‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,’ ‘The Walking Dead’ Lead Thursday and Friday Panels at SDCC

Coming off of a triumphant return in 2022 following two pandemic-ruined years, San Diego Comic-Con will be a bit stripped back in 2023. Major studios like Marvel, Netflix, Universal, and potentially DC Studios have all either massively scaled back or entirely nixed their plans for the convention halls this year, especially amidst tension in the industry with the ongoing writers strike and looming SAG-AFTRA strike. That’s not to say the convention center will be barren, however, as the schedules for Thursday and Friday foretell plenty of fun panels with exclusive footage, discussion, and more fans won’t want to miss.

Thursday looks to be a big day for television and animation with Max, FX, Peacock, and more holding panels. Max Original Animation’s panel will explore all the new animated series one can expect on Warner Bros. Discovery’s streamer in the near future, including exclusive sneak peeks at series like the Adventure Time spinoff Adventure Time: Fionna & Cake, the new animated series Young Love, based on the characters from the Oscar-winning animated short, Hair Love, and Season 4 of the hit Harley Quinn series. FX, meanwhile, will return with everyone’s favorite Staten Island-based vampires in a What We Do in the Shadows panel featuring a preview of a new episode from the upcoming Season 5. Keeping with the heavy animation focus, they’ll also be sending off Archer with an exclusive screening of the first episode of the 14th and final season at a panel. Then there’s Peacock which will give an exclusive preview of its series adaptation of the hit PlayStation franchise Twisted Metal ahead of its July 27 premiere.

Prime Video is slated to give a new look at the much-anticipated Season 2 of The Wheel of Time as well while the CBS and Paramount+ hit Ghosts haunts the convention halls once again to discuss that cliffhanger season finale. Of course, Thursday isn’t bereft of movies. A24’s highly-anticipated horror film Talk to Me will be present with YouTubers turned filmmakers Danny and Michael Philippou leading a panel discussing their journey from internet content creation to big-screen horror crafting. Turtles are also popping out of the sewer with new footage of the highly-anticipated animated feature Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem set to appear in a panel before the heroes in a half-shell return to theaters on August 2. We can also expect Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell to give us the delicious sauce on all things Good Burger 2 with their panel together.

RELATED: ‘Power Rangers’ Rita Repulsa Gets Her Own SDCC Exclusive Funko Pop

What’s In Store for Friday, July 21?

Friday is typically one of the biggest days of SDCC and 2023 will be no exception. Animation, again, takes center stage with several highly-anticipated animated series from Cartoon Network and Adult Swim including My Adventures With Superman, Teenage Euthanasia Season 2, and the long-awaited Tiny Toons Looniversity. This year’s convention looks to celebrate both the history and the present of Adult Swim with a 10th anniversary panel for Rick and Morty, which comes at a tenuous time following Justin Roiland‘s legal troubles and departure, as well as a new look at Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar. Another Roiland series, Solar Opposites, is expected as well with Season 4 footage showcasing Korvo’s new Dan Stevens voice. Plus, a fan favorite will be back once again as Bob’s Burgers makes its triumphant return with new footage alongside several other shows under the FOX banner.

Three beloved universes will also be strongly represented at the convention. Following the premiere of The Walking Dead: Dead City and with more spinoffs on the way, The Walking Dead universe panel is back to talk shop on all things relating to the undead and the fan-favorite survivors trying to get by in the post-apocalypse. As previously revealed, John Wick fans can also step back into The Continental with a first look at the prequel series with the cast and crew in a panel presented by Lionsgate. Finally, we’ll get a new look at Gen V, Prime Video’s bloody new The Boys spinoff set at Godolkin University School of Crimefighting. The cherry on top for Prime Video is that Aziraphale (Michael Sheen) and Crowley (David Tennant) will also pop up in a sneak peak at Good Omens Season 2.

