Comic-Con franchise fatigue puts creator-led projects in Hall H
San Diego Comic-Con is giving prime space to Widow’s Bay, Ray Gunn, Hope and Onslaught as franchise heat looks less automatic.
By Frankie Delgado · News Reporter
3 min read
Comic-Con franchise fatigue is showing up in San Diego with a very visible twist: some of the weekend’s biggest rooms are being handed to creator-led projects instead of the usual parade of superheroes, Jedi and long-running brand names, NBC News reported.
The convention opened Thursday, and Apple TV is using it for a major play. Its horror-comedy “Widow’s Bay,” from Katie Dippold, is set for Hall H on Saturday afternoon, marking the streamer’s first appearance in the San Diego Convention Center’s marquee venue, according to NBC News. The show has received 19 Emmy nominations.
Other projects getting high-profile Comic-Con treatment include Netflix’s animated neo-noir sci-fi film “Ray Gunn,” from Brad Bird; Neon’s sci-fi action thriller “Hope,” from South Korean director Na Hong-jin; and A24’s thriller “Onslaught,” from Adam Wingard, NBC News reported.
Why are original stories getting attention at Comic-Con?
The shift reflects a moment when familiar Hollywood properties still draw crowds, but no longer look like automatic winners every time out. Comic-Con has long been a place where studios test what fans are hungry for, and this year’s programming suggests more appetite for distinctive creators alongside the big franchises.
Comic-Con helped signal the modern comic-book movie boom nearly two decades ago, when Jon Favreau showed footage from the first “Iron Man” in Hall H. NBC News noted that the moment helped mark the start of an era when studios raced to build their superhero and franchise libraries.
That era is not over. NBC News pointed to major recent and upcoming franchise titles, including “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” the fifth “Toy Story” film, Marvel’s “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” which opens next week, and “Avengers: Doomsday,” due in December.
The softer side of the franchise machine is also part of the story. NBC News cited recent underperformers including “Star Wars: the Mandalorian and Grogu,” “Supergirl” and “Masters of the Universe” as signs that recognizable titles are not delivering as reliably as they once did.
Director-driven films are also catching fire with audiences, according to NBC News, which named Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” and Curry Barker’s “Obsession” as examples of projects powered by filmmaker identity rather than only brand recognition.
What are industry insiders saying?
Marc Bernardin, a longtime Comic-Con attendee, journalist and writer-producer whose credits include “Star Trek Picard” and Marvel’s “Eyes of Wakanda,” told NBC News that several old standbys are missing from the current fan conversation.
“There is no new ‘Star Trek’ in development, no new ‘Dr Who’ in development. ‘Star Wars’ doesn’t have its footing,” Bernardin said. “These venerable franchises that used to be the solid double hit you would get out of Comic-Con aren’t there anymore, so it does leave the door open for new, unexpected things.”
Comic-Con is also facing more competition for studio reveals and fan attention. NBC News reported that companies now have their own branded events, including Disney’s D23 and Netflix’s Tudum, while international gatherings such as CCXP in Sao Paulo have gained buzz.
One studio source bringing a project to Comic-Con this year told NBC News that the bigger change is coming from the audience itself. The source requested anonymity because she was not cleared to speak publicly.
“The fandom is shifting from franchises to creators,” the source said. “Who fans are, what they come for, it’s all changing and studio engagement is going to need to change too.”
This story draws on original reporting from NBC News.