The Ultimate Guide to San Diego Comic Con 2015

From the best panels to the late night events, here is the ultimate guide to San Diego Comic Con 2015….

By Damon Martin — Editor/Lead Writer

In just a few short days, San Diego Comic Con 2015 will officially launch with another year of exclusive announcements, premiere footage and just about anything and everything the pop culture enthusiast could hope for in one location.

The convention is a massive undertaking for anyone in attendance, but the best part about San Diego Comic Con is getting access to news, clips and other information can be attained whether you’ve made the trip or not.

So what we’ve compiled here is a complete and ultimate guide to anything and everything worth checking out at San Diego Comic Con 2015. From the biggest and best panels to the offsite events to the parties worth checking out, this is anything and everything you need to know if you’re going to the convention or just following along at home.

Our guide will go day by day in time sequence so it’s easy to follow along to find out what you’re looking for and when everything is taking place.

Without further ado here is the Ultimate Guide to San Diego Comic Con 2015:

First things first — badge pick up. You can actually get your badge at the San Diego Convention Center starting at 3pm PT on Wednesday all the way up to 8:30pm PT but this is only for folks with the consolidated four day badges plus preview night, exhibitors, professionals and press. The other days have other start times and you can only pick up individual day badges on the day you have it purchased — so if you only got a Saturday badge, you can only get it on Saturday. Those days the badge pick up starts at 8:30am PT.

Now Preview Night is exactly what it sounds like — a chance to peruse the show floor, pick up exclusives, toys, t-shirts and other goodies before the actual convention kicks off on Thursday morning. Now the only people that can get into this thing are the attendees with four day badges with preview night so it’s also the least crowded of all the days on the convention floor. This is the day where I have typically purchased any show exclusives that I want because there’s less hustle and bustle going on the floor, plus every vendor has the products because it’s the first day of the convention.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT PREVIEW NIGHT

Special Sneak Peek Pilot Screenings — 6pm in Ballroom 20

The major event for Wednesday night will be your chance to get a first look at some new pilots debuting this fall including Supergirl, Blindspot, Containment, Lucifer and Teen Titans Go!

THURSDAY PANELS AND PROGRAMMING

Hand of God — 10am in Room 6A

A look at this Amazon series with star Ron Perlman slated to appear as well as cast members Ben Watkins (Burn Notice), Garret Dilahunt (Justified), Andre Royo (Happyish), Alona Tal (Supernatural), Julian Morris (Pretty Little Liars), Emayatzy Corinealdi (Criminal Minds), and Elizabeth McLaughlin (Betrayal).

The Autobiography of James T. Kirk — 10:45am in Ballroom 20

William Shatner will read excerpts from his new autobiography as well as answer fan questions in this panel

The Player — 11:15am in Room 6A

Get a first look at the new series on NBC starring Wesley Snipes and Philip Winchester about a former military operative turned security expert (Winchester) who is drawn into a high-stakes and high-tech game, where an organization of wealthy individuals gamble on his ability to stop some of the biggest crimes imaginable from playing out.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 — 12pm in Hall H

This will probably end up as one of the biggest panels of the day with a first look at the final chapter of ‘The Hunger Games’ saga. Jennifer Lawrence and other cast members will be in attendance while also doing a Q&A with fans

CBS TV Studios with Extant, Scorpion, Limitless, Under the Dome and Zoo — 12pm in Ballroom 20

‘Extant’ will feature new footage and appearances from Halle Berry (X-Men), and Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Watchmen), executive producer Craig Shapiro, and executive producer and creator Mickey Fisher.

‘Zoo’ will show footage from the event series with cast members including James Wolk (Mad Men), Kristen Connolly (Cabin in the Woods), Billy Burke (Revolution), Nora Arnezeder (Safe House) and executive producers Jeff Pinkner (Fringe) and Josh Appelbaum (Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol) set to appear.

‘Under the Dome’ will give a first look at an upcoming episode with cast members Mike Vogel (Bates Motel), Colin Ford, special guest star Marg Helgenberger set to appear and answer questions.

‘Limitless’ will air the entire pilot episode with cast members Jake McDorman (American Sniper), and Hill Harper set to appear.

