Summer time once again brings the summer fun of San Diego Comic-Con.
2025 was a fantastic year for SDCC as Marvel’s First Family, the Fantastic Four, made a triumphant return to the big screen. In celebration, Marvel Entertainment recreated Ben Grimm’s neighborhood of Yancy Street for their booth, along with an opportunity to meet the FF”s robotic sidekick HERBIE. Dozens of attendees cosplayed as their favorite FF characters, including a gigantic Galactus. Marvel was also riding high off the success of Marvel Rivals with a chance for players to test it out and win prizes at the gaming lounge in the Marriott Manchester next door.
While Marvel Studios didn’t have a grand presentation in Hall H, their parent company stepped up with two highly anticipated sequels. Folks who made it into the auditorium for Predator: Badlands received Predator masks and got the opportunity to watch the first 15 minutes of the film. The footage featured the protagonist, Dek, a Yautja who is considered the runt of the litter forced to fight for his survival. After the panel, con-goers could head over to the Hard Rock Hotel where they could check out the latest tech from Weyland-Yutani. Next, Disney presented an elaborate laser show to introduce Tron: Ares. After the audience was “digitized” into the Grid, members of the cast and crew were brought out including Jeff Bridges, Gillian Anderson, Jared Leto, and Steven Lisberger, director of the original Tron. The first clip screened saw Evan Peters as the son of James Warner’s Dillinger dispatching Ares (Leto) and Athena (Jodie Turner-Smith), digital programs brought to life, to hunt down Eve (Greta Lee), a police officer carrying important data stolen from Encom. The second clip took place inside the Grid as Ares and Eve team up to escape their pursuers in a submarine. Disney took the Tron marketing to another level as a pack of lightcycle riders rode through the Gaslamp later that night. Other panels under the House of Mouse umbrella were a special look at the live-action Lilo & Stitch, the Disney Plus series Percy Jackson & The Olympians, and ABC’s The Rookie starring Nathan Fillion.
While Superman was continuing to dominate the box office, DC presented the next entry in James Gunn’s DCU, Peacemaker. Gunn himself hinted that Season 2 would dip their toes into the multiverse and feature surprise appearances by superheroes from Superman and other familiar faces. To further celebrate the HBO Max series, DC put on Peacefest at the Novo nightclub on 6th Ave. There were games, props, exclusive merch, and for VIPs, a concert with Steel Panther, the Man of Steel’s favorite band the Mighty Crabjoys, and Foxy Shazam, who will provide the theme, “Oh Lord,” for Season 2.
Hall H was home to the big budget blockbusters while smaller films found themselves in Ballroom 20. These included horror films, Clown in a Cornfield and The Strangers: Chapter 2, and the long in development fantasy flick Red Sonja. Way back at SDCC 2008, Robert Rodriguez and Rose McGowan promoted their version of the scantily-clad swordswoman. That project fell apart soon after and it wouldn’t be until 2023 that Millennium Media would debut a trailer. Even then, news was scarce until Friday’s panel with actors Martyn Ford, Wallis Day, Robert Sheehan, and star Matilda Lutz, who was accompanied on stage by several Red Sonja cosplayers. A new trailer was screened along with an extended scene showing how Sonja got her trademark bikini armor as she was forced to fight her mentor (played by Rhona Mitra) in a gladiatorial arena.
Behind the convention center, Adult Swim and Abbott Elementary returned with their pop-up fairgrounds. Hulu’s Animayhem went all in on the revived King of the Hill as some fans waited almost 3 hours to visit Arlen, Texas for the latest in propane and propane accessories. FX’s installation returned to the Hilton Bayfront with an Alien: Earth activation to explore the Weyland-Yutani wreckage that kicks off the television show.
Notably missing this year were Bandai’s Dragonball exhibit and the IMDB Boat. In previous years, Diamond Distributors had a huge footprint with their showcase of action figures and status by various companies, such as Kotobukiya and their own Diamond Select. However, they were stripped down to a square with various logos, Superman and Supergirl costumes, and a small display case for Kotobukiya. San Diego locals, Super 7, also shrank to a barebones table while workers handed out flyers advertising merch. On the other hand, their nearby retail store was decked out with a Godzilla theme.
