It may seem a bit too early to be talking about San Diego Comic-Con 2023, but there’s plenty to discuss following this year’s event. Though running for a shorter period than usual, SDCC drew plenty of attention, both in terms of turnout and news. With that said, let’s take a look at 11 of the winners and 5 of the losers from SDCC 2023.
Winners:
1. Marvel Studios: After a few years of radio silence, Marvel returned to SDCC in a big way. Not only did the studio bring a handful of exciting trailers for its upcoming slate of films and shows, but it also debuted its first-ever Disney+ series, “WandaVision.”
2. DC Comics: Though not as dominating as Marvel, DC did a pretty decent job of keeping up. The studio debuted a couple of trailers for its upcoming Dark Knight trilogy and released a handful of other projects.
3. “The Walking Dead”: The popular AMC show returned in a big way with more news than ever before. Trailers for the upcoming season, full-length episodes, and more made their debut during the convention.
4. Regal Cinemas: The theater chain announced it would be providing a limited number of tickets to the second weekend of the con at no cost. This was a nice gesture that was warmly embraced by fans.
5. The “Star Wars” Universe: From a new game to a surprise trailer for “The Mandalorian” season two, the “Star Wars” universe had its presence felt all weekend.
6. Sony Pictures: The studio had several big reveals at the con, including a new “Spider-Man” movie and a new “Jumanji” movie.
7. Best Buy: The big-box retailer made several announcements during the con, including exclusive deals and items for sale.
8. “Rick and Morty” Fans: The show debuted a surprise season five trailer during the convention.
9. Empire Collectibles: The popular upscale comic-book store landed an exclusive booth at the event, which helped them make a name for themselves.
10. Small Press Comics: The con saw a lot of smaller publishers and creators, all of whom made sure to make their presence felt.
11. Cosplaying Fans: Though there wasn’t much of a cosplay presence at the con, those who did dress up were met with warm receptions.
Losers:
1. Nintendo: The gaming giant had a surprisingly small presence at the con, with only a handful of announcements.
2. “Game of Thrones” Fans: There was nary a mention of the popular show at the convention.
3. Warner Bros.: The studio was mostly quiet at the con, though it did have a couple of surprise announcements.
4. Mobile Games: Despite having plenty of success over the last few years, they were noticeably absent at the con.
5. Major Exhibitors: Though there were plenty of exhibitors, none of the big names like Sony and Nintendo were as heavily represented as in past years.
Overall, SDCC 2023 was a success despite the short window of time. There were plenty of highlights and a handful of low-key moments, but the event kept everyone’s attention until the very end. Whether you’re a fan or not, it’s hard to deny that San Diego Comic-Con is still one of the biggest events of the year.
