Joining my team at The Direct, I was lucky enough to attend my third straight San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC), and after skipping 2025, Marvel Studios was back in Hall H on Saturday night. Being in Hall H, as an attendee, reporter, or anything else at SDCC, is a unique experience. This year, especially, as most (if not all) of the sleep-deprived fans in that large room were there for one thing: Avengers Doomsday.
The gentleman sitting next to me, who was part of the nine-person group that began their Hall H campout on Wednesday, theorized with me that after the Star Trek 60 and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds panel, some trekkies would clear out of the hall. It's safe to say that no one moved an inch, besides going to the bathroom or finding something to eat while trying not to fall asleep during nearly seven hours of other panels before Kevin Feige took the stage.
Hall H was jam-packed, and the restlessness hit an all-time high following a delay to the 5:30 pm PT start time for Marvel. Luckily, after being handed a Doctor Doom mask and cape, it was finally time for Marvel to wow the delirious audience, dying for something major to happen.
While I will admit the 2024 climax of Robert Downey Jr. being revealed as Doom probably beats anything that happened this year, that doesn't mean it didn't feed the fanbase, despite its lightning-fast pace of about 40 minutes.
Here's a look at the biggest Marvel Studios announcements made at SDCC, ranked by their impact, importance, and presentation.
Ranking Marvel's Biggest SDCC Announcements
1.) David Jonsson as Black Panther
What can I say, I'm a sucker for the "one last thing" line at these types of events. Getting the now Academy Award-winning writer and director Ryan Coogler on the stage was incredible on its own, including the confirmation of Letitia Wright and Winston Duke returning for Black Panther 3, and a primetime December 15, 2028, release date (which was probably decided very recently, as Coogler originally said the wrong day).
Beyond all of the excited but expected Black Panther 3 updates, Marvel doubled down on its one last thing and brought out its new Black Panther. In my mind, I was sure it was going to be F1: The Movie's Damson Idris, as I've been reporting on those rumors for months, but when Coogler mentioned The Long Walk, I knew we were heading in a different direction.
After being introduced as T'Challa's (Chadwick Boseman) son, T'Challa Jr., first seen in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever as a little boy, 32-year-old actor David Jonsson took the stage.
What stood out to me personally, besides looking like he could be related to Boseman or Lupita Nyong'o (T'Challa Jr.'s mother, Nakia), was how Jonsson interacted with the crowd.
In a presentation that featured Robert Downey Jr., who never let go of the mic and oozed personality and bravado, Jonsson was quiet and humble. From my perspective, it was the most real, human experience and announcement of the panel. The actor shared an extended hug with Wright, and you could feel the weight of him taking up the mantle not only of Black Panther but also of Boseman.
2.) Avengers: Doomsday SDCC Footage
Five days after the first official Avengers: Doomsday trailer was released online, those in Hall H Saturday night essentially got an early look at the second full trailer.
Whereas the first trailer was focused on Thor, the Avengers, Fantastic Four, and X-Men, the second trailer was not only much better in my opinion, but it focused on their selling point since day one... RDJ as Victor Von Doom.
From an energy standpoint, it's hard to top finally giving these starving (metaphorically and literally) fans what they came for. While it wasn't an extended scene, it was a trailer framed around how Doctor Doom became the villain we will all see on December 18.
Spoiler alert (not really), Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal) and Doom have a history, seemingly confirming that he's the version of the character from the Earth-828 universe. In the footage, Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby) is seen explaining to the other Avengers how she didn't realize Victor had become this "broken:"
"Victor was always the smartest guy in every room, he used to be different. He used to be kind, he used to be caring. Everything he loved was taken from him...I knew he was lost, but I did not realize he was broken."
The central conflict was also revealed from a line of dialogue from Doom himself, saying ominously, "All of you have lived stolen lives and now you must give them back." It's safe to say that our heroes' children, like Franklin Richards, Love, Cassie Lang, and Steve Rogers new baby, could all be in danger as Doom seeks his revenge.
On top of that, there was an incredible new look at Doom in action, clearly a villain at the top of their game, physically, mentally, and magically. For someone who liked (not loved) the first trailer, this new footage won me over and will likely do the same to many others when it's eventually released online.
3.) Ryan Gosling as Ghost Rider
Before diving into the freshly announced Ghost Rider movie, starring Ryan Gosling and directed by Shawn Levy (the Star Wars: Starfighter team), a quick story time.
One Friday night, at the annual SDCC IGN Party, I met for the first time a podcaster and one of my favorite interviewers, Josh Horowitz from the Happy, Sad, Confused podcast. I asked him if he was moderating anything over the weekend, and he confirmed that he'd be leading the Apple TV panel on Saturday. Looking back, it's crazy to think that buried in his brain was the plan for him to be part of the Marvel Studios Hall H panel, introducing Gosling as Ghost Rider to the world.
At this point, Gosling is one of our biggest Hollywood stars, and he clearly isn't shy about taking on IP-driven work. His eventual six-year run of Barbie, The Fall Guy, Project Hail Mary, Star Wars: Starfighter, and Ghost Rider is unprecedented.
Sure, there have been stars, even like MCU-leader Downey Jr., who have starred in a string of blockbusters, but Gosling's widespread reach across studios and genres is unique. Clearly, Disney thinks Starfighter will be a real winner, as they're now looking to recapture that magic over at Marvel with Ghost Rider.
Gosling joining the MCU is a longtime fan request, and this felt like the perfect announcement to make before they took a deep dive into Doomsday.
4.) Spider-Man vs. Smart Hulk Clip from Hall H
There was nothing to hate about the brief moment, sparked by a surprise visit from Jon Bernthal, of promoting Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which opened in theaters less than five days after the panel.
There was no real need to sell the new Tom Holland Spider-Man movie, as it's safe to assume the majority of the 6,500 people in Hall H probably already had tickets reserved for opening weekend. That said, the footage they did show us was awesome.
It recontextualized the battle in Brand New Day between Spider-Man and Punisher, taking on the Hulk. While we've all been very excited for the Savage Hulk's return, this was actually still the Smart Hulk, which really shocked me in the moment. Also, the banter that Bernthal and Holland have been teasing in interviews between their two characters was present and hilarious.
Just two days before its red carpet premiere, this wasn't something fans necessarily needed, but it was a great glimpse into how good Spider-Man: Brand New Day is.
5.) X-Men '97 Season 3 First Look
I wasn't in the room when Marvel debuted the X-Men '97 Season 3 footage at its "Marvel Comics to Screen" panel. I believe I was busy interviewing the cast and crew of the upcoming horror film Buddy at the time.
As described (and spread online), the footage centers on the Brotherhood of Mutants, who've been oddly absent from the revival so far: Pyro, Avalanche, Blob, and Toad, marking a building with "Mutant Freedom" in spray paint.
They're joined by Surge, a new mutant joining in Season 3, who charges up their graffiti with a jolt of power before a redesigned group of Sentinels begins sparring with the mutants. It seemed to be more of a visual and animation presentation, rather than displaying a major piece of the overarching storyline puzzle.
At the panel, Head of Streaming, Television and Animation at Marvel Studios, Brad Winderbaum, added that Season 3's animation is wrapping, while Season 4 is already in animatics.
