For pop culturistas who follow the massive annual barrage of news out of the Comic-Con International trade expo — popularly known as San Diego Comic-Con, or SDCC — there’s a lot to keep up with. This year’s Comic-Con promises to be a big one, with reveals from the worlds of Marvel, DC, The Lord of the Rings, Star Trek, and Avatar: The Last Airbender, among dozens of other pop-culture fandoms.
Marvel is showing up in earnest with its big Hall H panel, which promises a look at what’s next from Marvel Studios. That probably means a look ahead at Avengers: Doomsday, WandaVision sequel VisionQuest, and possibly even a Marvel Cinematic Unvierse “Phase Zero” MCU slate. Marvel is also bringing two big games to Comic-Con with Marvel’s Wolverine and Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls.
Rival DC will have a more muted show, but will bring the HBO series Lanterns, body horror spinoff Clayface, and Batman: Caped Crusader to San Diego Comic-Con. Fans will probably have to wait a while before the next big info dump on the James Gunn-led DCU and Matt Reeves’ The Batman Part 2.
There’s much more happening beyond the comic book realm, though. San Diego Comic-Con will also have new reveals on The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Blade Runner, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Star Trek, and Spaceballs, plus updates on God of War: Laufey and tons of toys and merch. Moviemakers and TV creators are also using Comic-Con as an excuse to release trailers and other reveals, even if they aren’t at SDCC proper.
San Diego Comic-Con returns to San Diego July 22–26. Follow along with all of Polygon’s coverage below.
Avengers: Secret Wars isn’t a full MCU reboot, Kevin Feige says
Avengers: Doomsday features Marsden in Cyclops’ classic superhero outfitImage: Marvel Studios
The arrival of Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday is only months away, but fans are already asking questions about Avengers: Secret Wars. The next Avengers film after Doomsday is set to pave the way for massive changes to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but don’t call it a reboot. Following comments about the comic inspirations for Secret Wars, Marvel boss Kevin Feige is giving a little more insight into just exactly what the MCU will look like after the sixth Avengers film is released in 2027.
Feige recently denied that the MCU will undergo a reboot during an interview with Happy Sad Confused’s Joshua Horowitz. He notes that, as always, Marvel is taking inspiration from the comics, “particularly the [Jonathan] Hickman Secret Wars from 10 years ago. There’s a nice roadmap to where we can go.”
Avengers: Doomsday’s first full trailer is here with a look at RDJ’s Doctor Doom
Image: Marvel Studios
The first real trailer for Avengers: Doomsday is here, showcasing the film’s massive ensemble cast and giving us our best look yet as Robert Downey Jr.’s return to the MCU as the villainous Doctor Doom.
Disney and Marvel Studios finally gave MCU fans what they’ve been waiting months for. After a handful of brief character teasers that focused on Steve Rogers, Thor, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, Wakandans, and Namor, Marvel has delivered what fans were expecting to see months ago: an honest-to-goodness, two-and-a-half-minute trailer for Avengers: Doomsday.
Archie Andrews is going to Hell — here’s your first look
Image: Tyler Crook for Onie Press & Archie Comics
Archie Andrews has dealt with more than the typical teenage problems over the years. He’s survived a zombie apocalypse, been hunted by the Predator, and weathered Sharknado. Now he’s going to Hell. In June, Oni Press announced a new wave of Riverdale comics that included Afterlife With Archie‘s spiritual successor, Archie in Hell. Now, Polygon can share an exclusive first look at the wild new turn.
Archie in Hell will be written by multiple Eisner Award nominee Patrick Horvath (Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees) and Russ Manning Award winner Tyler Crook (Out of Alcatraz, Harrow County). “Getting the opportunity to work on this book has been a series of pleasant surprises,” said writer Patrick Horvath. “When Hunter Gorinson and Sierra Hahn from Oni mentioned the possibility to me, it happened to line up pretty perfectly with my schedule.” Artist Tyler Cook shared similarly shared his excitement for the project, citing the fascinating blend of horror and history it brings to Riverdale.
Marvel’s Wolverine may have just given us our first look at its true villain
Insomniac Games would have fans believe that the villain of the upcoming Marvel’s Wolverine game is Bolivar Trask. The anti-mutant scientist’s name has been all over trailers ahead of the game’s release, but a twist may be brewing. Ahead of the game’s big San Diego Comic-Con panel this week, a prequel comic for the game has introduced one of the X-Men‘s greatest villains.
