104-669: Team Thor is a series of American direct-to-video mockumentary short films produced by Marvel Studios , featuring characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Initially released from 2016 to 2018, they were included as special features in the MCU films ' Blu-ray and digital distribution releases and are the sixth through eighth Marvel One-Shot short films. The series consists of Team Thor , Team Thor: Part 2 , and Team Darryl , all written and directed by Taika Waititi . Chris Hemsworth reprises his role as Thor in
208-492: A trade fair called the "San Diego Comic Book Expo" was held in association with San Diego Comic-Con; David Scroggy was the organizer. In 1995, the convention's official name was changed to Comic-Con International: San Diego . According to Forbes , the convention is the "largest convention of its kind in the world"; Publishers Weekly wrote "Comic-Con International: San Diego is the largest show in North America"; it
312-491: A 2011 documentary feature film set at the convention, Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope . Writer Robert Salkowitz also used the 2011 Comic-Con as a backdrop for his book Comic-Con and the Business of Pop Culture , an analysis of the comics industry's 21st-century dilemmas and what the future may hold. From 2015 to 2019, Conan O'Brien recorded a week of live shows from Comic-Con at the nearby Spreckels Theatre . In 2015,
416-773: A New Asgard tour guide. Direct-to-video Direct-to-video or straight-to-video refers to the release of a film , television series , short or special to the public immediately on home video formats rather than an initial theatrical release or television premiere . This distribution strategy was prevalent before streaming platforms came to dominate the TV and movie distribution markets. Because inferior sequels or prequels of larger-budget films may be released direct-to-video, review references to direct-to-video releases are often pejorative . Direct-to-video release has also become profitable for independent filmmakers and smaller companies. Some direct-to-video genre films (with
520-502: A badge. In 2018, it was estimated that nearly 200,000 people would be in downtown San Diego due to Comic-Con related exhibits and events. Capacity attendance at Comic-Con in 2006 and 2007 has caused crowding issues. Concerns have been raised that the event is possibly too large for the San Diego Convention Center , Comic-Con's home through at least 2024. In 2006, Comic-Con, for the first time, had to close registration for
624-635: A collection of all five volumes of the series in English in 2016. Other comics set at the convention include Archie No. 538 (September 2003), Archie Giant Series No. 601 (October 1989) and No. 624 (October 1991), G.I. Joe No. 180 (July 2012), Dazzler No. 30 (January 1984), Lobo Convention Special ([September] 1993) and Fanboys Vs Zombies . 1992–1995 the Con partnered with Dark Horse Comics for an annual San Diego Comic Con Comics giveaway to attendees spotlighting characters published by Dark Horse. Comic-Con
728-434: A direct-to-video movie may get a limited theatrical screening in order to build excitement for the actual release of the video such as was done for 2010's Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths , and Planet Hulk , 2016's Batman: The Killing Joke or 2013's Sharknado . In some cases, other direct-to-video films can also be theatrically released in other countries. As DVDs gradually replaced VHS videocassettes ,
832-624: A feature-length documentary about Comic-Con, based on the book and podcast series. Comic-Con Magazine , formerly known as Update , is the official magazine of Comic-Con, WonderCon , and SAM: Storytelling Across Media, published free by San Diego Comic-Con International in the United States. The seed of Comic-Con Magazine was a short one-shot issue of The Spirit , based on Comic-Con and sold exclusively in 1976 at Comic-Con. The Comic-Con Magazine debuted as Update in July 2005 and mainly focused on
936-534: A few hours on Saturday to accommodate crowds. In response, for 2007, Comic-Con introduced a new three-day membership that did not include Saturday. Nevertheless, the 2007 show went on to sell out Saturday, as well as Friday and Sunday for the first time. Additionally, both the four-day and three-day memberships sold out for the first time. For 2008, the three-day memberships were abandoned and the convention decided to sell memberships only in advance, with no on-site registration. In 2008, all memberships were sold out before
1040-472: A great replacement for the Marvel One-Shots. Collider 's Tommy Cook and Adam Chitwood also enjoyed the short, with Cook feeling it "perfectly captured Waititi's irreverent sense of humor" and praised Hemsworth's comedic abilities, while Chitwood said there were "a number of really funny touches" and noted Hemsworth and Waititi were a good comedic fit. Ross A. Lincoln of Deadline Hollywood enjoyed
1144-583: A guest cartoonist responding to improvisational prompts and games (a la Whose Line Is It Anyway? ), and animation expert Jerry Beck 's program featuring TV's "worst cartoons ever", as well as over 350 hours of other programming on all aspects of comic books and pop culture. Like most comic book conventions, Comic-Con features a large floorspace for exhibitors. These include media companies such as movie studios and TV networks, as well as comic-book dealers and collectibles merchants. And like most comics conventions, Comic-Con includes an autograph area, as well as
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#17328488225421248-481: A high-profile star) can generate well in excess of $ 50 million revenue worldwide. A production studio may decide not to generally release a TV show or film for several possible reasons: a low budget, a lack of support from a TV network, negative reviews, its controversial nature, that it may appeal to a small niche market , or a simple lack of general public interest. Studios, limited in the annual number of films to which they grant cinematic releases, may choose to pull
