DC Studios skipped last year's San Diego Comic-Con, but Superman was in the middle of shooting, and only Creature Commandos was in active production. That allowed Marvel Studios to steal the show with a splashy panel, concluding with the reveal that Robert Downey Jr. would play the MCU's Doctor Doom in the next Avengers movies.
Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts* were also highlighted, but both underperformed earlier this year. That raises an important question: Is it worth a studio's time and money to make its presence felt in Hall H?
The Wrap reports that Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, Warner Bros./DC Studios, Legendary, Sony, Lionsgate, and Paramount have all decided to forgo holding film panels in San Diego later this month. Unsurprisingly, it all comes down to timing and money.
Superman and The Fantastic Four: First Steps both arrive in theaters before Comic-Con, and neither Marvel Studios nor DC Studios has another major movie set for release until the second half of 2026. It thereby makes little sense to promote either of them in Hall H.
"I think it’s expensive to go and hard for movies to really pop there now and move the needle," one top marketing executive told the trade. "It used to feel like a must."
A basic Hall H presentation featuring exclusive footage and appearances from actors and filmmakers can cost "hundreds of thousands of dollars" according to one insider, especially when talent fees, travel, accommodations and production expenses are factored in.
When it's a huge Marvel Studios panel with several A-Listers, those figures rise significantly. "For the bigger stars, it gets really, really expensive," a second marketing executive said, explaining that hair, makeup, styling and first-class accommodations can add hundreds of thousands of dollars more to the bill.
DC Studios is bringing Peacemaker season 2 to the event, but as the report notes, it's a "puzzling" decision not to highlight the wider DCU given the rebooted franchise's infancy. However, the site has learned that Supergirl will be featured at a fall convention, likely New York Comic Con, in October.
There will be some treats for fans. Universal Pictures is bringing two movies to Hall H, and Amazon MGM Studios plans to put the spotlight on Project Hail Mary. Disney and 20th Century Studios, meanwhile, will hold panels for TRON: Ares and Predator: Badlands.
For what it's worth, the organisers behind Comic-Con aren't too worried that this is another edition of the annual event unlikely to make many headlines.
"While we hope every studio or network could attend every year, we know that can’t always be the case," said David Glanzer, chief communications and strategy officer for San Diego Comic Convention. "And if there are some who can’t make it this year, we’ll be here in 2026 and eagerly await their return."
We are expecting some big news to head our way out of Comic-Con, so make sure you keep checking back here for the latest updates.