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Saturday is the biggest day of San Diego Comic-Con, and this one carries more weight than most. When Marvel Studios takes Hall H at 5:30 p.m. PT tonight — its first appearance since the 2024 panel where Robert Downey Jr. walked onstage as Doctor Doom — it will close out a day that already includes Apple TV+’s historic first-ever Hall H appearance and the Star Trek franchise’s 60th anniversary celebration. Every major panel of the day is still ahead.
That context matters. SDCC 2026 is the entertainment industry’s first fully reconvened Hall H cycle since the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes disrupted production pipelines and forced studios — including Marvel — to reduce or skip their convention appearances. The studios filling Hall H’s 6,500 seats this Saturday are not simply promoting projects; they are declaring that the post-strike production pipeline has recovered enough to put their biggest IP and talent back on the convention floor. The 2026 Saturday slate is the result.
Here is every panel, every major floor activation, and every no-badge offsite experience — organized by venue — for Saturday, July 25, 2026.
Hall H Saturday: Five Consecutive Hours Without a Room Clearing
Hall H, the convention’s 6,500-seat flagship venue, runs continuous programming from 11:15 a.m. through 8:45 p.m. PT — and rooms are not cleared between panels. A fan who arrives for the Star Trek panel at 12:30 p.m. and holds a seat through the Marvel presentation at 5:30 p.m. will witness three of the most historically significant genre presentations the convention has staged in recent memory, back to back.
11:15 a.m. PT — The Animation Show of Shows Origin Story
Opening Hall H on Saturday is a showcase from animation producer Ron Diamond, who launched Acme Filmworks in 1990 after beginning his career in animation a decade earlier. The panel traces the intersection of fine-art animation and commercial work, featuring directors Diamond has championed across international animation festivals.
12:30 p.m. PT — Star Trek Universe (Paramount+)
The franchise’s 60th anniversary celebration anchors the morning slot, running until 1:45 p.m. The panel is a double feature: the first half covers Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4, which premiered on Paramount+ on Thursday, July 23, with cast members Anson Mount (Captain Pike), Rebecca Romijn (Number One), Ethan Peck (Spock), Christina Chong (La’an Noonien-Singh), Celia Rose Gooding (Uhura), Melissa Navia (Ortegas), and Paul Wesley (James T. Kirk) appearing alongside executive producers Akiva Goldsman, Henry Alonso Myers, and Alex Kurtzman.
The 60th anniversary portion brings together a cross-franchise cast spanning the full history of the IP: George Takei (Sulu, The Original Series), Michael Dorn (Worf, The Next Generation), Robert Picardo (The Doctor, Voyager), Connor Trinneer (Trip Tucker, Enterprise), Cirroc Lofton (Jake Sisko, Deep Space Nine), Doug Jones (Saru, Discovery), Michelle Hurd (Raffi Musiker, Picard), Jerry O’Connell (Jack Ransom, Lower Decks), and Karim Diané (Jay-Den Kraag, Starfleet Academy). The panel opens with a special introduction from Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, son of franchise creator Gene Roddenberry.
This year’s physical SDCC badges feature the U.S.S. Enterprise from Strange New Worlds flying over the San Diego Convention Center — a franchise first. Paramount+ is also running a free fan screening of two Season 4 episodes at the Balboa Theater (868 Fourth Ave), requiring only advance reservation and no badge.
2:00 p.m. PT — Apple TV+ Hall H Showcase (First-Ever)
Apple TV+ makes its historic first Hall H appearance in a two-hour block moderated by Happy, Sad, Confused host Josh Horowitz, ending at 4:00 p.m. The strategic significance is specific: Apple made its SDCC debut in 2022 with individual series panels — Severance, For All Mankind, Foundation — and has expanded its format each year since. None of those appearances claimed Hall H. A Hall H slot is not a scale upgrade from those appearances; it is a category change — the difference between a convention participant and a convention anchor.
Five titles will appear in the showcase:
Matchbox: The Movie — John Cena, Jessica Biel, Arturo Castro, Sam Richardson, and Teyonah Parris are confirmed panelists for the action spy film inspired by the Mattel toy brand. Directed by Sam Hargrave (Extraction) from a screenplay by David Coggeshall, it is an Apple Originaltober 9, 2026
Widow’s Bay — Creator and showrunner Katie Dippold’s horror-comedy series carries 19 Emmy nominations into Hall H, making it Apple’s awards frontrunner this season. Season 1 is currently streaming.
