The Horrors of Comic-Con 2009: Thursday

Updated with Zombieland Zombie Walk details



As we have done in the last couple of years, we’re stripping out the horror-related events occurring at the annual San Diego Comic-Con (goin’ down July 23-26) and cobbling them together in daily preview pieces.

When the madness really begins, all coverage will be gathered in this spot (which is where you can find last year’s headlines/features and beyond). There are lots of surprises on tap for 2009.

Thursday is an interesting day. Sorta light, but I’m curious about what Joe Dante is bringing to the show and more Pandorum footage is always welcome. Come say ‘hi’ at the Masters of the Web panel – which should be amusing, to say the least. And, of course, you do not want to miss Trick ‘r Treat later in the evening.

UPDATE! 10:00-11:00 Masters of the Web – For the third year in a row the most popular genre and movie websites are coming together to discuss how new media have affected moviemaking, what it takes to run a popular site, and much more in a panel discussion and Q&A session. Participants include Robert Sanchez (IESB.net), Ryan Rotten (Shocktillyoudrop.com), Mike Sampson (Joblo.com), Jeremy Smith (Aintitcoolnews.com), Brad Miska (Bloody-Disgusting.com), Drew McWeeny (Hitfix.com), Devin Faraci (CHUD.com), Paul Christensen (Movieweb.com), Wilson Morales (Blackfilm.com/AOL Black Voices), Vic Holtreman (Screenrant.com), and George Roush (Latinoreview.com). Director Kevin Munroe (TMNT, Dead of Night) moderates, with Brandon Routh and Sam Huntington on hand to preview an exclusive sneak peek of their new film Dead of Night, based on the “Dylan Dog” comic books. Room 32AB

11:00-12:00 IDW Publishing: The Evolution of Comics – Through the lens of IDW’s tenth anniversary, founder Ted Adams and IDW editors and creators, including Ashley Wood (“Zombies vs. Robots”), and Steve Niles (“30 Days of Night”), discuss the evolution of the company and look ahead at the future of comics, complete with special announcements of upcoming IDW projects. Room 10

12:30-1:30 Dante’s Inferno – Jonathan Knight (executive producer, EA), Ash Huang (art director), Brandon Auman (writer), Christos Gage (writer), and Diego Latorre (artist) talk about the adaptation of this literary classic into pop culture. They will discuss how they translated the various aspects of “The Divine Comedy” into a video game, an animated feature, and a comic series, where they were faithful and where they invented, and how each of the mediums differs. Also get a peak at EA’s game in development, and also watch the world premiere trailer for the animated feature Dante’s Inferno co-produced by EA and Starz Media. Room 8

UPDATE! 12:45-1:30 3D Showcase: Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, The Hole, The Final Destination – Joe Dante (The Howling) makes his return to the genre he knows best with the 3D thriller The Hole. Three kids come face to face with their darkest fears after they unlock a bottomless hole in the basement that makes their nightmares come to life. Join Dante — along with actress Haley Bennett (The Haunting of Molly Hartley) — as he discusses his return to thrillers, working in 3D, and The Hole. Also, it’s The Final Destination, the new film in the popular series from Warner Bros. See an exclusive clip in 3D, from the upcoming film. Hall H

1:00-2:00 Fred Dekker Signing – Autograph signing to introduce for the first time on DVD, Sony Picture Home Entertainment’s cult horror classic: Night of the Creeps. SPHE will be providing a limited edition Comic-Con Night of the Creeps DVD cover for Mr. Dekker to sign. Booth #4313

1:00-2:00 Tetsuo for the 21st Century – The maverick filmmaker Shinya Tsukamoto (Tetsuo), will have a premiere talk on his secret plans for the movie tentatively called Tetsuo Project. Tsukamoto will reveal the details of this first English language installment of Tetsuo, the third legendary cyberpunk action thriller from Tokyo. Be among the first to witness the official title announcement as well as an exclusive sneak peek at the movie—only for the Comic-Con audience! Room 32AB

UPDATE! 1:45-2:45 Summit Entertainment – Summit Entertainment presents a sneak peek of exclusive footage of some of its upcoming major film releases!

Sorority Row – When five sorority girls inadvertently cause the murder of one of their sisters in a prank gone wrong, they agree to keep the matter to themselves and never speak of it again, so they can get on with their lives. This proves easier said than done, when after graduation a mysterious killer goes after the five of them and anyone who knows their secret. Join the cast of Sorority Row as they debut footage from the film exclusive to Comic-Con 2009.

