RIP Comic-Con?

[Aesop Rocks]

LOS ANGELES — In summers past, Warner Brothers used Comic-Con International, the premiere convention for comic book, science fiction and fantasy fans, as a marketing platform for movies like “Sherlock Holmes,” “300” and “Sucker Punch.”


David Maung/European Pressphoto Agency
The three years and millions of dollars Disney spent promoting “Tron: Legacy” at Comic-Con did not translate into ticket sales.

Walt Disney Studios staged “Tron: Legacy” stunts there three years in a row. Last July, DreamWorks Animation paraded Will Ferrell, Tina Fey and other members of the “Megamind” cast through the convention.

This year? Warner’s main studio operation is bringing nothing. Ditto Disney and DreamWorks. The Weinstein Company, a perennial presence, will also sit this one out. Even Marvel Entertainment, whose panel for “The Avengers” was a highlight of Comic-Con 2010, is on the fence about whether it will mount a major presentation.

Comic-Con, as a growing number of movie marketers are realizing, has turned into a treacherous place. Studios come seeking buzz, but the Comic-Con effect can be more negative than positive. The swarm of dedicated fans — many of whom arrive at the convention in Japanese anime drag or draped in Ewok fur — can instantly sour on a film if it doesn’t like what it sees, leaving publicity teams with months of damaging Web chatter to clean up.

“It’s a red-letter opportunity, but you shouldn’t go simply because it sits there on the calendar,” said Michael Moses, co-president of marketing for Universal Pictures. “You have to be absolutely certain you have goods ready that can really make a difference for your film.”

Even a joyous reaction at Comic-Con, which takes place in San Diego from July 21 to 24, can skew expectations, as a platoon of studios learned last year, if hard-core enthusiasm doesn’t spill into the mainstream.

Warner got burned with “Sucker Punch,” which had fans vibrating with excitement in July but failed in its March release. The millions that Disney spent on “Tron: Legacy” at Comic-Con had a less-than-fantastic payoff. A stunt involving video of attendees trapped in coffins made a splash for Lionsgate’s “Buried,” but the film sold just $1 million in tickets when it opened two months later.

“Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” was the big alarm. That Universal movie was the belle of last year’s convention, and the studio spent heavily to make it so, draping the entire side of a skyscraper with an ad, for instance. Released just three weeks after the convention, “Scott Pilgrim” fizzled and the $60 million movie sold just $32 million in tickets.

Comic-Con, which attracts about 130,000 people, usually doesn’t lock in its schedule of presentations until two weeks before the convention — a practice that keeps studio publicists on edge, as they struggle to wrangle stars for appearances in slots that remain at a premium.

David Glanzer, the convention’s director of marketing, said he didn’t detect any major shift in the film industry’s stance toward Comic-Con.

“We get more and more requests, and have less ability to fulfill them,” he said, adding, “Not every studio comes every year.”

For certain, Big Hollywood will still be represented. Universal is plotting a stunt for “Cowboys & Aliens,” which has the advantage of a July 29 release date, when memories of a Comic-Con splash will be fresh. Paramount plans to trot out “The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn,” with a possible appearance by its director, Steven Spielberg.

Twentieth Century Fox is expected to tackle Comic-Con head-on, particularly with its “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” which arrives in theaters on Aug. 5. And Sony will roll out an aggressive promotion for its “The Amazing Spiderman,” even though the film won’t be seen until July 2012.

And the light schedule of some major studios leaves a void that newer players want to fill. Relativity Media, once a film financier and now a producer, is expected to make a push at the convention for “Immortals” and “The Raven,” while promoting “Shark Night 3-D,” which is bloodier than the convention usually tolerates.

Among smaller studios, Lionsgate, which won strong results last year for “The Expendables,” will be back; and Summit Entertainment will stage a panel for “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 1.”

The industry has also realized that Comic-Con’s timing, in late July, is actually friendlier to TV shows, which are getting revved up for fall debuts.

