The Walt Disney Studios stormed San Diego Comic-Con 2025 with a double dose of blockbuster power as Hall H played host to massive back-to-back panels for Predator: Badlands and TRON: Ares. With filmmaker Kevin Smith serving as the moderator, fans were treated to exclusive first looks, surprise appearances, and two unforgettable cinematic experiences that left over 6,500 attendees buzzing with excitement.
The first panel spotlighted 20th Century Studios’ Predator: Badlands, featuring stars Elle Fanning and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi alongside director and producer Dan Trachtenberg. As fans filled Hall H—many donning Predator masks—a towering seven-foot Predator stalked the stage using its heat vision, eventually singling out Smith to the crowd’s delight.
The panel dug into the making of the futuristic new chapter in the Predator saga, which pairs a young, outcast Predator with a human ally named Thia. Legendary creature designer Alec Gillis joined the discussion and briefly referenced the recent animated project Predator: Killer of Killers. Trachtenberg wowed the audience with a sneak peek at an alternate ending featuring franchise legends Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny Glover, followed by the debut of the film’s gripping first 15 minutes. Fans walked away with exclusive Predator: Badlands posters and a group selfie with the cast and Smith—all still in their Predator masks.
“In the Predator movies, the Predator never wins. They are supposed to be the greatest warrior in the galaxy, and they are always the bad guy,” said Trachtenberg. “I was interested in switching that up—making the Predator an anti-hero and taking them on an emotional and visceral journey with someone completely unexpected.”
Then came the mainframe shattering panel for TRON: Ares, the highly anticipated third installment in the iconic sci-fi franchise. Kevin Smith welcomed a packed roster of stars to the stage, including Jared Leto, Greta Lee, Evan Peters, Jodie Turner-Smith, Hasan Minhaj, Arturo Castro, Cameron Monaghan, Gillian Anderson, and TRON legend Jeff Bridges. Director Joachim Rønning and producer Steven Lisberger also joined to give fans their most in-depth look at the digital world of TRON yet.
Highlights included a preview of a dazzling light cycle chase, an extended look at the Dillinger Grid, new immersive digital environment created by Julian Dillinger, and an exclusive music video for As Alive as You Need Me to Be, the electrifying first single from Nine Inch Nails for the film’s soundtrack. The GRAMMY-winning band’s gritty electronic rock now powers TRON: Ares, giving the series a bold new sonic identity. Attendees also received exclusive TRON: Aresposters as the panel concluded.
“Ares’s journey is all about what it means and takes to be human,” said Rønning. “TRON: Ares is a full-blooded cinematic experience. This is why I make movies. Hundreds of incredible craftspeople have worked so hard to bring this world to life for the big screen.”
Also Check Out: Red Sonja SDCC 2025 Spotlight – New Film & Comic Coming SOON! – The Comic Source
Predator: Badlands arrives in theaters November 7, 2025, and follows a young Predator cast out by his clan who forges an unlikely alliance with a human on a remote planet, setting off on a journey in search of the ultimate adversary.
TRON: Ares, hitting theaters October 10, 2025, centers on a highly advanced program sent from the digital world into the real one, marking the first contact between humanity and artificial intelligence. With its ambitious narrative, stunning visual design, and a cast loaded with talent, TRON: Ares looks ready to reboot the franchise in epic fashion.
FOR FANBOYS, BY FANBOYS
Have you checked out LRM Online’s official podcasts and videos on The Genreverse Podcast Network? Available on YouTube and all your favorite podcast apps, This multimedia empire includes The Daily CoG, Breaking Geek Radio: The Podcast, GeekScholars Movie News, Anime-Versal Review Podcast, and our Star Wars dedicated podcast The Cantina. Check it out by listening on all your favorite podcast apps, or watching on YouTube!
Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | SoundCloud | Stitcher | Google Play