Collider’s presence will be felt on Friday as well! Our Editor-in-Chief Steve Weintraub will be moderating a Directors on Directors panel at the convention with some stellar creatives on board including David Leitch, Gareth Edwards, and Justin Simien to discuss their work and the art of directing. We aren’t coming empty-handed either, as the panel will have exclusive new footage from Edwards’s new film The Creator, Simien’s Haunted Mansion update, as well as free convention-exclusive The Creator posters for all who attend.

SDCC 2023 will run from July 20 through 23. Check out the full schedule on the official website or see the full details of some of the highlights below.

THURSDAY, JULY 20

Max Original Animation

Max Original Animation celebrates new and returning animated series’ including an expansion in the “Adventure Time” universe, “Adventure Time: Fionna & Cake”; a new animated series, “Young Love,” based on the characters from Matthew A. Cherry and Sony Pictures Animation’s Oscar-winning animated short, “Hair Love”; and a preview of the upcoming fourth season for the fan-favorite “Harley Quinn.” The panel will feature exclusive sneak peeks, surprise panelists, and more.

• 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (Ballroom 20)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

Paramount Pictures brings a panel discussion and footage presentation with filmmakers.

• 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (Hall H)

Ghosts

One of television’s top comedies on CBS and Paramount+, returns to Comic-Con after a season cliffhanger where Sam saw a piercing white light shoot from the heavens directly into their home.

• 12:45 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. (Ballroom 20)

Project K: Inside India’s History-Making Sci-Fi Epic

From the heartland of India emerges a unique tale that intertwines ancient mythology with cutting-edge science fiction, all within the captivating Spice Punk aesthetic. Welcome to Project K, the inaugural chapter of India’s most ambitious cinematic universe yet. Three of India’s biggest superstars, Kamal Hassan, Prabhas, and Deepika Padukone, along with director Nag Ashwin, unveil a glimpse into the future. Experience the convergence of global cinema’s superheroes as Project K marks the first time India takes the stage at Comic-Con.

• 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. (Hall H)

Behind the Scenes With the Cast of Jury Duty

From producers of “The Office,” “The White Lotus,” and “Bad Trip,” the Amazon Freevee Original series “Jury Duty” chronicles the inner workings of an American jury trial through the eyes of one particular juror, Ronald Gladden, who doesn’t realize that everyone around him is an actor and the entire trial is fake. Get the inside scoop on what was happening behind the scenes during the making of the series from the cast and creative team, and meet San Diego’s own hometown hero, Ronald.

• 1:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. (Indigo Ballroom)

The Wheel of Time

The Wheel continues to turn at Comic-Con, as the cast of Prime Video’s hit series The Wheel of Time gives a sneak peek into the highly anticipated second season. In addition to a discussion about how the show is bringing Robert Jordan’s iconic book series from page to screen, they’ll be revealing exclusive season 2 content, as well as some other exciting surprises for attendees. Season 2 of The Wheel of Time will premiere on September 1.

• 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. (Ballroom 20)

Hold the Sauce! Good Burger 2 Is Back!

The highly anticipated movie’s stars Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell will be joined by Good Burger 2 cast members Lil Rel Howery, Josh Server, and Kamaia Fairburn to discuss the all-new Paramount+ original movie and sequel to the iconic ’90s feature film based on the sketch from Nickelodeon’s hit comedy series All That.

• 2:15 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. (Room 6BCF)

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2: Symbiotic Relationships

Insomniac Games’ creative director Bryan Intihar, game director Ryan Smith, narrative director Jon Paquette, and senior art director Jacinda Chew are joined by actors Yuri Lowenthal (Peter Parker), Nadji Jeter (Miles Morales), Laura Bailey (Mary Jane Watson), and Tony Todd (Venom), along with VO and creative director Bill Rosemann from Marvel Games, to discuss the upcoming PlayStation 5 game. Get a behind-the-scenes look at Insomniac Games’ take on the monstrous Venom and how the symbiote plays a role in the sequel to the hit PlayStation games Marvel’s Spider-Man and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales.