1352-497: A job, which Thor laughs at and counters by suggesting they get a servant. Additional footage from Thor's visit to the kindergarten classroom is shown. The interview ends with Thor feeling he does not need anyone else in his life besides Darryl, and suggests that Darryl get a superhero outfit. Team Thor: Part 2 was released on the home media of Doctor Strange (2016) in February 2017, with Hemsworth and Pearson both returning. The film
1456-545: A lottery and need-based system. The main exhibit hall, which includes larger well-recognized companies, takes up halls F through A. These companies sell or promote new and upcoming movies, television shows, and video games as well as featuring toys and exclusives with many selling for hundreds or even thousands on the secondary markets outside the convention. Some notable recurring companies include Lego , Hasbro , Funko , Hallmark Cards , Nickelodeon , Cartoon Network , The Walt Disney Company , and Blizzard Entertainment . In
1560-474: A musical guest. He hires Darryl's friends to help him but melts one of them when his expectations are not met. Darryl confesses he is unsure if the Grandmaster also wants to melt him, and admits he misses Thor as his roommate. Team Darryl was released on digital download for Thor: Ragnarok on February 20, 2018, and on Blu-ray on March 6. Pearson reprises his role as Darryl and is joined by Jeff Goldblum as
1664-446: A non-profit organization. By the late 1970s, the show had grown to such an extent that Bob Schreck recalled visiting with his then-boss Gary Berman of Creation Conventions and reflecting, "While [Berman] kept repeating (attempting to convince himself) 'This show's not any bigger than ours!' I was quietly walking the floor stunned and in awe of just how much bigger it really was. I was blown away." From 1984 to c. 1994 ,
1768-558: A panel from Matt Groening (creator of Futurama as well as The Simpsons ) on his new show "Futurella" (a twist on the title of the show and a parody of its cancellation by Fox ). In "It's My Party and I'll Bang If I Want To", an episode of the 2011 season of The Real World: San Diego , the cast attends Comic-Con made up as zombies in order to pass out promotional flyers for the House of Blues , where they worked as part of their season work assignment. Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock released
1872-464: A perfect fit for us. It's expensive, whether it be paying for the street signs that tell you what streets are closed, or for any police or the hall or any of the myriad things, it's expensive. But it's a great city. There's been some talk of expansion of the center, which we would certainly welcome. Hopefully if everything lines up, we will be here for many more years. Heidi McDonald reported on her blog The Beat as of October 7, 2009, Preview Night for
1976-467: A public vote), and partly because the city lost the rights to the only contiguous parcel of land where expansion could occur. Other cities, including Los Angeles, began to seek to have Comic-Con move out of San Diego; In 2015, Comic-Con entered into negotiations with San Diego. As a result of these negotiations, Comic-Con entered into a contract to stay in San Diego through 2018. The commitment to San Diego
2080-837: A recent negative test required for admission, and face masks being mandatory. The full-scale convention returned in July 2022; once again, face masks and proof of full COVID-19 vaccination was required. On July 13, 2023, SAG-AFTRA approved a strike after failing to renew its contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), marking the first time that both actors and writers have concurrently been on strike since 1960. As SAG-AFTRA members would be prohibited from participating in promotional work such as panels, multiple major media companies preemptively pulled out of Comic-Con as early as June, including Disney (including subsidiaries Marvel and Lucasfilm ), Netflix, Inc. , Sony Pictures , and Universal Pictures . On
2184-869: A small part of a bigger thing". In October 2017, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige stated that he saw the shorts as a "doable" version of their previous Marvel One-Shots shorts series, and felt that they "in some parts helped redefine Thor into what he's become in Ragnarok in a fun way." As well, Jeff Goldblum , who portrays the Grandmaster in Thor: Ragnarok , stated he had shot footage with Waititi for another short, which became Team Darryl . The three shorts were made available on Disney+ in January 2022, at which point Marvel classified them as One-Shots. After saving Earth with
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#17328488225422288-467: A stigma of lower technical or artistic quality than theatrical releases. Some films released direct-to-video are films which have been completed but were never released in movie theaters. This delay often occurs when a studio doubts a film's commercial prospects to justify a full cinema release or because its release window has closed. In film industry slang, such films are referred to as having been "vaulted". Like B-movies shown in drive-in theaters in
2392-454: A successful live action film straight to DVD, due to a lack of budget in comparison to the original. During the Golden Age of Porn in the 1970s, many pornographic films were released in theatres, some of which became some of the highest-grossing films in their release years, and in the pornography industry altogether. Toward the 1980s, porn began to shift to video release, because video allowed
2496-597: A suspect was arrested on Sunday at the San Diego Marriott Hotel and Marina. Police later stated that the teenage girl was injured in a fall, and the arrested individual was released without any charges. In 2024, a three-alarm kitchen fire started in a nearby steakhouse caused the evacuation of around 1200 attendees of an "Iceberg Lounge" promotional event for the HBO series The Penguin . The next day, actress Jennifer Garner got stuck in an elevator and had to call
