New York Comic Con 2024: What to Expect If You’re a TV, Film or Anime Fan

Pop culture fans of all ages will gather at New York Comic Con, which kicks off Thursday at the Javits Center. A new line-up of guest speakers, merchandise and complimentary treats awaits attendees and cosplayers who want to take pictures with celebrities and focus on their favorite comics, TV shows, anime and movies.

Event host ReedPop’s Brien McDonald, vice president of content, recently gave CNET a preview of what to expect and some of the most exciting revelations to look forward to. As someone deeply involved in NYCC television and film (and a fan himself), McDonald notes that studios like Netflix and Paramount have big things planned.

McDonald is personally excited about The Simpsons and Apple TV Plus debuting at the event. “Apple TV has put a cool place in the broadcast space where it’s bringing celebrity, quality TV series, and it’s not a genre. But I think something like Shrinking, or Elsbeth or something like Ghosts — well. that studios and the producers are bringing this to New York Comic Con because it shows how deep this event is in pop culture now.” He also admitted that panels for genre shows like Dune: Prophecy and The Penguin will “blow people’s minds.”

If you can’t attend in person, you can still catch panels in the main stages of the event and Empire. Viewers at home can stream for free via ReedPop’s YouTube channel and NYCC social media accounts.

So, what exactly should TV and movie buffs check out? Keep an eye out for everything from animation to performances to guest panels and hot new trailers this year. Count on Max, Blumhouse, SpongeBob, Sony, Netflix and tons of anime.

Anime at New York Comic Con

McDonald said there will be a “big anime game on Thursday.” Dragon Ball will host a panel that day for the new series, Dragon Ball Daima, on the Empire stage. The presentation coincides with the series’ 40th anniversary in November. Fairy Tail creator Hiro Mashima will take the Main Stage to discuss his series on Friday, and on Saturday, fans will get an exclusive preview of Overlord: The Sacred Kingdom.

One Piece fans should check out Friday’s panel on the Empire stage, where McDonald says they’ll have a “big presentation.” Viz Media, Crunchyroll and Toei Animation are hosting various presentations to share what’s going on with their latest projects, too.

And as Bleach celebrates its 20th anniversary, anime buffs will want to catch a panel on Bleach: The Thousand Year Blood War on Saturday at 12:45 pm ET. Fans will take a look at the next episode and hear the voice actors Masakazu Morita and Noriaki Sugiyama.

Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob Party

Did you hear that SpongeBob Squarepants hit a milestone this year? In honor of its 25th anniversary, Nickelodeon will celebrate at NYCC with a dedicated booth. “If you’re a fan and grew up with this series and want to go down Memory Lane, see what’s coming up, definitely check that out,” McDonald said.

The setup will include AR, 3D animation and giant models of Krusty Kab’s Bikini Bottom and SpongeBob’s famous pineapple house. On Friday at 11 a.m., there will be another cast of the show on the Empire stage, featuring voice actors Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, Rodger Bumpass, Mr. Lawrence, Clancy Brown and Carolyn Lawrence.

Don’t miss more trailers from Sony, Netflix, Blumhouse and more

“We’re going to see a lot of new trailers,” McDonald said. Max will have a show of Creature Commandos from DC and other amazing releases like Dune: Prophecy.

McDonald also revealed that Netflix will release a trailer for The Electric State, the new movie starring Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt. Both actors are scheduled to be at a film panel Friday with the Russo Brothers. “There’s going to be a lot more about what they do on that panel. That’s going to be fun,” he said.

You’ll also want to see Sony’s panel featuring clips and stunts from Venom: The Last Dance, Karate Kid: Legends and Kraven the Hunter. Could that mean appearances from Tom Hardy, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Russell Crowe or Jackie Chan? Don’t miss the event that will take place on Friday at 7 pm at the Empire stage.

“If you’re brave enough and like horror, Blumhouse really delivers,” McDonald said. “I know what’s in there. It’s big, it’s scary, it’s big words. That’s going to be a lot of fun.” Jason Blum will be on stage to unveil new and celebrate 15 years of horror with BlumFest. Broadcast the panel on Friday at 2:30 pm from the Empire stage.

5 things fans don’t want to miss

I asked McDonald if there were five things he’d recommend super fans see, and he narrowed down some of the highlights to put on your schedule:

• Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (Friday at 11 a.m., on the main stage) — “I’m waiting for the one that’s going to knock everyone’s socks off,” McDonald said.
• BlumFest NYCC (Friday, 2:30 pm, Empire stage)
• The Simpsons (Saturday, 11:30 am Main stage)
• Star Trek Universe panel (Saturday, 2:30 pm, Empire stage)
• Outlander season 7, preview episode 2 (Thursday, 6:30 pm on the Empire stage)

Advice for first timers

If you’re going to attend an in-person meeting as a beginner, McDonald offered a few tips. “The deal is — you have to plan, you have to book your panels, you even map out where you want to be and the time it takes to get there.” He adds, “Don’t show willy-nilly,” trying to counter it. Keep these things in mind:

CNET will be attending NYCC 2024, so be sure to follow our latest coverage on the site and across our social media channels to get an insider’s look at some of the biggest shows.