Dark Matter (Season 2) — Creator Blake Crouch appears alongside executive producers Matt Tolmach and Jacquelyn Ben-Zekry and cast members Joel Edgerton, Jennifer Connelly, and Dayo Okeniyi. Season 2 premieres August 28.
Mayday — The Cold War action-comedy starring Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh, directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, will be represented at the panel; Reynolds is not expected to attend in person.
Silo — Season 3 of the dystopian drama is currently mid-run on Apple TV+, with new episodes streaming weekly through September 4. Cast members Graham Yost, Rebecca Ferguson, Common, Tim Robbins, Ashley Zukerman, Jessica Henwick, and Alexandria Riley will take the stage. Fans who cannot get into Hall H can experience the free, no-badge-required Silo Experience installation — a multi-sensory immersive walk-through at The Lot at 1st and J Streets in the Gaslamp Quarter, running through Sunday.
4:15 p.m. PT — Entertainment Weekly’s Bold School
A panel spotlighting major female and nonbinary stars of TV and film, sharing stories about finding their voice and the responsibility of representing underrepresented communities on screen.
5:30 p.m. PT — Marvel Studios Hall H Presentation
This is the main event of the day and arguably of SDCC 2026 as a whole. Marvel Studios returns to Hall H for the first time since 2024, when the studio’s presentation produced two of the MCU’s most-discussed reveals: the Russo Brothers’ return to direct, and Robert Downey Jr.’s casting as Doctor Doom. The studio deliberately skipped the 2025 convention to keep the Avengers: Doomsday cast in active production in London.
The one-hour presentation runs until 6:30 p.m. PT. Marvel’s official description names only “special guests from across the Marvel Cinematic Universe” and “an exclusive look at what’s next” — no titles, no cast listed. That deliberate vagueness has not slowed the speculation: Avengers: Doomsday opens December 18, 2026, and today will likely mark the first time its full ensemble cast appears on a convention stage together. The film’s first full trailer was released publicly on July 20; today’s presentation is expected to deliver new footage and feature Denzel Washington, who has confirmed his involvement in Black Panther 3, and Sadie Sink, expected in some capacity as Spider-Man: Brand New Day opens July 31. Early reports from San Diego suggest upward of 30 performers are expected on stage, with 397 VIP seats reportedly reserved for Marvel guests — though these figures remain unconfirmed.
Additional announcements may include updates on VisionQuest (Disney+, October 14 premiere announced at the convention Thursday), the new X-Men reboot in development with director Jake Schreier, Black Panther 3, and MCU Phase 6 structure post-Secret Wars.
Beyond Hall H, Marvel’s floor footprint includes two booths (#2329 and #2519) with gaming demos for Marvel’s Wolverine and Marvel Rivals, comics panels covering the new Midnight Universe horror imprint, and a cosplay meetup schedule throughout the weekend.
Writer-director Kevin Smith closes Hall H’s prime programming with his annual SDCC Q&A, promising updates on his next film, upcoming comic releases, and an open audience session.
Ballroom 20 Saturday: Animation, Amazon, and Horror
Ballroom 20 (4,800 seats) is running a full day of genre television programming. Note: the Bob’s Burgers panel at 10:00 a.m. PT (1:00 p.m. ET) has already concluded as of publication.
Saturday’s remaining Ballroom 20 panels:
11:00 a.m. PT — Futurama: Matt Groening leads a panel featuring head writer David X. Cohen, executive producers Claudia Katz and Ken Keeler, and voice cast members Billy West, John DiMaggio, Lauren Tom, Phil LaMarr, David Herman, and Maurice LaMarche, ahead of 10 new episodes debuting August 3 on Hulu. World-premiere footage is promised.
12:00 p.m. PT — The Simpsons: Groening appears with writers, animators, and unannounced special guests for an exclusive world-premiere sneak preview of a new episode.
12:45 p.m. PT — American Dad: Stars Scott Grimes and Dee Bradley Baker, alongside writers Nic Wegener, Zack Rosenblatt, and Parker Deay, preview what’s ahead as the show approaches its 400th episode.