• 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. (Hall H)

An Inside Look at Cruel Summer Season 2

The stars and creative team behind Freeform’s hit series “Cruel Summer” take you behind the scenes of season 2 and tease all the twists and turns viewers can expect from the shocking final episodes. Fans will be treated to an exclusive sneak peek of the rest of the season and a conversation with stars Lexi Underwood, Sadie Stanley, and Griffin Gluck, alongside executive producers Michelle Purple and Bill Purple. New episodes of “Cruel Summer” air Mondays at 10/9c on Freeform and stream next day on Hulu.

• 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. (Indigo Ballroom)

Get an exclusive sneak peek at Peacock’s new original comedy series “Twisted Metal.” Based on the classic PlayStation game series, “Twisted Metal” is a high-octane action comedy based on an original take by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick (“Deadpool”) and written by Michael Jonathan Smith (“Cobra Kai”), about a motor-mouthed outsider offered a chance at a better life, but only if he can successfully deliver a mysterious package across a post-apocalyptic wasteland. The ten-episode series stars Anthony Mackie, Stephanie Beatriz, Thomas Haden Church, with Will Arnett and Joe Seanoa, and guest stars Neve Campbell and streams only on Peacock on July 27.

• 3:15 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. (Ballroom 20)

Master of the Universe: Revolution, a Converation with Kevin Smith and the Cast

Kevin Smith (Clerks, Dogma) hosts a roundtable discussion about He-Man and Skeletor’s most epic battle yet with the creators and cast of Revolution featuring Chris Wood, Melissa Benoist, Griffin Newman, and Tiffany Smith. Come for the exclusive scenes, stay for a goliath appearance by a special cast member.

• 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. (Room 6BCF)

A24’s Talk to Me

Danny and Michael Philippou (a.k.a. RackaRacka) discuss their journey from YouTube creators to their feature debut and how their love of genre led them to make the most anticipated horror film of the summer. They will be joined by Talk to Me cast members Sophie Wilde, Joe Bird, Alexandra Jensen, and Zoe Terakes.

• 4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. (Indigo Ballroom)

FX’s What We Do in the Shadows

We’re sending ravens — 500 ravens! — to invite you to join America’s favorite vampire roommates at Comic-Con! Be among the first humans to set eyes on a brand-new episode, complete with surprises! “What We Do in the Shadows” airs Thursdays at 10:00 ET/PT on FX, streaming the next day on Hulu. BAAAaaaaat!

• 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. (Ballroom 20)

Chasing ‘Chasing Amy’: How Fandom Inspires Creativity

How can a deep love of a movie result in bold new work? How meta can a documentary about loving a movie become? See for yourself by joining us for a conversation about the new Tribeca Film Festival selected documentary Chasing Chasing Amy and how one closeted queer kid’s love of Kevin Smith’s “Chasing Amy” resulted in the journey of a lifetime. Moderated by “Chasing Amy” director Kevin Smith, this conversation focuses on the creation and ideation of “Chasing Chasing Amy,” how art inspires life and inspires art again, and how art’s meaning evolves over time. Panelists include Award-winning filmmaker/subject Sav Rodgers (“Out Here in Kansas,” “Dragtivists”), principal subject Regina “Riley” Rodgers (“The Remus Gang”), lesbian writer and culture critic Trish Bendix, and writer/YouTuber Princess Weekes.

• 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. (Indigo Ballroom)

FX’s Archer: 14th and Final Season Exclusive Screening and Q&A

Get ready to party, folks! “Archer,” the hit animated comedy series, returns to San Diego for one last blow-out celebration in advance of its upcoming 14th and final season, premiering August 30 on FXX. The landscape of the spy world is changing, and The Agency is now finding its way with Lana at the helm. Her goal is to make money while also making the world a better place, but running a spy agency isn’t so cut and dried. Come for a can’t-miss exclusive screening of the season opener and additional surprises.

