San Diego Convention Center during Comic-Con 2022.Photo:Daniel Knighton/Getty
Daniel Knighton/Getty
San Diego Comic-Conkicks off tomorrow — with fewer stars in attendance than in years past.
One of the world’s biggest pop culture conventions, SDCC annually unites fans of cosplay, comic books and their screen adaptations each July. This year’s iteration, slated for Thursday through Sunday, followslast year’sreturn to relative normalcy after the 2020 and 2021 cancellations due to COVID.
But due to the ongoingHollywood actors’ strike, recently joining fellow labor union theWriters Guild of America(WGA) in protest over failed negotiations with theAlliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers(AMPTP), Comic-Con 2023 is expected to be another atypical event.
This year, it was previously announced that a first look atDune: Part Two, a panel aboutGood Burger 2withKenan ThompsonandKel Mitchell, a panel celebratingThat ’70s Show’s 25th anniversary and panels with the casts of ABC’sAbbott Elementaryand Freevee’sJury Dutywould be previewing and generating buzz for those projects.
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Chris Pine at Comic-Con 2022.Albert L. Ortega/Getty
Contract negotiations between the studio executives the AMPTP represents and SAG-AFTRA (which stands for Screen Actors Guild — American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, representing around 160,000 performers in a variety of media)broke downJuly 13 after several weeks of talks.
Similar negotiations between the AMPTP and the WGA, over higher compensation for streaming residuals, a restructuring of writers rooms and more, resulted in its approximately 20,000 members striking as of May 1.
Even before the actors’ strike began, Disney announced it would not be presenting at Hall H, SDCC’s 6,500-seat space.
On June 20,The Wrapreported that Marvel was forgoing the opportunity to tease upcoming projects likeThe Marvels, Agatha: Coven of ChaosandDeadpool 3. On July 3,DC Filmsdid the same, while Sony, Universal Pictures, Netflix and HBO are among themajor studiosskipping presenting at SDCC 2023 entirely.
“The timing of these strikes significantly impacts an important promotional event like Comic-Con,” Shawn Robbins, chief analyst at BoxOffice.com, toldCNBC. “This is often the venue used as a launching pad for marketing machines behind some of the most anticipated fan-driven content coming up in theaters and across the entire media landscape.”
Cosplayers at Comic-Con.Daniel Knighton/Getty
Retailers including Hasbro and Funko will appear on the floor dedicated to the buying and selling of fan merchandise, and panels featuring experts on comic books, pop culture and cosplay are continuing on schedule.
“AS WE ARE NOW ON STRIKE AS PERFORMERS [with SAG-AFTRA] let’s FOCUS on the OTHER ART FORMS,” theEverything Everywhere All at OnceOscar winnerwroteon Instagram in a post announcing her plans to appear and sign copies of the book.
In addition, Paramount Pictures is hosting special panels on upcoming filmTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhemand itsStar Trekproperties, Adult Swim will celebrate the 19th anniversary ofRick and Mortywith a panel, FX will be previewing an episode ofWhat We Do in the Shadowsseason 5, Hulu will celebrate the revival ofFuturama,and directorKevin Smithwill be on hand to introduce a panel on his documentaryChasing Chasing Amy.
source: people.com