‘Scorpion’ will show a sizzle reel from season one with a look ahead to season two with Elyes Gabel (World War Z), Robert Patrick (Terminator 2), Katharine McPhee (Smash), Eddie Kaye Thomas (American Pie), Jadyn Wong (Broken Trail) all set to appear.

Doctor Who — 2:15pm in Hall H

Another massive panel every year at Comic Con so expect long lines for this one. Peter Capaldi will make his first ever appearance at the convention along with Jenna Coleman (Clara Oswald) and Michelle Gomez (Missy), and lead writer and executive producer Steven Moffat.

Sherlock — 3:45pm in Ballroom 20

Another big BBC hit will land at Comic Con with Steven Moffat (co-creator, executive producer, and writer), Sue Vertue (executive producer) and Rupert Graves (actor, DI Greg Lestrade) all set to appear.

Con Man: The Fan Revolt 13 Years in the Making — 3:45pm in Hall H

The project launched by Alan Tudyk (Firefly) that got over $3.2 million in support during an IndieGoGo campaign for an online show launching soon. The panel will include a sneak peak at the show as well as appearances by Alan Tudyk, Nathan Fillion, P. J. Haarsma, Mindy Sterling, Tricia Helfer, Felicia Day, Casper Van Dien, Nolan North, Alison Haislip, Michael Trucco and Sky Haarsma.

MTV’s Teen Wolf — 5pm in Ballroom 20

A look at the upcoming season with several cast members expected to appear.

Scooby-Doo and KISS Rock and Roll Mystery Premiere — 6pm in Hall H

The world premiere of this cartoon adventure starring everyone’s favorite pooch sleuth Scooby Do and KISS team up to solve a mystery. The best part will be the panel afterwards where Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer from KISS are scheduled to appear.

Damien — 6:30pm in Room 6A

A continuation of the classic movies ‘The Omen’ this new A&E show takes a look at Damien Thorn all grown up, unaware of the satanic forces following him. Show runner Glen Mazzara and cast members Bradley James (Merlin), Barbara Hershey, Megalyn Echikunwoke, and Omid Abtahi all expected to appear with a debut screening and a special guest in attendance.

THURSDAY NIGHT EVENTS:

These are the events to check out after the convention doors are closed and you want to enjoy some San Diego night life.

SuicideGirls Blackheart Burlesque — 11pm at the House of Blues

This is one of the can’t miss events every year at Comic Con and we had a chat with SuicideGirls owner Missy Suicide to preview the upcoming show to see what fans are infor this year.

NerdcoreMovement: Why does this SuicideGirls burlesque show and Comic Con just seem to go hand in hand every year?

Missy Suicide: “It feels like just the perfect match. Our burlesque show is all pop culture related so all of the numbers are themed to different pop culture areas. We have a ‘Game of Thrones’ number, television shows, movies, comic books with our themes. Like our ‘Game of Thrones’ number is to an MIA song and then we have themes and we try to match them up with great costumes and just kick ass choreography.”

“This one is where we try out all of our new numbers. We get to try out more cast members. It’s a bit looser and more nerd focused and it’s just more. It’s one of our favorite shows every year. The audience is like our core group of people.”

NerdcoreMovement: What kind of a show can fans expect if they attend?

Missy Suicide: “Usually we do it Saturday night, but this year it’s on Thursday night. But it’s a really fun show for us to do. Everybody is so positive at Comic Con and it’s the rowdiest show we get for the year by far. They understand the references that we’re making and they let us know if things are good and working or if they’re not into it. It’s really a fun show for us.”

Missy suggests getting tickets early so make sure to go to www.blackheartburlesque.com to get yours before heading to San Diego!

MTV Fandom Fest and Fandom Awards — Petco Park

Tyler Posey from ‘Teen Wolf’ and Bella Thorne from ‘Scream’ co-host these awards with everyone with a Comic Con badge invited to attend.

Nerd HQ Fan Party — 9pm at the New Children’s Museum

One of the best parts of Comic Con every year is Nerd HQ and this should be no exception. They even added an extra party this year so get ready for fun. Highly recommended!

FRIDAY PANELS AND PROGRAMMING

Inside the ‘Big Bang Theory’ Writer’s Room — 10am in Ballroom 20

Hear from the writers for this hit CBS show including a look ahead at what’s happening next season.

