San Diego Comic-Con 2026: The Biggest Panels, Trailers and Announcements to Watch For

It's that time of year again: San Diego Comic-Con 2026 is just around the corner! For many years, the event has been one of the world's best-known and largest pop culture conventions. Every year, thousands of fans, artists, actors, and industry representatives gather in San Diego to celebrate the latest news from the world of comics, movies, TV shows, video games, and cosplay. Since its founding in 1970, the convention has evolved from a small comic book fair into a global media event. Studios unveil exclusive trailers, stars sign autographs, and upcoming projects are showcased to eager audiences.

This year will be no different. From July 23 to 26, you can look forward to plenty of news from the world of pop culture. Numerous panels on upcoming blockbuster movies and TV series have been announced. Here's a concise overview of what to expect this year. However, not all SDCC 2026 panels have been announced yet. This article will therefore be updated regularly over the next weeks.

Day 1 (July 23)

Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender

We're kicking things off on the very first day with "Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender." The film is set after the cult series "Avatar: The Last Airbender." It once again centers on familiar characters like Aang, Katara, Sokka, Zuko, and Toph.

Here's what it's about: Avatar Aang, the world's last Airbender, learns of an ancient power that could save his culture from extinction. With the help of his friends, he embarks on a global quest to find it before it falls into the wrong hands and upends the peace they sacrificed everything to achieve.

At the panel on July 23, you can expect new insights. The voice actors, among others, will be in attendance. A first trailer has already been released; we might see a second one here. "Avatar: The Last Airbender" was originally supposed to be released in theaters—but that didn't happen. Instead, the production moved to Paramount+, where the film will premiere just two days after the panel (July 25).

Stuart Fails to Save the Universe

Naturally, one particular franchise couldn't miss Comic-Con. One of the world's biggest pop culture conventions centered around classic "nerd culture" is the perfect stage for "The Big Bang Theory." The cult series is getting a spin-off soon: "Stuart Fails to Save the Universe" centers on Stuart (Kevin Sussman), a character familiar from the original series. But other familiar faces from "The Big Bang Theory" will also make an appearance. The panel takes place on Thursday, July 23. On the same day, the series will premiere on HBO Max. It'll be interesting to see if any surprises are announced during the panel.

More Highlights on Day 1

More highlights for the first day of Comic-Con have already been announced. You can look forward to a panel on "Percy Jackson and the Olympians", which will focus on the third season. You can also look forward to new insights into the second season of "Batman: Caped Crusader," the South Korean film "Hope," and the action thriller "Onslaught" starring Adria Arjona.

Day 2 (July 24)

Lanterns

Following the 2011 box office flop, HBO is taking on a new "Green Lanterns" adaptation. "Lanterns" follows new recruit John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) and Lantern legend Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler), two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland.

The series is produced by Damon Lindelof, best known as the co-creator of "Lost". Fans can expect brand-new footage and exclusive clips. The first trailer has already been released. The show premieres on HBO Max on August 16.

The Walking Dead: Dead City Season 3

"The Walking Dead" has long been a Comic-Con institution. While the flagship series has concluded, its spin-offs continue to keep the zombie universe alive. In 2026, a panel on "The Walking Dead: Dead City" awaits us. The spin-off centered on Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and former antagonist Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) is heading into its third season. You can expect more insights into the show. A first trailer has already been released. Among those in attendance will be the two lead actors, as well as showrunner Seth Hoffman and franchise chief Scott Gimple.

Spaceballs: The New One

We may also get a new trailer for "Spaceballs 2" very soon. So far, only two teaser videos have been released, with mastermind Mel Brooks announcing the long-awaited sequel to the cult classic. More recently, a Comic-Con panel was announced, along with the release of a brand-new poster. It's widely expected that we'll get some new footage there. While a behind-the-scenes look has already been confirmed, another teaser or trailer certainly isn't out of the question. "Spaceballs 2" is scheduled to hit theaters on April 23, 2027.

Blade Runner 2099

"Blade Runner 2099" was announced a long time ago, and now things are finally taking shape. Amazon has confirmed an exclusive look at the dystopian Los Angeles of its upcoming Prime Video series. We might even get our first teaser.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

We already have confirmation when it comes to "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power". A first teaser for the upcoming third season has been announced! The release date is also set: the new season premieres on Prime Video on November 11.

