Candis R. McLean
Day two of San Diego Comic-Con was full of new character reveals, plot teasing, and a lot of shows revealing glimpses into the final installments in their series. Here are some of the key highlights of the second say of this passionate, entertaining, and fan fueled convention.
Game of Thrones
The most talk about television series in the world from Los Angeles to Westeros led an engaging discussion about the drama of season 6 and things to look forward to in season 7. The Game of Thrones, panel touched on major plot points, character development, and the overall arch of the addicting show. The delay of season 7 was a key issue, “Winter is here and we gotta shoot where there are trees … and we’re waiting to shoot later in the year so we won’t finish shooting until February and there’s no way to get the show out there until summer,” Game of Thrones executive producer David Benioff stated. The show runners also revealed their plans for concluding the series, speaking on spreading 13 episodes over seasons 7 & 8. The cast also shared their personal wishes for which character they believe deserves the coveted iron throne:
Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark): “I think I’d want Littlefinger on the throne [crowd boos]. I just think it’d be fun, it’d be quirky, sadistic. We like that kind of thing. Come on we all watch Game of Thrones.”
Miguel Saponik (director): “I would be very happy if they shared it, but I don’t think that’s going to happen.”
Panel Discussion:
Fan Q&A
The Walking Dead
AMC’s hit series The Walking Dead gave fans a new trailer to pick apart frame by fame and to obsess over until season 7 premiers on October 23rd. Season 6 ended in a massive cliffhanger and the trailer shows new villain Negan, played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan, in full swing. Season 7 will begin exactly where viewers left off, with several characters at risk. Morgan said, “You’ll see who was at the end of the bat and what happened from there.” It was also revealed that multiple characters have filmed death scenes and the show’s editors will pick who ultimately will be killed. Creator Robert Kirkman spoke on who the barbed-wired bat toting character is killing to the comic-con audience, “You’re going to love who he killed! It’s going to be great! It’s absolutely worth the wait. A fantastic premiere to a fantastic season…Everyone is going to be blown away.” Show runner Scott M. Gimple also added that the audience will be introduced to non-human characters. The zombie drama is promising thrills, excitement, and a bloody good time when it returns this fall.
Season 7 trailer:
Panel Discussion
Fan Q&A
Scream Queens
Last year FOX debuted their youth infused, red devil killer, mystery driven, and comical broadcast Scream Queens. The panel touched on new cast members (John Stamos, Taylor Lautner, Colton Haynes, and Cecily Strong) and the overall chaotic first season. Co-creator Ian Brennan revealed that when the show returns, fans can expect a three year time jump in which the shows setting jumps from the Kappa sorority house to an insane asylum. Jamie Lee Curtis applauded the switch. “The comedy is the same and the characters are the same, yet the world is 100 percent different.” Emma Roberts also spoke about the fates of her favorite clique The Chanels, “They have fallen from glamour.” Fans can expect more deception and death with style when Scream Queens returns for season two on Tuesday, the Sept. 20 at 9 p.m. on Fox.
Cast Interview
Orphan Black
This comic-con panel was bittersweet. Fans of the beloved series began to process the revelation that the upcoming 5th season of Orphan Black will be its last. This BBC America sci-fi, sensational, clone infused drama, has captivated a devout fanbase over the years. The Clone Club, was out in full force yesterday to hear cast members and the show’s creators fill them in on the details of the production’s conclusion. “We sort of had five seasons in mind, and the thing that we just didn’t want to do is get kind of soft around the middle,” said executive producer and co-creator Graeme Manson. “We think that it’s better to cancel yourself than to get canceled, than to peter out.” The show’s star Tatiana Maslany, who was nominated for an Emmy last week, revealed that she has no concept of how the show will end, “I sat in the writers room for a day early on in the season to hear a little bit about how it’s starting, but I have no idea.” With dozens of clones and counting, a sinister corporation looking for them, and new facets of the clones’ origins unsolved, viewers can’t wait to see how this frantic narrative dramatically concludes.
