.” Gently is a detective who prefers to look at the whole, interconnected picture of everything.

In the show, a murder of a millionaire is what brings the detective into Todd’s life. Gently believes the two are destined to solve the mystery together, whether Todd likes it or not.

The show is slated for an Oct. 22 premiere.

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‘Everybody showed up’: James Cameron on the special bond of the ‘Aliens’ cast 30 years later

Many films and TV shows host reunion panels at Comic-Con but few can probably boast the attendance figures of the “Aliens” 30th anniversary gathering Saturday in Hall H.

And that was the best way to explain what was so special about the Oscar-nominated 1986 classic, said director James Cameron.

A few highlights include:

  • Biehn recalled with a grin the night that he and Paxton sneaked into a press screening and watched from the projector room.
  • He said it! At one point Paxton said, “I just have three words to say: Game over, man!” to the delight of the crowd.

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Disney makeover for Tower of Terror causes fan freak-out on social media

Tower of Terror, the beloved vertiginous elevator drop at Disney’s California Adventure, will cease to terrify thrill seekers in early January so that it can become a new “Guardians of the Galaxy” attraction that is set to open in summer 2017. But some Disney fans have expressed outrage after Saturday’s announcement, suggesting that the decision to overhaul and rebrand the popular ride is tantamount to sacrilege.

The new ride will mark the first time that Disney has incorporated characters from its Marvel superhero universe at the theme park. Disney said that “Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout!” will open at the Anaheim park but didn’t say what would happen to the Tower of Terror at its Hollywood Studios park in Orlando.

READ MORE FAN TWEETS >>

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Brie Larson is officially Captain Marvel

Marvel makes it official: Brie Larson will star as Captain Marvel in the upcoming standalone movie.

In the closing moments of Marvel’s Hall H presentation, the attendees was introduced to the newest member of the Marvel family. The most recent round of rumors had zeroed in on the Academy Award-winning actress as the front-runner for the first standalone MCU film focused on a sole female title character.

Larson will be playing Carol Danvers, an Air Force officer who gains superpowers when an event causes her DNA to fuse with alien genes.

Watch the surprise now:

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Disney’s Tower of Terror ride is closing, will reopen as a ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ attraction

Disney representatives say that the new Guardians of the Galaxy ride will keep the fast-dropping elevator from the Tower of Terror, but the rest of the attraction will be completely overhauled.

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William Shatner, Brent Spiner and more celebrate the legacy of ‘Star Trek’ during 50th anniversary panel

William Shatner, from left, Brent Spiner, Michael Dorn and Jeri Ryan attend the "Star Trek" panel on day 3 of Comic-Con International on July 23 in San Diego.
(Chris Pizzello / Invision)

“Who was your favorite captain?” When this question was posed by a Comic-Con attendee to the members of the 50th anniversary “Star Trek” panel — with Capt. James Tiberius Kirk himself seated at the head of the table onstage in Hall H — there was only one way for the panelists to answer.

One among multiple celebrations around the seminal series, the panel brought together representatives from all five iterations of the television show: William Shatner (Captain Kirk), Brent Spiner (the android Data from “Star Trek: The Next Generation”), Michael Dorn (the Klingon Worf from “The Next Generation,” and also holding it down for “Deep Space Nine”), Jeri Ryan (Seven of Nine from “Star Trek: Voyager”) and Scott Bakula (Capt. Jonathan Archer from “Star Trek: Enterprise”).

“Is anyone legitimately not going to say Kirk?” asked Ryan with a laugh when the favorite-captain question emerged. To which Shatner retorted, “I can’t imagine that either.”

Shatner was the belle of the ball, but all of the actors spoke fondly of their time on their respective shows and living in the “Trek” world created by Gene Roddenberry.

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Kurt Russell joins ‘Guardians of the Galaxy 2’ as Star-Lord’s daddy

“Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2” is shaping up to be “Tango and Cash 2.”

Kurt Russell stoked fan adulation when he appeared at Comic-Con on Saturday to stump for “Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2,” revealing that he would play Chris Pratt’s dad, “Ego,” in the Marvel sequel that is set to open next year. Meanwhile, a teaser of the movie presented at Comic-Con also revealed that Sylvester Stallone has a role -- which would make “Guardians” an official reunion of the “Tango and Cash” co-stars.