SDCC 2026 prequel comic Marvel’s Wolverine #1 was released on Wednesday and is written by the game’s narrative director, Walt Williams. It sees Wolverine leading Team X (consisting of Sabretooth, Mystique, and Sunfire) on a mission to infiltrate a Trask facility. Before embarking on what Wolverine suspects is a trap, he makes a call to the true leader of Team X: Nathaniel Essex. The comic then shows the man in question at The Essex Institute, located in Canada, explaining that even if it is a trap, it is time for Team X to strike back against Trask with full force.
Lego Star Trek 60th anniversary set revealed showcasing the Enterprise bridge
Lego Icons Star Trek: U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 Bridge (11385)Image: The Lego Group
Star Trek turns 60 this year as The Original Series debuted in 1966. Lego is celebrating Star Trek’s birthday by partnering with Paramount for Lego’s second set based on the franchise, and the first that showcases the crew of the original U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701.
The set recreates two iconic Enterprise interiors: the bridge and the transporter room. It comes complete with various computer stations, a screen showing a Lego Klingon warrior, a rockable captain’s chair, and turbo lift doors that you can open with the press of a button.
Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil gets a new trailer that’s packed with Resident Evil stuff
Since it was first revealed back in April, Zach Cregger’s new Resident Evil movie has been controversial for its original take on the survival horror franchise. It doesn’t star familiar faces like Leon S. Kennedy or Claire Redfield, but an all-new nobody who just happens to be fighting his way through a very grim Resident Evil situation. Perhaps Sony Pictures’ new trailer for Resident Evil will change some hearts and minds, because it’s packed with recognizable Resident Evil stuff.
Yes, there’s a zombie. You’ll also see a typewriter. Cregger and crew even made sure to include a shot of the Resident Evil franchise’s brand of shotgun shells, Heavy Field. Someone even says “Raccoon City” out loud with a straight face. We might even have a kooky guy slowly losing his mind amid all the death and destruction and a creepy zombie baby. It’s Resident Evil!
Percy Jackson season 3 finally has a release date
Photo: David Bukach/Disney
The Disney Plus adaptation of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the OIympians series will return on Nov. 20. This will be the third season of the show and will adapt the novel The Titan’s Curse. The cast and crew of the show made it clear during today’s huge Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con that this will be the darkest season yet.
Season three of Percy Jackson and the Olympians will mark the first time The Titan’s Curse has received a live-action adaptation. The first two novels in the series, The Lightning Thief and The Sea of Monsters, were previously adapted by 20th Century Fox in 2010 and 2013. As discussed during the SDCC panel, The Titan’s Curse is something of a shift in tone. While the previous two seasons have included some dark moments, The Titan’s Curse takes that to a whole new level.
Marvel’s Wolverine big new story trailer is being overshadowed by drama
Image: Insomniac Games
San Diego Comic-Con is underway, and Insomniac Games is using the opportunity to drum up hype for the soon-to-be-released Marvel’s Wolverine. On Wednesday, the game’s narrative director, Walt Williams, dropped a prequel comic that may shed some light on the action game’s true villain. And now, with an SDCC panel titled “Deep Cuts: Marvel’s Wolverine” being held on Thursday, the studio is diving deeper into the game’s story and characters.
Despite an impeccable new trailer that promises to highlight Marvel’s Wolverine’s story, few people seem to be talking about the game’s narrative.
New post-apocalyptic Gundam anime announced for 2027
Image: ©SUNRISE
The next installment in the ever-expansive Gundam universe is on the way. At San Diego Comic-Con, Bandai Namco Filmworks announced Mobile Suit Gundam RG XARX-ZERO, a new anime set for release in 2027. The show takes place in a fresh Gundam continuity called After Apocalypse, which ties into the recently announced video game Gundam Rogue Orbit.
This new universe was created by sci-fi director and writer Kenji Kamiyama, who is best known for Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. Kamiyama also directed Eden of the East, Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, and The Ninth Jedi short from Star Wars: Visions. Novelist Toh EnJoe (Self-Reference Engine, Harlequin Butterfly) also contributed to the RG universe’s worldbuilding. Sola Animation will handle production for Mobile Suit Gundam RG XARX-ZERO.
Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls’ first DLC revealed: Phoenix Cyclops
Image: Ary System Works, Sony
As part of San Diego Comic Con, Arc System Works and Sony Interactive Entertainment gave some exciting new updates on the upcoming fighting game Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls. The biggest news? We got confirmation of the game’s first DLC character, which will be available in fall 2026. It’s Phoenix Cyclops.
