New York Comic Con 2022 News Roundup: The Super Mario Bros. Movie and The Wheel of Time Season 2 Trailers, The Walking Dead: Dead City First Look
Excited fans took to the floor of the Jacob Javits Convention Center to celebrate their favorite TV shows and highly-anticipated new films at New York Comic Con over the weekend. While attendees buzzed over exclusive items, collectibles, and freebies on the show floor, a curated selection of programming rooms, stage panels, and Q&A events provided news reveals that echoed beyond the convention halls.
Here are the top highlights as they were presented at NYCC:
Day One, Thursday October 6:
His Dark Materials season 3 finally has a trailer, and a premiere date
“The Amber Spyglass,” the final book in Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials series gets the adaptation treatment in the third and final season of HBO and BBC’s landmark fantasy series. Get ready for elephants on wheels, a whole load of angels, tiny folks who ride insects to and fro, and of course, hell.
81%
His Dark Materials
season 3 premieres on Dec. 5 on HBO Max.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie trailer boasts an all-star cast
It’s been three decades since the notoriously cheesy ’90s live-action adaptation of Nintendo’s massively popular video game franchise hit theaters. Illumination Animation and Universal finally unleashed the first trailer for their highly-anticipated The Super Mario Bros. Movie at New York Comic Con and its cast is superb. Chris Pratt plays Mario, Charlie Day is Luigi, Anya Taylor-Joy is Princess Peach, Jack Black goes full villain as Bowser, Seth Rogen is Donkey Kong and Keegan-Michael Key plays Toad.
– –
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
(2023)
premieres on April 7, 2023, nationwide in theaters.
Anne Rice’s The Mayfair Witches continues the author’s legacy on AMC
In its continued effort to expand the Anne Rice story universe on television, AMC+ is gearing up to bring The Mayfair Witches to the small screen. The official trailer for the series dropped before the show’s NYCC panel, and ensures the author’s enduring legacy is firmly in-tact.
Stars Alexandra Daddario (Dr. Rowan Fielding), Harry Hamlin (Cortland Mayfair), Tongayi Chirisa (Ciprien Grieve) and Jack Huston (Lasher) joined executive producers Esta Spalding, Mark Johnson and Michelle Ashford on stage after the clip came to an end. How will this series differ from the witch stories that came before it? According to Ashford, the idea of telling a story of witches — aka, healers who were demonized by society — felt absolutely relevant to present day.
Anne Rice’s The Mayfair Witches premieres Thursday, January 5, 2023, on AMC+.
Mindy Kaling’s Scooby Doo spinoff Velma is an adult animated series without Scooby
In the vein of raucous animated programs like Rick and Morty and Harley Quinn, Warner Bros. Animation’ Velma digs into the high school origin story of the orange-turtleneck wearing, be-spectacled Velma Dinkley. Gone is the family friendly vibe of previous Scooby Doo installments, making way for some blood-spattered horror goodness and thought-provoking adult themes to take shape.
During the NYCC panel, showrunner Charlie Grandy explained the omission of everyone’s favorite burger-loving Great Dane.
“What made Scooby-Doo a kid show is Scooby-Doo,” Grandy said. “We couldn’t have a take on it, like, How can we do this in a fun and modern way?”
It turns out, their efforts to keep Scoob out of things lined up with Warner Bros. Animation saying they couldn’t use him anyway. Without Scooby, the series is able to differentiate itself, fully leaning into its adult tone.
It’s still a high school series, though. Mindy Kaling, who doesn’t just voice Velma, but also executive produces the series, tapped into her knack for bringing high school stories to life, here. The Never Have I Ever show creator revealed her love of exploring “people from different social strata find[ing] something in common.”
With a uniquely diverse cast, and various themes of identity being explored, Kaling assured the crowd that this series is completely in her wheelhouse: “We get to see all the high school events and dances in addition to it being a murder mystery.”
Joining Kaling in the series is Constance Wu, who plays Daphne, Sam Richardson’s Norville (who will also go by “Shaggy), and Glenn Howerton’s Fred.
Velma will premiere in 2023 on HBO Max.
The Legend of Vox Machina drops trailer for season 2, and exciting season 3 news
Ahead of the second season of Prime Video’s hit animated series, The Legend of Vox Machina, the cast announced to the NYCC crowd the exciting news that a third season is now in the cards. The series is based on the characters and adventures as originally featured in Critical Role, the web series phenomenon that follows a cast of voice actors as they play through various Dungeons & Dragons campaigns.
As the official season 2 synopsis states: “After saving the realm from evil and destruction at the hands of the most terrifying power couple in Exandria, Vox Machina is faced with saving the world once again — this time, from a sinister group of dragons known as the Chroma Conclave.”
100%
The Legend of Vox Machina
season 2 premieres in January on Prime Video.
