With Warner Brothers and Marvel jockeying for pole position of buzz-building without even holding a panel yet, by releasing vague schedules and shadowy pictures, Paramount Pictures weren’t going to be quiet for their panel. For one, the studio was loaded with an arsenal of films that you can actually see in 2014. For two, they had The Rock, The Fox and Will Arnett confirmed to present. But it was the previously unconfirmed that rocked Hall H: Christopher Nolan and Matthew McConaughey made their first ever appearances at Comic-Con. The duo debuted a trailer for their secretive sci-fi collaboration, Interstellar, and that trailer was promised not to be released in theaters for a while.
Interstellar is some sort of space and wormhole travel film, something that involves a depletion of our natural resources and — according to the new trailer — involves (at least for a scene) McConaughey and co-star Anne Hathaway exploring a distant planet that appeared to be made of water and ice. Nolan revealed that he’d heavily researched for the script with scientist Kip Thorne, an expert on space travel and wormholes.
Nolan was very good at keeping a secret however. As the plot details that were spoken of, were gleanable from the first teaser trailer. McCounaughey plays a pilot/engineer and a widowed father. He’s drafted to go into space (with fellow astronaut Hathaway) to assist with resource depletion but he has to leave his family behind. Also known before was that Nolan shot on both celluloid and with an IMAX camera. But what wasn’t know was wether he’d come. And Hall H boomed with excitement because he did. As Nolan spoke of galaxies and stars, McCounaughey wanted the audience to know that, “[Interstellar] is by far the most ambitious film that Mr. Nolan’s ever directed.”
But that was the big finale. Paramount has a couple movies coming out very soon that they loaded to the front. The first of which, Hercules, comes out tomorrow. And The Rock surprised San Diego by renting out three theaters in the area for Con-goers to attend a screening for free. Can you smell what the rock was cooking? Goodwill.
Amidst the excitement of Comic-Con, The Rock might’ve also let a little too much slip, as this tweet hinted that he’ll probably have a big announcement at the Warner Brothers panel, too:
Someone’s gonna get it.. pic.twitter.com/eH7GzWxx0u
— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) July 24, 2014
Paramount also has Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles coming out soon, so Megan Fox and Will Arnett were on hand to show clips that either showed some shell-cracking fights or ogled her ass. It is a Michael Bay production, after all. Two of the people on stage who were also watching the clips were the creators of the comics, Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird who spoke of the beginnings as a doodle-off. “It’s been a blur since then,” Eastman noted.
Hercules will be out tomorrow. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will test your hunger/cries of heresy on August 8th. And Interstellar will be released November 7. Again, a bit of a rarity in Hall H to have such instant gratification. Many other reports will be for films to be released in 2015 and beyond.
Speaking of beyond, here’s a revealed Interstellar travel badge (courtesy of ComingSoon):
and the first Interstellar teaser:
Brian Formo is a featured contributor on the CraveOnline Film Channel. You can follow him on Twitter at @BrianEmilFormo.