The Twilight Saga: New Moon – Summit Entertainment is proud to present the panel for The Twilight Saga: New Moon, the highly anticipated sequel to last year’s box office smash Twilight. Surprise members of the cast will answer your questions about the second film in the series and debut never-before-seen footage from the new film. Hall H

2:30-3:30 DVD/Blu-ray Producers 2009: Now in Glorious High-Definition! – Bill Hunt, Adam Jahnke, and Todd Doogan (of The Digital Bits.com), talk about the latest DVD and Blu-ray developments with some of the leading special-edition producers in Hollywood! Panelists include Robert Meyer Burnett (The Hills Run Red, Free Enterprise: The Wrath of Shatner), Laura Gross (Coraline, 9), Charles de Lauzirika (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood), David Naylor ( Bad Lieutenant), and Cliff Stephenson (Crank 2: High Voltage, Gamer). You can expect inside talk, a Q&A, and a sneak peek at great upcoming discs! Room 7AB

3:15-4:15 Capcom 2009 Lineup – Capcom’s premiere producers present sneak peeks at the most anticipated games of the year. Featuring Jun Takeuchi (Lost Planet 2), Morgan Gray (Dark Void), Daryl Allison (Spyborgs), Motohide Eshiro (Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth), and Masachika Kawata (Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles) and moderated by Capcom-Unity.com’s Seth Killian. See exclusive gameplay footage and behind-the-scenes making-of features, followed by a Q&A session! Room 6BCF

5:00-6:00 Showtime: Dexter – Calling all Dexter fans! If you’re a Dexter fanatic and can’t wait for the new season, you don’t want to miss this killer panel! Moderator Ralph Garman (KROQ Entertainment Reporter) presides over a revealing interview and Q&A session with the stars and executive producers of Dexter. Plus, get an exclusive first look at clips from the new season! Featured panelists include series star/executive producer Michael C. Hall (Dexter), Julie Benz (Rita), Jennifer Carpenter (Deb), and executive producers John Goldwyn, Sara Colleton, Clyde Phillips, and Melissa Rosenberg. The new season premieres September 27 at 9:00 PM EST/PST only on Showtime! Ballroom 20

5:15-5:45 Overture Pictures: Pandorum – Don’t fear the end of the world. Fear what happens next. From the producers of the Resident Evil film franchise comes a terrifying thriller in which two crewmembers wake up on an abandoned spacecraft with no idea who they are, how long they’ve been asleep, or what their mission is. The two soon discover they’re actually not alone—and the reality of their situation is more horrifying than they could have imagined. Appearing in person to give you a taste of Pandorum are stars Ben Foster (X-Men: The Last Stand), Cung Le (The Ultimate Fighter), and Antje Traue. Pandorum is in theaters September 18. Hall H

6:00-7:00 Devil’s Due Publishing – Company president Josh Blaylock (“Mercy Sparx”) details what’s to come in the ’09–’10 Devil’s Due lineup! Find out about Blaylock’s new “Mercy Sparx” series, and get a preview from Tim Seeley on what’s in store for Cassie Hack in the fan-favorite “Hack/Slash.” Members of Suicide Girls offer a sneak peek at an upcoming DDP project, and special guest Murs discusses his new comic collaboration with Josh Blaylock! Room 8

6:30-7:00 Focus Features: Thirst – Focus Features and Comic-Con present a rare U.S. appearance by acclaimed Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook, whose “scandalous vampire melodrama” Thirst just won the Prix du Jury (Jury Prize) at the 2009 Cannes International Film Festival. Sang-hyun (played by top Korean star Song Kang-ho, of The Host) is a priest who cherishes life; so much so, that he selflessly volunteers for a secret vaccine development project meant to eradicate a deadly virus. But the virus takes the priest, and a blood transfusion is urgently ordered for him. The blood he receives is infected, so he lives – but now exists as a vampire. Sang-hyun soon plunges into a world of sensual pleasures, finding himself on intimate terms with the Seven Deadly Sins. Park will show clips from the movie – which opens in select cities on July 31 -and discuss his career. Hall H

UPDATE! 7:30 Zombie Walk in Downtown – Meet at the NW corner of 4th and Broadway for a special Zombieland Zombie Walk. Get zombified beforehand at the Sony Pictures booth. Click here for more details.

9:30-12:00 Halloween Comes Early: Trick ‘r Treat Screening – Be among the first to see writer/director Michael Dougherty’s (Superman Returns) creepy, darkly comic celebration of the scariest night of the year. Trick ‘r Treat takes the Creepshow/Tales from the Crypt approach to nefarious new depths with four interwoven tales set on Halloween night: a high school principal who moonlights as a vicious serial killer; a young virgin whose quest for that special someone takes a gruesome turn; a group of teens who carry out a cruel prank with disastrous consequences; and a cantankerous old man who battles a mischievous trick-or-treating demon. Prior to the screening, Ain’t It Cool News mogul Harry Knowles will moderate a panel featuring Michael Dougherty and members of the cast, including Anna Paquin (True Blood), Tahmoh Penikett (Battlestar Galactica), and Brian Cox (X2). A collection of creepy stories that mixes fun with fear, candy with poison, and laughter with screams, the critically acclaimed Trick ‘r Treat will be released on Blu-ray Hi-Def and DVD and On Demand by Warner Home Video in October. Ballroom 20

Source: Full Thursday Schedule Here

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