The Lucasfilm pavilion celebrated their animated fare with props, artwork, and maquettes from their litany of shows. Nearby LEGO’s centerpiece was a scale model of the convention center and gaslamp quarter. They also allowed Lego aficionados to build their own booths with the best ones being added to the display. Mattel gave a wee sneak peek at the upcoming live-action He-Man film by bringing the Power Sword and Skeletor’s Havoc Staff to the con. They also showed off tons of new WWE action figures and hosted a meet & greet with superstars CM Punk, Jacob Fatu, Jey Uso (“Yeet!”), and Stephanie Vaquer. The highlight for long-time collectors may have been the return of LJNs as Mattel begins a new line resembling the iconic big, rubber wrestlers from the 80’s. One of WWE’s high-flying luchadors Dragon Lee was also in attendance to promote a new children’s book at the Headlocked Comics booth. The independent publisher also brought AEW stars Shelton Benjamin, Danhausen, Speedball Mike Bailey, and lucha legend Vampiro.
Hasbro showed off their latest offerings from their GI Joe, Star Wars, and Marvel Legends brands. Also present were Ghostbusters figures from the original live-action films, the animated series, and a new roleplay Proton Pack and Ghost Trap. NECA continues to punch out some of the best TMNT figures by continuing to expand their various lines based on the animated Turtles, the Archie Comics Turtles, the original Mirage Turtles, and the recent Last Ronin Turtles. The most surprising item was a Garfield/Ninja Turtle mash-up based on an obscure one-page comic strip. M3GAN and Art the Clown from the Terrifier franchise have been added to NECA’s wide stable of horror icons. Joining them was a new, highly detailed figure of the Metaluna Mutant from This Island Earth.
With Sideshow no longer coming to SDCC, Iron Studios has stepped up their statue game with high-end collectibles from Lilo & Stitch, Fantastic Four: First Steps, Deadpool & Wolverine, and James Gunn’s Superman. Speaking of which, one of David Corenswet’s costume was on display at the DC booth, next to a photo opp recreating the iconic cover from Action Comics #1. Krypto-mania was also running wild as DC paid tribute to the Man of Steel’s faithful mutt by spotlighting service dogs and giving everyone a taste of their training methods. Some attendees even dressed their beloved pooches like the caped canine.
Explore the exhibit hall further and you’ll find a giant Tamagotchi and an even bigger Pokeball, a Nickelodeon booth transporting you to the land of Avatar: The Last Airbender, the Paramount Plus booth turned into a giant crane game, photo ops with One Punch Man, Godzilla, and a Tron lightcycle, and a makeshift Funko city that paid homage to local sites, such as Old Town and the Lindbergh Airport. Anyone brave enough to enter the crowded men’s bathrooms would find urinal cakes advertising the new Naked Gun movie as a giant inflatable Liam Neeson stood guard across the street.
Sunday, the final day for SDCC, was more than just for bargain hunters seeking last minute deals. Comic-Con opened up Hall H and filled it to capacity for the first time on a Sunday for George Lucas’s first-ever appearance. Lucas was joined by Guillermo Del Toro and production designer Doug Chiang to discuss the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, opening next year near the USC campus. The museum will house paintings by luminaries like Frida Kahlo and Norman Rockwell, along with original comic art. Of course, the museum will also house Star Wars props and concept art by the great Ralph McQuarrie. Later that afternoon, another famous George, George Takei, was holding court in Room 6A. Takei was there to promote his new graphic novel, It Rhymes with Takei, and tell stories about his battles with bigotry, Star Trek, and the time he met Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
All in all, 2025 was another successful year for San Diego Comic-Con with too many panels, signings, and exhibits to keep track of.
For more photos from San Diego Comic-Con 2025, head over to Flickr.