Falling Skies – The Final Farewell — 11:15 in Ballroom 20

A look ahead to the final seasons of ‘Falling Skies’ with Noah Wyle, Moon Bloodgood, Drew Roy and more scheduled to appear.

Lucifer Pilot Screening and Q&A — 11:30am in Room 6BCF

Get a first look at the new series ‘Lucifer’ from FOX with the debut episode screening as well as a Q&A with the stars and producers behind the show scheduled to appear.

The Walking Dead — 12pm in Hall H

Well this will definitely be a huge panel for Friday with the first footage from season 6 expected to debut along with cast members Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus, Steven Yeun, Lauren Cohan, Danai Gurira, Melissa McBride, Chandler Riggs, Sonequa Martin-Green, Michael Cudlitz, and Lennie James join executive producer and showrunner Scott M. Gimple all scheduled to appear as well answer questions.

The 100 Special Video Presentation and Q&A — 12:30pm in Ballroom 20

A look at season two of the show with cast members expected to appear and answer questions.

Fear the Walking Dead — 1pm in Hall H

Get a first look at the new spinoff series from ‘The Walking Dead’ with cast members Cliff Curtis, Kim Dickens, Frank Dillane, Alycia Debnam-Carey, Elizabeth Rodriquez, Lorenzo James Henrie, Ruben Blades and Mercedes Mason join executive producer and showrunner Dave Erickson all expected to appear and answer questions.

Minority Report — 1:45 in Ballroom 20

Pilot screening along with cast members Stark Sands (Inside Llewyn Davis) and Meagan Good scheduled to appear and answer questions after the premiere episode.

Amazon: The Man in the High Castle — 2:15pm in Room 6A

A new show from Amazon takes a look at a future where the Axis powers won World War II and America has been split in half with Germany and Japan now sharing ownership of the country. Frank Spotnitz (The X-Files), producers David Zucker (The Good Wife) and Isa Dick Hackett, and cast members Alexa Davalos (Clash of the Titans), Luke Kleintank (Pretty Little Liars), Rupert Evans (Hellboy), Cary Hiroyuki Tagawa (Mortal Kombat Legacy), and Rufus Sewell (Killing Jesus) all scheduled to appear.

Game of Thrones Panel and Q&A Session — 2:30pm in Hall H

Look back at season 5 of ‘Game of Thrones’ and hear from cast members including Alfie Allen as Theon Greyjoy/Reek, John Bradley as Samwell Tarly, Gwendoline Christie as Brienne of Tarth, Liam Cunningham as Davos Seaworth, Natalie Dormer as Margaery Tyrell, Conleth Hill as Varys, David Nutter (director), Hannah Murray as Gilly, Carolyn Strauss (executive producer), Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark, Carice van Houten as Melisandre, and Maisie Williams as Arya Stark all appearing this year.

Marvel Television Presents — 3pm in Ballroom 20

This is a showcase for ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ and ‘Agent Carter’ with several cast members expected to appear including Clark Gregg and Hayley Atwell as well as some special announcements about the upcoming seasons for each show.

MTV’s Scream — 4:30pm in Room 5AB

Cast and crew from the new MTV series will appear and show clips from the show.

The Originals Special Video Presentation and Q&A — 4:30pm in Ballroom 20

A look at this CW series with cast and crew expected to attend and answer questions about the season.

Colony: USA Network Series — 4:30pm in Room 6BCF

Exclusive trailer and footage shown from the new series from Carlton Cuse (Lost, Bates Motel) with stars Josh Holloway (Lost) Sarah Wayne Callies (The Walking Dead) and Peter Jacobson (House) all set to appear.

Lucasfilm and Star Wars: The Force Awakens — 5:30pm in Hall H

Undoubtedly the biggest panel of the entire convention this year — cast members from the new film ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ are expected to appear along with a first look at footage from the film. Expect the unexpected for this panel because this will definitely be the most talked about one of the whole show.

Orphan Black: BBC America Official Panel — 5:45pm in Room 6BCF

Stars Tatiana Maslany (Sarah and the Leda clones), Jordan Gavaris (Felix), Maria Doyle Kennedy (Mrs. S), Dylan Bruce (Paul), Kristian Bruun (Donnie), and Ari Millen (Mark and the Castor clones) and co-creators John Fawcett and Graeme Manson with a look back at season 3 and a look ahead at season 4.