• 5:45 p.m. – 6:45 p.m. (Ballroom 20)

FRIDAY, JULY 21

Tiny Toons Looniversity

Congratulations, you’ve been accepted into ACME Looniversity! Join this panel of “Tiny Toons Looniversity” academics (a.k.a. cast and crew) as they take you on a “campus tour” of Cartoon Network’s newest entry into the Looniverse. Classes begin this fall, but panel attendees will be treated to a screening of the premiere episode! Plus, catch sneak peeks of the final batch of Looney Tunes cartoons and upcoming episodes of Cartoonito’s preschool “Bugs Bunny Builders.” Tiny Toons Looniversity is produced by Amblin Television in association with Warner Bros. Animation. Looney Tunes Cartoons and Bugs Bunny Builders are produced by Warner Bros. Animation.

• 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. (Indigo Ballroom)

My Adventures With Superman

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s Superman like you’ve never seen him before! Watch a new episode of Adult Swim’s newest comedy adventure and join the heroic cast and crew of “My Adventures with Superman” as they discuss familiar friends and foes, plus what else you will see in Season 1 and beyond. “My Adventures with Superman” is produced by Warner Bros. Animation.

• 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (Indigo Ballroom)

Collider: Directors on Directing

David Leitch (director of “Deadpool 2,” “Bullet Train,” and “The Fall Guy”), Gareth Edwards (director of “The Creator,” “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” and “Godzilla”), and Justin Simien (director of “Dear White People,” “Bad Hair,” and “Haunted Mansion”) take part in a wide-ranging and in-depth discussion about the craft of directing and projects past, present, and future. The panel will also feature exclusive new footage from “The Creator” and “Haunted Mansion” and all attendees will take home an exclusive Comic-Con poster of “The Creator.”

• 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (Hall H)

Teenage Euthanasia: Season 2

Trophy might be dead and stuck in Florida, but join the very much alive cast and crew in sunny San Diego as they look back at the apocalyptic near-future and share an exclusive look at the new season.

• 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. (Indigo Ballroom)

Good Omens: The Ineffable Season 2

Get a sneak peek at the highly anticipated return of our favorite angels and demons for Season 2 of “Good Omens,” premiering July 28 on Prime Video. With the Apocalypse thwarted, angel and demon best friends Aziraphale and Crowley are getting back to easy living amongst mortals in London’s Soho, when the archangel Gabriel turns up unexpectedly, with no memory of who he is or how he got there. To solve this mystery and evade Heaven and Hell in the process, the duo will need more than a miracle; they’ll need to once again rely on each other. The century-spanning saga takes us from before The Beginning to the modern day, with lots of quirky mortal and immortal characters joining in on the adventures along the way. With an entirely original story expanding on the beloved novel by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman and the 2019 TV adaptation, “Good Omens” Season 2 stars Michael Sheen as angel Aziraphale, David Tennant as demon Crowley, Jon Hamm as archangel Gabriel, Miranda Richardson as demon Shax, Quelin Sepulveda as angel Muriel, Shelley Conn as demon Beelzebub, and Maggie Service and Nina Sosanya as humans Maggie and Nina.

• 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. (Ballroom 20)

Can the Metalocalypse be stopped? The cast and crew of this all-new original animated R-rated movie, based on the hit Adult Swim series, talk all things “Metalocalypse,” preview some clips from the film, and discuss the new soundtrack and Dethalbum IV. “Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar” will be available to own on Digital and Blu-ray starting August 22.

• 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. (Indigo Ballroom)

The Walking Dead Universe

Fans will get exclusive, first-look access to all things The Walking Dead Universe.

• 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. (Hall H)

Audience Is King

Comedian TJ Miller (“Silicon Valley,” “Deadpool”), Jon Heder (“Napoleon Dynamite”, “Blades of Glory”), John Attanasio (CEO of Toonstar), and Devon Ferreira (CMO of Immutable) with moderator Harry McCracken (global technology editor of Fast Company) discuss the future of franchise creation where fans and creators collaborate in new ways, leveraging Web3, AI technology, and dynamic gameplay. They will also unveil their upcoming community-driven story world that’s ripped straight from the headlines where fact is stranger than fiction.

• 1:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. (Ballroom 20)

Rick and Morty 10th Anniversary

It hasn’t been 100 years quite yet, but join the cast and crew as they celebrate 10 years of “Rick and Morty” adventures and family shenanigans! Plus, get a first look at the upcoming seventh season.

