Marvel Studios turned Hall H into a full-scale spectacle Saturday at San Diego Comic-Con.
In a first for the cavernous room, the studio surprised the 7,000-person crowd by revealing a hidden stage at the back of the hall. Castmembers from Thunderbolts* and the 2000s X-Men movies suddenly appeared before the stunned audience.
Marvel Stars Take Over Hall H
After giving brief speeches, the actors made their way through the entire hall toward the main stage. They high-fived fans as the crowd screamed with the intensity of a Beatles or BTS concert.
The group eventually joined Pedro Pascal, Chris Evans, Hayley Atwell and the panel’s star attraction, Robert Downey Jr. It was only one part of a supersized presentation packed with casting announcements, footage and surprises.
‘Black Panther 3’ Finds Its New Hero
One of the biggest revelations involved Black Panther 3. Marvel announced that Alien: Romulus breakout David Jonsson will play the adult son of T’Challa, portrayed by the late Chadwick Boseman.
Jonsson will take up the mantle of the Black Panther in the film. Marvel also confirmed a Dec. 15, 2028 release date.
Ryan Gosling Rides Into the MCU
Marvel followed that announcement with another major reveal. Ryan Gosling will play Ghost Rider in a new feature scheduled for release in 2028.
Shawn Levy will direct the film. Levy previously helmed Deadpool & Wolverine and also directed Gosling in Star Wars: Starfighter.
Deadpool Crashes the Party
Ryan Reynolds also made an unexpected appearance during the presentation. Earlier in the day, he had skipped Apple TV’s presentation for his upcoming action comedy Mayday, but he still found time to crash Marvel’s panel.
Reynolds arrived in costume as a cosplayer named Ricky, who was actually Deadpool. He pointedly asked whether production had already begun, apparently surprised that he had not been invited.
Downey responded with mock irritation toward the Merc with the Mouth. “It’s in the can, bro. Look around you. Did you bump your head?” he told Deadpool.
Deadpool then asked whether Marvel might conduct additional photography to bring new characters into the movie. The crowd responded with a collective “aww” of disappointment.
Marvel Looks to Regain Momentum
Marvel entered Comic-Con facing pressure to deliver a major presentation. The studio released the trailer for Doomsday on Monday, and while it generated record views and plenty of interest, the reaction was not overwhelmingly enthusiastic.
The company has also faced a checkered slate since 2019’s massive Avengers: Endgame. Marvel needed to show audiences that Doomsday represented more than an attempt to recapture past success.
Saturday’s presentation appeared designed to answer those concerns. While a Comic-Con panel cannot predict the quality of future films, the event quickly overwhelmed much of the negativity that had surrounded Marvel earlier in the week.
Doom Takes Command
The studio filled the presentation with light shows, pop music and an army of costumed fans. Every attendee received a Doom mask and cape from Avengers: Doomsday..
Downey, speaking in his Doom accent, asked the audience to put them on and join his cause. Thousands of people complied, transforming Hall H into a legion of Doctor Doom followers.
Marvel kept raising the stakes throughout the presentation. Each time the audience settled back into its seats, another reveal sent fans standing again to watch, cheer and record the moment on their phones.
New ‘Doomsday’ Footage Raises the Stakes
Marvel also screened a Hall H-only reel described as an extended look at Doomsday. For many fans, however, the footage delivered something they felt the original trailer lacked: a clear explanation of the threat and the stakes.
“Victor, did you do this?!” Pascal’s Richards yells at Doom in the footage. Doom later declares, “All of you have lived stolen lives.”
The footage also shows Doom raising an army of giant mutant-killing robots known as Sentinels from the ground. At another point, he tosses Thor aside like a doll.
The sequence begins with Susan Storm, aka The Invisible Woman, explaining Doom’s motivation. “Everything he loved was taken from him,” she says.
Fans Camp Out for Marvel’s Return
The excitement began long before the panel started. Hundreds, if not thousands, of fans camped overnight for a chance to secure one of Comic-Con’s hottest tickets.
Marvel distributed Doctor Doom masks and capes before the presentation. The Fantastic Four robot H.E.R.B.I.E. also appeared onstage as fans waited for the show to begin.
Marvel Celebrates Its Screen History
The panel opened with a sizzle reel celebrating Marvel’s biggest screen moments. It included not only Marvel Studios productions, but also films released before Iron Man launched the MCU in 2008.
The reel featured footage of Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man and Patrick Stewart’s Prof. X. The inclusion highlighted Marvel’s wider cinematic history beyond the core MCU.
Feige also brought out Jon Bernthal to introduce an action sequence from Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The film opens next week, and Marvel has shown relatively little footage from the movie before now.
Kevin Feige Pays Tribute to Marvel Comics
Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige opened his remarks by focusing on the foundation behind the company’s movies and television projects. He credited Marvel Comics as the source of everything the studio has built.
Feige also addressed the recent leadership change at Marvel’s publishing division. He thanked outgoing editor-in-chief C.B. Cebulski for his work and welcomed new chief Stephen Wacker.
“Without the comics, no MCU, no movies, no TV shows, no animation,” Feige said. “Nothing.”
