Comic-Con 2026 highlights: Dungeon Crawler Carl and Jeanpool steal the show

The comic-con 2026 highlights stretched from a fast-rising book fandom to Marvel’s Hall H fireworks, but Variety reported that one of San Diego’s loudest new signals came from “Dungeon Crawler Carl.”

Princess Donut, the tiara-wearing talking cat from Matt Dinniman’s series, showed up across the convention on fan shirts, cutting through the usual parade of Marvel, DC, “Star Trek” and “Star Wars” looks. Variety described the weekend as a hint that newer and more niche franchises are now crowding the spotlight alongside the old giants.

What happened at Comic-Con 2026?

Dinniman’s “Dungeon Crawler Carl,” a series in which Earth becomes part of an alien game show with video game rules, arrived with serious momentum. Variety reported the books have sold more than 10 million copies, and Peacock ordered a live-action version last month with Seth MacFarlane producing.

At the convention, Dinniman appeared on two panels with audiobook performer Jeff Hays, who voices more than 200 characters in the audio editions. Dinniman revealed that Hays will voice Princess Donut in Peacock’s adaptation, while no other casting has been announced. Variety also reported that Dinniman is working on the final two books in a planned 10-book series.

In a Variety Studio appearance presented by Google TV, Dinniman said he wants to see the franchise expand further, including into a video game and an MMORPG-style project set in the “Dungeon Crawler Carl” world.

Marvel brought Avengers news and a Ryan Reynolds disguise

Marvel returned after skipping the previous Comic-Con, and Kevin Feige used Hall H to promote “Avengers: Doomsday.” Variety reported that the panel included Pedro Pascal, Paul Rudd, Anthony Mackie, Chris Evans, Hayley Atwell and Robert Downey Jr., who is playing Doctor Doom.

The studio showed an exclusive trailer that offered more of Doom’s backstory. Variety reported two bigger announcements from the Marvel presentation: Ryan Gosling will star in a Ghost Rider movie, and Ryan Coogler’s “Black Panther 3” will introduce David Jonsson as Prince T’Challa II, the son of Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa.

Ryan Reynolds delivered one of the weekend’s stranger celebrity moments. According to Variety, he appeared at Marvel’s Hall H presentation dressed as “Jeanpool,” a Deadpool riff in a Canadian tuxedo, to ask for a part in “Avengers: Doomsday.” Reynolds later said he walked the convention floor without handlers or security, took selfies and shook hands with fans without being recognized.

DC, TV streamers and indie horror joined the rush

DC Studios kept its Comic-Con push narrower, Variety reported, focusing on known projects. The studio brought HBO’s “Lanterns,” starring Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre, to Hall H. Pierre is also set to play Green Lantern again in next summer’s “Superman” sequel, “Man of Tomorrow.” Tom Rhys Harries, star of “Clayface,” made a surprise appearance after a new trailer for the horror thriller screened at Jim Lee and Friends.

Apple TV held its first major Comic-Con presentation with a two-hour Hall H panel, highlighting “Widows Bay,” “Silo,” “Neuromancer” with Callum Turner, and “Matchbox the Movie” with John Cena and Jessica Biel. Prime Video promoted “The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power,” “Blade Runner 2099” and Mike Flanagan’s “Carrie.”

Indie distributors also brought blood to San Diego. Variety reported that Neon showcased Na Hong-jin’s alien invasion action film “Hope,” where the director said “90%” of the characters do not make it to the credits. A24 presented Adam Wingard’s “Onslaught,” starring Adria Arjona as an Army sniper with PTSD who protects her daughter from genetically engineered super soldiers.

Other surprise appearances included Rick Moranis, who promoted the “Spaceballs” sequel “The New One” after revealing himself under a giant Lord Dark Helmet helmet, and Johnny Depp, who appeared as Scrooge for “Ebenezer” before heading to Hall H with the film’s trailer.

This story draws on original reporting from Variety.