SAN DIEGO (AP) 鈥� Johnny Depp scolded attendees in character as Ebenezer Scrooge as the nation’s biggest pop culture convention opened Thursday.
鈥淒o you have jobs? It seems as though you have so much spare time. Why are you here?鈥� said the actor, clad in an overcoat and top hat as he emerged from a faux snow-lined downtown San Diego storefront marked with a 鈥淪crooge and Marley鈥� sign. A crowd gathered, recording on cellphones and calling out 鈥淢erry Christmas!鈥�
“I can only say you’re all very, very strange people. Humbug!” Depp called out gruffly, shuffling back inside the building.
鈥淓benezer,鈥� set for release Nov. 13, is the first studio film in eight years. His appearance on the streets of the Gaslamp Quarter 鈥� outside any official panels 鈥� fits the more guerrilla-style approach to marketing and promotion that some Hollywood studios have taken at the expo in recent years.
More than 120,000 people are expected at the four-day convention, which began in 1970 with a gathering of several hundred sci-fi and comics fans and an in-person appearance from Marvel icon Jack Kirby.
Fan 鈥楳ecca鈥� through 2030
Organizers have said in recent years that the San Diego鈥檚 event and hotel space may not be enough to hold growing crowds, and have floated moving to Los Angeles or another large city. But the city鈥檚 mayor Todd Gloria said Wednesday as the expo opened that it would remain in San Diego through 2030. He said the announcement 鈥渞eflects our shared commitment to the fans, creators, businesses and workers who make Comic-Con unlike anything else in the world.鈥�
PJ Richardson, 44, drove cross-country from Orlando, Florida, with his family for his first Comic-Con International. He鈥檇 visited a smaller convention in his hometown 鈥� but it hadn鈥檛 prepared him for the magnitude of toys and collectibles on display at the bayfront expo.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the Mecca. It鈥檚 once-in-a-lifetime, so we had to come. This was a thousand times more,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he setups of all the booths and everything are absolutely amazing.鈥�
Pop culture melting pot
The joined Catherine Hardwicke, director of the first 鈥淭wilight鈥� film, and franchise actors Peter Facinelli and Ashley Greene at a Thursday panel about vampire storytelling. It marked one of many moments of cross-pop culture exchanges.
Members of distinct fandoms unite through cosplay, showing off handmade costumes and exchanging photos. Brionna Slavalk, 27, traveled from Indiana to attend the convention dressed as the elf paladin Vaelus from 鈥淐ritical Role,鈥� a Dungeons & Dragons-themed web series. Her skin was painted purple.
鈥淥bviously I am partial to the body paint. I think it looks really neat when people do that. I saw somebody who was red, who I think is from 鈥楬azbin Hotel,鈥� who was amazing. We just saw three Doctor Dooms over there!鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a blast.鈥�
What to expect at Comic-Con 2026
Comic-Con has grown to include , autograph booths, obstacle courses, concerts and panels covering everything from video games 鈥� new titles feature Wolverine and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 鈥� to movie poster art and fencing. (Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden and 鈥淕hosts鈥� actor Asher Grodman were discussing 鈥淗ollywood鈥檚 Love Affair With Fencing鈥� on Thursday.)
The Avengers appear set to return to Hall H as Marvel Studios uses Comic-Con to build hype for the 鈥� and chart a path forward as audience interest in superhero films has waned.
That panel on Saturday is the most-anticipated hour of the nation鈥檚 biggest pop culture convention, which runs through Sunday.
DC Studios, which like Marvel sat out last year鈥檚 Comic-Con because the publicity campaign timing wasn鈥檛 right, will showcase its HBO 鈥淟anterns鈥� series with a 鈥渢raining headquarters鈥� activation in San Diego鈥檚 Gaslamp Quarter and a Friday panel featuring and Kyle Chandler.
That presentation, like Marvel鈥檚, will be in the convention center鈥檚 6,500-person premier showcase: Hall H. Livestreams aren鈥檛 allowed inside but online reaction from fans in attendance can swiftly lift 鈥� or doom 鈥� a film or TV show鈥檚 prospects.
Another prestige TV highlight: Actors from 鈥淲idow鈥檚 Bay鈥� are expected to pay a visit to the bayside convention center on Saturday as Apple TV celebrates the
Comedy fans won鈥檛 need to comb the desert to find updates on the focus of a Friday panel. The film set for release next year features Rick Moranis, Bill Pullman and reprising their roles from Brooks鈥� 1987 parody.
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