Starz: Ash vs. Evil Dead — 6pm in Room 6A

Original filmmakers Sam Raimi (executive producer, director, writer), Rob Tapert (executive producer), Bruce Campbell (executive producer and star of the series, Ash), Ivan Raimi (co-exeuctive producer), and Craig DiGregorio (executive producer), along with Lucy Lawless (Ruby) take a look at this new series following up from the classic cult film ‘Evil Dead’.

Yoga Hosers: An Evening with Kevin Smith — 7:15pm in Hall H

Kevin Smith’s annual Q&A session with fans is always a highlight and this year he will present a first look at his new film ‘Yoga Hosers’ as well.

FRIDAY NIGHT EVENTS:

Morgan Spurlock Presents Geeks for Peace — 7pm at Moniker Warehouse, 705 16th St.

Fundraiser hosted by Morgan Spurlock, Kevin Smith and Gotham Chopra.

SATURDAY PANELS AND PROGRAMMING

Warner Bros. Presentation — 10:30am in Hall H

This will be the other huge panel at Comic Con this year with ‘Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice’ expected to take center stage with director Zack Snyder and stars Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill set to appear along with Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Jeremy Irons, Holly Hunter and Gal Gadot. Expect new footage or possibly a new trailer to debut. This could also be the time when new cast members are announced so this will be a big one to watch for on Saturday.

Also on the Warner Bros. panel will be a look at ‘Pan’ starring Hugh Jackman and ‘The Man from U.N.C.L.E.’ starring Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies — 12:15pm in Hall H

Cast members Lily James, Sam Riley, Bella Heathcote, Douglas Booth, Jack Huston and Matt Smith along with writer/director Burr Steers and the book’s author Seth Grahame-Smith all expected to appear as you get a first look at this twisted adaptation of the undead arriving in the time of Jane Austen’s classic tale.

Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight — 1:30pm in Hall H

A rare appearance for the writer/director as he presents the first footage from his new movie ‘The Hateful Eight’ opening in theaters this Christmas. Most of the cast is also expected to attend as well.

Legendary Pictures — 2:30pm in Hall H

A look at some of the upcoming films from this company including Great Wall, Krampus and more.

Grimm Season 5 — 3pm in Ballroom 20

A sneak peek at season 5 with cast appearing David Giuntoli, Russell Hornsby, Silas Weir Mitchell, Reggie Lee, Sasha Roiz, Bree Turner, and Claire Coffee.

Outcast TV Series: A First Look with Robert Kirkman — 3pm in Room 6DE

Get the first look at this new Cinemax series from ‘The Walking Dead’ creator Robert Kirkman. Also scheduled to appear will be Patrick Fugit (Almost Famous, Gone Girl), Philip Glenister (Life on Mars), and Wrenn Schmidt (Boardwalk Empire) and more.

Joss Whedon — 4:45pm in Hall H

The enigmatic writer and director will host a special Q&A session talking about ‘The Avengers’ and any other subjects that might come up as well as a hint at what comes next for him after exiting the Marvel family following his work on ‘The Avengers: Age of Ultron’.

Hannibal: Savor the Hunt — 5pm in Ballroom 20

Since ‘Hannibal’ has been cancelled, this is a can’t miss panel for fans of the show. Bryan Fuller, executive producer Martha De Laurentiis, and star Hugh Dancy are scheduled to appear and with the show going out (at least for now) expect a few surprises as well.

20th Century Fox — 5:45pm in Hall H

Expect ‘X-Men: Apocalypse’ to take center stage during this presentation with other 20^th Century FOX movies also being highlighted during this panel.

Warner Bros. Television and DC Entertainment Screening Block — 8pm in Hall H

This will be a showcase for a bunch of Warner Bros. shows including ‘Gotham’, ‘Arrow’, ‘The Flash’, and DC’s ‘Legends of Tomorrow’. Screenings, panels, Q&A’s will take place and a ton of stars are expected for this one.

Scream Queens: World Premiere Screening — 9:15pm in Room 6DE

Catch the premiere episode of ‘Scream Queens’ from creator Ryan Murphy starring Emma Roberts, Jamie Lee Curtis and more.

