San Diego Comic-Con 2026 kicks off this evening with Preview Night at the San Diego Convention Center — the event’s traditional early-access opening reserved for badge-holders and credentialed press, running Wednesday from 6 to 9 p.m. PT. The full convention follows Thursday through Sunday, July 26, with roughly 135,000 attendees expected across four days. All badges are sold out.
This is the most structurally significant SDCC in several years, and the reason is not the panel count — it is who is appearing and why. Marvel Studios is returning to Hall H after deliberately sitting out 2025, having kept its cast in production for Avengers: Doomsday through the summer. Apple TV+ is making its first-ever Hall H appearance — a two-hour Saturday showcase that represents a category change from participant to convention anchor. Sony is bringing three PlayStation titles with a combined cast that includes Deborah Ann Woll, Chris Judge, Jack Quaid, and Liam McIntyre. The 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes disrupted production pipelines and convention appearances across the industry; the 2026 lineup is the entertainment industry’s first fully reconvened post-strike Hall H cycle, and the studios filling those 6,500 seats are declaring competitive positions in a reshaped market.
The first full Avengers: Doomsday trailer dropped Monday, July 20 — ahead of the convention — putting the film’s December 18 theatrical release date into sharp focus. Saturday’s Hall H slot is expected to deliver the Doomsday cast on stage for the first time, alongside further MCU phase announcements.
Preview Night: Exclusives Go on Sale at 6 p.m. PT
The convention floor opens Wednesday evening with collectors immediately able to purchase limited SDCC exclusives directly from exhibitor booths.
Jada Toys (Booth #4049) leads the Preview Night drops with three items: an Invincible – Battle Damaged Invincible 1:12 scale figure depicting the aftermath of one of the animated series’ most brutal sequences; the Ultra Street Fighter II “You Lose” Accessory Set with swappable head sculpts for all 19 characters in Jada’s Street Fighter lineup; and the Ultra Street Fighter II Akuma (Player 2 Deluxe) figure at $45. Fans who cannot attend in person can purchase most Jada exclusives online through the Jada Next Level platform beginning Thursday, July 23 at 10 a.m. PT.
Super7 (Booth #2343) is offering an Invincible Universe: Battle Beast ULTIMATES! action figure alongside SDCC-exclusive apparel including a Battle Beast T-shirt, a Ryan Ottley sketch art T-shirt, and a Sequid snapback hat. Thrilljoy (Booth #4845) is debuting an Allen the Alien PIX! figure with a 1-of-1 chaser variant available to a single buyer during the convention.
Dark Horse <a href="https://comicvibe.com/big-man-comics-at-comic/” title=”Big Man Comics at Comic”>Comics (Booth #2516) is making a Preview Night-specific release of its Hellboy Sofubi figure — a hand-painted 10.5-inch collectible produced in a run of 170 standard editions and 30 rare one-of-a-kind hand-painted variants available only on Wednesday evening while supplies last.
Other major exhibitors with confirmed floor exclusives throughout the convention include McFarlane Toys, NECA, Hasbro, Mattel, Mezco, Sideshow, Bandai Tamashii Nations, Playmates, and The Loyal Subjects. Daily allotments refresh at booths each morning; arriving before 11 a.m. PT is recommended for high-demand items.
Hasbro (Booth #3213) is debuting the Marvel Legends Series Professor Charles Xavier and Hoverchair — X-Men ’97 SDCC exclusive at $49.99 — a cel-shaded figure with a functional hover chair, removable blast effects, swappable heads including a Cerebro helmet variant, and packaging styled as a retro VCR deck. Limited quantities will be available on HasbroPulse.com after the convention ends.
Thursday, July 23: Percy Jackson, Wolverine, and Avatar Lead Hall H
Thursday’s Hall H programming opens at 10 a.m. PT with Percy Jackson and the Olympians: A New Quest Awaits (10:00–11:00 a.m.), bringing stars Walker Scobell, Aryan Simhadri, Charlie Bushnell, Tamara Smart, Levi Chrisopulos, and Olive Abercrombie to the stage alongside executive producers Craig Silverstein and Dan Shotz for the first look at Season 3, which adapts The Titan’s Curse.