This spin on Cyclops is from a comic in which the Phoenix Force (which more famously possesses Jean Grey) is split into pieces by Iron Man, one of which inhabits this optic-blasting X-Men. After this, he and the rest of the Phoenix Five more or less become villains.
For its 50th anniversary, Star Wars is retelling the original trilogy
Lucasfilm/Walt Disney Company
The 50th anniversary of Star Wars is just around the corner, and Lucasfilm is pulling out all the stops to celebrate the legendary original trilogy that gave birth to a galaxy-changing franchise beloved by millions around the globe.
Disney’s 50th anniversary plans aren’t just beholden to putting the original film out on IMAX at your local theater. At Lucasfilm Publishing’s San Diego Comic-Con panel this year, the company revealed a long list of upcoming books for fans of all ages and genre preferences. But let’s be honest, the emphasis is clearly on the original trilogy.
Star Wars Zero Company cast reunites The Clone Wars actors
Image: Bit Reactor/EA
It’s a great day to be a fan of the 2008 animated sensation Star Wars: The Clone Wars — particularly if you’re fond of some of its most beloved voice actors.
Ahead of the San Diego Comic-Con Saturday panel, “Bringing Star Wars Zero Company to Life,” video game developer Bit Reactor and Lucasfilm Games have come together to reveal the cast for their upcoming single-player, turn-based tactics game, Star Wars Zero Company.
First official Avatar: Seven Havens trailer could not be more exciting for Airbender fans
Image: Avatar Studios/Paramoiunt Plus
Anyone involved with the Avatar franchise over the last 20 years deserves a hearty pat on the back and thank you for their perseverance — at every turn it seems like producing the next great story for Aang, Korra, and the greater Avatar saga was a creative hardship tormented by corporate upheaval. So the idea that we’re just months away from a new Avatar series, Seven Havens, feels like a miracle in the world of M. Night Shymalan live-action movie, Nick unceremoniously dumped Korra episodes on its website, Netflix parted ways with the creators for its adaptation, and the Avatar Aang movie was punted to streaming. A miracle that also looks totally rad! And coming out soon!
Premiering out of San Diego Comic-Con 2026, the first teaser trailer for Avatar: Seven Havens whisks fans from the Roaring 20s-esque Legend of Korra continuity to a post-apocalyptic future. The series, which debuts this fall, introduces Pavi, a young Earthbender who — wouldn’t you know it! — discovers she’s the new Avatar. With the first look, Paramount announced the cast as well: Saheli Khan stars as “Pavi”, Aishu Devan as “Nisha”, Akshay Khanna as “Karthik”, Major Curda as “Jae,” Sakina Jaffrey as “Agam”, Darren Barnet as “Daemin,” Dianne Doan as “Zi,” and animal-noise god Dee Bradley Baker returns as both “Geet” and “Ruhi.”
5 theory-spinning takeaways from that Avatar: Seven Havens trailer
The first trailer for Avatar: Seven Havens just dropped, revealing that the 13-episode series is set to premiere in October. It’s a wild reintroduction to a universe that has spent much of the last decade looking backward, with its live-action and animated side projects largely returning to the story of Aang. Now, creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko are finally propelling the Avatar saga into the future, and the mind reels.
There’s a lot to chew on in the short teaser, which premiered at San Diego Comic-Con 2026. Here are five key takeaways — but share your own theories in the comments. I know you’ve got some good ones.
Star Wars’ rarest unreleased show will finally be available to watch
Image: Lucasfilms
Star Wars‘ unreleased animated comedy series, Star Wars Detours, has been the object of fans’ desire for more than a decade. Produced in 2013 by Lucasfilm Animation in collaboration with Seth Green and Matthew Senreich, the show never aired due to concerns that its parody nature would not be the best introduction to the franchise for new fans. Now, fans finally have a chance to have a look at this gem from the Star Wars vault.
During the Lucas Museum panel at San Diego Comic-Con, Seth Green revealed that a curated selection of episodes will be showcased at the museum, which is expected to open in Los Angeles on Sept. 22, 2026. While this means that only a few lucky fans will be able to watch the series, it’s still a big step forward and the first official acknowledgment in more than a decade.
Larian could return to Baldur’s Gate 3 with new comic series
Image: Larian Studios
Just when everyone thought that Larian Studios had left Baldur’s Gate 3 behind to focus on the new game in the Divinity series, the Belgian studio is once again associated with its Game of the Year-winning RPG. On July 23, during San Diego Comic-Con, publisher Dark Horse announced an upcoming Baldur’s Gate 3 comic series.
