Warner Bros. Announces Plans For Comic-Con 2014 – Batman 75 Celebrations, DC Video Games, Television, And More

Warner Bros. announced its full schedule for San Diego Comic-Con 2014 this week. However, noticeably absent is any mention of Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and any future DC films. This has confused some fans, especially after reports of the studio announcing several DC titles at the convention. Despite this, WB is likely set to make a surprise announcement, ala the Batman v. Superman reveal at last year’s Comic-Con.

What the studio does confirm is that there will be some celebrations for Batman’s 75th anniversary, including a “Legends of the Dark Knight” panel featuring Frank Miller, Jim Lee and more. We will also see the world premiere of Batman: Assault on Arkham, and there will be panels for video games Batman: Arkham Knight and LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham. WB also reaffirms its plans for a massive DC television event at Hall H. You can check out the DC relevant portions of the schedule below. Click here for the entire lineup.

Warner Bros. Entertainment will plant its flag at Comic-Con International: San Diego this year with a huge presence, with each individual division touting its upcoming offerings, including Film, Television, Interactive and Home Entertainment, as well as a variety of product from DC Entertainment, whose celebrations in honor of 75 years of one of the world’s most beloved Super Heroes—Batman—will be in full swing.

On Saturday night, July 26th, it’s all DC Entertainment all night in Hall H when Warner Bros. Television treats attendees to a three-hour special event designed specifically for DC Comics fans and featuring some of DC Comics’ greatest characters. The event will run from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. and will feature the world premiere public screening of the highly anticipated new drama series “Gotham” (the only screening of “Gotham” at this year’s Comic-Con), followed by a screening of the complete pilot of “The Flash,” and exclusive video presentations from returning hit “Arrow” and new thriller “Constantine.” Cast members and producers from all four shows will make special appearances throughout the three-hour event. For complete information on Warner Bros. Television’s plans for Comic-Con and for real-time updates during the convention, please follow us on Twitter at @warnerbrostv—official hashtag #WBSDCC—and visit http://comiccon.thewb.com.

In concert with all the WB divisions, DC Entertainment continues to fête Batman’s 75th year, making the icon the centerpiece of their offerings, including all-star panel appearances by Batman talent as well as a rare display of some of the canon’s most famous film costumes in history—those worn by Christian Bale, George Clooney, Val Kilmer and Michael Keaton—on display in the DC Entertainment booth. The character will also appear on the cover of the Con’s official souvenir book, and on a Con-exclusive T-shirt designed by DC Entertainment Co-Publisher and legendary artist, Jim Lee.

Lee will also participate in the Batman 75: Legends of the Dark Knight panel discussion with veteran Batman creatives Frank Miller, Grant Morrison, Denny O’Neil, Neal Adams, current series writer Scott Snyder and artist Greg Capullo, and DC Entertainment Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns. The panel will take place at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 24th.

Johns and artist John Romita, Jr., the new creative team behind Superman, will explore their upcoming plans for the Super Hero, as will the husband-and-wife creative team behind comics’ most beloved heroine, Wonder Woman, writer Meredith Finch and artist David Finch.

In addition to their numerous other activities, including 20 panels over the course of the Con, the company will also reveal plans for numerous upcoming titles for DC Comics, Vertigo and MAD Magazine imprints, as well as unveiling new action figures from DC Collectibles, including those commemorating The CW and WBTV’s “Arrow” and “The Flash,” as well as a stellar new line based on the upcoming videogame “Batman: Arkham Knight,” from WBIE.

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, in celebration of the upcoming release of Rocksteady Studios’ “Batman: Arkham Knight,” will host the Cape/Cowl/Create art exhibit, open to the public daily from July 25th through the 27th, 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Hard Rock San Diego Hotel’s Legends Room. This free public exhibition will feature true-to-scale replicas of the game’s cape and cowl used as a blank canvas by top contemporary artists to produce their own original interpretations.

And Sunday, July 27th, at 1:00 p.m., WBIE will also host a panel for “LEGO™ Batman 3: Beyond Gotham,” developed by TT Games, with an exclusive gameplay demonstration, character reveals, special announcements and a lively panel discussion with several members of the voice cast featured in the game. Also, throughout the Con, the game will be available for the first time for hands-on play by consumers.

From 6:00 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 24th, WBHE hosts Batman ’66, reuniting pop icons Adam West, Burt Ward and Julie Newmar on the Hall H stage for “Batman: The Complete Television Series.” Moderated by Ralph Garman, the actors behind Batman, Robin and Catwoman will give the audience an inside look at the exclusive content contained in the Home Entertainment release due out later this year, as well as present dazzling high-definition re-mastered footage from the landmark series.

On Friday, July 25th, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., it’s the world premiere of “Batman: Assault on Arkham,” the next entry in the ongoing series of DC Universe Original Movies, due out on Digital HD on July 29th and as a Blu-rayTM Combo Pack on August 12th. Produced by WBHE, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation, the full-length animated film is based on the best-selling “Batman: Arkham” videogame series. Lucky attendees at the Ballroom 20 event will also be treated to a panel discussion featuring Kevin Conroy of “Batman: The Animated Series,” Matthew Gray Gubler, Troy Baker and John DiMaggio, and the filmmaking team of producer James Tucker, director Jay Oliva, dialogue director Andrea Romano, screenwriter Heath Corson, and moderator Victor Lucas. There will also be special announcements, exclusive prizes and a few potential surprises.

At 12:00 p.m. on Sunday, WAC presents A Batman for all Seasons. Join respected producer/author Michael Uslan, producer James Tucker, producer/director Brandon Vietti, WAC Podcast hosts Patterson and Ferranti and surprise guests, as they examine Batman iterations and oddities throughout history, from early films like “Public Defender” and the Batman cartoons, to new versions of the character, the off-kilter takes and new media. Attendees who stick around to the end will be privy to a special WAC announcement that will excite fans both “Young” and old. Room 7AB.