2600-633: A target opening date of late 2020 or 2022. On April 17, 2020, the 53rd convention was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in California and two stay-at-home orders issued by California governor Gavin Newsom . It was originally scheduled to occur from July 23 to 26, 2020, to coincide with the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, which was postponed to 2021 due to the pandemic. An "SDCC@Home" digital streaming event
2704-469: A third of the average cost of a Hollywood release. According to Variety , American Pie Presents: Band Camp sold more than one million copies in a week. Some direct-to-DVD releases recently have tended to feature actors who were formerly bankable stars. In 2005, salaries for some of these direct-to-DVD actors in the multimillion-dollar range from $ 2 to $ 4 million ( Jean-Claude Van Damme ) and $ 4.5 to $ 10 million ( Steven Seagal ), in some cases exceeding
2808-546: A trend in China; these films are called "Online Big Movies" ("OBM"; 网络大电影 in Chinese, or simply 网大). The word "Big" in the name was meant to be sardonic , as most of these films are often made on a very low budget and featuring mostly unknown cast members and sometimes nonprofessional actors. However, increasingly, the budget for these films have been slowly climbing up, due to the success of these films on digital distribution platforms;
2912-586: A video channel was created to host Comic-Con related content. In 2015, through a limited liability company , Comic-Con International purchased three buildings in Barrio Logan . In 2018 Comic-Con International purchased a 29,000-square-foot (2,700 m ) office in San Diego's Little Italy neighborhood. In 2017, the organization acquired a lease to the Federal Building in Balboa Park , originally built for
3016-482: Is a comic book convention and multi-genre entertainment event held annually in San Diego, California . It is held at the San Diego Convention Center . Originally showcasing primarily comic books and science fiction/fantasy media, Comic-Con has grown to include a large range of pop culture and entertainment elements across virtually all genres. According to Forbes , Comic-Con is the "largest convention of its kind in
3120-456: Is also known as Team Thor: Part 2, Where Are They Now? After Thor moved out of Darryl's apartment, Darryl moves to Los Angeles and becomes roommates with the Grandmaster , the only person who responded to his ads. The Grandmaster believes Darryl would be a good replacement assistant and various clips are shown of Darryl performing menial tasks for the Grandmaster, such as taking out the trash and driving him around. Darryl goes on to describe how
3224-401: Is also the largest convention held in San Diego. The convention has an estimated annual regional economic impact of more than $ 140 million. Yet, in 2009, the estimated economic impact was criticized for allegedly negatively impacting seasonal businesses outside of Comic-Con, low individual spending estimates of attendees, that a large number of attendees live in San Diego, and that the impact of
Team Thor - Misplaced Pages Continue
3328-537: Is also used, with its main ballroom (Indigo) seating up to 2,600. The other neighboring hotel, the Marriott Marquis & Marina , also hosts a lot of Comic-Con activity. Among other things, the hotel serves as the anime headquarters and is where the nighttime films are shown. Comic-Con has served as the setting for Mark Hamill 's Comic Book: The Movie , and for an episode of the HBO television series Entourage ,
3432-654: Is mentioned in the long-running CBS geek-targeted sitcom The Big Bang Theory in several episodes, and in NBC 's Chuck in the episode " Chuck Versus the Sandworm ", as an event the characters enjoy attending. On the Futurama episode " Lrrreconcilable Ndndifferences ", the main characters attend the 3010 convention (with it being referred to as "Comic-Con Intergalactic" and the iconic eye logo now sporting multiple eyes), where Fry looks for approval for his own comic while Bender attends
3536-481: Is told by over 50 of the original contributors. Among the founders there are also interviews with celebrities like Felicia Day , Ho Che Anderson , Jackie Estrada , Scott Aukerman , Trina Robbins , Kevin Smith , Neil Gaiman , and Bruce Campbell . The podcast was hosted by Brinke Stevens of Slumber Party Massacre . The podcast was expanded into the book See You at San Diego: An Oral History of Comic-Con, Fandom, and
3640-516: The Avengers , Thor takes a short break in Australia where he lives with a local office worker, Darryl Jacobson. As he does this, he is interviewed by a film crew and talks about his daily life in Australia. Thor is seen visiting a kindergarten classroom, attempting to send emails with Darryl's help to Tony Stark and Steve Rogers concerning their conflict, and revealing his investigative board concerning
3744-614: The California Pacific International Exposition and previously occupied by the San Diego Hall of Champions , with the intention of opening a Comic-Con Museum . By October 2017, the organization began to hire staff for the museum. Nearly a year after acquiring the lease, the museum was not yet open. During the 2018 Comic-Con, one reason stated for why the museum had not yet opened was the need for additional funds. Organizers are hoping to raise $ 25 million with
3848-626: The Food Network series Cake Masters had an episode where Duff Goldman presented a cake at Comic-Con to the cast of Fantastic Four . In 2020, SiriusXM in association with Stitcher started production on COMIC-CON BEGINS: Origin Stories of the San Diego Comic-Con and the Rise of Modern Fandom . The podcast is a six-part mini-series chronicling the birth and evolution of San Diego Comic-Con, and
3952-516: The Tribeca Film Festival in April, where it was reviewed positively, but only received modest distribution offers. At the time, it was not very common for consumers to make digital movie purchases. As part of a push by the service towards original content, the subscription video on demand service Netflix began to acquire feature films for distribution on its service in the 2010s, including
