Some filmmakers, like J.J. Abrams and Christopher Nolan, like to separate themselves from their fans, and reveal as little about their plans as possible. James Gunn, the director of Guardians of the Galaxy and the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy 2, is not one of those filmmakers. If anything, he may have just let a serious cat out of the bag: Marvel Studios’ plans for Comic-Con 2015.
It turns out, they may not have any.
James Gunn dropped the revelation during a Facebook Q&A when a fan named Stephania Besco asked, “Will you be at San Diego Comic Con this year?” The filmmaker responded, “I’m not sure. Marvel isn’t going so I’m not sure I will either.” It’s a very direct statement that is very hard to misinterpret (although we are reasonably confident Gunn is only talking about Marvel Studios, and not Marvel Publishing, Inc., which produces all of the company’s comics).
But Marvel Studios is one of the biggest draws to Comic-Con every single year, announcing new projects and cast members, often with one hell of a stage show. Would they really take a pass on Comic-Con 2015, right after the release of Avengers: Age of Ultron, right after the announcement of Spider-Man’s return to the studio, and right before their long-awaited “Phase Three” series of films begins in earnest?
Why Marvel Might Sit This One Out:
Related: Kevin Feige Answers Our Questions About Marvel’s ‘Phase Three’
First, let us not forget that attendance at Comic-Con 2015 (or any other Comic-Con, for that matter) isn’t mandatory, even for fan favorite studios. Marvel Studios could simply decide not to go because they don’t feel like it, and their fans would simply have to deal with the disappointment. But Marvel Studios could very well have backup plans, just like they did last year.
Don’t forget that Marvel Studios’ presentation at Comic-Con 2014 was kind of a let down. New footage of Avengers: Age of Ultron premiered, and they officially announced Guardians of the Galaxy 2, but by Marvel’s standards that’s a pretty humdrum presentation. It turns out that Marvel Studios was saving their biggest surprises for an entirely separate media event months later, in late October, where they announced their entire Phase Three slate on a date reserved only for their press release, free of competition from every other major studio trying to make an impression on Comic-Con fans.
In other words, for all the good it did them, Marvel Studios might as well not have gone to Comic-Con at all last year. So why go to Comic-Con 2015, especially when Disney’s D23 Expo is coming just one month later, where Marvel Studios can hog the spotlight all to themselves?
Why They’ll Probably Show Up Anyway:
Why go to Comic-Con 2015? Because the event isn’t about the press releases (or at least, it’s not supposed to be). It’s about the fans. Comic-Con gives Marvel Studios a yearly opportunity to make their legions of fans feel like an important part of their creative process, to share new ideas with their audience and spread the excitement for future projects. Even if they save all their “good” stuff for D23, it’s in Marvel’s best interests to at least make a token appearance and show the fans – some of whom only bought tickets to see a Marvel Studios presentation in the first place – that they care.
Even if James Gunn really is telling the truth, and there’s no reason to suspect he isn’t (this would be a weird subject to blatantly lie about), there is still hope. Comic-Con 2015 is months away and Marvel Studios could simply change their minds. Take it from us: it’s not uncommon for even the major studios to finalize their Comic-Con plans only weeks, or even days, before the show begins.
So could Marvel Studios really sit Comic-Con 2015 out this year? It’s entirely possible and maybe even makes sense, but don’t count them out just yet. It’s too early in the process to know for sure. Even if Marvel Studios currently has no plans… plans change. Just look at how the Ultron program worked out.
William Bibbiani is the editor of CraveOnline’s Film Channel and the host of The B-Movies Podcast and The Blue Movies Podcast. Follow him on Twitter at @WilliamBibbiani.