1:30 p.m. PT — Family Guy: Alex Borstein, Seth Green, Jennifer Tilly, Arif Zahir, animator Peter Shin, and showrunner Rich Appel deliver exclusive footage and announcements.
2:30 p.m. PT — Entertainment Weekly’s Brave Warriors: Top TV and movie talent discuss the experience of playing iconic characters and the highs and lows of a Hollywood career.
3:30 p.m. PT — Reacher’s Back and Neagley’s In (Prime Video): A joint panel for Reacher Season 4 and spinoff Neagley, with stars Alan Ritchson and Maria Sten delivering exclusive first looks and surprises.
4:45 p.m. PT — Meet the New Class of Carrie (Prime Video): Director Mike Flanagan’s television adaptation of Stephen King’s Carrie makes its first SDCC appearance. Flanagan is joined by stars Summer Howell, Samantha Sloyan, Siena Agudong, Alison Thornton, Amber Midthunder, and Matthew Lillard, with a special announcement promised.
8:30 p.m. PT — The Comic-Con International 2026 Masquerade: The annual costume competition runs from 8:30 p.m. through 11:00 p.m. PT, with a simultaneous simulcast in Room 6A.
Indigo Ballroom Saturday: Cult TV, Genre Fiction, and Comedy
The Indigo Ballroom (2,663 seats) opens with the Dungeon Crawler Carl audiobook panel from Audible (10:00 a.m. PT) and the indie film Concert Heroes (11:15 a.m. PT), then shifts to genre series programming through the afternoon:
12:30 p.m. PT — YAGA (AMC+): Cast members Noah Reid (Schitt’s Creek), Clark Backo, and Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix) join showrunner Kat Sandler for a sneak preview of the new AMC+ mystery series.
1:45 p.m. PT — The Rookie (ABC): Creator Alexi Hawley and star Nathan Fillion discuss the upcoming ninth season, its streaming audience growth, and the show’s expanding reach with younger viewers.
3:00 p.m. PT — Mad Rewind: Talking About Mad TV: Cast members Mo Collins, Orlando Jones, Phil LaMarr, Michael McDonald, Nicole Sullivan, Debra Wilson, and Blaine Capatch reunite to discuss the sketch comedy series.
4:15 p.m. PT — The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 2 (TNT): Callum McGowan, Jessica Green, Olilin and franchise veterans Christian Kane and Lindy Booth
5:30 p.m. PT — Collider Ladies Night with Perri Nemiroff: Poorna Jagannathan (Lanterns), Lana Condor (Acme vs. Coyote), Aimee Garcia (Walking Dead: Dead City), and Jessica Henwick (Silo) discuss their Hollywood careers and upcoming projects.
Room 6BCF: Games, Cartoons, and Collectibles
The 6BCF programming room (2,160 seats) features several notable panels for gaming and animation fans:
10:30 a.m. PT — Toys That Made Us: Beloved Blunders:Toys That Made Us creator Brian Volk-Weiss spotlights classic collector failures — LJN’s Dune line, Kenner’s Waterworld tie-ins, and Star Wars Power of the Force 2 — and why they remain beloved by collectors.
11:45 a.m. PT — Quick Draw!: Moderator Mark Evanier pits three cartoonists against each other with live-drawn dueling art, featuring Scott Shaw, Tom Richmond, and Lalo Alcaraz.
1:00 p.m. PT — The Saturday Cartoon Voices Panel: Moderated by Evanier, voice actors including Eric Bauza (Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck), Shelby Young, Sean Giambrone (The Loud House), and others explain and demonstrate their craft. The panel runs until 2:30 p.m. PT.
4:00 p.m. PT — Bringing Star Wars Zero Company to Life: The voice cast and developers of the anticipated Star Wars Zero Company turn-based tactics game offer an in-depth look at the game’s Clone Wars–era story and characters.
5:15 p.m. PT — Crafting Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2: Art director Nicholas Stohlman, composer Austin Wintory, and other creators share never-before-seen concept art, environment design, and original music from the upcoming sequel.
6:30 p.m. PT — CONTROL Resonant: Remedy Entertainment shares updates with cast members Sean Durrie, Matthew Porretta, Frankie Kevich, and Courtney Hope.
