11
Comic-Con 2026 Day 3: Doomsday, Star Trek & Dark Matter Revealed
Comic-Con 2026 Day 1: All the Big Announcements You Need to Know
San Diego Comic-Con kicked off with a bang! From legendary directors returning to animation to beloved franchises getting new seasons, here’s everything that happened on Day 1 — explained simply.
Brad Bird Returns with Ray Gunn & Teases Incredibles 3
After eight years since Incredibles 2, Oscar-winning director Brad Bird (the genius behind The Iron Giant, Ratatouille, and Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol) took the Hall H stage to share his journey and unveil his next big project.
A Trip Down Memory Lane
Bird reminisced about:
- Childhood movie trips with his film-loving parents
- Early drawing attempts — trying to make pictures move like animation
- First big breaks:
- "Family Dog" episode of Amazing Stories (1985)
- The short-lived spinoff series
- Writing/directing for The Simpsons (yes, that Simpsons!)
The Tom Cruise Stunt Story
Funny Moment: Bird admitted he felt "abject fear" watching Tom Cruise attempt a dangerous stunt for Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol. The audience (and Cruise himself) found Bird’s terror hilarious!
How Bird got the job: Cruise saw The Incredibles, wanted to talk movies with Bird, and when Bird was ready for live-action — Mission: Impossible was waiting.
Introducing Ray Gunn — "Buck Rogers meets The Maltese Falcon"
Release Date: December 18 on Netflix
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Genre | Retro sci-fi noir mystery |
| Setting | Alternate reality where humans & aliens share a retro-fantasy world |
| Main Character | Ray (voiced by Sam Rockwell) — a private investigator |
| Sidekick | Eyera (voiced by Tom Waits!) — Ray’s loyal pal |
| First 7 Minutes | Ray investigates alien smuggling → fight breaks out → dramatic escape |
Think of it like: A 1940s detective movie… but with ray guns, aliens, and flying cars!
Incredibles 3 Update — Big News!
- Bird is co-writing & co-producing
- New director: Peter Sohn (Pixar veteran, voiced Emile in Ratatouille)
- Composer: Michael Giacchino practically auditioned on stage — Bird hinted he’s locked in!
- Plot details? Bird dodged every question like Mr. Incredible dodging missiles!
Percy Jackson Season 3: Enter The Titan’s Curse
The Disney+ hit returns November 20 for its third season — adapting the third book (The Titan’s Curse) for the first time ever on screen.
The Cast Returns
| Actor | Character |
|---|---|
| Walker Scobell | Percy Jackson |
| Leah Sava Jeffries | Annabeth Chase |
| Aryan Simhadri | Grover Underwood |
| Charlie Bushnell | Luke Castellan |
| Tamara Smart | Thalia Grace |
| Levi Chrisopulos | New character |
| Olive Elise Abercrombie | New character |
Sneak Peek Highlights
- First clip introduced by Leah Jeffries (via video)
- Second clip: Percy delivers this chilling line:
"I knew the risk, but if I needed to sacrifice myself, my friends — was it really a choice?"
Producer Pressure
Craig Silverstein (executive producer) admitted:
"Seasons 1-2 had the movies to compare to. Now we’re in uncharted territory — adapting a book never filmed before."
Good news: Author Rick Riordan loved the Westover Hall design — "That’s exactly how I imagined it."
Avatar Universe Expands: TWO New Projects!
1. Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender (Animated Film)
- Release: July 25 on Paramount+
- Continuing Aang’s story after the original series
2. Avatar: Seven Havens (Animated Series) — BIG DEAL
- Release: October 9
- Creators: Michael DiMartino & Bryan Konietzko (original creators) RETURN!
- Timeline: Set after Legend of Korra
- Premise: Twin Avatars — Pavi (Earthbender, seen as destructive) & Nisha — must save a post-apocalyptic world
- Scope: 2 books (seasons) = 26 episodes planned
Remember: Legend of Korra was only supposed to be 1 season — then grew. Seven Havens could expand too!
Stuart Fails to Save the Universe — Big Bang Theory Spinoff #3!
After Young Sheldon & Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, the comic book store owner gets his own show!
Show Details
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Stars | Kevin Sussman (Stuart), Lauren Lapkus, John Ross Bowie, Brian Posehn |
| Creators | Chuck Lorre & Zak Penn |
| Premiere | First episode available NOW on HBO Max |
| Plot | Stuart creates a multiverse crisis → needs help from friends + multiverse variants of familiar characters |
Surprise Guest: Jim Lee (DC Comics Publisher!)
- Crashed the panel to tease a DC-heavy episode
- Promised "some of the best versions" of DC characters
- Called the storyline "super ambitious"
Think of it like: Big Bang Theory meets Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse — but in a comic shop!
Elsewhere at the Con (Quick Hits)
| Project | Studio/Creator | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Hope | Na Hong-jin (Neon) | New sci-fi film |
| Onslaught | Adam Wingard (A24) | New horror/action movie |
| LEGO Star Trek | LEGO | Expanding beyond the Enterprise-D model |
| Stan Lee: The Final Chapter | Documentary | Rare screening (controversial film) |
| Resident Evil (2026) | TBA | New trailer dropped |
| Surprise Actor Appearance | ??? | "Notorious" actor showed up! |
Summary: Day 1’s Biggest Takeaways
- Brad Bird is back in animation with Ray Gunn (Netflix, Dec 18) — retro sci-fi noir with Sam Rockwell & Tom Waits
- Incredibles 3 is happening — Bird co-writing, Peter Sohn directing, Giacchino likely scoring
- Percy Jackson Season 3 adapts The Titan’s Curse for the first time (Disney+, Nov 20)
- Avatar gets TWO projects — film July 25, series Seven Havens Oct 9 (twin Avatars, post-apocalyptic!)
- Stuart Bloom gets a spinoff — multiverse chaos, DC crossover, on HBO Max NOW
- Con floor buzzing with LEGO, horror, sci-fi, and surprise guests
FAQ: Your Burning Questions Answered
1. Do I need to watch Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol to understand Ray Gunn?
Nope! Totally different genres. Ray Gunn is original animation; Ghost Protocol was Bird’s live-action detour.
2. Will Incredibles 3 have the same voice cast?
Almost certainly! Bird’s involved, Pixar’s producing — Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, and Huck Milner will likely return.
3. Is Avatar: Seven Havens a kids’ show?
It’s Avatar! Like the originals — kids love it, but teens/adults get the deeper themes (war, trauma, balance). Expect mature storytelling.
4. Can I watch Stuart Fails to Save the Universe without seeing Big Bang Theory?
Yes! It’s a fresh story with Stuart at the center. But Big Bang fans will catch extra Easter eggs and cameos.
5. When’s the next Comic-Con update?
Day 2 panels usually bring Marvel, DC, Star Wars, and more TV reveals. Stay tuned!
Want More?
Download the Rotten Tomatoes App to track all these releases, read reviews, build watchlists, and never miss a premiere!
Find Something Fresh!
Comic-Con 2026 is officially ON. Which announcement has YOU most excited?