Adult Animated Koala Man Adds Jemaine Clement, Rachel House, and Jarrad Wright with Miranda Otto and Hugo Weaving set to make guest appearances
(Photo by Hulu)
Hulu paneled the upcoming original adult animated series Koala Man on Thursday and announced the casting of Jemaine Clement, Rachel House, and Jarrad Wright with Miranda Otto and Hugo Weaving set to make guest appearances. Previously announced cast includes Hugh Jackman, Sarah Snook, Demi Lardner, and creator Michael Cusack. Koala Man follows middle-aged dad Kevin (Cusack) and his titular not-so-secret identity, whose only superpower is a passion for following rules and battling petty crime in the town of Dapto, an Australian suburb.
Day Two, Friday, October 7:
The Wheel of Time drops the highly-anticipated trailer for season 2
Season 2 of The Wheel of Time has been wrapped for some time and finally, during Friday’s panel for the series (which was partnered with Prime Video’s other fantasy juggernaut series The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power), series creator Rafe Judkins offered fans a peek at what’s to come in the new episodes.
During the presentation, Judkins teased the inclusion of the Seanchan, a magical army of invaders who appear in Robert Jordan’s second Wheel Of Time book. The villainous entities with the long metal nails can be seen briefly in the trailer above. Gone from the series is Barney Harris, who played Mat Cauthon in season 1, with Dónal Finn taking over as the character. We may not have a premiere date yet, but by the looks of the season 2 trailer, the situation seems dire for Moiraine, Lan, Rand al’Thor, and the gang.
82%
The Wheel of Time: Season 1
(2021)
is now streaming on Prime Video.
The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power season finale trailer gives a first look at Sauron
Say hello to Sauron! Prime Video released a trailer teasing the epic season finale for Lord of the Rings prequel series, Rings of Power during the show’s panel. And by the looks of things, this upcoming week’s episode will finally bring Mordor’s big bad to the small-screen.
Some other noteworthy tidbits were released regarding the show’s future on the platform. Given the good news that the series was renewed for a second season, showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay were absent from the NYCC panel. They’re in pre-production on the new episodes which will switch shooting locations from New Zealand to London. Not to mention, Felicia Day has been tapped to host an eight-episode companion podcast that will go live on October 14, just in time to talk about season 1’s end.
With a five-season plan in place, Prime Video seems to have plenty of confidence in the high-budget fantasy series. Just where things will go is anyone’s guess, but it sure will be pretty to look at once season 2 premieres.
84%
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: Season 1
(2022)
concludes on Friday, October 14 on Prime Video.
Good Omens season 2 gets a premiere date, and noteworthy additions to the cast
(Photo by Prime Video)
Neil Gaiman appeared to tease Good Omens’ anticipated summer 2023 return to Prime Video. While he was mostly tight-lipped about specific story details for the six new episodes, he did hint at a love story being in the cards. Whether that romance is between Michael Sheen’s angel Aziraphale and David Tennant’s demon Crowley is anyone’s guess.
During the New York Comic Con panel, some new casting details were released for season 2 and some familiar faces are returning to play new characters. Actresses Maggie Service and Nina Sosanya, who portrayed nuns in the first installment of the show, are returning to play new characters, aptly named Maggie and Nina.
(Photo by Prime Video)
“There were two characters in it,” Gaiman shared coyly, “and I wanted them played by Maggie and Nina. In order to make it clear to everyone reading the script that those characters were going to be played by Maggie and Nina, I called them Maggie and Nina.”
“I play Maggie,” Service added. “She runs a record shop, which is besides Aziraphale’s bookshop in SoHo. It’s a shop that’s been passed through the generations. My shop look looks across …”
“… another shop, which is a coffee shop” Sosanya added, explaining her character. “It’s called Give Me Coffee or Give Me Death. Nina is a bit mintier than I am. She runs this independent coffee shop in SoHo. She is good at dealing with people who come into a coffee shop in SoHo. She’s not afraid of dealing with people.”
(Photo by Prime Video)
A new addition to the cast is actress Quelin Sepulveda, who will be playing an angel named Muriel. She’s a completely new character in the Good Omens story canon. And, by all accounts, she’s just a friendly welcoming sort. Something that is a bit hard to come by in heaven, apparently.
“We realized that one thing we didn’t have in heaven was, apart from Aziraphale, any nice, well-meaning angels,” Gaiman continued. “All we had were bastards.”
(Photo by Prime Video)
“Muriel has spent about 6,000 years or more in the same office in heaven,” Gaiman added. “Just filing things and reading things, just hoping someone will come in and the day will get more interesting.”
Miranda Richardson is back in season 2, playing a demon named Shax who’s aiming to replace Crowley. And Shelley Conn takes over as Beelzebub in the new episodes.