4056-619: The public-benefit nonprofit corporation behind Comic-Con. The corporation also organizes WonderCon , an annual convention held in Anaheim, California , and SAM: Storytelling Across Media, a symposium held at Comic-Con Museum in Balboa Park . The convention was founded in 1970 by Shel Dorf , Richard Alf , Ken Krueger , Mike Towry , Ron Graf, Barry Alfonso, Bob Sourk, and Greg Bear . Initial comic book and sci-fi club meetings would be held at Krueger's Alert Books in Ocean Beach , where much of
4160-431: The 2010 show had already been sold out. On February 23, 2010, The Orange County Register reported that the larger Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim would be making a bid to become the new home of Comic-Con starting in 2013. On September 30, 2010, Comic Con announced that they had extended their stay up to 2015. The North County Times reported on July 26, 2010, that 4-day passes with access to Preview night for
4264-416: The 2010 show had already sold out. Glazner explained the early sell-out: For 2010 the decision was made to offer an option (of whether they wanted to attend Preview Night) to those who pre-registered for four-day badges. We limited the number of badges for Preview Night to the number of those who attended in 2008. Mark Evanier on his blog News from ME noted as of November 9, 2009, that all 4-day passes for
Team Thor - Misplaced Pages Continue
4368-522: The 2011 Convention had sold out two hours before the 2010 convention closed. Comic-Con International announced that 4-day passes for the 2014 convention (July 24–27) would no longer be available and only single days would be sold. Due to overcrowding, organizers of the event capped attendance; this cap has been in place since 2007. As of October 2013, a $ 520 million proposed expansion to the San Diego Convention Center received approval from
4472-556: The 2011 convention, at least 80 TV shows were represented, compared to about 35 films. The shows not only promote in the exhibit halls, but also use screenings and panels of various actors, writers, producers, and others from their shows. Premium cable channels HBO and Showtime have used the con to promote programs like Game of Thrones (HBO), Dexter (Showtime), Shameless (Showtime) and True Blood (HBO). Streaming services , including Netflix and Amazon Prime Video , have also had an increased presence at Comic-Con since
4576-468: The 2013 documentary The Square , and its first feature film in 2015 — Beasts of No Nation . Netflix pursued a simultaneous release strategy for its films, partnering with a distributor for a limited theatrical release (in order to maintain eligibility for awards requiring theatrical release, such as the Academy Awards ) simultaneous with their availability to subscribers. As this practice violates
4680-579: The 2014 film The Interview was released simultaneously on digital and at selected cinemas, after major chains dropped the film due to terrorist threats by a hacking group believed to have ties to North Korea (whose regime is satirized in the film). The group had also leaked confidential data from the internal servers of the film's distributor, Sony Pictures . The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in worldwide closures of cinemas due to economic restrictions and guidance against public gatherings, which prompted direct-to-digital releases for several major films;
4784-626: The 21st century, the convention has drawn toy and collectibles designers who sell "Comic-Con Exclusive" products. Most such exclusives are licensed properties of film, comic book and animation characters. The other type of exhibitors include offsite exhibitors, booths and events which are located outside the convention center. These locations are usually within walking distance of the convention center but have been moving into nearby parks in recent years. Some notable examples include Gaslamp Quarter , Petco Park , and Children's Park . In recent years, these offsite events have no connection to Comic-Con. In
4888-524: The Artists' Alley where comics artists can sign autographs and sell or do free sketches. Despite the name, artists' alleys can include writers and even models. Academics and comic industry professionals annually hold the Comics Arts Conference at Comic-Con, presenting scholarly studies on comics as a medium. In recent years, the number of television shows that are promoted far outnumber films. During
4992-600: The Blip , as seen in Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and is forced to work weekends since many of his co-workers did not survive. He also wishes Thor a happy birthday and asks him if he can transfer any money, as Darryl is now in debt. In April 2019, Hemsworth expressed interest in doing more Team Thor short films, with the possibility of doing a television series. Pearson appears as Darryl in Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) as
5096-563: The California Coastal Commission. The proposed expansion would increase the available space within the convention center and had a target completion date of early 2016. The expansion would add approximately 225,000 square feet of exhibit space, an additional 35%; and a brand-new 80,000 square foot ballroom, 20% larger than Hall H. The plan would also add a second tower to the Hilton Bayfront hotel, adding 500 rooms adjacent to
5200-707: The Chinese film Lost in Russia was acquired by ByteDance for 630 million yuan (almost 100 million in US dollars) and streamed on its platforms (including TikTok ) for free in lieu of a theatrical release, as part of a larger relationship with the company and the film's distributor Huanxi Media. A number of U.S. films were shifted directly to video-on-demand rentals in lieu of a theatrical release, while some have been sold directly to subscription services, including Disney+ , Max , Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video . OV ("original video") are movies made for direct-to-video release in
