A year after the Hollywood onslaught at Comic-Con International, several large studios decided to take a break.
In the new era of Hollywood belt tightening, many experts say the cost of Comic-Con may not be worth it, especially as new projects are slowing down. Large-scale superhero film producers DC Studios and Marvel Studios both reduced their output. We emphasize quality over quantity after a few bad performances.
Big projects taking over the biggest space of Comic-Con, 6,500-seat Hall H: a new “Predator” film, several “Star Trek” and “The Walking Dead” shows, DC Studios’ “Peacemaker” shows, and a new “Tron” film. Hollywood stars are there, like actor Ryan Gosling and Star Wars creator George Lucas.
Besides Hollywood, everything else is big. Advertising efforts have been made through the roof, with San Diego trolley wraps sold out, almost record numbers of building wraps splashing across the gas lamp quarter, and studios spending thousands of free activations throughout downtown.
“Comic-Con is cyclical,” said Heidi Macdonald, editor of the comic book news website The Beat, a year is slower. “I don’t think it has anything to do with Comic-Con. It just reflects the way Hollywood thinks itself.”
She is a moderator for the big panel and saw first-hand how much money and effort the money and effort in the minds of studio executives this year. According to McDonald’s, the costs include rehearsing hours before the panel, including actors, drivers, make-up, hair airfares, audio/visual equipment, hotel stays and, surprisingly for those present, hours of rehearsals before the panel.
Hollywood production fell 22% in the first quarter compared to last year, according to Filmla, an industry-run nonprofit organization. Although global production is declining, not just in California, this situation has led Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign a $750 million tax credit for television and films made in Golden State in July.
Even if “Game of Thrones” and “The Avengers” don’t appear, the fact that the event sold out quickly remains the same. The latest estimates say the four-day event has an impact on the region by $160 million. For context, it’s more than a San Diego charger ($126 million, according to a 2016 city survey) in 2016 city survey.
Over the past decade, Comic-Con’s Star Power has declined and flowed, and hindsight may have exaggerated its successes and failures a bit. One publication declared an event called “in sambles” in 2023 after the studio retreated during a writer and actor strike. A year later, Marvel Studios and others returned to Hall H.
Still, it’s hard not to admit that things are a little slower than banner year. Marvel and Warner Bros. (the producer of DC Film at the time) took over Hall H on the same day in 2016. Marvel frenzyed fandom with films full slates, including “Benedict Cumberbatch.” Warner Bros. has won even more press and debuted the full cast of Justice League films, including Ben Affleck, Jason Momoa and Galgadot.
“We’ve seen a lot of experience in the world,” said Carl Winston, founding director of Payne School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at San Diego State University.
Marvel’s output is slower, but it’s still the biggest in comic books and television. There will be “The Fantastic 4: First Steps” to be unveiled at Comic-Con Weekend, the animated “Black Panther” show in August, the “Marvel Zombies” show in October, and the “Wonder Man” show in December. There will also be new “Avengers” and “Spider-Man” movies to open next year. (Note that Marvel is owned by Disney. This is a major presence at events with other franchises.)
A Hollywood reporter cited an anonymous source, saying that Marvel Studios’ unofficial spirit “goes big or stays home,” and this year wasn’t enough to justify Hall H’s appearance. Throughout its 20+ years of history, I skipped Comic-Con a few times, but the following year it returned with a big splash.
This could be an opportunity for DC, a traditional rival of Marvel. This, McDonald said, just rebooted “Superman” and the film universe this month.
James Gunn, the co-priest of DC Studios who wrote and directed “Superman,” will be at the convention to promote the second season of the new universe’s “Peace Maker” show. Experts expect it to be a bit of a DC studio panel and a victory lap for Gun after the box office success of “Superman.”
McDonald said he was shocked after the talk of “Superman” that there was no dedicated DC studio panel. However, she says that “Peace Maker” might serve as a kind of under the radar panel in a complete studio, and there may be some surprises.
David Glanzer, Chief Communications and Strategy Director at Comic-Con, said he was not sweating the more calming show from the film studio.
“Do you think this is a trend? I don’t think so, and certainly I don’t want it,” he said.
Comic-Con doesn’t pay to appear in the studio, so it doesn’t mean they feel any kind of financial burden. The financial stability of nonprofits is stronger after two rough years of age during an online-only pandemic. At the end of 2023 it had a net worth of $17.3 million, with the most increase in profit returns from $12.4 million the previous year.
According to Glanzer, the large studio panels are the most attention from entertainment publications, but they are very different from the actual convention attendee experience, with thousands of hours of programming. Generally, even if HBO, Apple TV+ and others didn’t make it this year, Comic-Con is bigger than ever.