Released in 1989, “Tango and Cash” starred Russell and Stallone as L.A. cops who wind up in jail together. The movie was a critical dud but has become favorite among fans of the two actors.

“Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2” only recently finished filming in Georgia but Disney, which owns Marvel Studios, took advantage of Comic-Con to unveil a new retro 80’s logo for the franchise as well as a new theme park ride. The new logo features “Vol. 2” written in a slanted red font that is reminiscent of the “Beverly Hills Cop” movie logo.

Disney also revealed that a new “Guardians of the Galaxy” ride will open at Disney California Adventure in Anaheim in the summer of 2017, around the time the sequel opens in theaters. The ride will supplant the popular “Tower of Terror” attraction, which will close in January.

Disney said the new ride will allows guests to “experience multiple random, unique ride profiles in which the rise and fall of the gantry lift will rock to the beat of music inspired by the film’s popular soundtrack.” The ride will be titled “Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission: Breakout.”

At Comic-Con, Russell appeared alongside star Chris Pratt, who is reprising his role as Star-Lord, as well as other cast members, including Michael Rooker who appeared in costume and full blue makeup.

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‘Doctor Strange’ trailer debuts amid Benedict Cumberbatch fan frenzy

The stars of Marvel’s upcoming “Doctor Strange” -- including Benedict Cumberbatch, Rachel McAdams, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Tilda Swinton -- greeted fans at Comic-Con on Saturday as the trailer of the highly anticipated November release debuted online.

Cumberbatch is making his first movie in the Marvel universe, playing the title character in the adaptation of the Steve Ditko comic. While Marvel unveiled a two-minute teaser trailer in April that focused on the relationship between Cumberbatch’s neurosurgeon and Swinton’s bald Ancient One, a slightly longer trailer debuted Saturday that provides glimpses of Mads Mikkelesen as the movie’s villain, Kaecilius.

The new trailer also shows scenes of comic banter between Cumberbatch and Ejiofor, who plays a fellow student in the Ancient One’s Buddhistic monastery.

When Marvel debuted the initial teaser in April, a backlash formed from some fans who objected to the casting of Swinton as a Tibetan character, claiming that it was another example of Hollywood “whitewashing” an Asian character. But screenwriter C. Robert Cargill later said that the Scottish actress was cast in the role to placate China, which has had a long-running antagonistic relationship with Tibet and doesn’t recognize the province’s claims to independence.

Perhaps in response to the backlash, Marvel has played up the role of actor Benedict Wong in the new trailer. The British-Asian actor didn’t appear in the earlier teaser.

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Marvel’s ‘Black Panther’ cast announced including Lupita N’yongo and the new villain

Marvel kicked off its Hall H panel with the brand new “Black Panther” movie.

“Black Panther” director Ryan Coogler and lead Chadwick Boseman (T’Challa / a.k.a. Black Panther) were joined by Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o and Danai Gurira. Together they broke down who will be playing who in the new flick.

  • Michael B. Jordan (who has been attacahed to this movie for a little bit) finally had his role revealed. The former Human Torch will play Erik Killmonger, who in the comics is Black Panther’s nemesis and exiled Wakandan, formerly named N’Jadaka.
  • Lupita Nyong’o is set to play Nakia, who in the comics is one of the Dora Milaje or “Adored Ones” or women from rival villages in Wakanda assembled to serve T’Challa as bodyguards (and potential wives). Spoiler: in the comics when Nakia’s romantic feelings for T’Challa aren’t returned she turns into a villain named Malice.
  • And finally Gurira will play Okoye. Okoye, in the comics, is Nakia’s friend and fellow Dora Milaje.

Also new to the “Black Panther” movie, this slick new logo:

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‘Wonder Woman 75’ panel celebrates everything Diana Prince

Following the unveiling of the “Wonder Woman” trailer at the Warner Bros. Hall H presentation at San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday morning, the love for the Amazonian champion continued in the “Wonder Woman 75” panel.

“Wonder Woman” star Gal Gadot and director Patty Jenkins joined current “Wonder Woman” comic artist Nicola Scott and DC co-publisher Jim Lee for a panel to celebrate everything Diana Prince.

