San Diego’s Comic-Con may be one of the most horrible places on Earth. I rather go to jail than deal with so much nerd in one spot, but for you horror fans that still want to attend, I took the time to publish the horror related events to make your life easier.
You are welcome.
10:00-11:00 – Idiots of the Web— For the second year in a row the biggest genre and movie websites are coming together to discuss how new media have affected movie making, what it takes to run a popular site, and much more in a panel discussion and Q&A session. Participants include Robert Sanchez (IESB.net), Garth Franklin (Darkhorizons.com), Mike Sampson (Joblo.com), Erik Davis (Cinematical.com), John Campea (TheMovieBlog.com), Brad Miska (Bloody-Disgusting.com), Eric “Quint” Vespe (Aintitcool.com), Devin Faraci (CHUD.com), Paul Christensen (Movieweb.com), and Kellvin Chavez (Latinoreview.com). Moderated by directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor (Crank 2, The Game). Room 32AB
11:30-1:00 20th Century Fox: The Day The Earth Stood Still and Max Payne— Stars Keanu Reeves and Jennifer Connelly, plus director Scott Derrickson and producer Erwin Stoff, present an exclusive look at The Day The Earth Stood Still, Fox’s contemporary reinvention of its 1951 classic. Keanu is Klaatu, an alien whose arrival on our planet triggers a global upheaval. As governments and scientists race to unravel the mystery behind the visitor’s appearance, a woman (Jennifer) and her young stepson get caught up in his mission—and come to understand the ramifications of his being a self-described “friend to the Earth.” Klaatu Barada Nikto.
The legendary interactive video game Max Payne comes to the big screen, telling the story of a maverick cop determined to track down those responsible for the brutal murder of his family and partner. Hell-bent on revenge, his obsessive investigation takes him on a nightmare journey into a dark underworld. As the mystery deepens, Max is forced to battle enemies beyond the natural world and face an unthinkable betrayal. “Max Payne” himself—Mark Wahlberg—will be on hand with Mila Kunis, Ludacris, and director John Moore to discuss turning the game’s noirish, hard-hitting, and complex world and characters into a movie event.
2:00-3:00 Red Sonja: One-on-One— Robert Rodriguez (Sin City), Rose McGowan (Grindhouse), Doug Aarniokoski (2nd unit director, Resident Evil 3) and David White (Undisputed 2) are teaming up to bring back the red-headed warrior woman known as Red Sonja. Join Robert, Rose, Doug, and David for this one-on-one interview and Q&A session! Room 6CDEF
2:15-3:15 Anchor Bay: Jack Brooks Monster Slayer Artists Panel— Preview the upcoming DVD release of Jack Brooks Monster Slayer with star/producer Trevor Matthews, director/co-writer Jon Knautz, producer Patrick White, composer Ryan Shore, creature designer David Scott, and horror icon Robert Englund! Then hear writer/director Daniel Waters (Heathers), Oscar-nominated screenwriter Josh Olson (Masters of Science Fiction), and writer/director Robert Hall (Laid to Rest) discuss their latest Anchor Bay projects! Moderated by Shock Til You Drop’s Ryan Rotten. Ballroom 20
4:00-5:00 Dark Horse Horror— Dark Horse Comics is home to some of the best horror comics ever produced, from Mike Mignola’s Hellboy and Steve Niles’ Criminal Macabre to upcoming collections of the classic horror magazines Creepy and Eerie. Dark Horse editors Scott Allie and Shawna Gore and a handful of our top creators take a look ahead at their spookiest projects for 2008, including a sneak peek at the 25th anniversary edition of Bernie Wrightson’s Frankenstein and a special appearance by the artist. Room 2
4:30-5:30 HBO’s True Blood— Based on the popular Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris, True Blood is created by Alan Ball, creator of HBO’s Emmy-winning series Six Feet Under. The series takes place in the not-too-distant future, when, thanks to the invention of synthetic blood, vampires no longer need humans for their fix and can walk freely, if not yet comfortably, among their living counterparts. With their integration into a small Louisiana town causing a stir, a love story ensues between Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin, the X-Men films; Academy Award winner for The Piano), an innocent waitress with the unusual ability to read minds, and vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer, The Starter Wife). The series also features Ryan Kwanten (Summerland), Rutina Wesley (How She Move), Sam Trammell (Judging Amy), and Nelsan Ellis (The Inside). True Blood debuts September 7 exclusively on HBO. Room 6CDEF
