Marvel Studios won’t be headed to San Diego Comic-Con for its customary Hall H presentation in July, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.
The Disney-owned studio has long maintained it will only attend the con when it can truly deliver (Marvel panels are far and away considered the highlight of most years, with attendees camping out overnight for a seat in the 6,500-person hall). The Wrap first reported the news.
In 2022, Marvel Studios boss laid out an expansive slate for its Multiverse Saga. This year’s convention, to be held July 20-23, comes as Marvel has pressed pause on a few titles — including Thunderbolts, Blade and Daredevil: Born Again. Work is not expected to start up until after the writers strike, and as a result, Disney also pushed back a few of its key films in a release date shuffle announced last week.
The news comes amid a challenging time for Comic-Con, which last year returned to its traditional in-person event after moving largely virtual in 2020 and 2021 amid the coronavirus pandemic. The convention, which at its height can attract around 160,000 attendees, must contend with a writers strike that would prevent showrunners of TV series from sitting on panels to attend their work. It also faces the looming specter of a potential SAG-AFTRA strike, which would prevent actors from attending, as well. A SAG-AFTRA strike could begin any time after June 30, when the union’s contract with the studios expires.
Although it is skipping Hall H, Marvel Studios will still have a presence on the convention floor, and while big panels get much of the attention, Comic-Con is also known for creative cosplay and the chance to connect with artists and creators of smaller properties.
