Predator: Badlands Panel Promises Major Revelations

Comic-Con 2022 kicked off in San Diego on Thursday, with tens of thousands of geeky visitors from around the world. And this year is particularly historic for one set of fans in particular, because of one attendee who’s been in attendance for all the years.

Legendary Hollywood filmmaker George Lucas is making his Comic-Con debut this year. While Lucas’s franchises “Star Wars” and “Indiana Jones” are deeply connected to the annual festival of fandom and storytelling, Lucas himself has never before attended the blockbuster comic book, sci-fi, and pop culture extravaganza.

“This year, it’s a true full-circle moment for us,” said Comic-Con Chief Communications and Strategy Officer David Glanzer. “Nearly 50 years ago, Star Wars made one of its first public appearances at our convention, when a booth displaying [comic book artist] Howard Chaykin’s now legendary Star Wars poster as a promotional giveaway.” Lucas’s influence on the concept of world-building and visual effects in storytelling is hard to overstate.

The director will be on a Sunday panel moderated by Queen Latifah about the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, which will open in Los Angeles next year. Lucas will be joined by Mexican director Guillermo del Toro and Oscar-winning artist Doug Chiang. Chiang’s work on Star Wars has spanned decades, from the original trilogy to The Force Awakens. The panel will center on the Los Angeles museum, which will feature works that celebrate the art of illustrated storytelling through the prisms of film, comics, and concept art. It will also feature a large archive of Lucas’s collection.

Comic-Con Through the Years

Comic-Con has come a long way since it started in 1970 as a small San Diego comic book convention. Today, the annual celebration of cosplay, comics, movies, and all things geeky, brings in close to 130,000 visitors each year to the San Diego Convention Center. But while they come for the free Comic-Con t-shirts and Instagram-ready costumes, visitors often stay for the chance to see sneak peeks and new footage of Hollywood’s most buzzy films, TV shows, and digital projects in world premieres and creator panels.

Big Alien and Predator Debuts

One of the most exciting announcements at Comic-Con 2022 will be the world premiere of the series Alien: Earth, a prequel to the Ridley Scott classic Alien, which was released in 1979. Set only a few years before the original film, the new Alien: Earth series is helmed by Noah Hawley, known for writing and directing the series Fargo, Legion, and the new Alien: Dark Days. The Alien: Earth world premiere will happen tomorrow in Hall H, the most highly coveted venue of the convention. Streaming services for the new series are expected in August.

Predator is another sci-fi giant that’s getting new attention in Hall H this year, with the feature Predator: Badlands. A new spin on the sci-fi series, Predator: Badlands, has the titular monster becoming the prey, for once. Director Dan Trachtenberg will be in attendance at the panel along with Elle Fanning and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, who plays the title character of Dek. Trachtenberg last year injected new life into the Predator series with 2022’s Prey.

Marvel Studios Takes a Step Back

Marvel Studios is taking a step back at Comic-Con this year. Marvel has decided not to hold a Hall H presentation this year, due to a shift in the production schedule of next year’s Avengers film. Variety reported that Marvel had faced several logistical difficulties presenting at Comic-Con this year, because production in the UK was still ongoing, and the demand was for the panel to be live rather than pre-recorded.

Sci-fi Stories Stepping Into Marvel’s Absence

Sci-fi giants are filling in this year for Marvel, with some major names set to lead this weekend’s programming in Hall H. Action star Ryan Gosling will present in support of his upcoming film “Project Hail Mary,” which is based on the novel of the same name by Andy Weir, the author of The Martian. Project Hail Mary will hit theaters next year and stars Gosling as former schoolteacher Ryland Grace, who awakens alone on a spaceship and realizes he’s Earth’s last chance at survival. Gosling will be joined at the panel by directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who are also known for their Spider-Verse trilogy of films.

Peacemaker will also be making a return to Comic-Con with new footage and a look at the second season, with show creator James Gunn, who is now also helming DC’s film reboot with a Superman film coming next year, as well as the rest of the cast.

Thousands of Superheroes at the Convention Center

The excitement of world premieres and celebrity panels has always driven Comic-Con’s headlines and throngs of fans. This year, thousands will be making their way to the San Diego Convention Center dressed as superheroes, video game characters, and princesses from fairytales. They’ll be here to see George Lucas for the first time in person, get the first look at an alien-infested planet, and enjoy geeky panels. The festivities continue through Sunday, July 27.