Gaming takes over next. Marvel’s Wolverine: Deep Cuts (11:15 a.m.–12:00 p.m.) is Thursday’s gaming centerpiece, bringing Insomniac Games creative director Marcus Smith, game director Mike Daly, narrative director Walt Williams, and senior project director Jess Reiner-Reed to the stage with actors Liam McIntyre (Wolverine) and Krizia Bajos (Jean Grey). The PS5-exclusive title releases September 15 — making this panel one of the few SDCC gaming showcases for a game less than two months from launch. The appearance follows a July 16 cinematic trailer that confirmed Lady Deathstrike and a Sabretooth team-up as story elements.
Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls: Behind the Battle (12:00–12:45 p.m.) follows with Arc System Works developers and Marvel Comics artist Mike Deodato alongside voice actor Josh Keaton offering a behind-the-scenes look at the upcoming Marvel fighter.
Thursday’s Hall H anchor is Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender (1:00–2:00 p.m.) — the upcoming Paramount+ animated film set in the Avatar universe — with cast and creative team expected to deliver exclusive footage ahead of the film’s Paramount+ premiere on Saturday, July 25.
The afternoon pivots to film craft: Stuart Fails to Save the Universe (2:15–3:15 p.m.) screens an advance look at the HBO Max Big Bang Theory spin-off; Directors on Directing (3:00–4:30 p.m.) puts Barbarian director Zach Cregger and the Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves writing-directing duo Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley in conversation with Collider’s Steven Weintraub. The evening closes with Brad Bird: My Cinematic Journey (6:00–7:00 p.m.), in which the director of The Iron Giant, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, and Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol previews his upcoming animated feature Ray Gunn.
Ballroom 20 on Thursday opens with the My Hero Academia 10th Anniversary Panel (10:00–11:00 a.m.) featuring the English voice cast, followed by a K-pop and vampire media crossover: Bite Me: Calling All Vampires (11:15 a.m.–12:15 p.m.) with global group ENHYPEN and Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke. Ramayana: The Epic Begins (3:15–4:15 p.m.) brings stars Ranbir Kapoor and Yash to preview the sweeping Indian epic. The day closes with South Korean filmmaker Na Hong-jin presenting NEON’s sci-fi epic HOPE (4:30–5:30 p.m.) and A24 showcasing Onslaught (5:30–6:30 p.m.) from director Adam Wingard, featuring Adria Arjona, Drew Starkey, Rebecca Hall, and Dan Stevens.
Room 6BCF features creator Robert Kirkman in his largest-ever SDCC panel (Robert Kirkman Live!, 1:00–2:00 p.m.), promising exclusive reveals across Invincible, Void Rivals, and the Transformers Energon Universe. Room 6A closes Thursday with Marvel Comics: Avengers: Armageddon (1:45–2:45 p.m.), at which attendees who remain until the end will receive an exclusive copy of Avengers: Armageddon #2 with a secret cover, distributed by editor-in-chief C.B. Cebulski and writer Chip Zdarsky.
Friday, July 24: Blade Runner, Lanterns, and God of War
Hall H on Friday opens with a Prime Video double-feature: Blade Runner 2099 and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (10:00–11:30 a.m.), with cast and producers from both series sharing exclusive footage.
The Walking Dead: Dead City Season 3 (11:45 a.m.–12:30 p.m.) follows with Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Lauren Cohan, and showrunner Seth Hoffman delivering an exclusive look at the premiere, which airs on AMC that Sunday, July 26.
Lanterns (1:30–2:30 p.m.) is Friday’s most time-sensitive Hall H panel: the DC Studios HBO series starring Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre as John Stewart premieres August 16, just 23 days after the convention closes. Co-creators Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof, and Tom King take the stage alongside the cast with never-before-seen footage. Fans who want Hall H seats for this panel face the overnight wristband queue Thursday night — the same queue required for Saturday’s Marvel and Apple TV+ slots.
Friday’s Hall H closes with a nostalgia double-bill: Spaceballs: The New One (4:00–5:00 p.m.), a sequel to Mel Brooks’ 1987 cult classic, and Pan’s Labyrinth 20th Anniversary (5:15–6:15 p.m.) with Guillermo Navarro, Ivana Baquero, and Doug Jones.
Ballroom 20 on Friday anchors its afternoon with the God of War Laufey panel (5:30–6:30 p.m.) — the first time the cast of Santa Monica Studio’s next God of War game has appeared together publicly since the game’s reveal. Game director Ariel Lawrence and head of creative Cory Barlog lead the conversation with Deborah Ann Woll (Laufey), Chris Judge (Kratos), Jack Quaid (Phranque), and Perlina Lau (Rue). Behind-the-scenes insights and performance capture details are confirmed; a release date has not been announced. Friday night closes with an exclusive Avatar Aang fan screening (7:00–9:30 p.m.) before the film premieres on Paramount+ Saturday.