Even before the panelists took to the stage, attendees were treated to a slide show of various Wonder Woman looks in her 75-year history. The fans cheered for various favorites as images panned across the screen, with the loudest cheer, of course, reserved for an image of Gadot.

From the assembled fans to the “Wonder Woman” creatives, the love for the titular heroine was undeniable.

Jenkins said that even when she’s alone in the editing bay, looking at footage from the film, she finds herself sitting back and saying “god, I love Wonder Woman.”

The closeness that developed between Gadot and Jenkins through their partnership on the movie was apparent as they discussed moments while filming. They just knew their “Wonder Woman” film was greater than them, they said, and meant to be.

The panelists discussed the early impact of “Wonder Woman” on their lives and Scott admitted that she was a huge fan of the TV series starring Lynda Carter as a child.

“I learned how to use the TV guide because of Wonder Woman,” Scott said. “She’s the reason I draw comic books.”

The TV series also had an impact on Jenkins, who said having a hero like Wonder Woman meant everything to her.

Gadot said Wonder Woman’s influence is transcontinental.

“She was a household name alongside Batman and Superman” even in Israel, Gadot said. She described Wonder Woman as the “ultimate shero.”

The presentation also included the “Wonder Woman” trailer for those who missed its Hall H debut.

And of course, a packed room of Wonder Woman fans meant plenty of Wonder Woman cosplay.

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Henry Cavill goes undercover at Comic-Con, surprises Will Smith

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‘Justice League,’ ‘Wonder Woman’ and ‘Suicide Squad’: The Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment course correction

In the great superhero movie arms race, Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment are in the unenviable position of having to play catch-up to their distinguished competition, Marvel. It’s not their fault that Marvel recalibrated the way sequels work with their cinematic universe. And it’s not their fault that Marvel had a nine-movie head start.

So how did WB/DC respond at Comic-Con 2016? By bringing out the whole bloody Justice League: Ben Affleck’s Batman, Henry Cavill’s Superman, Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman, Jason Momoa’s Aquaman, Ezra Miller’s Flash and Ray Fisher’s Cyborg.

Oh, and they delivered the Suicide Squad too: Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jared Leto, Joel Kinnaman, Cara Delevingne, Jai Courtney, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Karen Fukuhara and the great and powerful Viola Davis.

Star wattage goes a long way, and the lights were bright in Hall H. But what makes or breaks a presentation like this is the footage. And the footage – a first look at 2017’s Justice League, the first official trailer for 2017’s “Wonder Woman” and a special Comic-Con sizzle for August’s “Suicide Squad” — was heartening.

Heartening because the chief knock against Warners’ DC output has been that it is excessively grim and humorless.

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‘American Gods’ makes fans a big promise: What you loved about the book, ‘you’ll see it in the show’

Armed with a trailer and surprise casting news, it was as if “American Gods” came to San Diego ready to make new converts. But if the capacity crowd at the show’s Comic-Con panel was any indication, there already is an extensive base of followers ready to worship the adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s fantasy novel.

Showrunners Bryan Fuller and Michael Green, cast members Ricky Whittle (Shadow Moon), Ian McShane (Mr. Wednesday), Pablo Shreiber (Mad Sweeney), Yetide Badaki (Bilquis) and Bruce Langley (Technical Boy), executive producer David Slade and Gaiman himself were present for the panel.

“American Gods,” of course, has a special history with SDCC.

“I’ve been coming to San Diego Comic-Con for a really long time,” Gaiman said. “In 1999 I came by train. And on the train to San Diego, which was a three-day train journey from Chicago, I wrote the first chapter of ‘American Gods.’ So it all sort of started for me on the way to San Diego. And it’s so glorious that sort of round two of ‘American Gods,’ the television version, is happening here today.”

The big surprise at the presentation, of course, was the special appearance of Kristin Chenoweth and the news that she will be playing the goddess Easter in the show. But that was not the only thing attendees learned during the discussion.

Gaiman promised that as a general rule, if you loved something in the book, “you’ll see it in the show.” Take, for example, this recently tweeted image from Gaiman showing Laura Moon (played by actress Emily Browning). The character comes back from the dead, embalming scars and all.

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Behold! Bryan Fuller’s new ‘Star Trek’ ship, the Discovery

Bryan Fuller joined the casts of “Star Treks” past at San Diego Comic-Con to talk all things Starfleet and celebrate the 50th anniversary of the series.