5304-563: The Comic-Con [organizing] committee base by networking with other fandoms such as the Society for Creative Anachronism and the Mythopoeic Society , among others. (We found a lot of talent and strength through diversity)". In a Rolling Stone article about the origins of Comic-Con, it noted the work of Krueger, who handled early business matters, and worked to get the event to be organized by
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#17328488225425408-476: The Convention Center. Due to the proposed expansion of the convention center, Comic Con extended its contract for San Diego to 2016. In 2014, convention center expansion was halted due to a lawsuit. As of July 2015, convention center expansion is effectively frozen, partly because the city no longer has financing lined up for it (any financing plan would involve taxpayer money and would have to be approved by
5512-413: The Grandmaster seems like a good person but has issues understanding Darryl's personal space and has his own anger issues. The Grandmaster states he has grown accustomed to Earth and plans to take it over, with Darryl standing at his side. He creates a video explaining his plan and posts it to the internet. However, after receiving no views, he plans to advertise the first video by posting a second video with
5616-455: The Grandmaster. It is set after the events of Thor: Ragnarok and is a continuation from the film's post-credits scene . Despite being "a silly little short", Ethan Anderton of /Film found Team Thor to be hilarious, as did Germain Lussier at io9 , who felt Ragnarok would be amazing if it had "an iota of this humor". Anderton later added that similar short films like Team Thor would be
5720-482: The Japanese market. OVA (" original video animation ") is distinguished from OVM ("original video movies") or V-Cinema, which usually refer to non-animated works. Different production studios may use other labels like "V drama". The OVA market developed in the mid-1980s. The lax restrictions and censorship in comparison to broadcast television appealed to filmmakers, allowing them to include more controversial content, as
5824-529: The Shadows (2014). Before Team Thor was released, many fans were unsure of Waititi's new tonal approach for Ragnarok . Waititi felt Team Thor "helped us a lot" by giving fans the opportunity to see "just how irreverent we were gonna be, and just how different we were making Thor , and [Bruce] Banner as well". In September 2016, Waititi said Darryl Jacobson would probably be seen again, adding that there may be "other little pieces of [ Team Thor ] that may just be
5928-517: The Triumph of Geek Culture by creator Mathew Klickstein and published by Fantagraphics on September 6, 2022. The book includes forewords by cartoonists Stan Sakai and Jeff Smith , and an afterword by Wu-Tang Clan 's RZA . The audiobook version was released on the same day by Blackstone Audio . On March 28, 2024, it was announced that Academy Award and Emmy Award nominated executive producer David Permut and producer Oscar Boyson will be creating
6032-400: The United States was Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation in 1992. The practice of creating and releasing regular fiction specifically for video did not really take off until 1994, with Disney 's The Return of Jafar and Universal 's The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure , neither of which was intended to hit theaters at any point in its production. Several of
6136-590: The Wednesday evening prior to the official opening, professionals, exhibitors, and pre-registered guests for all four days can attend a pre-event, dubbed "Preview Night", to give attendees the opportunity to walk the exhibit hall and see what will be available during the convention. Along with panels, seminars , and workshops with comic book professionals, there are previews of upcoming feature films and portfolio review sessions with top comic book and video game companies. The evenings include events such as awards ceremonies,
6240-408: The actors' theatrical rates. With the increasing prominence of digital distribution platforms in the 2000s and 2010s, direct-to-digital releases began to emerge alongside, or in lieu of home video. In November 2007, Ed Burns ' Purple Violets became the first film to "premiere" exclusively for sale on iTunes Store , being exclusive to the platform for a month exclusively. It had premiered at
6344-475: The animated sequels, like MGM 's The Secret of NIMH 2: Timmy to the Rescue from 1998, have sparked criticism due to the deliberate neglect of the original source material by creative content limits as these franchises will abruptly discontinue. Several other film series will be continuous if they become more successful, like Scooby-Doo for instance (their video debut Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island became one of
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#17328488225426448-547: The annual Masquerade costume contest, and the Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival, which showcases shorts and feature-length movies that do not have distribution or distribution deals. Traditional events include an eclectic film program, screening rooms devoted to Japanese animation , gaming, programs such as cartoonist Scott Shaw! 's "Oddball Comics" slide show, Quick Draw! hosted by Mark Evanier with Shaw!, Sergio Aragones and
6552-409: The balcony of a local high-rise, but nearby stuntmen prevented it. In 2014, multiple pedestrians marching in an off-site ZombieWalk were struck by a car forcing its way through an intersection. A 64-year-old woman sustained serious injuries to her arm; two others had minor injuries. The same year, a teenage cosplayer was initially thought to have been sexually assaulted early Sunday morning, and
6656-464: The best-selling DTV films of all time ). By 1994, an average of six new direct-to-video films appeared each week. Erotic thrillers and R-rated action films were the two most successful genres. Family films became more important than such genres later in the 1990s, as retailers stocked more copies of blockbuster films instead of more titles. According to the Los Angeles Times : Often,