SATURDAY NIGHT EVENTS

X-Men: Days Of Future Past Rogue Cut — 8pm at the Reading Gaslamp Cinemas

A special screening of the ‘Rogue Cut’ of ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past’.

Vacation Special Screening — 10pm at the Reading Gaslamp Cinemas

A first look at the new ‘Vacation’ movie starring Ed Helms and Christina Applegate

Nerd HQ Dance Party — 9pm to 2am at the New Children’s Museum, 200 West Island Ave.

SUNDAY PROGRAMMING AND PANELS

The Vampire Diaries: Special Video Presentation and Q&A — 10am in Hall H

Video screening along with a Q&A with the cast and crew

Supernatural Special Video Presentation and Q&A — 11:15 in Hall H

Series stars Jared Padalecki (Friday the 13th [2009]), Jensen Ackles (My Bloody Valentine 3D), Misha Collins (Ringer), and Mark A. Sheppard (Battlestar Galactica) are all set to appear along with a look back at season 10 and a look ahead at season 11.

American Horror Story and Scream Queens — 12:30pm in Hall H

The cast and crew from both of these popular series are set to appear including Kathy Bates, Angela Bassett, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, and Matt Bomer with a look ahead at ‘American Horror Story: Hotel’ as well as Jamie Lee Curtis, the original scream queen, Emma Roberts, Lea Michele, Skyler Samuels, and Keke Palmer from ‘Scream Queens’.

Heroes Reborn: Exclusive Extended Trailer and Q&A with Tim Kring and Cast — 1:45pm in Hall H

An extended trailer will debut during this panel along with appearances from Jack Coleman, Zachary Levi, Robbie Kay, Kiki Sukezane, Ryan Guzman, Gatlin Green, Henry Zebrowski, Judith Shekoni, Danika Yarosh, and Rya Kihlstedt and cast member Greg Grunberg will be acting as moderator.

Buffy Musical: Once More With Feeling & Juliet Landau Q&A — 2:45pm in Room 6BCF

A special presentation of the classic ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ episode ‘Once More with Feeling’ as well as a special Q&A with Juliet Landau, who played Drusilla on the show.

FX TV Block Featuring Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll, The Strain, and a Sneak Peek of The Bastard Executioner — 3pm in Hall H

FX will take over Hall Ho on Sunday with panels and video presentations for several series including the first look at Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter’s new show ‘The Bastard Executioner’.

OFF SITE EVENTS/DAILY EVENTS

These are the events that are happening outside of the convention center almost everyday (although we will list the days and times) that are definitely worth checking out!

Nerd HQ — The New Children’s Museum, 200 West Island Avenue

Definitely the best place to go outside of the convention. Zachary Levi organizes this event every year with video games, food, drinks and celebrity appearances throughout the convention. There are also the ‘Conversations for a Cause’ panels, which sell out quick but the good news is many of the stars stick around for photo sessions and other events as well.

FX Fearless Arena — Hilton Bayfront Lawn, 1 Park Blvd

HOURS OF OPERATION Thursday – 12pm–6pm

Friday – 10am – 6pm

Saturday – 10am – 6pm

Sunday – 11am – 5pm

FX will basically build a theme park next door to Comic Con with sets including ‘American Horror Story: Hotel’, ‘The Strain’, ‘Fargo’ and ‘The Bastard Executioner’.

Petco Park Interactive Zone — 10am to 7pm at Petco Park

Fan zone with a ton of stuff to do including the ‘Scream Queens’ drop that will take fans up 120 feet into the air before plummeting them back to the ground.

Game of Thrones: Experience the Realm — Omni Hotel

Open from 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. PT, Thursday, July 9th through Saturday, July 11th and 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PT on Sunday, July 12

Always a great choice if you are a ‘Game of Thrones’ fan. You can take a picture on the Iron Throne, see the gigantic sword wielded by ‘The Mountain’ Ser Gregor Clegane in his battle with Oberyn Martell and much, much more. Get there early though because the lines get long for this event.

The Walking Dead Escape — 6pm to 10pm at Petco Park on July 10 and 11

Walking Dead themed event that runs every year, very popular, but get your tickets ahead of time if you can! Get your tickets here http://thewalkingdeadescape.com/