What’s surprising is that the post on X stated “With @larianstudios and @Wizards,” teasing that the developer is once again involved with the property. While there is no confirmation of whether or how Larian is collaborating on this project, earlier that day, a post from studio chief Swen Vincke teased that something was brewing.
HBO Max’s Rick and Morty spinoff is so good it’s already been renewed for season 2
Image: Adult Swim
Rick and Morty’s first spinoff, President Curtis, doesn’t premiere until July 26, when it will air right after the finale of Rick and Morty season 9. But Adult Swim is so confident in the show that it’s already been renewed for a second season. The announcement was made July 24 during a San Diego Comic-Con panel featuring co-creators and executive producers Dan Harmon and James Siciliano along with stars Keith David, Stephanie Beatriz, and Jim Rash.
“President Curtis quickly proved himself worthy of another term!” Adult Swim president Michael Ouweleen said in a statement. “With Keith David’s inimitably endearing performance and the creativity of Dan, James, and the entire show team, this series and this President are what the people need more of — even if they don’t know it yet.”
Indiana Jones returns in 2026 in an all-new adventure the Sword of Pandemonium
Image: Lucasfilm Ltd
The Lucasfilm Publishing panel at San Diego Comic-Con was, not too surprisingly, filled with announcements about upcoming Star Wars projects from Marvel. Unexpectedly, however, the panel also revealed that Indiana Jones would be getting his first Marvel Comics series in over three decades.
Marvel Comics editor-in-chief C.B. Cebulski revealed Indiana Jones and the Sword of Pandemonium during the July 24 panel. The comic will be a limited five-issue series from multi-Eisner-Award-winning writer Jason Aaron and artist Aaron Kuder. Aaron is best known for his seminal yearslong Thor saga that included the creation of Gorr the God Butcher and the introduction of Jane Foster as the wielder of Mjölnir. His work also includes an acclaimed run in Star Wars comics, Wolverine and the X-Men, and the creator-owned series Southern Bastards. Kuder’s interior artwork has been featured in Action Comics, Daredevil, and The Fantastic Four, among others.
Marvel just revealed its new X-Men team to replace the Avengers
X’Men ’97 pokes fun at the X-Men (2000) outfitsImage: Marvel Animation
One of the biggest questions during San Diego Comic-Con this weekend is whether Disney and Marvel will announce the cast for the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s X-Men reboot. In the meantime, Marvel Comics has announced a new cast of its own for its merry mutants. Meet the roster of Maximum X-Men.
During the Marvel Comics: Avengers — Armageddon panel on July 23, Marvel announced the new series will debut this December. With the grand Armageddon event coming to a close soon, it appears Earth-616 will be left without its mightiest heroes to protect it. Storm, herself fresh off a stint with the Avengers, will fill that void by assembling a new X-team comprised of fan-favorite characters. Ororo will be joined by Wolverine, Colossus, Bishop, Iceman, Psylocke, Firestar, and Justice.
Johnny Depp goes full misfit in first humbug-filled Ebenezer trailer
Image: Paramount Pictures
What’s today? Why it’s Ebenezer Trailer Day, the day on which Hollywood movie studios — specifically Paramount — celebrate the return of “the master of misfits” Johnny Depp in his next role, Ebenezer Scrooge. The trailer promises that Ebenezer will deliver “The name you know, the story you don’t.”
At San Diego Comic-Con on Thursday, Depp appeared in full Scrooge dress, revealing the first trailer for Ebenezer at the con’s Hall H and rubbing elbows with fans at a recreation of the famously grouchy miser’s Victorian office. Ebenezer’s reveal trailer takes a page from Tom Cruise and Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s recent trailer for Digger, reminding cinephiles of Depp’s previous work. The trailer highlights characters such as Jack Sparrow, Edward Scissorhands, and the Mad Hatter, implying that Depp’s turn as Scrooge will be just as memorable.
Blade Runner 2099 is a radical reinvention of Ridley Scott’s sci-fi classic
Image: Warner Bros.
“We already fought a war, we lost.” The first official trailer for Blade Runner 2099 starts with a bang, revealing how much has changed in the world first brought to life by director Ridley Scott since his trailblazing 1982 movie Blade Runner. That film, itself an adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s seminal novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, imagined a neon-soaked noir dystopia of 2019 — and popularized the cyberpunk genre in cinema along the way.