Earlier Friday Ballroom 20 highlights include a CBS double-feature for Ghosts (Season 5 retrospective and Season 6 tease) and the new vampire comedy Eternally Yours (11:15 a.m.–12:30 p.m.), Showrunners on Showrunning (3:00–4:00 p.m.) with Greg Daniels, Katie Dippold, and Damon Lindelof, and a major milestone: Image Comics Legends Together on One Stage (4:15–5:15 p.m.) assembling founders Todd McFarlane, Rob Liefeld, Marc Silvestri, Robert Kirkman, and Eric Stephenson to discuss how they changed the industry in 1992.
Saturday, July 25: Star Trek, Apple TV+, and Marvel’s Hall H Return
Saturday is the convention’s biggest programming day, and the 2026 Saturday slate is among the most concentrated in SDCC’s recent history.
Hall H’s morning anchor is Star Trek Universe (12:30–1:45 p.m.), marking the franchise’s 60th anniversary. The full Strange New Worlds cast — Anson Mount, Rebecca Romijn, Ethan Peck, Christina Chong, Celia Rose Gooding, Melissa Navia, and Paul Wesley — appears alongside executive producers Akiva Goldsman, Henry Alonso Myers, and Alex Kurtzman, with a reunion segment featuring Michael Dorn, Robert Picardo, Connor Trinneer, Cirroc Lofton, Doug Jones, Michelle Hurd, Jerry O’Connell, and George Takei. Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry delivers a special introduction.
Apple TV+ Showcase (2:00–4:00 p.m.) is the streamer’s first-ever Hall H takeover — a two-hour presentation covering Matchbox The Movie (John Cena, Jessica Biel, Teyonah Parris), Widow’s Bay, Dark Matter (Joel Edgerton, Jennifer Connelly, Dayo Okeniyi), Mayday, and Silo, which is currently in its third season on the platform. Claiming Hall H is not a programming scale upgrade — it signals Apple TV+ has crossed from convention participant to convention anchor, placing itself on the same competitive floor as studios that have defined Hall H for two decades.
Marvel Studios Hall H Presentation (5:30–6:30 p.m.) is the weekend’s marquee event. Kevin Feige and a full cast slate are expected to deliver the MCU’s next phase reveal, with special focus on Avengers: Doomsday — whose first full trailer dropped Monday, July 20, ahead of the convention. The film is scheduled for December 18. Marvel skipped the 2025 convention specifically to keep its cast in production; Saturday’s one-hour slot is its first Hall H appearance in two years, and the first time the Doomsday cast is expected on stage together.
Hall H access note: Securing a seat for Saturday’s Star Trek, Apple TV+, or Marvel panels requires utilizing the Next Day Line wristband system on Friday evening — historically meaning an overnight wait outside the convention center. Hall H seats 6,500 and does not clear between panels; early-day occupants tend to hold seats across multiple sessions.
Ballroom 20 on Saturday runs Fox/Hulu animation from morning through midday: Bob’s Burgers (10:00–10:45 a.m.) with Loren Bouchard and the full cast, Futurama (11:00–11:45 a.m.) with Matt Groening, David X. Cohen, and the legendary voice cast including Billy West and John DiMaggio previewing 10 new Hulu episodes launching August 3, and The Simpsons (11:45 a.m.–12:30 p.m.) with Groening returning for a “one millionth” Comic-Con appearance and a world premiere sneak peek of what the show describes as a “chilling new story.”
Prime Video dominates Saturday afternoon. Reacher’s Back and Neagley’s In (3:30–4:30 p.m.) reunites Alan Ritchson and Maria Sten, simultaneously previewing Reacher Season 4 and announcing the Neagley spin-off. Meet the New Class of Carrie (4:45–5:45 p.m.) brings Mike Flanagan to his first SDCC appearance, joined by Summer Howell, Amber Midthunder, and Matthew Lillard with never-before-seen footage and a special announcement about Flanagan’s Stephen King adaptation. The Masquerade (8:30–11:00 p.m.) closes Saturday night in Ballroom 20 — cosplay’s biggest annual competition.