But in even bigger “Trek” news, Fuller decided to debut the first look at the new spaceship which will lead his new Trek series (officially titled “Star Trek: Discover” on CBS All Access). Take a good, long look at the test flight of the Discovery.

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Chris Setts proposes to Hayley Smith during a ‘Game of Thrones’ meet-up

She said yes!

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times )
(Harrison Hill / Los Angeles Times )
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Marvel debuts the first footage of ‘Legion,’ the story of Professor X’s troubled mutant son

Marvel is already producing television shows for a broadcast network and a streaming service, but next year, the comic book company will venture into the world of cable with “Legion.”

The show, which is set to debut on FX in early 2017, has some big talent attached to it: It’s being made by Noah Hawley, the creator of FX’s “Fargo,” and stars Dan Stevens, best known for playing Matthew Crawley on “Downton Abbey.”

The trailer, which premiered at Comic Con on Saturday, follows David Haller, a young man struggling with mental illness who has been seeking professional psychiatric help for years. Though he’s been told he’s schizophrenic, he slowly begins to realize that the visions he sees and the voices he hears -- which come from different sexes and possess various superpowers -- may be coming from another patient who has somehow intercepted his mind.

The character, meanwhile, has an important connection to the Marvel world: He may or may not be the mutant offspring of a kind-hearted professor in the “X-Men” series.

As you can see below, it appears early reaction to the trailer was mixed:

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Nickelodeon’s live-action ‘Legends of the Hidden Temple’ is a real movie that is happening

Remember the intricate Nickelodeon game show “Legends of the Hidden Temple?” The series where kids had to run about through an old Nickelodeon-designed, Aztec-inspired temple searching for parts to the golden idol? Well now it’s a live-action movie.

Inconceivable? Nope, Nickelodeon has the trailer, presented at Comic-Con, to prove it. There is no limit to how far this studio will go to sell your childhood back to you.

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‘Suicide Squad’ makes autograph signings great again

Who says there are no movie stars anymore? The “Suicide Squad” autograph signing at Comic-Con on Saturday definitely suggested the opposite.

You know the star power is sizzling when someone like Henry “Superman” Cavill shows up in a mask just to say hi to the cast. Yes, that happened.

Fans swarmed around a camo-clad Will Smith, who also signed posters for fans, while Jared Leto was out-Jokered by a tough dude less than half his size.

And did director David Ayer just get a little political there at the table? Why yes, it looks as if he did.

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New ‘Fantastic Beasts’ trailer drops, and Muggles everywhere lose their minds

When J.K. Rowling first announced that the Harry Potter universe would continue with a spinoff film, Muggles pretty much lost their minds.

But that excitement has seemed to wane since Warner Bros. began releasing trailers for “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” which hits theaters in November.

At Comic-Con on Saturday, the studio unveiled another trailer, first bringing out star Eddie Redmayne to give wands to all 6,000 audience members filling Hall H.

Perhaps the wands worked because the reaction to the new footage appeared decidedly more positive. The trailer begins with Colin Farrell — sporting his “Winter’s Tale” haircut from a few years ago — looking into rumors about the mysterious arrival of some mythical beasts. The culprit turns out to be Newt Scamander (Redmayne), whose creatures, all magically contained in a briefcase, have escaped all over 1926 New York.

As the trailer shows, the beasts come in all shapes and sizes: Some have long, witchy noses, while others look like “Game of Thrones”-esque dragons. But no matter their look, all of the creatures are perceived to be threats by the citizens of New York, who quickly send the police out in force to try to capture the various monsters.

A few Twitter reactions:

COMIC-CON Q&A: “Harry Potter” director David Yates talks “Fantastic Beasts”>>

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‘King Arthur: Legend of the Sword’ trailer is basically old-timey Jason Bourne but with more supercuts

Guy Ritchie and Charlie Hunnam have teamed up to bring King Arthur back from legends of old, and sporting the same hair cut as all the contestants on the “Bachelorette.”

Gaze upon the brand new “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword” trailer that dropped at Comic-Con in Hall H, in hopes of drumming up press.

But does this mashup of modern and kingly work?

