ComingSoon.net/Superhero Hype! is hitting WonderCon 2009, taking place Friday, Feb. 27th through Sunday, March 1st in San Francisco and the three-day schedule has been posted in full here, while you can find highlights below:
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27
1:00-2:00 Sony Pictures Television, 20th Century Fox, and FOX: Sit Down, Shut Up—Get ready to Sit Down, Shut Up with the cast and producers of the newest animated comedy series to hit FOX on Sunday, April 19 at 8:30 pm. Here’s your chance to ask burning questions about the show’s origin and first season, interact with the voice talent, learn more about their characters, and catch an exclusive sneak peak at the series! Executive producers Mitch Hurwitz (Arrested Development) and Josh Weinstein (The Simpsons) will be joined by voice talent Will Arnett (Arrested Development), Kenan Thompson (Saturday Night Live), Henry Winkler (Happy Days), and Tom Kenny (SpongeBob SquarePants). Moderated by Animation Magazine editor Ramin Zahed. Room 103
2:00-3:00 Black Panther Animated Series—He is the King of Wakanda, and soon he will be the King of TV! BET and Marvel Entertainment proudly present an exclusive look at the upcoming Black Panther cartoon, featuring the voice talents of Djimon Hounsou and more! Denys Cowan, senior VP of animation for BET and others discuss the genesis of the Black Panther comic series, as well as the creation of the animated series based on the origin story of “Who Is the Black Panther?” set to debut in mid-2009. Find out more behind the Black Panther and get a sneak peek at the cartoon at this star-studded panel! Room 103
2:30-3:30 Walt Disney Animation Studios: The Art of 2D Visual Effects—Craig Sost and Marlon West talk about the challenges that blending characters and EFX in a hand-drawn, 2D animation medium presents in creating drama. Featuring a key scene from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ next release Princess and the Frog, which the moderators will take apart to illustrate the magic of the production process. Room 22
3:30-4:30 The Once & Future Trek!—Our regular panel of expert Treksperts reconvenes to hold court on the new Star Trek film from J. J. Abrams as well as share their candid and uncensored thoughts on the state of the franchise and the upcoming releases of the original classic feature films on Blu-Ray. Boldly go to Room 104 with such luminaries as Robert Meyer Burnett (Free Enterprise), Daren Dochterman (ST: TMP Special Edition, visual effects producer), Steve Melching (The Clone Wars), comedian Mary Forest, and Anthony Pascale (Trek Movie, webmaster). Room 104
5:30-7:00 Watch Horror Films, Keep America Strong DVD Premiere—For 14 years—1971 to 1984—Creature Features was one of the most popular TV shows in San Francisco/Bay Area television history. The late Bob Wilkins hosted the Saturday night series for eight years, followed by John Stanley for another six. Wilkins’ wit and unusually droll personality and Stanley’s celebrity interviews and satiric mini-movies are all part of Watch Horror Films, Keep America Strong, a full-length documentary. The film features interviews with Wilkins, Stanley, and other key figures close to the show, as well as classic clips. This historic journey illuminates an era of television that should never be forgotten. The film will be introduced by John Stanley (host) and Tom Wyrsch (producer). Room 220
6:00-8:15 Wonder Woman DVD Premiere + Exclusive Green Lantern Sneak Peek—Embark on a journey of untold beauty, grace and strength as Princess Diana uses her remarkable gifts and evolves into Wonder Woman, the world’s most renowned female superhero. Warner Premiere, Warner Home Video, DC Comics, and Warner Bros. Animation present the West Coast Premiere of the next entry in the DC Universe animated original movie series featuring the action-packed origin story of the Amazonian princess—from her mythological beginnings through her introduction to Steve Trevor, her travels to America, and a no-holds-barred battle with Ares, the God of War. Wonder Woman’s stellar cast includes the voices of Keri Russell (Waitress), Nathan Fillion (Castle), Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2), and Rosario Dawson (Sin City). The screening will be followed by a panel discussion of the film by Emmy Award–winning animation legend Bruce Timm, breakthrough director Lauren Montgomery (Superman Doomsday), screenwriter Michael Jelenic (Batman: Brave and the Bold), and, making her first appearance at WonderCon, Academy Award–nominee Virginia Madsen (Sideways), the voice of Queen Hippolyta. DC Comics senior VP of creative affairs Gregory Noveck will moderate. Wonder Woman will be available to the public on DVD on Tuesday, March 3. And don’t leave early, because the panel will close with a WonderCon exclusive—the first look at this summer’s highly anticipated DCU animated original movie starring Green Lantern! Esplanade
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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28
11:30-12:30 Warner Bros.: Watchmen—Warner Bros. and WonderCon present a panel devoted to the most eagerly awaited movie of 2009: Watchmen! Visionary director Zack Snyder brings the classic graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons to vivid life on the big screen, opening March 6. Join Zack Snyder and members of the film’s cast LIVE on the WonderCon big stage for this exclusive panel presentation! Esplanade
12:30-1:00 Summit Entertainment—Summit Entertainment brings exclusive footage from its exciting 2009 lineup:
• Astro Boy—A thrilling tale of a true hero, Astro Boy is an all-new feature film full of action, adventure, humor and heart. Based on the beloved manga, Astro Boy will be brought to life on the big screen in breathtaking CGI animation.