• 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. (Indigo Ballroom)

Wētā Workshop: Celebrating 20 Years of Middle-Earth

Wētā Workshop presents a 20-year retrospective on creating imaginary worlds. Richard Taylor (co-founder and CEO, Wētā Workshop), Gino Acevedo (senior prosthetics supervisor, LOTR; WētāFX creative art director), Daniel Falconer (senior designer, Wētā Workshop), and some of their crew take a look behind the scenes in this The Lord of the Rings 20th anniversary year. Jed Brophy (actor, stuntman, LOTR trilogy) will host a Q&A, and there may be a surprise return to the stage for a fan favorite! They will also reveal our ROTK 20th Anniversary Masters Collection collectible.

• 2:15 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. (Room 6A)

Peacock’s The Continental: From the World of John Wick

The cast and executive producers Basil Iwanyk and Albert Hughes of Peacock’s three-part event “The Continental: From the World of ‘John Wick’” take an exclusive first look at the series. A prequel to the blockbuster action franchise, the series will explore the origin behind the iconic hotel-for-assassins centerpiece of the John Wick universe through the eyes and actions of a young Winston Scott, as he’s dragged into the Hell-scape of 1970s New York City to face a past he thought he’d left behind.

• 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. (Ballroom 20)

Solar Opposites

“Solar Opposites” packs up the sci-fi and gets normal…for a second. Then it’s back to classic Solar chaos, mayhem in the Wall, and some all-new Silvercops adventures. Join the aliens for a hilarious and out-of-this-world first look at the upcoming fourth season on Hulu.

• 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. (Indigo Ballroom)

Entertainment Weekly: Brave Warriors

They may be fighters on screen, but that doesn’t mean they’re not lovers (of the craft). A panel of actors discuss the thrill of playing iconic characters, the difference between their personas and real life, and the highs (and lows!) of their careers in Hollywood.

• 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. (Hall H)

The Great North

The Tobins are back at Comic-Con! Join your favorite Lone Moose family for a hilarious look at their outrageous Alaskan adventures on The Great North, ahead of its fourth season on FOX.

• 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. (Indigo Ballroom)

Gen V

From the world of “The Boys,” Prime Video reveals its highly anticipated new series “Gen V” with members of the cast, who will talk about the upcoming college spinoff for the first time. Set at America’s only college exclusively for young adult superheroes (run by Vought International), “Gen V” explores the lives of hormonal, competitive Supes as they put their physical, sexual, and moral boundaries to the test, competing for the school’s top ranking. The series stars Jaz Sinclair, Chance Perdomo, Lizze Broadway, Shelley Conn, Maddie Phillips, London Thor, Derek Luh, and Asa Germann. Patrick Schwarzenegger, Sean Patrick Thomas, and Marco Pigossi recur. Michele Fazekas, Tara Butters, Eric Kripke, Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, James Weaver, Neal H. Moritz, Ori Marmur, Pavun Shetty, Ken Levin, Jason Netter, Garth Ennis, Darick Robertson, Craig Rosenberg, Zak Schwartz, Erica Rosbe, and Michaela Starr serve as executive producers. Gen V comes from Sony Pictures Television Studios and Amazon Studios, in association with Kripke Enterprises, Point Grey Pictures, and Original Film.

• 4:15pm – 5:15pm (Ballroom 20)

Bob’s Burgers

Always a fan favorite at Comic-Con, the Emmy Award–winning animated series “Bob’s Burgers” returns to Comic-Con with an exciting first look at an upcoming episode before the series returns to FOX this fall. Sport your best Belcher costume and celebrate with a room full of “Bob’s Burgers” fans.

• 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. (Indigo Ballroom)

The Strangers Trilogy Exclusive First Look

Actress and executive producer Madelaine Petsch (Riverdale) and producer Courtney Solomon (After) discuss The Strangers and will provide an exclusive first-look clip from their new horror trilogy, which will be in theaters from Lionsgate in 2024.

• 8:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. (Room 29CD)