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First ‘Kong: Skull Island’ trailer makes debut with Tom Hiddleston and Brie Larson

The story of King Kong has been adapted for the big screen over a dozen times since the giant ape’s film debut in 1933.

Next March, Warner Bros. is taking a swing at the gorilla tale with “Kong: Skull Island,” an original story starring Brie Larson, Tom Hiddleston and Samuel L. Jackson. The film, directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts, is set in the 1970s and follows a team of adventurers who come across Kong while exploring a remote island in the Pacific.

The first footage from the movie was unveiled at Comic-Con on Saturday, and it barely gives us a glimpse of the massive beast until the very end of the trailer, until his head creeps over the edge of a cliff. To give you a sense of his size, it looks like Kong’s eye is as big as a human head.

Some knee-jerk reactions to the footage:

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New ‘Suicide Squad’ trailer drops; Will Smith says ‘movie about bad versus evil’

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Ben Affleck confirmed as director, star of solo ‘Batman’ movie

After months of speculation, Warner Bros. has confirmed that Ben Affleck will both star in and direct the next standalone Batman movie.

The studio did not make a splashy announcement about the news at its Comic-Con presentation on Saturday. Instead, panel moderator Conan O’Brien simply introduced the actor as “the director of ‘Batman,’ Ben Affleck” before he walked on stage.

Earlier this year, Warner Bros. teased the idea that Affleck might be directing the next film about the superhero, with studio head Kevin Tsujihara referring to him as one of the filmmakers in the DC Comics universe.

The actor, of course, starred as as Batman in March’s “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” which was directed by Zack Snyder. Affleck made his directorial debut on 2007’s “Gone Baby Gone” and several years later, he helmed “Argo,” which went on to win Best Picture at the Oscars.

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First ‘Justice League’ trailer is a massive change in tone for Batman

Batfleck’s got jokes! The first ever “Justice League” trailer is here, and it is heavy, heavy, heavy on the rock and roll and superhero jokes. But don’t worry, Ben Affleck is still doing the bat voice.

Watch as Ben Affleck’s Batman assembles the ultimate DC hero squad in the first trailer for “Justice League,” which was released during the Warner Bros. panel in Hall H at Comic-Con.

And to all those complaining about the overly dark “BVS” tone: “Justice League” heard you.

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First ‘Wonder Woman’ trailer reveals Warner Bros.’ big plans for Diana Prince

“They do not deserve you.”

Director Patty Jenkins and the rest of the “Wonder Woman” crew just dropped a whopping “Wonder Woman” trailer on the folks at Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con. Behold the warrior woman power, a sword hidden in a gorgeous dress, and so, so, so many classic Wonder Woman trappings. Even the lasso of truth makes a cameo. Gal Gadot looks dynamite as Diana Prince. Let’s just hope Jenkins and the rest of the folks responsible for this origin story do this superhero justice.

The Los Angeles Times team is in the Warner Bros. panel right now, follow along:

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‘Vampire Diaries’ to end run after upcoming 8th season

“The Vampire Diaries” is calling it quits with the 2016-17 season, executive producers Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec announced at Comic-Con International in San Diego on Saturday.

“When you spend eight years with people, that’s high school and college combined,” Plec says in a goodbye video from the cast that screened at the end of the panel discussion. “There is no other scenario where you are this close and this tight with the people you get to work with, and it’s been such a joy and such an honor.”

Actors Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder, Candice King, Kat Graham, Zach Roerig, Michael Trevino and Matthew Davis bid their farewells in the video and thank “The Vampire Diaries” fandom for its love and loyalty.

The coming season of the show, which starts Oct. 21, will be the eighth for the CW stalwart.

Also, the band the Fray bookends the series in a sense: A new song, “Changing Times,” debuts in the goodbye video, after “Never Say Never” was used in the pilot. The Fray’s “Be Still” and “Ungodly Hour” could be heard in key episodes during the run as well.

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First poster for ‘Kong: Skull Island’ revealed

Awaken the king, indeed.

In anticipation of the “Kong: Skull Island” panel today at Comic-Con, star Tom Hiddleston took to Twitter to share the film’s poster and a still from the movie.

“Kong: Skull Island” will tell the origin story of the infamous ape King Kong.

Be on the look out for more “Kong” news after today’s panel.