• Knowing—From visionary director Alex Proyas (I, Robot; Dark City) comes a gripping action-thriller of global proportions, about a professor (Nicolas Cage) who stumbles onto terrifying predictions about the future—and sets out to prevent them from coming true.
• The Hurt Locker—Kathryn Bigelow directs this acclaimed explosive thriller about an elite bomb squad engaged in a deadly game of cat and mouse amidst the chaos of war. Esplanade
1:00-1:30 Overture: Pandorum— From the producers of the Resident Evil film franchise comes Pandorum, a terrifying thriller in which two crew members wake up on an abandoned spacecraft with no idea who they are, how long they’ve been asleep, or what their mission is. The two soon discover they’re actually not alone—and the reality of their situation is more horrifying than they could have imagined. Appearing in person: stars Ben Foster (X-Men: The Last Stand), Antje Traue, and Cung Le. Esplanade
1:00-2:00 Extending the Franchise: Wanted—Matt Hawkins (publisher, Top Cow) and J. G. Jones (artist/co-creator, Wanted) have seen the Wanted characters come to life on the big screen with the film’s release in Summer 2008. Now with guidance from Pete Wanat (executive producer, Universal), the video game Wanted: Weapons of Fate will continue the Wanted mythology in March. Come find out how they’ve turned a comic book series into a multimedia blockbuster, as Hawkins, Jones, and Wanat talk about the future of Wanted! Room 104
1:30-2:00 Alien Trespass— Directed by legendary X-Files veteran R. W. Goodwin, this recently discovered sci-fi film, circa 1957, is finally being released. If you love such vintage sci-fi epics as It Came From Outer Space and This Island Earth, you’ll want to learn more about this unseen tale of an interstellar lawman whose deadly prisoner, the grotesque Goata, escapes when their flying saucer crashes near a small desert town in 1950s California. Appearing in person: R. W. Goodwin, Robert Patrick (T-2, The Unit), Eric McCormack (Free Enterprise, Will & Grace, Trust Me), Dan Lauria (The Wonder Years, The Spirit), and Jenni Baird (The 4400). Esplanade
2:00-2:45 Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Entertainment: Star Trek—A vision by J. J. Abrams, featuring a young, new crew venturing boldly where no one has gone before. The film stars John Cho, Ben Cross, Bruce Greenwood, Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Winona Ryder, Zoë Saldana, Karl Urban, and Anton Yelchin, with Eric Bana and Leonard Nimoy. Be among the first to see exclusive sneak peak footage from this exciting adventure before its May 8 release. Plus a special guest you won’t want to miss, appearing live on the WonderCon stage. Esplanade
2:00-3:00 Dante’s Inferno: Adapting Literature for Games—Jonathan Knight (executive producer and creative director, Electronic Arts), Justin Lambros (senior producer) and Jeff Adams (lead concept artist) present a panel discussion on the creation of EA’s new action/adventure video game property, Dante’s Inferno. Following a video of the latest visuals for the game, the presentation will focus on the historical significance of Dante’s masterpiece (The Divine Comedy), and the process by which the creative team adapted the literature for the video game medium. The session will explore the task of integrating gameplay, story, and setting through the lens of the world’s great literature. Room 104
3:30-4:30 Disney•Pixar: UP—From Disney•Pixar comes UP, a comedy adventure about 78-year-old balloon salesman Carl Fredricksen, who finally fulfills his lifelong dream of a great adventure when he ties thousands of balloons to his house and flies away to the wilds of South America. But he discovers all too late that his biggest nightmare has stowed away on the trip: an overly optimistic 9-year-old Wilderness Explorer named Russell. From the Academy Award-nominated director Pete Docter (Monsters, Inc.), Disney•Pixar’s UP invites you on a hilarious journey into a lost world, with the least likely duo on Earth. Join director Pete Docter as he presents a look at UP, which opens on May 29 and will be available in select theaters in Disney Digital 3D. Esplanade
3:30-4:30 It Came from 1979—Get ready to geek out as we party like it’s 1979. Re-appreciate the camp classics of 1979, including The Black Hole, Buck Rogers and, of course, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, among others. See some rare footage, reminisce and get insider insight on the films that didn’t change a nation. (We promise the panel will only be slightly longer than the Enterprise flyby in drydock.) Starring Robert Meyer Burnett (Enterprise, The Hills Run Red), Steve Melching (The Clone Wars), Daren Dochterman (Iron Man 2, Riddick, conceptual artist), comedian Mary Forest, and Ashely E. Miller (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles). Room 236/238
