San Diego Comic-Con 2024: Hollywood is back, baby!

For most of the 21^st Since the turn of the century, San Diego Comic-Con has been on a steady trajectory of massive growth. Every year, the event gets bigger, crazier, more packed with fans, brands, and major Hollywood talent. Then the pandemic years, including two cancellations and a few smaller editions, followed by the writers’ and actors’ strikes in 2023, took a toll on the granddaddy of pop culture festivals.

But that’s all in the past now. The 2024 edition, which kicks off this week in San Diego, is shaping up to be as big, loud, and crazy as ever. When Comic-Con released its massive schedule for the four-day event a few days ago, the Hollywood lineup was back in full force, including blockbuster panels featuring Deadpool and Wolverine, The Walking Dead, The Lord of the Rings, and Marvel Studios.

Hall H is back and being used to its full potential, said David Glanzer, director of strategy and marketing for Comic-Con International, the organization that puts on the nonprofit SDCC show. I think longtime attendees will see something they’re used to, a really full, robust show.

The return of Hall H almost certainly also means the return of lines at Hall H, which can start forming a day or more before the show officially opens and stretch to comical lengths for the biggest panels on Friday and Saturday. While the average person might dread waiting in line for hours in the heat in hopes of snagging a seat in an auditorium the size of an airplane hangar to see a preview that will be on YouTube an hour later, line culture is part of the SDCC experience, and the images of thousands of fans camped out overnight help give the convention some of its buzz and otherworldly aura.

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The impact of Hollywood’s return goes far beyond big names and potential surprise appearances. Last year, writers and actors, including voice actors, were barred from promoting the striking works. That meant that even if they showed up at the convention, they could only talk about their own projects. A few took advantage of the loophole, but the unions took a dim view of anything that looked like a break in the ranks.

Now that it's all over, that means fan-favorite cartoon and anime voice actors will be back for some of the event's most popular shows, writers will be taking part in panel discussions about creating, selling, and adapting works for media, and actors and celebrities who will be at the show promoting their latest graphic novels will be able to answer fans' questions about their previous roles.

While some fans appreciated the relative quiet of Comic-Con 2018, the lack of pomp was a blow to the event and the city. This year’s Comic-Con media sponsors include ABC, Amazon Prime Video, AMC, CoziTV, Fox, FX, Hulu, NBC and Paramount+, as well as publishers DC and Viz. Paramount+ is also the sponsor of Comic-Con’s badge this year, which features its monochrome corporate logo.

One of the mainstays of Comic-Con are the activations and immersive experiences that pop up around the Convention Center or on the streets of the Gaslamp District, offering activities to attendees who don’t have badges for every day of the show, as well as interested locals. While strikes haven’t stopped studios from hosting these activities in 2023, this year fans can enjoy the marketing without feeling like they’re taking sides in a labor dispute. Some of this year’s top attractions include:

The Paramount+ Lodge, featuring themed resorts and experiences based on Star Trek, Ghosts, Criminal Minds, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and more.

#FXSDCC, a massive amusement park-like installation on the front lawn of the Hilton Bayfront, this year featuring a pop-up restaurant The bearas well as photo booths for What we do in the shadows, it's always sunny in PhiladelphiaAnd American Horror Story.

Hulus Animayhems Factory, with fun stuff based on The Simpsons, Family Guy, Futurama, Solar Opposite, Bob's Burgers and more.

Adult Swims Parrrry on the Green to Feature Warner Bros.-Discovery Animated Hit Rick and Mortyas well as programming featuring Smiling Friends Common Side Effects and other daring animations.

Organizers hope a return to form will help the ICC turn around its finances, which have been hit after two full editions of the show were cancelled due to COVID in 2020 and 2021. According to SDCC most recent tax returnsIn 2022, revenues rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, but higher expenses led the organization to record a modest operating loss. Presumably, 2023 improved those financial results and in 2024, the show can begin to rebuild its reserves, which were cut in half during the lockdown. Until then, attendees are unlikely to see the return of amenities such as printed programs or carpeted show floors.

Whatever the agenda for this year's Comic-Con, the event is poised to turn the page on its recent troubles. Organizers have been making noise ahead of this year's show, citing problems about the lack of support from local hotels. A few days later, Comic-Con has extended its agreement with the Convention Center to be in San Diego through 2026.