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Seth Rollins WWE SDCC 2023
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On The Scene: WWE x Mattel’s Panel at San Diego Comic Con

by Julian Cannon
written by Julian Cannon

On Friday at the San Diego Comic-Con, WWE had its annual panel. During this, Chelsea Green “crashed” the WWE-Mattel panel and got in on the action.

mick foley sdcc

It was during the time when Mick Foley, Seth Rollins, and Johnny Gargano were out on stage that Green interrupted Rollins while he was chatting about his own action figure that he interrupted Rollins. Eventually, she joined the panel for the remainder of the discussion, and Mick Foley expressed his praise for her role as one of WWE’s current champions for her accomplishments.

Furthermore, as part of the panel, Rollins discussed his feelings as the new World Heavyweight Champion as well as how he wants that title to be viewed similarly to the WWE Championship in terms of positioning. Mattel also revealed its new lineup of WWE action figures that will be released in the coming months into next year.

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On The Scene: Funko at San Diego Comic Con

by Julian Cannon
written by Julian Cannon

With its Funkoville area at this year’s San Diego Comic Con, Funko has returned bigger than ever with its biggest booth of all time.

I have never seen an exhibit as large and elaborate as this one at Comic Con. Each booth is decorated in pastel colors and old-fashioned signage in order to mimic the appearance of small shops in a small town, each of which has its own brand and speciality. Funko’s booth has a lot of stuff to sell. As well as the Blockbuster, there are several other amenities within the mall, including a donut shop, a bowling alley, a Loungefly-themed boutique, and a Mondo gas station as well.

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The Blockbuster booth, which Funko and Loungefly developed for the event, was to tap into 90’s nostalgia to appeal to the millennials and Gen Z generation that is interested in the ’90’s.

“We like to be on the pop culture edge, but also really bring that ‘oh my gosh, I remember when I was a kid and that makes me so happy’ feeling from everyone and I would say that Loungefly has always been a bit of a nostalgic company and Funko is really on the edge of pop culture,” said Derrick Baca, SVPs of Creative, Innovation & Vision at Loungefly.

Getting around the booths is pretty straightforward as far as how to navigate them. As you enter the space, you’ll find a helpful information booth on your righthand side, and the minibooth signs will be visible as you walk in. Follow the employee to the line at that shop. You’ll get a paper menu with every item on sale in that booth as you wait in line (don’t worry, they must move fast when we were there!).

My time at the booth also included making my own Funko Pop with Pop Yourself. With Pop Yourself, you can make Pop replicas of yourself, friends, and loved ones with the added benefit of customizing them to reflect your passions and fandoms. Fans are able to immerse themselves in the fandoms and magical worlds they love through unlimited birthday, graduation, wedding, etc. offerings.

funko sdcc 2023 funko sdcc 2023

“We want to make sure that the fans always have an experience with us and its been an evolution to make sure that is something that we can do for anybody,” said Johanna Gepford, SVP Direct to Consumer at Funko.

The launch is in celebration of Funko’s 25th anniversary and serves as a huge step forward for the company, as the Pop! Yourself technology accentuates Funko’s efforts to lead innovation in the consumer products market. Consumers can use Pop! Yourself in Q3 2023 via Funko.com and in-person at the Funko Hollywood + Funko Everett locations. This mass market launch and accessibility to consumers makes collecting more personal and FUN.

In collaboration with Den of Geek Magazine, Funko Games, a leading publisher of tabletop games and the home of acclaimed studio Prospero Hall, hosted Rooftop Game Night at San Diego Comic-Con as part of the company’s partnership with the Diamond Building. There was a wide variety of popular pop culture franchises and classic original games available at this event, making it a must-attend for tabletop game enthusiasts. In addition to sampling the brand’s exclusive IPA, attendees had a chance to see the new offerings for the first time.

funko sdcc 2023

funko sdcc 2023

Additionally, Funko Games hoped to introduce its games to new audiences with this rooftop. There was a lot of excitement in the air as I witnessed the attendees playing the tabletop games for the first time in the room.

“We have games for many types of players. For casual players, and hardcore players. Ultimately we have to deliver a compelling and fun experience that lives up to the expectations of players and fans,” said Chuck Blevens, director of marketing.