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John Barrowman went full cosplay as Harley Quinn and the Unbeatable Squirrel Girl for the Eisner Awards

Proving that there is no part of fandom that actor John Barrowman cannot conquer, host of the 2016 Eisner Awards went full cosplay (with three costume changes) at the award ceremony at Comic-Con in San Diego.

Known for his roles in “Doctor Who,” “Torchwood,” “Arrow,” and many more, Barrownman hit the Eisner crowd with some deep cosplay cuts and classic hits while hosting the ceremony.

There was the traditional Harley Quinn, the short-skirted Zapp Brannigan from “Futurama,” and last (but certainly not least) the Unbeatable Squirrel Girl (a personal favorite). Well done, sir.

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‘Orphan Black’ cast and creators start to say goodbye, but first a bloopers reel

This time last year, the “Orphan Black” cast and creators appeared at San Diego Comic-Con after a cliffhanger season finale that involved a fan-favorite character getting shot in a parking lot. The question on everyone’s mind was, “Is Delphine really dead?”

Though this year’s “Orphan Black” season finale has left plenty of unanswered questions of its own — like how the founder of Neolution is still alive — the reunion of Delphine and Cosima left fans in more positive spirits.

Still, leaving fans in the dark about Delphine’s fate last year was on the minds of co-creators Graeme Manson and John Fawcett.

“We were really sorry,” said Manson about knowing all along that Delphine was going to come back. “We felt bad about everyone feeling bad.”

And although fans were sad to hear it, the co-creators also shared that the plan for “Orphan Black” had been to end the show around the five-year mark.

What can fans expect from the show’s fifth and final season?

“The focus of Season 5 is we all want answers,” said Fawcett. Those answers will come from unraveling the mysteries around P.T. Westmoreland (the founder of Neolution).

“And it will be interesting ... to see a little bit more of Rachel versus Sarah,” said Fawcett.

Though the co-creators know where the series will end, Tatiana Maslany and the rest of the cast are still in the dark about their journey next season. But they were asked about what they think will be the final line of the show.

Other “Orphan Black” Season 5 possibilities that were teased (with varying levels of seriousness) during the panel included a scene featuring 12 clones, as well as a Christmas special and a musical episode.

The presentation also featured an “Orphan Black” clip show and a silly blooper reel (full of moments between Maslany and Kristian Bruun) — where fans can see that even Maslany can sometimes forget exactly whom she is portraying sometimes. See the videos below (the videos contain some adult language).

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‘Blair Witch’ sequel surprises Comic-Con with a secret screening and trailer

It’s been almost 20 years since that trio of wily teens got lost in the woods making a documentary about the “Blair Witch.” And in a surprise twist at Comic-Con, a follow-up feature, centered around a new group of youths who go back into the woods to look for the original filmmakers, was just dropped by Lionsgate.

At a surprise screening, the new “Blair Witch” film dropped under the pseudo name “The Woods.” Critics and fans were surprised to find out the screening for “The Woods” was actually a “Blair Witch” continuation.

The studio even created fake posters to fool the audience, but soon enough, the truth came out.

“Blair Witch” is directed by Adam Wingard of “VHS” and “The Guest” fame, and it already has a trailer. So far, the online buzz has been pretty positive, but when a film manages to pull off a surprise like this, it generally riles up a pretty happy crowd. We just really want it to be scary.

Check out the first trailer for the new “Blair Witch” sequel.

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Sia joins ‘My Little Pony: The Movie’ as a pony (of course)

Singer-songwriter Sia is going to Equestria. The rock star has ponied up and will be joining the cast of “My Little Pony: The Movie.” Behold your banged songstress in My Little Pony form.

The pony movie already has an impressive cast list, including Emily Blunt, Uzo Aduba, Kristin Chenoweth, Michael Peña and Liev Schreiber (seriously, what will Ray Donovan look like as a pony?). And now it has a pop star.

News of Sia’s involvement in the film broke at the San Diego Comic-Con Hasbro panel. The singer also will contribute two new, original songs to the October 2017 feature film.

This film is madness. We can’t wait.

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‘Orphan Black’ goes ‘West Side Story’ at the LA Times photo studio

Check out more photos from the LAT studio at Comic-Con>>

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Ghost Rider to bring a dose of vengeance to ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D’

The Comic-Con panel for “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” concluded Friday afternoon with the announcement that Ghost Rider would be appearing on the show when it returned in the fall.