5:30-6:30 Dark Castle: RocknRolla— Launched in 1999, Dark Castle Entertainment was founded to create a unique brand of horror movies inspired by the works of legendary filmmaker William Castle. Recently, Dark Castle entered into an arrangement with CIT Group Inc. to broaden the company into a full genre label encompassing feature films, Home Video and comic books. Under the supervision of producer Joel Silver, Dark Castle’s upcoming roster includes the action film RocknRolla, directed by Guy Ritchie and starring Gerard Butler, scheduled for an October 2008 release; Ninja Assassin, directed by James McTeigue and starring Korean music sensation Rain; and Whiteout, directed by Dominic Sena and starring Kate Beckinsale. Its Home Video titles will include The Hills Run Red, starring Sophie Monk, William Sadler and Tad Hilgenbrink, and comic book projects will include Ferryman, by Marc Andreyko and Jonathan Wayshak. Appearing in person: Gerard Butler and Guy Ritchie (Rocknrolla), Rain (Ninja Assassin), and producer Joel Silver. Hall H
Categories: Comic Books | Horror and Suspense | Movies
5:45-6:45 Showtime: Dexter— Showtime presents exclusives from the set of the highly anticipated third season of Dexter. Moderator Kristin Dos Santos (E!) presides over this revealing interview and Q&A session with the top stars and executive producers of Dexter, featuring Michael C. Hall, Julie Benz, Clyde Phillips, and John Goldwyn, plus a special guest! Room 6CDEF
6:00-7:00 Devil’s Due Presents: Hack/Slash and Beyond!— Hollywood screenwriter Justin Marks (Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li) joins Hack/Slash creator Tim Seeley (Halloween: Nightdance) to talk about the new H/S film and his new DDP/Capcom comic book series Bionic Commando. Also featuring director Todd Lincoln, Hack/Slash Annual stars from The Suicide Girls, and a blockbuster surprise guest you won’t want to miss! Room 8
8:30-9:00 Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures: Saw 5— Join director David Hackl, along with the filmmakers and cast for an exclusive first look at the latest terrifying installment of the most successful horror series in history! Room 6B
9:00-10:00 Repo! The Genetic Opera First Look— See what director Darren Lynn Bousman has been up to since directing the last three Saw movies: Repo! The Genetic Opera. Check out the phenomenon that is this Goth Rock musical with sneak peeks and the new trailer plus stories from Darren and the actors themselves, including Alexa Vega (Spy Kids), Bill Moseley (The Devil’s Rejects), and Ogre (the band Skinny Puppy), among others. Room 6B
10:00-12:00 Warner Premiere and Warner Home Video: World Premiere of Lost Boys The Tribe— Prepare to sink your teeth into the long-awaited and highly anticipated next chapter of the cult phenomenon started by the 1987 cult classic, and be the first to see Lost Boys The Tribe before its July 29 DVD release at this special world premiere. More than 20 years in the making, Lost Boys The Tribe is an homage to the original 1987 cult hit and stars Corey Feldman as vampire hunter Edgar Frog, along with Tad Hilgenbrinck, Angus Sutherland, and Autumn Reeser, with appearances by Jamison Newlander and Corey Haim. Meet the cast and filmmakers as director P J Pesce and original Lost Boys star Corey Feldman are joined by Tad Hilgenbrinck, Angus Sutherland, and Autumn Reeser to answer questions and talk about the making of this new horror classic. Ballroom 20
10:30-11:30 Spotlight on Max Brooks— America’s favorite zombie expert is a Comic-Con special guest for the first time! Author Max Brooks, whose groundbreaking work in the walking dead genre could possibly save your life some day (see his The Zombie Survival Guide), talks about his work and what’s up next for him. Room 5AB
11:35-12:35 Industrial Light & Magic and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull— Academy award–winning visual effects house Industrial Light & Magic takes you behind the scenes of their work for the latest installment in the Indiana Jones series. You’ll get a firsthand look at how the effects were created and see what was involved in bringing Indy’s world to the big screen. Room 7AB
1:00-2:00 Introducing Resident Evil: Degeneration— Producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi (Devil May Cry 4, Resident Evil 4) and director Makoto Kamiya (special effects director, L: Change the World, Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack) introduce the full-length CG-animated motion picture based on the popular Capcom video game franchise. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment invites you to be the first to see the film’s revealing new trailer and take part in a Q&A session with the filmmakers. Room 2