In 2017, director Denis Villeneuve moved that story forward with Blade Runner 2049, but his film still took place in a world where humanity controls the Earth despite the threat of bioengineered “replicants” designed to look and act just like regular humans. By 2099, when Prime Video’s continuation of the Blade Runner saga takes place, that power balance has shifted dramatically.
Star Trek movie writers tease a drastic new setting for the reboot
Image: Paramount
The big Star Trek Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con isn’t until tomorrow, July 25, but fans are already getting exciting updates on the franchise’s future. During the Directors on Directing panel, the team behind the next Star Trek feature film dropped some of the first details on what to expect from the highly anticipated reboot.
The panel, which was hosted by Collider‘s Steven Weintraub, included Resident Evil director Zach Cregger as well as writing duo Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley. Goldstein and Daley (Spider-Man: Homecoming, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves) were announced as the writers behind Paramount Skydance’s next Star Trek film last November, but details on the project have been scarce. Weintraub almost immediately asked for an update on the project.
The Rings of Power season 3 is finally getting to the good stuff
It took almost the entire first season of Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power for any rings to be forged and the identity of the Dark Lord Sauron to be revealed. Showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay similarly took their time in season 2 as they strung along the identity of the Stranger (who, of course, turned out to be Gandalf) and focused on Sauron gaslighting the legendary elven smith Celebrimbor so he could get help making his rings. But the first teaser of Rings of Power season 3 demonstrates the series is finally getting to the good stuff in Tolkien’s epic fantasy series.
Prime Video shared a first look at the new season with 6,500 fans gathered at San Diego Comic-Con Hall H, where four Nazgnagol — the Second Age version of the Ringwraiths — showed up on stage in full armor to await Sauron’s command. The teaser trailer shows Sauron (Charlie Vickers) finally looking like a proper villain after two seasons of hiding his identity. Sauron completed the nine rings for men at the end of last season, and their bearers and one of their Black Wing mounts are a big part of the new trailer.
Marvel reveals mysterious Latverian Witches for Avengers: Doomsday
Image: Marvel Entertainment
Marvel surprised fans attending San Diego Comic-Con this year by revealing a new character for Avengers: Doomsday at the company’s booth, of all places. On July 22, fans spotted the Latverian Witch costume on display. That alone was interesting, but then the costume began to change.
Fans returning to the Marvel booth, which includes a massive costume collection for characters in the upcoming Doomsday film, discovered the Latverian Witch was still there, only slightly different. Yesterday, the costume was swapped for a yellow variant. Today, the costume is purple. With Marvel Studios’ huge Hall H panel set for tomorrow, fans anticipate a fourth and final outfit change for the Latverian Witch. The change in colors suggests that there are actually multiple witches. But the question remains, who are they?
HBO’s Lanterns finally reveals its alien threat in new trailer
Photo: John Johnson/HBO Max
If HBO’s Lanterns looked a little too grim and grounded — and not green enough — for your tastes, a new trailer for the True Detective-inspired mystery series might just change your mind. Revealed Friday at San Diego Comic-Con, the final trailer for HBO’s Green Lantern show takes things out of its small-town setting and into space. Lanterns is raising the stakes by bringing a new threat to the DCU: Manhunters.
In DC Comics lore, Manhunters are the predecessors to the Green Lantern Corps. Created by the Guardians of the Universe as an interstellar police force, the robotic Manhunters eventually become self-aware and ultimately resentful of their creators, rebelling against the Oans who built them. While the Guardians destroyed many of the Manhunters in their uprising, some have infiltrated planets across the galaxy, disguised as living creatures who turn others toward their cause. The Guardians of the Universe created the multi-species Green Lantern Corps as a replacement. Thus, they’ve often clashed with the Manhunters.
A new God of War game starring Kratos is coming
Image: Sony Santa Monica
Kratos will return. On Friday, God of War game director Cory Barlog confirmed at San Diego Comic-Con that PlayStation‘s Santa Monica Studio is developing another game in the action-adventure franchise that will star Kratos. IGN reports that Barlog said that Kratos’ next game will be released after God of War Laufey, which is now officially coming in 2027.
Barlog, who serves as head of creative at Santa Monica Studio, reportedly did not elaborate on what’s next for Kratos, but it will apparently tie directly into the events of God of War: Laufey. Faye’s stand-alone adventure certainly offers some hints at what’s to come. After tearing his way through the Greek pantheon and slaying various Norse gods, Kratos could be heading toward all-new mythologies, including Egyptian and Tibetan gods, if Laufey is anything to go by.