Though producers declined to share further information with the assembled fans, it was later confirmed that actor Gabriel Luna had been cast in the part of Robbie Reyes.

Reyes is not the same iteration of Ghost Riders that audiences may be most familiar with. Making his comics debut in 2013, Reyes is written as a high school student from East Los Angeles who becomes Ghost Rider after being involved in a street race gone wrong.

This is a different version of the character than pop culture saw in the film “Ghost Rider” and its sequel “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance,” both of which starred Nicholas Cage as Johnny Blaze, the original Ghost Rider.

One key difference between Reyes and Blaze is transportation, with Reyes opting for a black muscle car in lieu of a motorcycle.

“Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D” returns on ABC for its fourth season on Sept. 20.

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Make Comic-Con ‘Ha Ha Ha Again’ is the best of this cosplay Joker collective

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Watch Rihanna surprise Comic-Con and announce she’s joining ‘Bates Motel’

All hail Rihanna, queen of SDCC 2016 and new “Bates Motel” cast member.

In a development that no one could have predicted, Rihanna appears to be the reigning queen of Comic-Con without ever setting foot in San Diego.

The massively popular recording artist all but secured the imaginary title with Friday afternoon’s announcement that not only would the singer be appearing on A&E’s “Bates Motel,” but she’d be playing Marion Crane, the legendary role originally played by Janet Leigh in “Psycho.”

At the “Bates Motel” panel, producer Carlton Cuse explained that this casting was five years in the making, and it was the plan to have Rihanna all along. He assured the crowd that even though last season saw the death of Vera Farmiga’s Norma, she will not be gone as she will be a full-time cast member.

Here’s the very video “Bates Motel” dropped on the unsuspecting crop of attendees.

Rihanna joins ‘Bates Motel’

This was the third time Rihanna was prominently featured in a Comic-Con narrative this year. Her song “Sledgehammer,” a collaboration with Sia, plays over the closing credits of “Star Trek Beyond,” which kicked off Comic-Con festivities with an outdoor screening Wednesday night.

Rihanna will also play a guest role in Luc Besson’s much-anticipated “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets” to be released in 2017.

All in all, pretty impressive for someone who didn’t even have to stare down a crowd in Hall H.

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‘Game of Thrones’ season seven teaser takes you behind the Iron Throne

Take a look at the behind-the-scenes magic that goes into turning “Game of Thrones” from a fantasy into a reality with this season seven teaser trailer.

Here’s Marc Bernardin’s full report of the event, which he describes as “a warm bath of adoration,” as well as what he found most surprising.

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Starz releases first look at ‘American Gods,’ and all is right with the world

Starz released its first look at the upcoming Neil Gaiman adaptation “American Gods” at its Friday Comic-Con panel, giving the world a glimpse of Gaiman’s iconic novel as interpreted by show runners Bryan Fuller and Michael Green.

“American Gods” is a story steeped in mythology, pitting old gods against new, as they battle it out on the earthly plane.

The Comic-Con panel also introduced Kristin Chenoweth as the newest member of the cast, who will play Easter, one of the old gods. Previously announced cast members include Ricky Whittle, Ian McShane, Gillian Anderson, Orlando Jones, Jonathan Tucker and Pablo Schreiber.

The series is scheduled to debut on Starz in 2017.

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‘Bates Motel’ to end after Season 5

Producers at the Comic-Con panel for A&E’s “Bates Motel” on Friday announced that Season 5 would be the last for the show.

In 2015, the series was renewed for a fourth and fifth season and seemed bound for a looming conclusion after the death of Norma Bates (Vera Farmiga) at the hands of her son Norman (Freddie Highmore) late in Season 4.

The fourth season of the show averaged 1.5 million viewers and, with its final season, will become the longest-running scripted show in A&E history.

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Kids of Comic-Con are mini heroes

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This is what Comic-Con envy looks like

Sure, more than 135,000 people are expected to be at Comic-Con International this year. But that’s definitely not all the people who wish they could be there.

So while the lucky tens of thousands milling around San Diego this weekend flood social media with pictures of how much stinkin’ fun they’re having, let’s take a moment to honor those left behind.

Of course, hope springs eternal ...