{"id":407348,"date":"2026-07-22T01:21:35","date_gmt":"2026-07-22T01:21:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/407348\/"},"modified":"2026-07-22T01:21:35","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T01:21:35","slug":"ultimate-guide-to-comic-con-2026-schedules-tips-things-to-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/407348\/","title":{"rendered":"Ultimate guide to Comic-Con 2026: Schedules, tips, things to do"},"content":{"rendered":"

Comic-Con International is back in San Diego this week, and all signs are pointing to a major Hollywood moment<\/a>.<\/p>\n

San Diegans can expect an explosion of activity around the San Diego Convention Center where the event takes place Wednesday through Sunday. A badge is required to get inside to see panels with titles such as \u201cMad Rewind: Talking About Mad TV,\u201d \u201cHow to Build a Droid 101\u201d and \u201cThe Future of Doctor Who.\u201d<\/p>\n

An A to Z guide to 26 things to expect at Comic-Con 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

But outside the convention, activities representing various fandoms, brands and studios welcome anyone willing to wait in line for an exclusive opportunity.<\/p>\n

The San Diego Union-Tribune has been covering the local event for years, bringing inside knowledge and up-close looks at the colorful convention to readers. Here\u2019s all our coverage so far, with more updates coming throughout the week to sandiegouniontribune.com\/tag\/comic-con<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Wednesday at Comic-Con<\/p>\n

Comic-Con<\/a>\u00a0International starts Wednesday, July 22, at the San Diego Convention Center with a preview night that helps attendees get badges early and avoid long lines the next day.<\/p>\n

The main events on preview night are mainly taking place away from the convention center at the Marriott Marquis hotel with viewings of Star Trek episodes and cult classic movies.<\/p>\n

Read more here: Here\u2019s your Wednesday schedule<\/a><\/p>\n

\"DanDan Stevens attends the AMC Global Media Upfront at Spring Studios on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes\/Invision\/AP)
\nThursday at Comic-Con<\/p>\n

The first official day of\u00a0Comic-Con<\/a>\u00a0International starts on Thursday, July 23, with the star-studded cast of a new action film, a K-pop boy band and producers of two anticipated foreign films.<\/p>\n

Hollywood is back in force with the cast of a new action thriller, \u201cOnslaught,\u201d starring Adria Arjona, coming off the Star Wars show \u201cAndor\u201d; Dan Stevens, known for \u201cDownton Abbey\u201d and dozens of projects; and Rebecca Hall, an actress known for numerous movies including the Godzilla vs. King Kong films.<\/p>\n

Read more here: Here\u2019s your Thursday schedule<\/a><\/p>\n

Friday at Comic-Con<\/p>\n

The second day of\u00a0Comic-Con<\/a>\u00a0International on Friday, July 24, will feature the casts and creators of HBO\u2019s newest superhero show, as well as the stars of the new \u201cSpaceballs\u201d movie.<\/p>\n

HBO\u2019s return to Comic-Con, which had taken a few years off, comes courtesy of \u201cLanterns,\u201d a new show based on the DC Comics character Green Lantern. The cast is expected to take the stage at Hall H, including Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre.<\/p>\n

Read more here: Here\u2019s your Friday schedule<\/a><\/p>\n

\"MarvelMarvel Studios will return to San Diego Comic-Con this year. Pictured: Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios during the opening ceremony for Avengers Campus inside Disney California Adventure in Anaheim in 2021 (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)
\nSaturday at Comic-Con<\/p>\n

Comic-Con<\/a>\u00a0International\u2019s biggest day on Saturday, July 25, will feature the return of the headline-grabbing Marvel Studios after a one-year absence.<\/p>\n

Marvel Studios, producers of \u201cSpider-Man,\u201d \u201cAvengers\u201d and \u201cIron Man\u201d films, will take over the convention\u2019s biggest room, the 6,500-seat Hall H. The studio is famous for breathtaking announcements and bringing A-list actors to America\u2019s Finest City.<\/p>\n