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On The Scene: AMC Brings Immortal Universe to San Diego Comic Con

by Julian Cannon
written by Julian Cannon

As part of AMC Networks’ return to Comic-Con, AMC Networks will present a new Anne Rice Immortal Universe experience and activation at the Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter Hotel’s terrace (401 K Street). The activation was previewed by us at Comic Con, where we were given the opportunity to preview it in advance.

As part of the event, guests were invited to take a tour along “The Street of Immortality,” which is an immersive experience inspired by New Orleans, with several opportunities to capture photos and videos along the way. In addition to this, attendees recognized some of the iconic locations from Interview with the Vampire (such as Hotel Iberville and Nawlins Records), and they also immersed themselves in Anne Rice’s universe, made up of characters drawn from Interview with the Vampire and Mayfair Witches.

There was also a walking street tour where attendees were able to collect exclusive souvenirs as well as limited-edition premiums, such as “The Elixir of Immortality”, a mocktail prepared by POM Wonderful. Aside from that, fans can expect some surprise and delight moments inspired by the universe, and costumes are encouraged.

With its activation, AMC is doubling down on the Immortal Universe as Interview With The Vampire’s first season had a positive reception. The fanbase of the series continues to grow as the network giant would look into tapping into this audience while the iron is hot.

The event is free and for all ages, and open Thursday, July 20, Friday, July 21 and Saturday, July 22 from 11am – 7pm.

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Exclusive: Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power stars Tyroe Muhafidin, Sophia Nomvete, and Cynthia Robinson at EW’s Comic Con Bash

by Julian Cannon
written by Julian Cannon

The annual Entertainment Weekly Comic-Con closing-night bash that takes place at Float at the Hard Rock Hotel in San Diego is a tradition where everyone gathers together to celebrate the end of Comic-Con. Seeing as this was the first EW Comic-Con party since 2019, the stars – including Simu Liu and Aisha Tyler – were ready to have a good time! However, the stars of Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power were also there.

In September 20, 2022, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will be launched globally on Prime Video as an epic and ambitious retelling of J.R.R. Tolkien’s fabled Second Age of Middle-earth, based on Tolkien’s fabled novels.

It is the first time that the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth’s history are being brought to the screen for the very first time in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. The events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings are set thousands of years before the events of this epic drama.

Hours after the cast took the stage at Hall H during Comic Con week to promote the series, we got a chance to catch up with Tyroe Muhafidin, Sophia Nomvete, and Cynthia Robinson. It was their first Comic Con and they were thrilled to be there and to see the awesome cosplay. Check out our exclusive interview with the three stars!

 

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Exclusive: WWE Superstar Xavier Woods Talks Gaming and All Things WWE

by Julian Cannon
written by Julian Cannon

Xavier Woods is an American professional wrestler and television personality. He is known under his ring name Xavier Woods, and is a former victor of the King of the Ring tournament. In addition to wrestling, Austin Creed has also made public appearances outside of the sport under the name of Austin Creed. In the past, he worked for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) as Consequences Creed, and as a member of the Lethal Consequences tag team with Jay Lethal, he was a TNA World Tag Team Champion.

 

After signing a contract with WWE several years ago, Xavier Woods was assigned to one of the most advanced developmental territories in the world, Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW). In 2013, Woods was called up to the main roster by the WWE and is now part of their NXT roster, which was rebranded from FCW in 2013. The New Day, comprised of Woods and Big E, was formed in 2014 alongside Kofi Kingston and Big E, and has since then achieved many accomplishments as a WWE tag team champion.

 

A record was broken by New Day in February 2021 when the second reign of the Raw Tag Team Championship was broken. King Woods became Xavier Woods’ ring name in October 2021 after becoming the 22nd winner of King of the Ring.

 

He has hosted a gaming YouTube channel, UpUpDownDown, as Austin Creed, since 2015, where he invites fellow WWE performers, gamers, friends, and guests to play games. Additionally, he hosts the G4 television network, which covers video games, following its revival in 2020.

 

At San Diego Comic Con, The Knockturnal had the opportunity to speak with Xavier Woods about WWE, gaming, and the speedrunning community!