Cast interview:
Agents of Shield
Actors Clark Gregg, Chloe Bennett, Ming-Na Wen, Henry Simmons, Elizabeth Henstridge, Ian De Caestecker, and others spoke on the season 3 finale and provided a glimpse into a new character. It was revealed that Ghost Rider was joining the super hero drama for season 4. Gabriel Luna had been cast in the part of Robbie Reyes aka Ghost Rider. Producers Jed Whedon spoke on the character, “We’re pulling a little bit from different versions of the Ghost Rider. There’s an iconic image that we saw at Comic-Con of that skull on fire. Things are a little different with Robbie. There will be a little mixing and matching. We’re being true to the character, where he comes from, his little brother.”Ghost Rider’s car got a raucous welcome when the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. cast revealed it on main floor during the San Digeo Comic-Con 2016 Friday.
Season 3 ended with a flash-forward in which Coulson is no longer director of S.H.I.E.L.D and Holden Radcliffe is setting for his release of androids called Life Model Decoys on the world. Fans can look forward to this new addition and more answers when Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D returns on ABC for its fourth season on Sept. 20.
Panel Discussion:
American Gods
Starz Network brings another book to life with American Gods. Based off the 2001 Neil Gaiman novel, the project blends ancient and progressive mythology. The plot illustrates a battle between old and new gods. The traditional god’s are rooted in folklore and the current ones are more reflective of society’s desire for excess and superficial things. Shadow Moon, the main character, becomes protector of Mr. Wednesday. Mr. Wednesday is an old god masquerading as a simple man. The show follows the duo as they amass an army for the battle to come. Ricky Whittle, formerly of The 100, will play the protagonist Shadow Moon. The cast, executive producers, showrunners, and author and executive producer Neil Gaiman were all included in the panel. It was also revealed that star Kristin Chenoweth will join the cast to play the goddess Easter. Notable actor Ian McShane will play Mr. Wednesday. Look for American Gods in 2017
Trailer:
Bates Motel
Season 5 will be the last for A&E series Bates Motel. The series, based off the legendary Alfred Hitchcock film Psycho, provided the backdrop for the history of Norman Bates’ teen years. The prequel show captivatied audiences since 2013. Stars Freddie Highmore (Norm Bates) & Vera Farmiga (Norma Bates) tell the story of a mother and son owned hotel in the coastal town of White Pine Bay. As fans of the iconic film and current series are aware, the plot soon turns dark and deadly. Bates Motel’s dive into its final season leads to the storyline’s merger with the original film. The final installment will provide the foreground for a new lens through which to view the culmination of Hitchcock’s storytelling. In a shocking development, the show runners told the audience that Rihanna would be helming the famed role of Vivian Crane. Executive producer Calrton Crane stated, “We wanted to thrust the iconic role into a contemporary spotlight and redefine it in a meaningful and exciting new way. We also heard Rihanna was a fan of the show, and we were huge fans of hers, so it was the perfect collision of creativity and fate.”
The star released a video to share the news with the SDCC crowd
.@rihanna to check into #BatesMotel as Marion Crane in the 5th and final season!https://t.co/7t2pRL43cf
— Bates Motel on A&E (@InsideBates) July 22, 2016
Fan Q&A
The 100
The 100 hasn’t begun production on season 4 yet. The cast hasn’t seen one line of a script so much of their panel on Friday was stemmed in discussions over season 3 and the personal development of characters through the years. Executive producer John Rothenberg talked about the main character Clarke, played by Eliza Taylor, and her possible ascension to the leader of the Sky people. “Clarke owns her power.She’s earned it. She saved the world last year. Kane and Abby as well recognize that. They recognize they’re dealing with someone special. It’s her time to do it again.” Promos for season 4 were also released showing a dark radiation cloud sweeping across the earth. Many fans assumed that death was fastly approaching for all humans on the planet. Rothenberg spoke about that possibility, “If that were to happen, it probably wouldn’t be until the end of the season. The Earth strikes back in season 4. It’s an unbeatable foe. The story becomes not trying to stop it, because it’s not stoppable, it becomes how do we survive? There are not enough life boats. The Earth is the ark.” Other news that came from the panel was that actor Zach McGowan has been printed to a series regular after his season 3 portrayal of the character Roan.
Panel Discussion:
Other highlights from Friday were: The Power Rangers, Sharknado, & the Wonder Woman poster reveal