6760-540: The budget for these films can now range from less than 1 million yuan to upwards of 10 or 20 million yuan. Although these "Online Big Movies" rarely feature well-known actors, in recent years, many "Online Big Movies" have hired veteran actors from Hong Kong action cinema and Taiwanese cinema to join its cast. These movies are also to be differentiated from films that are made for theatrical release but were later acquired by digital streaming services, in that these "Online Big Movies" are produced by internet companies with
6864-557: The completed film from the theaters, or never exhibit it in theaters at all. Studios then generate revenue through video sales and rentals. Direct-to-video films are marketed mostly through colorful box covers, instead of advertising, and are not covered by publications like Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide . The first direct-to-video release to go into production was E. Nick: A Legend in His Own Mind in 1984 produced by CineTel Films . Direct-to-video releases have historically carried
6968-583: The connections between the Infinity Stones , the Avengers, Nick Fury , and Thanos . Later, Thor meets Bruce Banner at a café regarding not being contacted by Stark and Rogers. Banner receives a phone call from Stark, who does not appear to want to reach out or talk to Thor. As such, Thor decides to start his own team, Team Thor, with him and Darryl. Team Thor was first screened at the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con , before being released online on August 28, 2016. It
7072-491: The convention as president or manager, variously, for years until becoming estranged from the organization. Alf co-chaired the first convention with Krueger and became chairman in 1971. Following the initial gathering, Dorf's first three-day San Diego comic convention, San Diego Golden State Comic-Con , drew 300 people. The venue was held in the basement of the U.S. Grant Hotel , having been secured by Graf, from August 1–3, 1970. The first few Comic-Cons operated under
7176-519: The convention for the first time. This sellout has given rise to the new phenomenon of Comic-Con memberships being scalped for exorbitant prices on websites such as eBay and Craigslist . In April 2008, David Glanzer, Comic-Con's director of marketing and public relations, commented on the organization's desire to remain in San Diego: We've been approached by other cities, [but] I don't think anybody wants to leave San Diego. I certainly don't. It's
7280-522: The convention was more cultural than financial. The estimated economic impact of that year's convention was $ 180 million. In 2014, the estimated impact of that year's convention was $ 177.8 million. In 2016, the estimated impact of that year's convention was down to $ 150 million. By 2018, San Diego Comic-Con saw increasing competition from other comic conventions in places such as New York City, and Washington, D.C., which caused it to compete for attendees and companies time and budget; yet San Diego Comic-Con
7384-498: The downfall of live-action family films at the box office is their strength on video. Their appeal is to families with young children, who may go to only a couple of movies per year but who will watch many videos multiple times. The teens and young adults who drive blockbuster box office statistics stay away from family movies. Some horror films that are unsuccessful in theaters, like Witchcraft , begin successful direct-to-video series. Studios may also release sequels or spin-offs to
7488-530: The explosion in quantity and variety of such movies established and cemented genres like J-horror and yakuza films . The success of OVAs and V-Cinema has resulted in less stigma regarding direct-to-video releases in Japan than in western markets. While there are still OVA and V-Cinema releases, the market is considerably smaller than it was in the 1980s and 1990s. In the mid-to-late 2010s, low-budget B-movies that are made exclusively for digital streaming became
7592-431: The film and Hemsworth's comedy as well, calling it one of the biggest highlights from Marvel's Comic-Con panel and hoping that it served as a good indication for how Ragnarok would turn out. Don Kaye at Syfy Wire called Team Thor "one of the best movies Marvel has ever made". In anticipation of Part 2 releasing, Nathalie Caron from Syfy Wire noted by its teaser that it was "using the same brand of humor that made
7696-456: The films did not need to rely on sponsored advertisements for financial support. The result was animated films with greater sexual, violent, or political content. The market continued to expand during the Japanese asset price bubble and began to decline with the collapse of the bubble in the late 1980s and early 1990s. With the rise of VHS home video and the decline of the Japanese economy in
7800-542: The fire department to get her out. Also in 2024, the "San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force" conducted a multi-agency undercover operation that arrested 14 and rescued 10 victims. According to the California Attorney General's Office , "sex buyers were using the San Diego Comic-Con Convention to seek out potential victims". In 2014, San Diego Comic-Con sent a cease and desist order to
7904-504: The first two films, in which he moves in with a new roommate, Darryl Jacobson ( Daley Pearson ), during the events of Captain America: Civil War (2016). Mark Ruffalo also appears in the first film as Bruce Banner , while Jeff Goldblum appears in the third as the Grandmaster , whom Darryl lives with after moving to Los Angeles. Filming for Team Thor occurred one month before the start of filming on Thor: Ragnarok (2017) and
8008-499: The first... such a massive hit with fans everywhere". Writing for The Hollywood Reporter , Aaron Couch called Part 2 "the sequel no one could accuse of suffering from sequelitis". Alexandra August at Comic Book Resources called Team Darryl "just as hilarious as the Team Thor installments before it, if a little (way) more disturbing". In August 2018, Daley Pearson released a video reprising his role as Darryl to state he survived
