Comic-Con 2026: Marvel, Lanterns & Depp - Hits & Misses

San Diego Comic-Con 2026 has come and gone, leaving in its wake a swirl of cheers, groans, and one truly unexpected standing ovation. This year’s convention floor delivered a mix of blockbuster announcements, ambitious first looks, and a surprise appearance from a Hollywood icon many thought had sailed away for good.

The biggest buzz belonged to Marvel, which used its Hall H panel to unveil its next major phase - a sprawling slate that included both returning favorites and a few risky gambles. Kevin Feige took the stage with a confident stride, promising that the studio had learned from the post-Endgame doldrums. The highlight was a polished sizzle reel for the upcoming Avengers: Secret Wars, which drew roaring applause as glimpses of both legacy characters and newer faces like Ms. Marvel and Moon Knight filled the screen. Fans cheered a brief shot of Doctor Strange and Loki standing side by side in what looked like a Battleworld landscape. Yet the real surprise came later: a first-look teaser for a more grounded, street-level project starring Charlie Cox’s Daredevil, set to debut next fall. The footage was gritty and emotional, a sharp pivot from the cosmic spectacle. Still, not everything landed. A lengthy segment devoted to the animated What If…? season three felt padded, and the room grew restless during a deep dive into the lore of the Eternals sequel. Marvel’s batting average remains high, but some attendees grumbled that too much time was spent on CGI-heavy sequences without clear emotional stakes.

‘Lanterns’ Lights Up Hall H - But With a Catch

Perhaps the most anticipated debut of the weekend wasn’t from Marvel or Warner Bros., but from HBO’s upcoming DC series Lanterns. The show, which follows Hal Jordan and John Stewart as intergalactic cops, screened its first full episode to a packed ballroom. The reaction was raucous - punctuated by cheers for a tense opening montage on the planet Oa and a surprising cameo from a certain Emerald Archer. The tone is a deliberate mix of True Detective grit and Guardians of the Galaxy humor, and the performances from leads Kyle Chandler and Trevante Rhodes earned immediate acclaim. However, the project also faced criticism. A Q&A segment afterward became tense when a fan pointed out that the series had recast the character of Arisia in an attempt to address longtime controversies over age representation, a move that drew confused murmurs. Additionally, the episode ended on a massive cliffhanger that left some feeling cheated rather than eager. For a show that aims to be the foundation of James Gunn’s new DC universe, Lanterns hit a bright note - yet the mixed response suggested it still needs to prove it can sustain that light over a full season.

Johnny Depp Stops the Show

The most visceral reaction of the weekend, however, belonged to neither superhero franchise. Johnny Depp made an unannounced appearance during a panel for the 25th anniversary of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. The studio had come prepared to celebrate the film’s legacy, but nobody expected the star of that film to walk onstage. When Depp appeared - dressed in a familiar black tricorn hat and smudged eyeliner - the room erupted. He said little at first, simply taking in the applause that lasted more than two minutes. When he finally spoke, he thanked fans for their loyalty over the years and hinted at “unfinished business” in the Caribbean. The line sent social media into overdrive. But the official follow-up was cautious: Disney representatives later confirmed that no deal has been signed for a sixth film, and Depp’s remarks were described as “spontaneous and heartfelt, not an announcement.” Still, for a convention that often feels carefully scripted, this raw, emotional moment became the talk of the weekend. Several attendees called it the highlight of Comic-Con 2026 - a reminder that star power, when combined with genuine fan affection, can still cut through the noise of marketing schedules and sizzle reels.

What Missed the Mark

No Comic-Con is without its misfires, and 2026 had its share. A panel for a rebooted Blade franchise, long plagued by development troubles, offered only concept art and a vague promise of a 2028 release. The silence from director Yann Demange only fueled skepticism. Meanwhile, a surprise screening of a new Transformers spin-off left many yawning, with critics noting its over-reliance on noise and under-reliance on story. And a high-profile Hall H slot devoted to a live-action Voltron movie - promoted heavily ahead of time - devolved into a legal dispute on stage when a writer claimed his script had been stolen. Security quickly escorted the heckler out, but the damage was done. For a few minutes, the room felt less like a celebration of pop culture and more like a courtroom.

Overall, Comic-Con 2026 will be remembered as a year of contrasts: Marvel flexing its blockbuster muscle, DC taking a careful step forward, and Johnny Depp stealing the show with nothing more than a grin and a hat. In a town built on spectacle, sometimes the simplest moments leave the deepest mark.

Source: Hollywood Reporter