Warner Bros. Pictures presents
Over 6,000 people packed into hall H on Saturday morning for a day full of movie and television magic. Warner Bros. Pictures has a history of presenting panels of epic proportions and on Saturday morning, they did not disappoint. As moderator Chris Hardwick took the stage the side curtains lining the hall slowly began to open. When we thought it couldn’t go any farther, it did and the drape revealed screens that ran the full span of Hall H.
First up was “Ready Player One” based on the novel by Ernest Cline. The feature set to open March of 2018 and directed by the incomparable Steven Spielberg. Set in the future, a kid escapes his life via an exciting VR game. In hall H, attendees were surrounded by images of pop culture on the screens. Freddy Krueger, a Delorean, light cycles and the Iron Giant made cameo appearances. According to Spielberg, the Iron Giant is a “major player in the story.”
All three of the screens lit up again and began a time line of the Blade Runner universe that spanned 3 walls of the room. A hologram introduced the panel. The audience exploded as Harrison Ford took the stage and was his usual tight lipped self. Director Denis Villeneuve along with actors Lennie James (Walking Dead), Ryan Gosling and Ana De Armas answered questions from the audience without giving too much of the plot away for Blade Runner 2049.
The lights dimmed once more as a clip filled with underwater Sci-Fi from Aquaman surrounded the hall. Jason Momoa made his way from the back of Hall H, through the aisles and down to the stage. Barefooted and wielding a trident he stomped and posed about the stage for fans. After posing for many photo opportunities (and there were MANY) he then introduced the trailer for Aquaman. For years Aquaman has been the brunt of jokes and has been cast aside as a super-hero of little to no value. This is definitely no longer the case. The casting of this role couldn’t have been any better.
The last surprise for San Diego Comic Con attendees in hall H was the cast of the Justice League making their entrance via the aisles of seats. Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman), Ben Affleck (Batman), Ezra Miller (Flash) and Ray Fisher (Cyborg) answered a few audience questions but it was clear that Jason Momoa’s larger than life personality stole the show. Especially his display of raw excitement as he picked up two chairs and threw them about the stage after viewing the trailer.