Sunday, July 26: Final Day
Hall H, Ballroom 20, and the Indigo Ballroom are all closed on Sunday by SDCC tradition, concentrating the final day’s programming into smaller panel rooms. Sunday Cartoon Voices Panel (Room 6BCF, 11:45 a.m.–1:15 p.m.) follows up Saturday’s sold-out session, while Room 6A and other spaces host comics, creator spotlight, and genre programming through the afternoon before the convention floor closes at 5 p.m. PT.
DC’s 1950s Booth Celebration
DC Comics has built its SDCC presence around a decade-by-decade march toward the publisher’s 100th anniversary, and 2026’s expanded DC Booth (#4544) spotlights the 1950s — the era that introduced Barry Allen as the Flash (Showcase #4), reimagined Green Lantern with Hal Jordan (Showcase #22), debuted Supergirl (Action Comics #252), and launched MAD Magazine under Harvey Kurtzman in 1952. The booth features a 1950s-inspired Daily Planet newsstand offering a free MAD Magazine #1 facsimile. DC creators including Jim Lee, Mark Waid, Scott Snyder, Nick Dragotta, G. Willow Wilson, and Matt Fraction appear for signings throughout the week. DC’s Unlock DC mobile hub activates a city-wide scavenger experience for fans without badges.
Off-Site Activations
Petco Park, directly across from the convention center, hosts the Magic: The Gathering | Marvel Super Heroes Fan Experience from Wizards of the Coast, badge-optional. The San Diego Ballroom at the Marriott Marquis hosts a Marvel video game preview zone with hands-on time for Marvel Rivals, MARVEL Future Fight, MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls, and Marvel Contest of Champions. FX’s American Horror Story: 13 runs an off-site activation throughout the convention, and the Clash of Clans experience at Seaport Headquarters (789 W Harbor Dr.) runs concurrently. The Crunchyroll Anime FanFest at the Rady Shell at Jacobs Park runs badge-free on Saturday and Sunday.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get into Hall H at SDCC 2026 for Saturday’s Marvel and Apple TV+ panels?
Hall H seats 6,500 and does not clear between panels during the day. For Saturday’s headliners — Star Trek (12:30 p.m. PT), Apple TV+ (2:00–4:00 p.m. PT), and Marvel Studios (5:30–6:30 p.m. PT) — the only reliable method is the Next Day Line wristband system, which requires queuing outside the San Diego Convention Center on Friday evening. Based on prior years, this typically means an overnight wait. If you have a wristband, arrive at Hall H well before the first panel of the day you want to see. Hall H panels at SDCC 2026 will not be live-streamed during the convention.
Can I buy SDCC 2026 exclusives if I’m not attending in person?
Yes, for some items. Jada Toys will open online sales of most of its SDCC 2026 exclusives through the Jada Next Level platform on Thursday, July 23, at 10 a.m. PT. Hasbro will make limited quantities of the Marvel Legends Professor Xavier Hoverchair exclusive available on HasbroPulse.com after the convention. Super7 will offer online access to its exclusives to members of its paid shipping program beginning Monday, July 27. For most other exhibitors’ exclusives, in-person purchase at the booth is the only option, with daily allotments refreshing each morning — arrive early.
Why is SDCC 2026 considered the most structurally significant convention in recent years?
SDCC 2026 is the entertainment industry’s first fully reconvened post-strike Hall H cycle. The 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes disrupted production timelines and forced several major studios — including Marvel — to skip or reduce their 2024 and 2025 SDCC appearances. Marvel deliberately sat out 2025 to keep the Avengers: Doomsday cast in active production; that decision moved Doomsday from a May 2026 to a December 2026 release and cleared the calendar for Saturday’s Hall H return. Apple TV+ is making its first Hall H appearance after four years of convention participation at a smaller scale. The 2026 lineup reflects which studios emerged from the post-strike period with slates credible enough to claim the convention’s most competitive 6,500-seat room.
What is the single biggest gaming reveal expected at SDCC 2026?
Two panels stand out. Insomniac’s Marvel’s Wolverine: Deep Cuts panel (Thursday Hall H, 11:15 a.m. PT) is the closer-to-launch reveal, with the PS5-exclusive game shipping September 15 — roughly eight weeks after the panel. Santa Monica Studio’s God of War Laufey panel in Ballroom 20 on Friday (5:30 p.m. PT) brings the full cast on stage for the first time since the game’s reveal — a lineup that includes Deborah Ann Woll, Chris Judge, Jack Quaid, and Perlina Lau alongside game director Ariel Lawrence and head of creative Cory Barlog. A release date has not been announced, but a substantial character and world reveal is expected.
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