(Photo by Prime Video)
(Photo by Prime Video)
84%
Good Omens
season 2 is expected to premiere in 2023 on Prime Video.
Teen Wolf: The Movie first look teases a very different Derek Hale
Paramount+ revealed a first look clip for the streamer’s upcoming Teen Wolf sequel movie, aptly titled Teen Wolf: The Movie. The film takes place 15 years after the end of the MTV series and checks in with Scott McCall, who, as star Tyler Posey revealed during the movie’s panel, “is not a teen wolf, anymore. He’s a 30-year-old wolf.” What does that mean, exactly? According to Posey, “It’s the first time we’ve seen him [try to be a normal human] since the pilot.” And, apparently, you can’t be a normal human without dealing with issues like, “depression, loneliness, and anxiety.”
As for the scene that was teased before the panel, Tyler Hoechlin (who reprises the role of Derek Hale) was unable to introduce the clip due to getting stuck in traffic. Writer Jeff Davis teased that Derek will also be shown “in a whole new light.” Being a father to Eli (Vince Mattis’ character) and taking on the role of mentor sure can change a wolf. Even though everyone has matured, the addition of Eli to the cast helps to “bring the teen back to Teen Wolf.”
– –
Teen Wolf: The Movie
(2023)
premieres January 26, 2023, on Paramount+.
Sarah Michelle Gellar trades vampires for werewolves in first trailer for Wolf Pack
Wolf Pack is technically a Teen Wolf spinoff series, in that, both stories take place in the same story world, but that’s where the connection ends. Boasting the genre TV return of Buffy’s Sarah Michelle Gellar, the series follows four teenagers brought together after a California wildfire sparks a werewolf attack.
Gellar plays arson investigator Kristin Ramsey, who also has some helpful supernatural insight. Joining her in the series is Rodrigo Santoro, Armani Jackson, Bella Shepard, Chloe Rose Robertson, and Tyler Lawrence Gray, all of whom appeared in front of the New York Comic Con crowd to promote the show.
Explaining why she chose to return to horror, Gellar said, “Utilizing the supernatural is how we explain the things we cannot really understand. The stories that we can’t really grasp, or the ones that would be too depressing in real life, and too upsetting. We use those to scare ourselves into understanding.”
– –
Wolf Pack
premieres January 26, 2023, on Paramount+.
Day Three, Saturday, October 8:
Star Trek: Discovery season 5 trailer introduces new outlaws and a new Starfleet captain
Star Trek owned New York Comic Con in Saturday with Paramount+ presenting a gargantuan Star Trek Universe panel to the packed event, promoting Star Trek: Discovery season 5, Star Trek: Prodigy, and Star Trek: Picard’s third and final season.
Sonequa Martin-Green hit the NYCC stage to share this first look trailer for season 5 of Star Trek: Discovery. The teaser gives a peek at new characters Rayner (played by Callum Keith Rennie), a hardened Starfleet captain; Moll (played by Eve Harlow), a criminal who faces off with the Discovery crew; and her partner, L’ak (played by Elias Toufexis).
87%
Star Trek: Discovery
season 5 premiere date is to be announced.
Star Trek: Prodigy‘s midseason return adds a familiar Starfleet officer to the cast
Star Trek veteran Ronny Cox was announced as a new addition to the voice cast on Star Trek: Prodigy. Previously, Cox played the character of Edward Jellico in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Now, in the animated children’s series, he will reprise the role, who has moved up the ranks in Starfleet to Admiral status.
94%
Star Trek: Prodigy: Season 1
(2021)
makes its mid-season return on October 27 to Paramount+.
Star Trek: Picard reunites the Next Generation cast in the trailer for its third and final season
The trailer for the third and final season of Star Trek: Picard delivered some epic fan service during the show’s panel at New York Comic Con. Some core Next Generation cast members joined Patrick Stewart on stage to tease the final episodes, including Brent Spiner (who has appeared as multiple characters throughout the first two seasons of Picard), LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Jonathan Frakes, Gates McFadden and Marina Sirtis.
Amanda Plummer was revealed as the vengeful alien Vadic, who seeks to destroy Jean-Luc Picard and his old crew. This time around, Spiner will be playing Lore, Data’s evil android brother, who appeared multiple times throughout the original TNG run. Daniel Davis, who played the hologram version of Professor James Moriarty in The Next Generation, is also returning to Picard.
Adding some cool connective tissue to the casting of the series is the addition of Mica Burton, LeVar’s daughter, who will be playing Ensign Alandra La Forge, Geordi La Forge’s youngest daughter.
86%
Star Trek: Picard
season 3 will premiere February 16, 2023, on Paramount+.