1:30-2:30 Joss Whedon— Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and the writers and cast of his new short film, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, will show never-before-seen clips while Joss also discusses Buffy Season Eight, the Fray crossover, and the upcoming Serenity comic focusing on Shepherd Book. Ballroom 20
1:45-2:45 Ghostbusters: The Video Game— Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, and panelists from Sierra Entertainment and Sony Pictures Consumer Products discuss the eagerly anticipated Ghostbusters: The Video Game, due out this October. The panel focuses on what it takes to bring fans the next chapter in the Ghostbusters universe, including working with the original cast members and Sony Pictures Consumer Products to create a completely true and faithful interactive ghostbusting experience. Room 6B
2:00-2:30 Universal: The Wolfman— For its upcoming action-horror film The Wolfman, Universal will showcase new footage and a presentation from the title monster’s creator, six-time Oscar-winning special effects artist Rick Baker. Hall H
3:00-4:00 Spotlight on James Warren— The legendary publisher of Famous Monsters of Filmland, Creepy, Eerie, and Vampirella joins Comic-Con in a rare convention appearance! Jim Warren celebrates the 50th anniversary of FM along with the legendary Hollywood makeup artist Verne Langdon, also a Comic-Con special guest! Famous Monsters fans will recognize Langdon’s name from the pages of that beloved magazine. Room 4
3:00-4:00 SCI FI: Ghost Hunters— Is it in your head—or in your house? Find out during Comic-Con first ever panel discussion with Ghost Hunters’ Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson, stars of the #1 paranormal reality series on Wednesday nights. What you’ll hear is real—and scary. Moderated by James Hibberd (The Hollywood Reporter). Room 6B
4:00-5:00 Going Ape: Celebrating 75 Years of The Beast and The Beauty of King Kong— KONG! KONG! KONG! Our panel celebrates 75 years of one of cinema’s most famous and most beloved beasties. Panelists take look back at the history of King Kong on-screen along with fun facts, reminiscences and anecdotes about the film that inspired many of us to become fans, filmmakers and fanatics. A panel of experts and fans is moderated by Mark A. Altman and Jeff Bond (Geek Monthly). Room 3
4:30-5:30 Bones— Join the entire cast (David Boreanaz, Emily Deschanel, Michaela Conlin, Tamara Taylor, John Francis Daley) and creators Hart Hanson and Barry Josephson for an hour of behind-the-scenes secrets and the chance to ask them everything you always wanted to know about the hit Fox drama. Ballroom 20
7:15-8:15 Mystery Science Theater 3000 20th Anniversary Reunion— From 1988 to 1999, the long-suffering captives aboard the Satellite of Love wisecracked their way through hundreds of cinema’s problem children—those delirious B-movies of yesteryear created by twisted imaginations and, possibly, the need for a tax shelter. To celebrate the show’s 20th Anniversary, join a historic reunion of cast and crew, including creator Joel Hodgson, producer Jim Mallon and fellow writer/performers Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy, Trace Beaulieu, Frank Conniff, Mary Jo Pehl, Paul Chaplin, J. Elvis Weinstein, Bridget Nelson, and Bill Corbett for a Q&A panel.
10:45-12:00 Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog— The story of a low-rent supervillain (Neil Patrick Harris as Dr. Horrible), the hero who keeps beating him up (Nathan Fillion as Captain Hammer), and the cute girl from the laundromat he’s too shy to talk to (Felicia Day as Penny). This musical in three parts, created for the Internet and written by Joss Whedon, Jed Whedon, Zack Whedon, and Maurissa Tancharoen, premieres in its entirety on the big screen at Comic-Con. Room 6B
10:00-11:00 Spotlight on Forrest J Ackerman— The mayor of Horrorwood, Karloffornia returns to Comic-Con after a two-year absence. The beloved Forry celebrates the 50th anniversary of his seminal movie monster magazine, Famous Monsters of Filmland. Room 3
11:00-12:00 Hellboy— Mike Mignola (Hellboy) and his long-suffering editor Scott Allie are joined by Josh Dysart (BPRD 1946) to talk and answer questions about recent events in the Hellboy books, the future direction of the series, and the first new comic Mike’s drawn in three years. Also, an announcement about the newest artists to join the team. Room 8
Categories: Art and Illustration | Comic Books | Horror and Suspense | Humor & Satire | Superheroes
