Marvel, Lucasfilm, Sony, Universal, And Netflix Will All Skip Hall H At 2023 San Diego Comic-Con
Update 06/23/2023: Variety reports that Disney is sitting out San Diego Comic-Con 2023 entirely, which means no Lucasfilm panels either. Sony Pictures, Universal Pictures, Netflix, and HBO are also skipping Comic-Con this year. Original article follows.
San Diego Comic-Con is historically one of the biggest events of the year for movie fans, especially for films of the superhero/multiverse variety. Hall H, the famed hallowed halls of geekdom everywhere is the sacred mecca for all blockbuster nerdery, with some fans camping outside of the convention center for days just to guarantee a spot inside. Announcements, surprises, and events at Hall H are so plentiful, we've been able to make a list highlighting some of the best moments over the years. Traditionally speaking, Hall H is reserved for the biggest, most popular brands in entertainment, with Marvel unofficially turning the location into their summer home away from home during convention season.
And although Phase Five of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has just kicked off with "Ant-Man and Wasp: Quantumania" and the Disney+ series "Secret Invasion," it was announced today through an exclusive news break from The Wrap that Marvel is skipping their annual Hall H presence during this year's Comic-Con. Marvel Studios and Comics will still have a spot on the convention floor, but the huge announcements and celebrity appearances typically reserved for Hall H won't be happening. This isn't the first time that Marvel has foregone the Hall H festivities, as the company was absent in 2015, 2018, and the Comic-Con at Home virtual celebration during the quarantine era of the pandemic, but considering the number of films and series due out as part of Phase Five, the lack of Comic-Con presence is a huge bummer for convention attendees.
Disappointing but not surprising
Marvel consistently pulls out all the stops when it comes to Hall H, but the company is currently dealing with some seriously unprecedented roadblocks that make a Comic-Con showcase pretty difficult. For one thing, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) has yet to negotiate a deal with the Writers Guild of America (WGA), extending the wholly preventable writers' strike and putting a halt to many Marvel productions including "Blade," "Thunderbolts," "Daredevil" and "Wonder Man."
Without any new footage, an estimated time of release, and the possibility of talent unavailability due to a potential strike by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) union, a Hall H appearance doesn't really make much sense. Not to mention, Jonathan Majors, who is supposed to play the Big Baddie Kang in Phase Five, is currently awaiting his August trial following allegations of domestic assault. So while the decision to go without a Hall H appearance might be disappointing, it certainly isn't surprising.
According to The Wrap, Marvel Studios might not be alone in skipping the convention, as there are murmurings that both Universal and HBO may also be sitting out. Fortunately, as the Walt Disney Company serves as the parent company of Marvel, there's a high probability that once there's a better grasp on the company's next moves (and a deal made between the Guilds with the AMPTP), big announcements will come during the annual D23 Expo on September 9 and September 10, 2023.
Our sincerest sympathy to anyone who already booked tickets and lodging for SDCC 2023 in the hopes of seeing Marvel at Hall H. The full schedule for the convention is expected to debut online sometime in early July.