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On The Scene: The Walking Dead Universe Panels and Press Conferences at San Diego Comic Con

by Julian Cannon
written by Julian Cannon

During the final TWD panel, Chris Hardwick moderated each of the panelists who participated in the event for the last time. Scott M. Gimple, Angela Kang, Greg Nicotero, Norman Reedus, Melissa McBride, Josh McDermitt, Ross Marquand, Seth Gilliam, Lauren Ridloff, Cailey Fleming, and Michael James Shaw participated in the discussion.

In general, there was an overall feeling of gratitude amongst the members of the cast, especially those who were fans. Throughout its history, the show has been made possible by the fans. There is no doubt in Reedus’ mind that the show belongs not only to the cast and crew, but also to the fans of the show. During the SDCC panel, many reminiscences were shared about previous SDCC panels. This includes the time when Andrew Lincoln tried to play a prank on Reedus by blowing glitter into his face in order to make him laugh. As a result, Lincoln’s beard ended up covered in glitter as the prank backfired.

It has been stated by Kang in the upcoming finale that our people, the Team Family, are engaged in a heavy conflict with the Commonwealth during the third part of the finale. This series of eight episodes is about bringing the gang back together with the goal of finishing this series with their goal in mind. Be prepared for some surprises along the way.

Director Nicotero certainly felt the weight of the fans’ expectations during the finale. He knew that it was his responsibility to do everything in his power to make the show as good as it could be for the fans.

This was Shaw’s first time participating in a panel in person. The first day he had on set was really cold, according to him. On the other hand, on his last day, hey wrapped up around six in the morning and just watched the sun come up. Moreover, he said that the walkers were some of the most delicious people to work with on the set.

The original panel schedule included Christian Serratos and Khary Peyton, but they were unable to attend. Payton announced on his social media that he has COVID so he could not make it.

A few questions were asked by Hall H fans. There were a lot of people who cried during the wrap party, according to Gimple. An episode-by-episode video with one second of each episode was put together by the post production team and shown at the wrap party. Kang explains that they are hoping to show that to the fandom at some point, but they don’t want to spoil any surprises by showing it now.

Rick’s movies were the subject of Hardwick’s question. He couldn’t get an answer from Gimple, of course. However, two people backstage were able to help. In that moment, Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira emerged from the crowd. Richonne’s story had to be wrapped up because they felt they owed it to the fans to do so. It was decided by Lincoln and Gurira, after meeting with Gimple, that a six episode series would be the most effective way to tell this story. A date was set for Lincoln and Gurira to return to SDCC in 2023, and they are looking forward to it.

The first season of Tales of the Walking Dead is more like an anthology series than a regular TV show, with each episode telling a standalone story set within the Walking Dead universe, as opposed to the previous TWD shows. Tales of the Walking Dead features a number of new characters, including several played by Parker Posey, Jillian Bell, and Anthony Edwards, but some familiar faces are also returning, including Samantha Morton as Alpha, who is set to play a major role in the series.

In addition to Morton, Terry Crews and Danny Ramirez were all on hand during Friday’s SDCC panel to discuss the series. Scott M. Gimple, the showrunner of Tales of the Walking Dead Charnning Powell, and the executive producer of Tales of the Walking Dead Michael Satrazemis were all on stage with the actors.

Over to the press conferences that took place after the panel, not too much new information was shared other than Greg Nicotero talking about the finale.

“It’s definitely a challenge. Other shows if you’re talking about…you know, Game of Thrones had five seasons. Breaking Bad had six seasons. 11 seasons! Our story continued to evolve. The story really did change. The exciting thing for me after season one is, okay, finally everybody else catches up to me and realizes how cool zombies are. I grew up in the George Romero world where Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, that was sort of like my gossip. Frank Darabont used to say to me that the show was always about survival. He had always wanted to do a zombie apocalypse story. We talked about something years before The Walking Dead comic book even came out, so it was sort of like a match made in heaven when Frank put the ensemble cast together with Sarah, Jon, Steven, Melissa, and Norman. You know, the show certainly has evolved since then,” said Nicotero.

