Marvel’s Absence from Hall H at Comic-Con 2023: A Necessary Sacrifice

In previous years, the Marvel Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con has been a highly anticipated event. It was a moment when Marvel unveiled exciting details about upcoming projects, such as The Multiverse Saga in the previous year, including trailers and release dates for Phases 5 and 6. However, it seems that Marvel Studios has decided to skip Hall H for this year, as reported by TheWrap.

According to Umberto Gonzalez’s report, the ongoing WGA strike is having a significant impact on various studios, including Marvel. Productions for several Marvel Studios projects, including Blade, Daredevil, Thunderbolts, and Wonder Man, have been indefinitely halted due to the strike.

Adding to the challenges, SAG-AFTRA (the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) might initiate their own strike once their contract with Hollywood studios expires on June 30. This would essentially make it impossible for Marvel to proceed with any major plans for Comic-Con since the actors wouldn’t be able to attend.

As a result, it appears that the combination of the WGA strike and the potential SAG-AFTRA strike has led Marvel Studios to cancel its participation in Hall H at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con.

Despite the absence of a Hall H panel, it has been suggested by Gonzalez that Marvel will still maintain a presence on the convention floor. However, it is unlikely that any significant announcements will be made. There remains a slim possibility that a few new trailers may be released during the week of San Diego Comic-Con, even in the absence of a panel.

Considering the current state of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), it is evident that Marvel could have greatly benefited from the boost typically provided by a Hall H panel. Fans are eagerly anticipating a plethora of trailers and announcements, but it appears that Marvel Studios may not have much news to share at this moment. Instead, it would be more prudent for the studio to wait for the resolution of the strike(s) before attempting to solidify a new schedule, especially in light of the recent upheaval in MCU release dates announced by Disney last week.

Regardless of whether or not a strike occurs, when we do eventually hear from Marvel Studios again, it is essential that they display a steady hand on the tiller, guiding us through the increasingly complex and enigmatic Multiverse Saga.