Fox plans to increase its Comic-Con footprint, mounting promotions for at least 10 series, including “Terra Nova,” a dinosaur show produced by Mr. Spielberg. Warner’s Digital operation is planning to promote several original Web series, including “Mortal Kombat: Legacy,” and Warner’s TV division wouldn’t mind stealing the show.

“We’re certainly hoping to,” said Lisa Gregorian, chief marketing officer for the Warner Brothers Television Group, which plans to promote as many as 16 shows — including returning ones “Big Bang Theory” and “Chuck” — at the convention.

Still, even Ms. Gregorian, who said she had spent six months planning to reach fans at Comic-Con — whom she calls “evangelists” — doesn’t foresee her medium displacing the movies in the convention’s Hall H, which annually takes on the aura of a pop cinematic shrine.

“That’s a creative decision by the convention,” she said of the movies’ pride of place in the largest room. “We’re very respectful of that.”

SOURCE

 

[redmarvel]

ERRONEOUS THREAD TITLE ALERT!!!

At no point does that article even suggest that Comic Con may die. They're just pointing out that Movie Production companies may choose not to strut their stuff at comic con (because their stuff isn't worth strutting).

 

[Aesop Rocks]

Yeah, Marvel being gone and other various big studios would kill SDCC.

 

[cryptic name]

Yeah, Marvel being gone and other various big studios would kill SDCC.

SDCC was around for years before the studios took it over, and it will still be there when and if they back off. Also, I will bet cash money Marvel makes an Avengers presentation in the end.

 

[Rocketman]

Comic-Con's biggest concern is stopping all of this non-comic book crap that floods the convention, including stuff like Avatar and Twilight. If it's not a comic book, isn't based on a comic book, or isn't comic book related, it doesn't belong at Comic-Con. Same with Tron or Megamind. Hence, it's called COMIC-Con. Show this lackluster garbage at a Movie convention.

This is the kind of nonsense that keeps me from attending. It turns into a three day amusement park experience that you have to wait 3 hours in line for because geeky teenage Twilight girls make up 60% of the attendees. There's no way in hell I'd ever pay to go, not unless they stop over-saturating what should be a phenomenal experience with TV show promos for Lost and other NON-Comic stuff.

 

[SuperFerret]

This is my reaction to this news:

Spoiler

 

[Prison Mike]

The thread title is misleading.

 

[Quasimod0]

at least marvel is there this year

 

[Lighthouse]

Wouldn't some people see this as the rebirth of Comiccon, considering it might actually go back to being about comics again?

 

[Spidey-Bat]

Comic-Con's biggest concern is stopping all of this non-comic book crap that floods the convention, including stuff like Avatar and Twilight. If it's not a comic book, isn't based on a comic book, or isn't comic book related, it doesn't belong at Comic-Con. Same with Tron or Megamind. Hence, it's called COMIC-Con. Show this lackluster garbage at a Movie convention.

This is the kind of nonsense that keeps me from attending. It turns into a three day amusement park experience that you have to wait 3 hours in line for because geeky teenage Twilight girls make up 60% of the attendees. There's no way in hell I'd ever pay to go, not unless they stop over-saturating what should be a phenomenal experience with TV show promos for Lost and other NON-Comic stuff.

My thoughts exactly. I haven't paid attention to Comic-Con since 2004 I think when there was some Batman Begins stuff happening. There's too much non-comic bull**** allowed.

 

[twylight]

Stupid title. As much as I hate to agree (I really love the TV show and movie panels at comic con as well as the occasional game/book/workshops panels) SDCC has become more of an industry event that encompasses TV shows, movies, games (capcom has been there a few times). But it is a VERY skewed audience for what they're promoting. It's like preaching to the choir. There were people who camped out the night before (sleeping bags, tents, etc) just to get into the Tron: Legacy panel which was the first panel of that day. However as stated none of that was seen in the overall ticket sales.

SDCC isn't going anywhere. It's evolved into into an entertainment con with its core being comics and genre's that are associated with them, which then branch out into other mediums; movies, tv shows, games, books, etc. I doubt that if the studios stop showing it would loose much momentum. I attend mostly the Movie/TV show panels, but studios not attending wouldn't stop me from going. It would allow me to focus more on the comic panels. I'd miss them, but it's a small price to pay.

