Since The Walt Disney Company acquired Marvel Entertainment and Lucasfilm, it seems like some of the biggest announcements regarding the Marvel Cinematic Universe and all things ‘Star Wars’ are being reserved for the D23 Expo rather than the Hall H presentations at San Diego Comic-Con. Though the company has still done some cool things at SDCC like the surprise orchestral concert following last year’s ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ panel, the Mouse House debuted a new trailer for J.J. Abrams’ ‘Episode VII’ at their own bi-annual convention, as well as footage from ‘Captain America: Civil War’ and concept art from ‘Black Panther’ and ‘Doctor Strange’ at other separate events. And now as they line up their next three-day gathering at the Anaheim Convention for 2017, it appears that Disney will be clashing with Comic-Con International and moving in on the timeframe traditionally reserved for the most anticipated con of the year.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Disney announced that the 2017 D23 Expo will take place July 14-16. Featuring a new exhibit curated by the Walt Disney Archives, the Disney Legends ceremony, and a fan cosplay contest dubbed the Mousequerade, tickets to the next D23 will be available online starting on July 14, 2016.
As for SDCC, their 2017 dates have not been confirmed yet, but the San Diego Convention Center lists an unnamed “private convention with trade show” scheduled for July 19-23. With those dates taking place a week after D23, many are beginning to question whether Marvel and ‘Star Wars’ will be omitted from SDCC programming all together. Of course, this should all be considered speculation for now since it wouldn’t really be too much for Disney to bring two of their biggest brands to as many conventions as they can. The degree of which they are present may vary, but they could still be present nonetheless.
As we wait for some official word from either side, do you think that Disney will skip San Diego Comic-Con in favor of revealing all of their ‘Star Wars’ and Marvel surprises at the D23 Expo in 2017? Share your thoughts and theories in the comments below.
Despite being a “professional writer”, Ben likes run-on sentences and puns far too much. For more of his attempts at being funny and the occasional insightful thought, follow him on Twitter and Instagram.