8112-504: The foundation of the early Cons coalesced. In the mid-1960s, Dorf, a Detroit -born comics fan, had mounted the Detroit Triple-Fan Fair , one of the first commercial comics-fan conventions. When he moved to San Diego in 1970, he organized a one-day convention known as San Diego's Golden State Comic-Minicon on March 21, 1970, "as a kind of 'dry run' for the larger convention he hoped to stage". Dorf went on to be associated with
8216-497: The last minute due to the success of another film with a similar subject matter or an ultimate studio decision. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is an example of this. However, despite the movie's critically acclaimed success, its box-office performance was very poor, which has been attributed to the last minute nature of its theatrical release. The film had much better commercial success in its subsequent home video releases. Other times,
8320-558: The late 1980s, film studios struggled to recoup investments on big-budget films. Inspired by the success of OVAs, Toei released its first V-Cinema, Crime Hunter , in March 1989. Following Toei's success, other studios began to release a slew of direct-to-video movies. Relaxed censorship in V-Cinema gave way to the premier and rise of expressive auteur directors such as Takashi Miike , Hideo Nakata , Shinji Aoyama , and Kiyoshi Kurosawa . As
8424-499: The late-2010s. In 2013, there were 1075 total panels held during the convention, the plurality of which were anime-focused (29%), followed by comic-focused panels (26%). The 2013 convention had 1036 vendors. There are at least 17 separate rooms in the convention center used for panels and screenings, ranging in size from 280 seats to 6,100 seats. The two biggest are Ballroom 20, which seats approximately 4,900; and Hall H, which seats just over 6,100. The neighboring Hilton Bayfront
8528-506: The latter of which, while set at the event, was not filmed there. Comic-Con also served as an excuse for the fictional characters Seth Cohen and Ryan Atwood 's trip to Tijuana, Mexico in episode 7 ("The Escape") of the first season of TV series The O.C. The convention also featured prominently as a setting for the Numb3rs episode " Graphic ". In season 4 of Beauty and the Geek , an episode
8632-529: The main exhibitor hall. Artist Alley is for up and coming artists who are new to the pop culture world by selling their new books, comics, toys, and or services. They range from local companies and businesses in Southern California to international ones, but are mainly private endeavors. Artist Alley is usually located in Hall G of the convention center. Spaces for these exhibitors are highly sought after and are on
8736-495: The mid-20th century, direct-to-video films employ both former stars and young actors who may become stars later. Direct-to-video releases can be done for films which cannot be shown theatrically due to controversial content, or because the cost involved in a theatrical release is beyond the releasing company. Animated sequels and feature-length episodes of animated series are also often released in this fashion. The first feature length animated film to be released direct-to-video in
8840-460: The name San Diego West Coast Comic Convention until 1973, when it changed to San Diego Comic-Con . Other locations in the convention's early years included El Cortez Hotel , the University of California, San Diego , and Golden Hall , before being moved to the San Diego Convention Center in 1991. Richard Alf, chairman in 1971, has noted an early factor in the Con's growth was an effort "to expand
8944-492: The organizers of Salt Lake Comic Con , asserting that "Comic-Con" and "Comic-Con International" were registered trademarks of the convention, and that use of the term "comic con" in any form was trademark infringement as it implies an unauthorized association with San Diego Comic-Con. A U.S. court ruled in favor of San Diego Comic-Con and awarded $ 20,000 in damages (albeit not considering the infringement to be willful). Phoenix Comiccon changed its name to Phoenix Comic Fest as
9048-523: The past, most sites have not required a Comic-Con badge. In 2017, one example was a virtual reality and immersive set based on the movie Blade Runner 2049 . In 2018, these examples included a Taco Bell Demolition Man themed pop-up restaurant in the Gaslamp and a Shake Shack Bob's Burgers themed pop-up restaurant in Mission Valley . However, there are some official offsite events that require
9152-471: The producers to work on extremely low budgets and dispense with some film production elements, like scripts, and the increased privacy and convenience of the format change were preferred by the target market. During the late 1990s and onward, pornographers began releasing content on the Internet. Occasionally, a studio that makes a movie that was prepared as a direct-to-video film will release it theatrically at
9256-457: The release of these titles were outside of usual distribution, studios and directors worked quickly to capitalize on niche markets or upcoming and current trends to increase financial returns. This period of history in Japanese cinema has been described by film journalist Tom Mes as "a far more diverse and vibrant film scene [than previous eras]". By 1995, the V-cinema industry was in decline, but
9360-429: The sole intent of digital release. In additional to the digital distribution of these films in China, many of the "Online Big Movies" have also been released on digital platforms outside of China, such as on YouTube . Several YouTube channels, such as Q1Q2 Movie Channel Official and YOUKU MOVIE are popular channels that distributes these "Online Big Movies". San Diego Comic-Con San Diego Comic-Con ( SDCC )
9464-409: The term "direct-to-DVD" replaced "direct-to-video" in some instances. However, the word "video" does not necessarily refer to videocassettes. Many publications continue to use the term "direct-to-video" for DVDs or Blu-rays . Both disc-based release types may also be referred to as "direct-to-disc". A new term sometimes used is "DVD premiere" (DVDP). Such films can cost as little as $ 20 million, about