For a truly comic based con people can go to WonderCon (which also has some movie presence depending on the year) it's much cheaper, and much cooler due to date and location.

 

[redhawk23]

Besides Summit filling the relative film vaccuum with increased twilight, I have no problem with this. Similar to E3 a few years ago, SDCC has gotten out of hand and needs to be pared down, or at least refocused. Id really hate to see it focus on television rather than return its focus to comics.

 

[roach]

Comic-Con's biggest concern is stopping all of this non-comic book crap that floods the convention, including stuff like Avatar and Twilight. If it's not a comic book, isn't based on a comic book, or isn't comic book related, it doesn't belong at Comic-Con. Same with Tron or Megamind. Hence, it's called COMIC-Con. Show this lackluster garbage at a Movie convention.

This is the kind of nonsense that keeps me from attending. It turns into a three day amusement park experience that you have to wait 3 hours in line for because geeky teenage Twilight girls make up 60% of the attendees. There's no way in hell I'd ever pay to go, not unless they stop over-saturating what should be a phenomenal experience with TV show promos for Lost and other NON-Comic stuff.

laughing at the irony that women at Comic-Con is a problem.

 

[Morg]

Wouldn't some people see this as the rebirth of Comiccon, considering it might actually go back to being about comics again?

That what I was thinking, no more seeing Twilight geeks there t:

 

[Harls]

I'd be glad if the bigger studios toned it down a bit. Then we can get back to the comics!

 

[FilmNerdJamie]

I find it hard to believe Marvel won't be there with something to show fans with The Avengers. Those others studios said to be not showing up? Yeah...I can see that.

They're slowly realizing that the success or failure of these big genre films have nothing to do with the Comic-Con crowd. Because they're all going to see the movies regardless. So going out of their way, making big presentations and kissing fanboys' butts isn't going to add to their bottom-line when said film finally opens.

Ironically the big tentpole that will make the biggest splash this year, The Amazing Spider-Man, is sitting in a position where it shouldn't be worried about the Comic-Con crowd but most importantly the general public who are still greatly indifferent and/or negative about replacing the cast of the Sam Raimi films and rebooting everything back to another origin story.

 

[redhawk23]

laughing at the irony that women at Comic-Con is a problem.

Women at at SDCC are not a problem

14 year old girls camping out in Hall H waiting to see Robert Pattinson are.

 

[Drz]

Yes keep Comic-con as COMIC-CON, this is good news to hear the film companies are getting out of there, it has been too much of a "Con" and too little of a Comic con.

 

[mrvlknight21]

ERRONEOUS THREAD TITLE ALERT!!!

At no point does that article even suggest that Comic Con may die. They're just pointing out that Movie Production companies may choose not to strut their stuff at comic con (because their stuff isn't worth strutting).

The thread title is misleading.

Stupid title. .

Aesop Rocks is becoming known for that.

 

[chaseter]

We all knew ComicCon was doomed when Twilight showed up at the convention.

 

[redhawk23]

eh, they have just as much right to be there as all the tvshows and such. Twilight's just part of the overarching problem of the con.

 

[Prison Mike]

Women at at SDCC are not a problem

14 year old girls camping out in Hall H waiting to see Robert Pattinson are.

As opposed to 35 year old men camping out in Hall H waiting to see *insert latest actor to play a superhero*.

 

[redhawk23]

As opposed to 35 year old men camping out in Hall H waiting to see *insert latest actor to play a superhero*.

Campers in general are a problem

As are Eye Stabbings.

But at least Ryan Reynolds reciting the GL Oath is slightly more on task.

 

[Prison Mike]

Campers in general are a problem

As are Eye Stabbings.

But at least Ryan Reynolds reciting the GL Oath is slightly more on task.

I fondly remember Blake Lively's outfit from that panel.

 

[Duke]

As a previous poster said, there is too much non-comic stuff that is being allowed. They should just focus on comic related things.