Even if the studio decides within the convention, it remains that the outside of Comic-Con is bigger than ever. To promote the new “Alien” show, Disney-owned FX will build the remains of the spaceship in front of the Hilton San Diego Bayfront. Hulu (also owned by Disney) has built the world from “King of the Hill” in a bayfront car park, while Peacock is building a bumper car ride for the show “Twisted Metal” in the car park next to San Diego Children’s Park.
Winston said Comic-Con’s uniqueness keeps advertisers and the community involved in increasing scale. He said that events that were no longer needed because they surpassed the convention center, rather than necessarily the master stroke of the San Diego Planner, are one of the most authentic experiences for fans.
“We’re all tired of Denny’s and want to go to that local coffee shop with a cool vibe,” he said. “I don’t think people visiting Comic-Con can get this at the Big-Box (Las) Vegas Hotel. Sandegan, carelessly or intentionally, created this truly cool and authentic experience.”
What to expect
Star Wars creator George Lucas will be on the Comic Con stage for the first time on July 27th. His panel will probably attract the most media attention, but fans may want to be cautious about what to expect.
Lucas has spoken little about his opinion on the new Star Wars show or film since selling Lucasfilm to Disney in 2012 for $4 billion. The fan’s dream is for Lucas to discuss his thoughts on each Disney project, answer burning questions about forced-related matters, and explain the plot of the underage film. But that’s not what you’ll find on the menu.
Lucas’s one-hour panel focuses on his new museum in Los Angeles, Lucas’s Museum of Story Art. He will be joined by director Guillermo del Toro and singer Queen Latifah, so perhaps he won’t have much time to discuss Star Wars.
Other big panels over the weekend are Tray Parker and Matt Stone, creators of “South Park” on July 24th. The new “Predator: Badlands” film on July 25th and the new “Tron” film on July 25th. “Project Hail Mary” on July 26th is a film adaptation of the hit science fiction book starring Ryan Gosling, who will be present.
Asian creators can also run to state studios for money this year. Anime, Japanese films and TV animations have always had a big presence on Comic-Con, but this year it seems more common. The highly popular anime “Demon Slayer” is on hand alongside voice actors and creators, and we will discuss the upcoming feature film “Infinity Castle.” This is the first time an anime franchise has taken over Hall H in Prime Saturday Evening Slots.
Glanzer said it would be better to give “Demon Slayer” a Saturday slot, as there was no internal discussion that Comic-Con officials decided the anime was really popular. He said so many of the decisions about where to place the property when the studio can show up and whether they think it can fill the room. Still, at least someone from Comic-Con thought “Demon Slayer” was a huge deal that could fill Hall H with 6,500 seats.
“Anyone who thinks that “Demon Slayer” can’t fill Hall H would be very surprised,” McDonald said.
She said her publication attended an animated exhibition in Los Angeles in early July and was shocked by the size. Organizers said they broke the record with 410,000 participants than the expected 350,000 participants at Comic-Con.
Even if entertainment magazines aren’t too impressed with the lack of movie stars, people are clearly putting value on what Comic-Con is offering this year. Comic-Con participants are not selling badges, especially as the buyer’s name is clearly visible on the badge, but have not stopped them from appearing on the ticket website.
On Thursday, Comic-Con’s biggest day, StubHub, one-day ticket for Saturday, July 26th, went from $477 to $798. This is a big hike from the ticket cost of $80 a day for most participants.
At this point, it is expensive and difficult to get a hotel or vacation rental. The cheapest downtown hotel room still available as of Thursday was in the Downtown Lodge in San Diego, in the San Diego Downtown Lodge, across from San Diego City College, for $372 per night. The closest hotel to the convention center was Hard Rock Hotel, with the remaining room costing $970 per night.
Comic-Con means many jobs for hotel workers, restaurant staff and businesses in all forms of Gaslamp area. But Daniel Kupperschmid, CEO of the San Diego Tourism Board, said everyone is ready next week.
“This is our Super Bowl,” he said.
By numbers
135,000: Number of participants at San Diego Comic Con
$160 million: San Diego’s economic impact in 2024
$3.2 million: San Diego’s estimated tax from hotels and tax revenues
45: Number of trolley cars wrapped in Comic-Con ads
2 Years: Comic-Con is guaranteed to stay in San Diego until 2027
30: Estimated number of downtown buildings wrapped for Comic-Con
$80: Daily ticket costs Thursday through Saturday ($40 for seniors, military, ages 13 to 17).
Source: San Diego Comic-Con, San Diego City, Metropolitan Transit System, Cup Media
Original issue: July 21, 2025 11:50am EDT