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Exclusive: CM Punk, Jade Cargill, Britt Baker, and Orange Cassidy Talk AEW at San Diego Comic Con

by Julian Cannon
written by Julian Cannon

It has been almost three years since All Elite Wrestling made an appearance at San Diego Comic Con. But the upstart promotion is back. Before the stars of AEW meet their fans at the Jazwares booth along with the panel, they took their time to speak with the media.

I had the chance to speak with AEW stars CM Punk, Britt Baker, Orange Cassidy, and Jade Cargill. This was Punk’s first public appearance since he was injured over a month and a half ago. The topics of discussion were about Punk and Cargill’s workout regimen, Britt Baker balancing her career as a dentist while also being a professional wrestler, the agents that help them on their matches, and Punk providing an update on the second season of STARZ’s Heels.

Also to note, I attended the All Elite Wrestling panel that took place at San Diego Comic Con. The stars listed above including Chris Jericho, and Bryan Danielson took the center stage to talk about the promotion. The biggest piece of news to come out the panel, is that Bryan Danielson is cleared to wrestle. This comes after about a month from his injury. CM Punk also stated that he did not know when he will be able to return to the ring again. Chris Jericho also teased that AEW Dynamite could soon make their AEW debut sometime this year.

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On The Scene: Dwayne Johnson and Cast Debut Black Adam at San Diego Comic Con

by Julian Cannon
written by Julian Cannon
San Diego Comic-Con was a great experience for Black Adam fans courtesy of Dwayne Johnson.
As he ascended from the stage floor of Hall H to make his entrance at San Diego Comic-Con, Johnson in full Black Adam costume made a grand entrance into the event. On the screen behind him, lightning bolts appeared behind him as he emerged, and smoke poured out of his nostrils as he emerged from the building. In the darkened hall, the lightning bolt lanyards that had been given out before the panel were flashing brightly as everyone in the audience received them, making a spectacular display during the panel.
As part of the Warner Bros. presentation, the movie star also unveiled the newest trailer for his upcoming superhero adventure. Like Shazam, Black Adam is also given powerful magical abilities as a result of his relationship with the wizard Shazam. The only difference between Black Adam and Shazam is that instead of calling upon the Greek gods for his power, Black Adam calls upon the Egyptian gods.

As part of the new film, the antihero will be followed almost 5,000 years after he was bestowed with the powers of the Egyptian gods, and about how he came to gain these powers. In the wake of being released from his tomb, Black Adam is now ready to unleash his form of justice on the modern community.
As the Justice Society of America makes its debut in the DC Universe, “Black Adam” features Johnson as its title character and a host of new characters. As one of the first superhero teams ever to appear in the DC comics, the Justice Society was co-founded by Asdis Hodge as Hawkman, Noah Centineo as Atom Smasher, Quintessa Swindell as Cyclone, and Pierce Brosnan as Doctor Fate.
In addition to Johnson, a few cast members and director Jaume Colllet-Serra were on stage with him to tease that the DC Universe will forever be changed by “Black Adam.” Members of the audience also had the opportunity to ask the panelists their questions, including which of the two characters would win in a fight between Black Adam and Superman.
In addition, every fan that attended the Hall H panel, received a ticket to see the film later this year. “Black Adam” hits theaters on Oct. 21.

 

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On The Scene: AMC Network Celebrates The Final Season of The Walking Dead With a Fan Celebration at San Diego Comic Con

by Julian Cannon
written by Julian Cannon
AMC’s The Walking Dead is wrapping up their final season with their fan celebration. The event took place at San Diego Comic Con across the street of the convention center.
In addition to several exclusive experiences, designed specifically for San Diego Comic-Con, the series’ art and craft were on display, showcasing a variety of its set pieces, props and artifacts from all seasons, which offered fans an opportunity to capture photos and videos surrounded by their favorite aspects from the series, and were the perfect setting to share their favorite moments from the series. Additionally, custom video content has been created to highlight memorable moments from TWD, and to include special messages from the cast, crew, and special guests, to celebrate this groundbreaking television series.

Having been on the scene, I was able to witness all of this. As seen in the main show, the celebration had a lot of references to The Commonwealth’s location. That was from the banners, the walls, and even the propaganda flags. I felt like I was really there.