Room 6A: Comics, Games, and Animation History
Room 6A (1,040 seats) offers programming for deeper fandom interests:
10:00 a.m. PT — Batman: Knightfall Part 1 (Warner Bros. Animation/DC): Michael Mando (voice of Bane) joins supervising producer Rick Morales and producer Jim Krieg for an inside look at the animated adaptation of the iconic 1990s comic arc.
1:45 p.m. PT — Marvel Comics: Midnight Universe: The writers behind the new horror-adjacent Midnight Universe publishing initiative reveal details, with an exclusive black-and-white ashcan preview comic for attendees who stay to the end.
3:00 p.m. PT — Marvel Fanfare: A behind-the-scenes trip through Marvel Comics history, with an exclusive giveaway comic book.
4:15 p.m. PT — 40th Anniversary of Castle in the Sky: Studio Ghibli production coordinator Hirokatsu Kihara shares behind-the-scenes stories from the making of Hayao Miyazaki’s 1986 classic, joined by background painter Yôichi Nishikawa.
5:30 p.m. PT — From Indies to Blockbusters: The Storytelling Power of Diversity: Nicole Maines, Lenore Zann, Andy Park (former Marvel director of visual development on Deadpool & Wolverine and Avengers: Doomsday), Rob Edwards, Stephanie Filo, and others discuss their paths into the industry and the importance of representation.
What Does It Actually Mean to Watch a Panel at SDCC?
For the millions of fans following SDCC 2026 from outside San Diego: Hall H panels are not live-streamed. Paramount+, Apple TV+, and Marvel have each confirmed this is an in-person-only experience. Journalists from GamesRadar, Looper, io9/Gizmodo, and others are on the ground providing live text updates and social media coverage. Panel footage and announcements typically reach the broader public through official studio releases posted online within hours of each presentation.
For attendees who did not make it into Hall H’s line in time: wristbands for major Hall H sessions are distributed to those physically present in the overnight line the night before, with a “line wristband” system introduced in 2024 and continued in 2026 to manage crowd flow in the Hall H queue.
The Show Floor: Collectibles, Exclusives, and Major Activations
Saturday’s convention floor at the San Diego Convention Center is a destination of its own for collectors, toy enthusiasts, and trading card buyers.
Hasbro (Booth #3213) is running its Hasbro Pulse Store with convention-exclusive collectibles across Transformers, Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, My Little Pony, G.I. Joe, Power Rangers, Star Wars, and Marvel — including a Star Wars animatronic Grogu figure described as a first-of-its-kind collectible. Licensed partner booths include Funko (#5341) with D&D, Magic: The Gathering, and Baldur’s Gate 3 exclusives; Iron Studios (#1815), which is making its Dungeons & Dragons debut with a Beholder Demi Art Scale statue; HanCholo (#1720) debuting a Power Rangers jewelry line; and Kotobukiya (#3535) with a Furby Bishoujo statue.
LEGO (Booth #2829) is hosting its LEGO SMART Play Gateway with interactive areas themed to LEGO Pokémon and LEGO Star Wars, plus a daily scavenger hunt for hidden LEGO luggage tags throughout the convention floor — finders claim rewards at the booth. Convention-exclusive items include SMART Play stickers, a LEGO NINJAGO Legacy poster, and a Crocs collaboration based on the NINJAGO line. The booth is also showcasing the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier display, a collector anchor positioned between the Star Wars and Marvel floor zones.
PSA (Booth #4237) is accepting walk-in submissions for grading across trading cards, comics, and magazines throughout the show, with courier delivery to a nearby PSA facility and pickup by Sunday’s close. SDCC-exclusive offerings include a DC Comics collaboration featuring Absolute Batman #22 with connecting variant covers by Kael Ngu, an Energon Universe blind box series, and Invincible-themed graded card sets.
KAYOU (Booth #4934 / The Shumi Company) is making its SDCC debut across three San Diego locations. On the convention floor, the booth carries cards covering My Little Pony, Naruto, KPop Demon Hunters, Demon Slayer, and tokidoki. At the Petco Park Interactive Zone, KAYOU’s Walls of Fandom installation features large-scale themed displays and a live pack-ripping area. KAYOU has partnered with TAG (Technical Authentication & Grading) for same-day and next-day card grading with discounts for the first 20 customers each day.
DC (Booth #4544) is running its decade-by-decade publishing history celebration, with this year spotlighting the 1950s Silver Age. The expanded booth features LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, a Superman Experience in partnership with Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood, and creator signings throughout Saturday including Jim Lee, Mark Waid, Scott Snyder, Nick Dragotta, G. Willow Wilson, and Matt Fraction.