Apple TV is also returning this year after taking several years off. Expect big stars for its Hall H panel that will feature casts from shows and films, \u201cDark Matter, \u201cSilo\u201d, \u201cMayday\u201d and \u201cMatchbox the Movie.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more here: Here\u2019s your Saturday schedule<\/a><\/p>\n

Sunday at Comic-Con<\/p>\n

The final day of\u00a0Comic-Con<\/a>\u00a0International on Sunday, July 26, will conclude with activities for children and the return of the basketball-playing dog \u201cAir Bud.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sunday is traditionally the day set aside for kids, and parents can expect plenty of events to keep the little ones entertained: the Children\u2019s Film Festival, drawing classes and more. While occasional big panels take place on Sunday, this year is light on anything not related to children.<\/p>\n

Read more here: Here\u2019s your Sunday schedule<\/a><\/p>\n

26 things to expect in 2026<\/p>\n

To help get your planning started, here\u2019s a list of happenings from A to Z. The full convention calendar of events can be found online at\u00a0comic-con.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This is a look at a range of Comic-Con features including Artists\u2019 Alley, the Her Universe Fashion Show, author events and more.<\/p>\n

Read more here: An A to Z guide to 26 things to expect at Comic-Con 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

\"JessicaJessica Biel arrives at the 31st Annual Critics Choice Awards. She\u2019ll join the cast of \u201cMatchbox The Movie\u201d for a panel at Comic-Con. (Jordan Strauss\/Invision\/AP)
\nCelebrity sightings to expect<\/p>\n

For the celebrity-obsessed,\u00a0Comic-Con\u00a0is like Christmas in July \u2014 when Hollywood comes to town with a sleigh filled with celebrities.<\/p>\n

The official day-by-day\u00a0schedules\u00a0released last week have given us a peek into what this year\u2019s Comic-Con holds for us, with names ranging from John Cena and George Takei to Rebecca Romijn and Kate McKinnon.<\/p>\n

Read more here: Hollywood\u2019s coming to town. These are the celebrities set to attend this year<\/a><\/p>\n

Things to do outside Comic-Con without a badge<\/p>\n

Comic-Con-themed events will appear across the city, from interactive fan experiences and immersive pop-ups to live shows, contests and special activations. Whether you\u2019re a dedicated fan without a badge or simply looking to soak up the atmosphere, these events offer plenty of ways to experience the excitement beyond the walls of the San Diego Convention Center.<\/p>\n

Read more here: Your guide to events outside Comic-Con that don\u2019t require a badge<\/a><\/p>\n

Tips, tricks, and advice<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what to know about transportation, road closures and parking as people from all over the U.S. and around the world arrive to attend the convention.<\/p>\n

Read more here: Planning to attend Comic-Con? Here are some tips for transportation and parking<\/a><\/p>\n

\"AA bartender serves drinks while \u201cSpongebob Squarepants\u201d plays in the background at Comic-Con. (Serena Neumeyer \/ The San Diego Union-Tribune)
\nFood and drink specials<\/p>\n

The San Diego Convention Center has upped its game a bit in the food and drink department during Comic-Con in recent years, but for convention attendees looking for meals and cocktails outside the center, here are some of the specials available July 22-26 and beyond.<\/p>\n

Read more here: 8 places to eat and drink outside the convention center during Comic-Con<\/a><\/p>\n

More coverage<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Comic-Con International is back in San Diego this week, and all signs are pointing to a major Hollywood…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":407349,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[71831,74,76,75,420,1696],"class_list":["post-407348","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-san-diego","tag-comic-con","tag-san-diego","tag-san-diego-headlines","tag-san-diego-news","tag-things-to-do","tag-top-stories-sdut"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/407348","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=407348"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/407348\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/407349"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=407348"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=407348"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=407348"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}