9568-457: The traditional release windows mandated by the cinema industry, major chains have typically declined to screen the films. Since 2018, Netflix has partially backpedaled from this strategy, giving its films a one-month theatrical run before their premiere on the Netflix service. Unique circumstances have also resulted in direct-to-digital releases, sometimes alongside a limited theatrical release;
9672-597: The winners of the Eisner Awards . The last Update issue appeared in July 2008; then it went on hiatus. When it came back, it was as Comic-Con Magazine , which not only covered San Diego Comic-Con, but also WonderCon and the Alternative Press Expo , more commonly known as APE (which the con owned through 2014). The new Comic-Con Magazine features interviews with Comic-Con attendees and complete coverage of Comic-Con events. The fourth issue of Comic-Con Magazine
9776-452: The world". Since 2010, Comic-Con has filled the San Diego Convention Center to capacity with over 130,000 attendees. Comic-Con is home to the Eisner Awards , which recognizes creative achievement in American comic books, often referred to as the comic industry's equivalent to the Academy Awards . San Diego Comic Convention, doing business as Comic-Con International, is the corporate name of
9880-419: Was a hybrid with Comic-Con's Souvenir Book with cover art by Alex Ross , in full color and exclusive to Comic-Con attendees. A large number of exhibitors from art, comics, games, film, TV, and publishing make their appearance at Comic-Con. There are three types of exhibitors at San Diego Comic Con. Inside the convention center, which requires a badge to visit during the convention, includes artists alley and
9984-651: Was also released on the digital home media of Captain America: Civil War (2016) in September 2016. The film is also known as While You Were Fighting: A Thor Mockumentary . The mockumentary was said to have been produced by the "New Zealand Film Board", and its title card features a grainy, VHS-style logo of Captain America: Civil War with "Team Thor" "crudely put over it". Chris Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo reprise their Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) roles as Thor and Bruce Banner, respectively, with Daley Pearson appearing as Thor's Australian flatmate Darryl Jacobson. The film
10088-473: Was described by Publishers Weekly as "a must-do". The convention is organized by a panel of 13 board members, 16 to 20 full-time and part-time workers, and 80 volunteers who assist via committees. Comic-Con International is a non-profit organization, and proceeds of the event go to funding it, as well as SAM: Storytelling Across Media and WonderCon . The convention logo was designed by Richard Bruning and Josh Beatman in 1995. In 2015, working with Lionsgate ,
10192-425: Was done to introduce MCU fans to the irreverent tone of Ragnarok . The shorts were praised for their humor and Hemsworth's performance. They were made available on Disney+ in January 2022, at which point Marvel classified them as One-Shots. Team Thor was filmed one month before Thor: Ragnarok (2017) began filming in July 2016. It is a mockumentary , similar to director Taika Waititi 's film What We Do in
10296-458: Was extended to 2021, then to 2024. In 2012, a 53-year-old woman was struck and killed by a motorist Tuesday as she tried to cross the street in front of the San Diego Convention Center, police said. The woman tripped and hit the car while crossing at the intersection of 5th and Harbor. She had been part of the crowd camping out for the Twilight panel. In 2013, a young woman attempted to jump off
10400-624: Was featured where the contestants traveled to Comic-Con 07 and were given a challenge to create their own superheroes. In an episode of Punk'd , Hilary Swank gets Punk'd after an "attack from talking robot". In season 5, episode six, of the Showtime show Weeds , attendees from Comic-Con 2009 are seen in Silas and Doug's medicinal marijuana club. Comic-Con featured at some length in the 2011 movie Paul which stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost . Issue No. 72 of The Invincible Iron Man (January 1975)
10504-416: Was held during the same time period as a replacement for the 2020 event. Although plans were made for the convention to possibly return in 2021 (with 2020 badge holders given the option to receive a full refund or to roll over their badge to 2021), it was announced on March 1, 2021, that the convention would be cancelled once again. Despite availability of COVID-19 vaccines , the organizers assessed that it
10608-460: Was referred to as Team Thor: Part 1 with its release on Disney+ in January 2022. Continuing from the first mockumentary, Thor and his roommate Darryl discuss their domestic responsibilities at their apartment, with Darryl being stuck with most of the cleaning. Darryl then proceeds to state how Thor is a nice person but out of touch with time, and becomes frustrated with Thor's attempts to pay rent with Asgardian currency. He suggests Thor look for
10712-609: Was set at the July–August 1974 Comic-Con at the El Cortez Hotel and featured cameos by a few of the special guests. The fifth Kelly Green graphic novel The Comic-Con Heist (1987) written by Leonard Starr and drawn by Stan Drake was set at the 1983 con and depicted such regulars as Will Eisner , Milton Caniff , Burne Hogarth and Jack Kirby along with Shel Dorf ; it initially only appeared in French until Classic Comics Press issued
10816-491: Was still premature and unsafe to hold an in-person event at Comic-Con's full scale on the originally-scheduled dates, and that Comic-Con International was exploring the possibility of holding a smaller in-person spin-off event later in the year. SDCC@Home would again be held, but in a downsized form. A smaller in-person event, "San Diego Comic-Con Special Edition" was hosted in November 2021, with proof of full COVID-19 vaccination or
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