11:00-12:00 50th Anniversary Famous Monsters— It’s a celebration of your favorite movie monster magazine! Famous Monsters of Filmland started in 1958, spiraling out of the huge interest in classic monster movies being shown on TV to a brand new audience. Editor/writer Forrest J Ackerman, who gave FM much of its charm and wit with his “punny” style of writing and amazing collection of photos and anecdotes, joins publisher James Warren, and Hollywood makeup artist Verne Langdon—whose incredible masks were a staple of FM’s “company store,” Captain Company, in the back of each issue—to talk about this big anniversary. Moderated by Phil Kim. Room 10
12:00-1:00 Lost— If the most recent season finale was any indication of things to come, you will not want to miss this panel. Co-creator/executive producer Damon Lindelof and executive producer Carlton Cuse will discuss season 4 of Lost, leading up to the season finale. They will answer your questions and maybe even offer up some surprises of their own. Hall H
1:30-2:30 Things That Go Bump— Monsters and haunts continue to fascinate authors and readers alike. Authors who’ll be talking about these supernatural themes include Joe Hill (Heart-Shaped Box), Max Brooks (World War Z, The Zombie Survival Guide), Adrienne Barbeau (Vampyres of Hollywood), Chris Marie Green (Vampire Babylon novels), Jeffrey J. Mariotte (River Runs Red), and Natasha Rhodes (Dante’s Girl). Moderated by Maryelizabeth Hart of Mysterious Galaxy. Room 5AB
3:45-5:15 Universal: The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor and Death Race— Universal Pictures presents key cast members, filmmakers, and previously unseen footage from its upcoming slate, including Summer 2008’s The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor and Death Race. Additionally, the studio will showcase talent and materials from 2009 films such as Land of the Lost and more. Hall H
5:00-6:00 Join The Fight: Starship Troopers 3: Marauder— Join Casper Van Dien (Starship Troopers), Jolene Blalock (Star Trek: Enterprise) and writer/director Ed Neumeier (writer of Starship Troopers and RoboCop) for a preview of the third installment in the wildly popular Starship Troopers franchise. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment invites you to “Join the Fight” and take part in an audience Q&A that will be recorded for download over Blu-ray’s BD-Live network. Bring your Bluetooth phone and access exclusive content beamed directly to your handset during the panel! Room 7AB
5:30-7:00 Sony: Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, Quarantine, Pineapple Express—
See the exclusive first look at footage and meet the stars of Underworld : Rise of the Lycans. The third film in the popular Underworld franchise delves into the origins of the centuries-old blood feud between the aristocratic vampires, known as Death Dealers, and the barbaric Lycans (werewolves). A young Lycan, Lucian (Michael Sheen), emerges as a powerful leader who rallies the werewolves to rise up against Viktor (Bill Nighy), the cruel vampire king who has persecuted them for hundreds of years. Lucian is joined by his secret lover, the beautiful vampire Sonja (Rhona Mitra), in his battle to free the Lycans from their brutal enslavement. On stage to take your questions will be Rhona Mitra, Bill Nighy, Michael Sheen and director Patrick Tatopoulos. Underworld: Rise of the Lycans is in theaters everywhere January 23, 2009.
Quarantine: Television reporter Angela Vidal (Jennifer Carpenter) and her cameraman (Steve Harris) are assigned to spend the night shift with a Los Angeles fire station. After a routine 911 call takes them to a small apartment building, they find police officers already on the scene in response to blood-curdling screams and soon learn that a woman living there has been infected by something unknown. After a few of the residents are viciously attacked, they try to escape only to find that the CDC has quarantined the building. Phones, Internet, television and cell phone access have been cut off, and officials are not relaying information to those locked inside. When the quarantine is finally lifted, the only evidence of what took place is the news crew’s videotape. Quarantine opens in theaters everywhere October 17.
Pineapple Express: Frankly, if we tell you almost anything about the plot to this action/comedy, we probably wouldn’t even be allowed to be here, so let’s just say that producer Judd Apatow will be on stage with the gang in tow—director David Gordon Green, Seth Rogen (star and co-writer), James Franco, DannyMcBride, Amber Heard, and Evan Goldberg (co-writer)—to show you how they’ve taken this particular genre to new highs. Also, be sure to ask Seth and Evan about their upcoming Green Hornet film.