A large selection of custom-designed screen-printed t-shirts honoring the Walking Dead series were available exclusively that evening, and attendees had the opportunity to choose one of four types of shirt that would be featured in that evening’s event, as well as to transform themselves into the undead at a make-up station inspired by the Walking Dead, enjoy Commonwealth treats including the “Taste of Tradition” ice cream varieties along with themed beverages and food, and participate in a Commonwealth-inspired lottery for additional prizes.

With the help of The Walking Dead fan celebration in particular, AMC distributed TWD enamel pins designed specifically to commemorate the show’s eleven seasons, plus one bonus pin commemorating the fan celebration. The area was also inhabited by walkers!

 There were also members of the cast in attendance. A number of stars were on hand to celebrate the show, including Norman Reedus, Seth Gilliam, Michael James Shaw, Cailey Flenning, and key executives Angela Kang and Greg Nicotero. The fan celebration was a great way for fans to meet the stars of the show and to truly celebrate the fandom!

 

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On The Scene: Press Previews of San Diego Comic Con’s Activation Sites of HBO Max’s House of the Dragon, Dungeons & Dragons, Netflix’s The Gray Man, and more

by Julian Cannon
written by Julian Cannon
San Diego Comic Con returns this week for the first time in three years. The attendees are eager to come down to San Diego to reunite with their friends, purchase their exclusive merchandise, go to the Hall H panels, and more importantly, go to the activation sites outside the convention.
A number of television and movie studios have a large presence during the week of San Diego Comic Con. However, there are a few that decided to not attend the big show. I was able to preview a number of the off sites before it became available to the public!
“House of the Dragon: The Dragon’s Den,” a four-day fan experience at Comic-Con, is an interactive experience in which attendees will be guided through a ceremonial dragon hatching experience that will provide a unique fan experience. By stepping from our world into the sights and sounds of King’s Landing and interacting with the people of the city, each participant will have the opportunity to experience a slice of life from a Targaryen’s perspective, selecting their own dragon egg, and demonstrating that they are worthy of bonding with a dragon.
 After proving themselves true Targaryens, each participant will hatch their personalized, virtual dragon egg in a new augmented reality app, House of the Dragon: DracARys, so they can “raise” their dragon at home. In conjunction with Niantic Inc and produced by The Mill, House of the Dragon: DracARys will be available for download from the Apple App Store and Google Play app stores starting from July 20. In “House of the Dragon: The Dragon’s Den” participants will have an exclusive opportunity to experience the app’s dragon hatching features before the app is released globally to the public on July 25th, when the full functionality of the app will become available.
In my opinion, it was an excellent experience. Furthermore, I should mention that I dropped one of the eggs and was scolded by one of the actors on the site for it after I dropped it. For Game of Thrones fans, this is a great place to visit.

A high-energy, immersive escape experience set on a tram car with a 20-second chase scene inspired by the epic chase scene in the new Netflix film The Gray Man, called ‘The Gray Man Training Program’ will take you through the journey. In a test of skill, strength, and speed, fans will have to prove they have what it takes to become the next Gray Man in a race against the clock in order to transport a top secret file from the tram to safety before the mercenaries catch up and win the jackpot. 

There will be a variety of obstacles to overcome, and special effects to experience, as well as a rooftop sprint to culminate the heart-pounding mission, where fans will race against the clock to complete the mission as fast as they can. It is guaranteed that fans will leave with a badass custom social takeaway that puts them at the center of their own action movie.
The one-of-a-kind Tavern Experience by Paramount Pictures and eOne, in partnership with a team of Dungeons & Dragons fans, will be on display at San Diego Comic-Con 2022, setting the stage for a fantastical adventure set in the world of Dungeons & Dragons. A fan can take a peek at the world of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES, a new movie from Paramount and eOne that will be in theaters in March 2023, at the Tavern in Hollywood. Located in the tavern, it is also possible to find the first official poster of the film which was created by Boss Logic!
This immersive experience will allow visitors to experience a 20-minute, immersive encounter filled with unique photo opportunities, exclusive takeaways, and a chance to savor a Dragon Brew while interacting with your favorite Dungeons & Dragons characters and creatures, plus a few surprise moments you won’t want to miss.

 During the Dragon Brew experience, Quincy’s Tavern has been tasked with the recipe development of the tavern’s Dragon Brew (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), which will be served to guests during the event.
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