4:30-5:30 Warner Bros: Terminator Salvation—It’s a brand-new start for one of the most explosive movie franchises ever! Terminator Salvation introduces the adult John Connor (played by Christian Bale) in the future, fighting to save humanity from Skynet and the machines. In theaters on May 22, here’s a special WonderCon panel with director McG and cast members LIVE on the big stage! Esplanade
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SUNDAY, MARCH 1
12:00-1:00 Super Capers—Meet the legendary Adam West, Justin Whalin (Jimmy Olsen of Lois and Clark), Samuel Lloyd (Ted Buckland of Scrubs), Danielle Harris (Halloween), and director/producer/writer Ray Griggs as they talk about their upcoming feature film Super Capers, being released this spring. In this action adventure comedy from RG Entertainment, a good guy with no powers joins a superhero team with no clue against a bad guy with no shame. Moderated by Joe Sikoryak. Room 104
1:00-2:00 Emily the Strange—Fiends, strangers, and oddballs, lend Emily your ears! She’ll give them right back after this panel! Fans of underground icon Emily the Strange won’t want to miss this fun and informative Dark Horse Comics panel featuring Emily creator Rob Reger, artist Buzz Parker, writer Jessica Gruner, and Dark Horse editor Shawna Gore, as they discuss what the future holds for Emily. Get the scoop on the new Dark Horse comic series and The Art of Emily! Steal a peek at the new series of Emily novels from HarperCollins! Plus movie news, prize giveaways, and more! Room 220
1:15-2:00 Chuck Special Presentation and Q&A—Chuck makes its first appearance at WonderCon with a Q&A and special screening of an extended trailer. Co-creator/executive producer Josh Schwartz (Gossip Girl) and co-creator/executive producer Chris Fedak will be on hand to talk to fans about the second season of the popular action-comedy, which features all-new guest stars. Airing Mondays at 8:00 PM on NBC, Chuck is produced by College Hill Pictures, Wonderland Sound and Vision in association with Warner Bros. Television. Esplanade
2:00-2:45 Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles Q&A —Join executive producer Josh Friedman (War of the Worlds [2005]) as he previews the rest of this exciting season and answers questions from fans. Airing Fridays at 8:00 PM on FOX, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles is produced by Bartleby Company and The Halcyon Company in association with Warner Bros. Television. Esplanade
2:00-3:00 IDW Summer Movie Preview: G.I. Joe, Star Trek, and Transformers—IDW editor Denton J. Tipton hosts writers Chris Mowry (Transformers Movie Prequel) and Mike Johnson (Star Trek: Countdown), and artist Andrew Griffith (Transformers Movie Prequel) for a discussion about their books that lead in to this summer’s biggest blockbusters. Room 104
2:45-4:00 Harper’s Island—A 13-episode murder mystery event about a group of family and friends who travel to a secluded island for a destination wedding. They’ve come to laugh, to love—and, though they don’t know it—to die. As the wedding festivities begin, friendships are tested and secrets exposed as a murderer claims victims, one by one, transforming the wedding week of fun and celebration into a terrifying struggle for survival. Abby Mills, whose mother was killed on the island by a homicidal maniac’s rampage seven years ago, journeys home for the first time since the horrific event for the wedding of her best friend, Henry Dunn. Henry, the boy next door, is marrying the woman of his dreams, Trish Wellington, a beautiful and wealthy heiress. But as the wedding week begins, people start dying. Every episode, someone is killed. Wedding guests and island locals, every person is a suspect. No one is safe. No one can be trusted. By the end of the 13 episodes, all questions will be answered, the killer will be revealed and only a few will survive. This panel features an exclusive premiere showing of the pilot episode and Q&A with executive producer Jeffrey Bell (Angel, The X-Files), co-executive producers Dan Shotz and Karim Zreik (Jericho), and actors Katie Cassidy (Supernatural), Christopher Gorham (Jake 2.0, Ugly Betty), and Elaine Cassidy (The Others). Harper’s Island Murder Mystery Event begins April 9 and ends July 2, 2009, Thursdays at 10:00 PM on CBS. Esplanade
Source: WonderCon 2009