Marvel (Booths #2329 and #2519) is running its AvengerZ Gift Shop with SDCC-exclusive merchandise, a Marvel’s Wolverine video game photo op, and the adjacent LEGO Marvel booth (#2829) showcasing new Marvel sets. The Topps booth (#2913) features the 2026 Topps Marvel Mint collection with three exclusive original art cards by Ian McDonald.
Beyond the Convention Center: No-Badge Experiences
The offsite footprint of SDCC 2026 extends through downtown San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter with several free, no-badge-required activations:
The Paramount+ Lodge at Happy Does on Fifth Avenue houses an exhibition featuring the original USS Enterprise model on loan from the Roddenberry Estate. The Star Trek: Boldly Built photo experience at the Marriott Marquis combines LEGO and Magic: The Gathering Trek-themed installations.
Apple’s Silo Experience at The Lot (450 2nd Ave) transforms visitors into inhabitants of the show’s dystopian underground world — free and open to the public without a badge, running through Sunday.
HBO Max’s Lanterns Training Headquarters at Venue 808 runs through Saturday evening, themed to the new Lanterns DC series that appeared in Friday’s Hall H programming.
What to Expect in Hall H Tonight
With Hall H programming still ahead as of this writing, all attention turns to the 5:30 p.m. PT Marvel presentation. After a two-year gap since Robert Downey Jr. walked onstage as Doctor Doom, the studio’s return is shaping up to be one of the most sprawling Hall H moments in recent convention history: early reports from San Diego suggest upward of 30 performers are expected on stage, with 397 VIP seats reportedly reserved for Marvel guests — though these figures remain unconfirmed. Whether Marvel saves its biggest Avengers: Doomsday reveals for tonight, or seeds further Phase 6 announcements, is the largest open editorial question of SDCC 2026.
Following Marvel, Kevin Smith closes Hall H at 7:15 p.m. PT, and the Masquerade costume competition begins in Ballroom 20 at 8:30 p.m. PT.
SDCC 2026 runs through Sunday, July 26, at the San Diego Convention Center.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time is the Marvel Hall H panel at SDCC 2026, and how can I watch it?
Marvel Studios takes Hall H from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. PT (8:30 to 9:30 p.m. ET) on Saturday, July 25. Hall H panels are not live-streamed — the only way to watch in real time is to be physically present in Hall H. For fans following remotely, live text updates are available from GamesRadar, Looper, and io9/Gizmodo, and official studio releases of any new footage or announcements typically follow within hours of the event.
What is Apple TV+’s Widow’s Bay, and why is its Hall H appearance significant?
Widow’s Bay is a horror-comedy series created and showrun by Katie Dippold, currently streaming its first season on Apple TV+. It heads into the Hall H showcase with 19 Emmy nominations, making it the streamer’s leading awards contender for 2026. Apple TV+’s Hall H appearance is significant not because of Widow’s Bay alone but because of what claiming Hall H represents: a category shift from convention participant to convention anchor, placing Apple TV+ in direct competition for fan mindshare with Prime Video, HBO Max, and Marvel Studios — a position no Apple TV+ appearance at SDCC had previously claimed.
Is it too late to attend SDCC 2026, and which experiences don’t require a badge?
All SDCC 2026 badges are sold out. However, several experiences require no badge at all: the Apple TV+ Silo Experience at The Lot (450 2nd Ave) runs through Sunday; the Paramount+ free fan screening of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4 at the Balboa Theater required only advance reservation; the Star Trek: Boldly Built photo experience at the Marriott Marquis is publicly accessible; and the general atmosphere of San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter — with building wraps, cosplay, and studio activations throughout the district — is part of SDCC regardless of whether you hold a badge.
What will Avengers: Doomsday reveal at Comic-Con, and when does it open in theaters?
Marvel has not officially confirmed any specific announcement for the Hall H presentation beyond “special guests” and “an exclusive look at what’s next.” The first full Avengers: Doomsday trailer was released publicly on July 20, and tonight’s Hall H presentation is widely expected to deliver new footage and feature the film’s assembled cast for the first time on a convention stage. Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled for theatrical release on December 18, 2026.
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