Ridley Scott’s Legacy Lives On in Alien: Earth Premiere

The San Diego Comic-Con officially opened today to tens of thousands of visitors from across the world. There is one major historic first among the stars of this year’s line-up of shows and trailers that is already having long-time con-goers extremely excited.

George Lucas, the creator of some of the most recognizable sci-fi franchises of all time, is making his Comic-Con debut this year, having never before attended the highly anticipated event. Lucas, whose works include Star Wars and Indiana Jones, was announced as this year’s “historic first” by Comic-Con’s Chief Communications and Strategy Officer, David Glanzer.

“Comic-Con’s storied history is inextricably linked with [Lucas’s] storytelling, world-building, and visual artistry. Nearly 50 years ago, Star Wars made one of its first public appearances at our convention. At the time, the show featured a booth with [comic book artist] Howard Chaykin’s Star Wars poster in the possession of one of the Lucasfilm owners, and it was offered up as a promotional giveaway to attendees,” Glanzer shared in a statement.

Lucas will join fellow Mexican director Guillermo del Toro and Academy Award-winning concept artist Doug Chiang for Sunday’s panel, moderated by Queen Latifah. The three will discuss the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, set to open in LA next year, its commitment to honoring and elevating the art of the illustrated story, and the film, comic books, and concept art that have influenced their respective creative journeys. The panelists will also speak about Lucas’s extensive personal archive, which will be one of the many pieces on display at the museum.

San Diego Comic-Con: A History

Comic-Con 2024 had its humble beginnings in 1970 as a small, local con with just over 100 comic book fans in attendance. But the weekend-long pop culture extravaganza, now based in San Diego’s Convention Center, has grown over the past 50 years into one of the largest comic conventions in the world. On average, approximately 130,000 people will pass through its doors each year, with a growing number of cultural icons and international artists, and creatives attending and being invited to speak each year.

Comic-Con attendees come for several reasons – whether to meet their favorite celebs, for cosplay (dressing up as characters from movies, games, TV shows, and books), or to check out exclusive collectibles and sneak peeks at exciting new projects, but what they all enjoy is seeing world and U.S. premieres of upcoming projects, movies, games and books.

Star Wars and Alien take over the con.

Sci-fi will be at the forefront of this year’s convention after Marvel Studios announced a scaled-back presence for this year’s Comic-Con following a shakeup in the studio’s Avengers movie. The Marvel Cinematic Universe staple will not be attending this year’s convention, nor will there be a Hall H showcase, according to Variety. Production on the film in the U.K. was wrapped up before Comic-Con began, and its London set up may have changed, so there was logistical difficulty for Marvel to make its usual appearance.

That doesn’t mean there’s not a lot of buzz and excitement to be had with other sci-fi giants stealing the scene. One of the most highly anticipated panels will be the world premiere of Alien: Earth, the series that explores the world of Ridley Scott’s 1979 cult classic Alien. The new prequel, written and directed by Noah Hawley, will be a deep dive into the film’s mythology and is set a few years before the opening scene of Scott’s Alien, when the crew of the Nostromo discovers the now-infamous chestburster.

The series, which will premiere on a streaming service in August, will make its debut tomorrow in Hall H, Comic-Con’s most anticipated event space.

Audiences will also have the chance to hear from Predator: Badlands, a new addition to the sci-fi franchise. While the series of films, which were given a boost in the 80s with Arnold Schwarzenegger’s role as the titular alien, haven’t had the most consistent track record for popularity, fans have a new installment to look forward to. This time, the Predator is on the hunt…for the Predator.

First-time director Dan Trachtenberg, the man behind the series’s recent reboot with 2022’s Prey, will be joined by actress Elle Fanning, who takes the lead role, and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, who plays the alien, Dek, on the upcoming series.

From Project Hail Mary to Peacemaker

Don’t be fooled by Marvel’s scaled-back attendance and apparent increased confidence in blockbuster favorites Star Wars and Indiana Jones that could steal all of the convention; there are many stars, comics, and titles sure to be hits in the year and beyond that will be headlining Comic-Con panels this weekend.

Ryan Gosling and director duo Phil Lord and Christopher Miller will be sharing the screening room on Saturday for a panel on Project Hail Mary. The film, directed by Lord and Miller, will release in theaters next year and is based on the book of the same name by The Martian author Andy Weir. The film follows a former schoolteacher named Ryland Grace (Gosling), who awakens on a spaceship to find himself the sole survivor and last hope for humanity’s survival.

Fans of Peacemaker will also have something to look forward to this weekend. The new season will have a trailer debut at the con, with creator, director, and writer James Gunn (also overseeing DC’s cinematic reboot with Superman) and the cast on hand to dish on the upcoming season and to show off behind-the-scenes clips.

They will not be the only ones dressing up this weekend. Costumed fans of all genres and from all ages will gather at Hall H and other spaces across the convention center in hopes of meeting creators, industry leaders, and actors and actresses dressed as their favorite characters. From princesses to astronauts to superheroes and beyond, Comic-Con is a pop culture party for all.