6:30-7:30 WildStorm Brewing— Get the inside scoop on what’s coming up from DC’s wildest imprint from VP Hank Kanalz, superstar artist Jim Lee, editorial director Christos Gage (WildCats: World’s End), and creators Neil Googe (WildCats: World’s End), Wes Craig (Wildstorm Revelations), Brian Denham (X-Files), Joshua Ortega (Gears of War), and Jason Craig (Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash). Find out about WildStorm’s newest creator-driven books, plus the latest on The Authority, WildCats, Stormwatch, Gen 13, The Lost Boys, X-Files, J. J. Abram’s Fringe, and much, much more! Room 8
6:30-7:30 Troma, Supernatural Law, New Found Glory, Ghost in the Shell— Meet the diabolical minds behind your favorite comic books and films. George W. Bush Yale classmate and legendary Troma Studios founder Lloyd Kaufman once again mixes with the masses at this year’s Troma, panel which features Batton Lash (creator, Supernatural Law), Chad Gilbert (New Found Glory band, www.moviescenester.com), and producer Steven Paul (Ghost Rider, Doomsday, upcoming Ghost in The Shell with Avi Arad and Steven Spielberg). Learn secrets about how the upcoming Ghost in the Shell got to be produced. See Lloyd and The Toxic Avenger in pages of the newest Supernatural Law comic. Hear New Found Glory’s movie music. Get insights on Lloyd’s creative process plus down-and-dirty secrets of filmmaking with n behind-the-scenes clips from his upcoming Direct Your Own Damn Movie DVD and from Troma’s theatrical hit Poultrygeist, Night of The Chicken Dead! See exclusive footage of Toxie in Iraq! Moderating (and self-medicating as needed) will once again be Mimi Cruz from Eisner Retailer Award–winning store Night Flight Comics. Room 10
10:00-12:00 World Premiere! Mutant Chronicles— Special “work-in-progress” feature film screening hosted by stars Thomas Jane (The Mist), Ron Perlman (Hellboy II), and Devon Aoki (Sin City). This is the first public showing in our hemisphere of this steampunk action-adventure. A disparate squad of former enemy soldiers undertakes a suicide mission deep into the seething heart of the otherworldly mutant scourge bent on human extinction. Unrated, uncut, unreal. Q&A with cast, director Simon Hunter (Lighthouse), and producer Edward R. Pressman (The Crow). Room 6CDEF
11:15-12:15 Supernatural Screening and Q&A— Supernatural stars Jensen Ackles (Smallville) and Jared Padalecki (House of Wax)—along with creator/executive producer Eric Kripke (Boogeyman), co-executive producers Ben Edlund (Angel) and Peter Johnson (Supernatural: Origins comic book series), and supervising producer Sera Gamble (Eyes)—present exclusive sneak peek footage from the highly anticipated fourth season premiere of this thrill-ride series, answer questions, and show a portion of the special features from the upcoming third season DVD release. Produced by Wonderland Sound and Vision in association with Warner Bros. Television, Supernatural airs Thursdays at 9:00 PM ET/PT on The CW. Room 6CDEF
11:30-1:00 The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning— The sea holds many deep secrets for young Princess Ariel in The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning, an all new, full-length movie coming exclusively to DVD on August 26. Available for a limited time only, The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning takes audiences back to the story’s beginnings with favorite characters from the original film as well as a wonderfully wicked new villainess. With a score that continues The Little Mermaid’s legacy of memorable, life-affirming songs, the latest animated adventure from DisneyToon Studios will capture the hearts of all ages! Room 6B
1:00-1:30 Friday the 13th— Sneak a peek at the new movie retelling the original Friday the 13th about teenaged summer camp counselors who are systematically slaughtered by a mysterious killer. Ballroom 20
1:30-2:30 Rogue Pictures— Rogue Pictures presents select footage, key cast members, and filmmakers from its upcoming 2009 slate. Scheduled appearances include writer/director Wes Craven, discussing his suspense thriller 25/8, and writer/director David Goyer, discussing his supernatural thriller The Unborn. Ballroom 20
1:45-2:45 Ghost Whisperer Season Four: The New Spirit Mythology of Melinda— Be on hand for revelations about the mysteries that will unfold in the upcoming season of the hit television series, the introduction of a new cast member Jamie Kennedy, and an exclusive first look at video clips from the season premiere episode. Panel will feature Jennifer Love Hewitt (“Melinda”), Jamie Kennedy (“Eli”—a new series regular cast member in season four), and executive producers Kim Moses, Ian Sander, and PK Simmons. Room 6CDEF
4:00-5:00 Buffy the Musical— Let’s end this show with a bang! The powers that be behind Whedonopolis.com host a screening of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer musical episode “Once More With Feeling” as Comic Con 2008’s big closing event! Many say this is the finest, funniest, most ingenious episode ever to come out of the Buffy-verse. But remember, the best part of the show is up to you! These eps were made for talkin’—back, that is—and singing and shouting and dancing in the aisles—with or without your dry cleaning! Audience participation: it isn’t just for Rocky Horror and mob riots anymore. For more details on the screening visit www.whedonopolis.com, then show up for music, singing, and dancing crazy! Ballroom 20
