Let's face it, while 'comic' may still reside in the title of the annual fan convention, over the past decade or so film and television have jostled their way in to hog the majority of the spotlight. This excites some while outraging others but no matter your viewpoint, it doesn't look to be changing anytime soon.
While this year's Con was slightly more TV focused (due to some big movies passing on panels), movie studios in no way took the year off. The 4-day fest has become a major mecca for big-time celeb power as the biggest and brightest make their way down to San Diego to stump for their latest projects. Last year saw Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig make their first appearances and this year brought us iconic director Steven Spielberg, among many others.
Read on to find out the ten big names that had audience members literally cheering in the aisles.
Hugh Jackman
No stranger to Comic-Con, the affable Aussie actor made his way to this year's convention to promote his upcoming Disney flick, Real Steel. Jackman didn't participate in any panels but surprised fans in the Exhibit Hall by giving out swag to passers-by, while chatting and signing autographs. We're guessing this won't be his last visit either considering he's about to trade in his steel for adamantium. See you next year, Wolverine. We hope.
Photo Credit: AP Photo
Justin Timberlake
The singer-turned-actor took a break from his Friends with Benefits junket tour and made his very first visit to Comic-Con as part of 20th Century Fox's preview panel this past Thursday. Timberlake brought sexy back to the annual convention along with co-star Amanda Seyfried as they plugged their upcoming sci-fi action thriller In Time, due in theatres October 28.
Check out the first poster and trailer now!
Photo Credit: AP Photo
The Twilight Trio (Pattinson, Stewart and Lautner)
Okay, okay...I know they are three separate people but for the majority of Thursday, they were pretty much one singular entity. Followed by screaming fans and rabid press hordes for the duration of their appearance, the trio of Breaking Dawn stars were on a level all their own. Stewart stayed in town awhile longer so she could join the Saturday panel for her post-Twilight fairytale epic Snow White and the Huntsman.
Catch out interview with Pattinson and Stewart now!
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Michael Buckner
Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson
While people were bound to be excited by the directing legend's first Con appearance at the Adventures of Tintin panel, what really had the crowd yelling the roof off of Hall H was fellow directing titan Jackson surprising the assembled by walking out to participate alongside his collaborator. Oh yeah, and he mentioned something about a little film called "The Hobbit."
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Michael Buckner
Charlize Theron
The Oscar winner pulled double duty this year, sitting in on panels for both Prometheus and Snow White and the Huntsman. No stranger to the Con, having previously attended for both Hancock and Aeon Flux in years past, Theron could teach a master class on how to work a room full of fans.
Get more on the Snow White panel here!
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Kevin Winter
Colin Farrell
The Irish actor pulled double duty as well, appearing in front of packed Hall H crowds to promote two upcoming remakes he happens to be starring in: Fright Night and Total Recall. Cheeky, refreshingly honest and inherently charming, Farrell quickly became a Comic-Con crowd favourite.
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Michael Buckner
Bryan Cranston
I know I said I was only listing the big movie-related names here but I (sorta) lied. Cranston may be better known to most for his television work but the multi-talented actor was actually in town to promote his role in the big-screen Total Recall remake. So why did Cranston make this list and not any of the other TV actors hitting up Con movie panels? Because next to the Twilight crew and Spielberg, this 'Breaking Bad' Emmy-winner got the biggest, most positive crowd reaction the Hall H crowd had to offer. I've said it before and I'll say it again, that crowd had great taste.
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Kevin Winter
Notables left off the above list? Harrison Ford, Daniel Craig and Chris Evans. While they were in fact in town over the past four days, their film premieres weren't actually an official part of the Comic-Con schedule. Because of that, I deemed them ineligible and have added them to a list all their own. Let's call it the "awesome people being awesome in close proximity to me" list.
Let's not forget the up-and-comers either. Given that Comic-Con is full of what industry insiders like to call "taste makers" and "early adopters", it can also be a place where stars are born. From Henry Cavill to Andrew Garfield to Luke Evans to Chris Hemsworth, the event was full of talented actors and actresses about to make the leap into the celeb stratosphere. If you were one of the lucky ones who got to see them in person, you have the right to brag about being there before the bandwagon pulled up.
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