Other highlights on the second day of the comic convention include "Rick and Morty" Season 9, "The Vampire Lestat," "X-Men '97," and "My Adventures with Superman."

Day 3 (July 25)

Marvel Studios: Avengers Doomsday and More

Marvel Studios' big panel has been announced for July 25. What can we expect? Marvel has only revealed this much: we'll get an "exclusive look at what's next." They've also kept the panel guests under wraps, promising surprise guests.

The trailer for "Avengers: Doomsday" has already been released just ahead of Comic-Con. Many insiders expected it to debut during Marvel's big panel—but things turned out differently. The first trailer features a wealth of brand-new footage. Over the course of approximately two and a half minutes, we get to see the entire lineup of characters, including Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.) in action. The trailer also showcases the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, and many other iconic characters. But see for yourself:

Still, it will be exciting to see what other announcements Marvel has in store this time—whether it's about "Avengers: Doomsday," the sequel "Avengers: Secret Wars," or other Marvel projects.

Reacher and Neagley

Meanwhile, action fans can look forward to the "Reacher" panel, which will also cover the new spin-off "Neagley." The fourth season of "Reacher" is about to premiere—but there's still no trailer. After all, the new season premieres on August 12. So it's time for the first footage.

The same goes for "Neagley." The spin-off series centered on the titular heroine Frances Neagley (Maria Sten) also hasn't received a trailer yet. However, the first images have already been revealed. Reacher actor Alan Ritchson can also be seen in them. The premiere date has also been announced: The first season will be available on Prime Video starting September 16.

Carrie

Another Amazon series is in the starting blocks: "Carrie." The streaming series a reimagining of Stephen King's cult novel, which was adapted for the big screen in the 1970s by Brian De Palma, among others. A first look and a special announcement were promised for the panel, raising hopes for a debut teaser.

Horror expert Mike Flanagan, known for other Stephen King adaptations such as "Doctor Sleep" and "The Life of Chuck," is behind the project. In addition to Flanagan, cast members Summer Howell, Samantha Sloyan, Siena Agudong, Alison Thornton, Amber Midthunder, and Matthew Lillard will also be present at the panel.

Apple TV: Silo, Widow's Bay, and More

The Apple TV panel will focus on the streaming service's major series as well as several films. These include the critics' favorite "Widow's Bay." Also on the agenda are the post-apocalyptic hit "Silo" (Season 3 has already started) and the sci-fi series "Dark Matter" (Season 2 premiere: August 28). The new Apple films "Mayday" and "Matchbox: The Movie" will also be featured.

Star Trek Universe

A major "Star Trek" panel has also been announced. Topics will include "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds"—the fourth season of the sci-fi series premieres on July 23 on Paramount Plus. Numerous cast and crew members will be in attendance. But it's not just Anson Mount, Rebecca Romijn, and Ethan Peck from "Strange New Worlds" who will be part of the panel. Several stars from older "Star Trek" series are also expected to attend. These include Michael Dorn ("Star Trek: The Next Generation"), Robert Picardo ("Voyager," "Starfleet Academy"), Doug Jones ("Discovery"), and George Takei ("Star Trek: The Original Series").

More Highlights on Day 3

Other highlights include panels on "The Rookie", "The Simpsons", "Family Guy", "Bob's Burgers", "American Dad", "Futurama," and an advanced screening of the sixth episode of the third season of "House of the Dragon."

Day 4 (July 26)

So far, Day 4 of Comic-Con has mainly featured fan events, behind-the-scenes panels and more. For example, there will be a screening of the acclaimed musical episode "Once More, with Feeling" from the cult series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."

At the same time, there will also be a panel discussing the upcoming "Lord of the Rings" projects. Among those in attendance will be Jay Komas, General Manager of Middle-earth Enterprises. Among the topics to be covered is the upcoming feature film "The Hunt for Gollum." Filming recently began, as the director and the actor playing Gollum announced in a teaser. The movie is set to hit theaters on December 17, 2027.

As soon as new information about the fourth day or additional panels becomes available, this article will be updated. To make sure you don't miss any major trailers, keep an eye on the KinoCheck-App and on our YouTube channel. You'll find the trailers there as soon as they're available.