The Walking Dead‘s Lauren Cohan and Jeffrey Dean Morgan tease Dead City spinoff
(Photo by AMC)
During the final New York Comic Con panel for AMC’s The Walking Dead, a first look peek was given to The Walking Dead: Dead City, the network’s upcoming spinoff series starring Lauren Cohan as Maggie and Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan. It’s a pretty fitting tease, considering the fact that the apocalyptic new show is set in the Big Apple.
“The crumbling city is filled with the dead and denizens who have made New York City their own world full of anarchy, danger, beauty, and terror,” AMC said in its original press release for the series in March, back when it was titled Isle of the Dead.
Check out the other first look images below:
(Photo by AMC)
(Photo by AMC)
(Photo by AMC)
(Photo by AMC)
(Photo by AMC)
(Photo by AMC)
The Walking Dead: Dead City will premiere in April 2023 on AMC and AMC+.
Wednesday unleashes Fred Armisen as Uncle Fester in new trailer
Saturday was the day for Wednesday. During the panel for Netflix’s highly-anticipated Adams Family spinoff series, a new trailer was released upon the world giving the first ever looks at Fred Armisen’s Uncle Fester, and the return of Christina Ricci — who played Wednesday Adams in both Adams Family movies — to Tim Burton’s story world.
The clip gave a deeper look at Wednesday’s high school experience at Nevermore Academy, where Ricci plays a professor named Miss Thornhill.
Armisen, who appeared as a surprise guest during the panel, confirmed he shaved his head to properly get in character. “I shaved my head because this was like a role [that] as soon as I heard about it, I was like, Oh, I gotta be Fester! I really wanted to do it, and I wanted to do it right and not have a bald cap or anything. So, I just shaved my head, and I was proud to do it.”
– –
Wednesday
will premiere on November 23 on Netflix.
Netflix’s Wendell & Wild drops full trailer to ring in the spooky season
During Saturday’s panel for Netflix’s highly-anticipated stop motion animated feature, director Henry Selick hit the stage to showcase the full trailer for the movie, and give some insight behind its humble humorous beginnings. And yes, this definitely links back to Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key’s groundbreaking sketch comedy series Key & Peele.
“I was so inspired by Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele and their range of subjects, characters,” Selick said. “By the third season I just said, I gotta reach out to those guys.”
Originally a seven-page story Selick wrote for his two sons, Peele joined the creative team and helped expand the story into the full-length movie.
95%
Wendell & Wild
(2022)
premieres on October 28 on Netflix.
Day Four, Sunday, October 9:
Tom Welling joins CW’s Supernatural spinoff The Winchesters
Tom Welling, the actor best known for playing Clark Kent on Smallville, will be joining The Winchesters in the recurring role of Samuel Campbell, Mary’s (Meg Donnelly) dad. From the sound of things, the Winchester Family Business actually began with the Campbell family and Samuel here, as the announcement goes, taught Mary everything he knows. He will make his first appearance in the series in episode 7.
– –
The Winchesters
premieres on Tuesday, October 11 on The CW.
Doom Patrol touches down with a new season 4 trailer
After a year of waiting, NYCC fans got a peek at the upcoming fourth season of Doom Patrol and, if anything, the show looks like it hasn’t at all lost its bizarre luster. It’s unclear if season 4 is the final run of the DC series, but considering the new addition of Madeline Zima to the cast (she’s playing Space Case, a superhero who was a bit part of the Gerard Way/Nick Derington run of the books), all signs are pointing to another bonkers fun outing for the rag-tag group of heroes.
97%
Doom Patrol
season 4 part 1 premieres December 8 on HBO Max.
Titans season 4 part 1 trailer gets dark and bloody
DC’s Titans is gearing up to get culty in its fourth season. During DC’s Sunday panel for the series at New York Comic Con, a new teaser dropped to whet our appetites for the coming episodes and by the looks of things, the show is about to get very bloody. Could the Church of Blood (the cult ran by villain Brother Blood) play a big part of the new season? It’s very possible. We’ll get the answers we seek in November.
86%
Titans
season 4, part 1 premieres Thursday, November 3 on HBO Max.
FX’s Kindred adaptation finally gets a premiere date
(Photo by FX)
FX’s new drama series Kindred, based on Hugo Award-winner Octavia E. Butler’s novel of the same name, will premiere all eight episodes on Tuesday, December 13 exclusively to Hulu. The announcement came during the Kindred panel presentation at New York Comic Con on Sunday, the closing day of the event.
Per the network’s official press release, the series follows Dana James (Mallori Johnson), “a young Black woman and aspiring writer who has uprooted her life of familial obligation and relocated to Los Angeles, ready to claim a future that, for once, feels all her own. But, before she can settle into her new home, she finds herself being violently pulled back and forth in time. She emerges at a 19th-century plantation, a place remarkably and intimately linked with Dana and her family. An interracial romance threads through Dana’s past and present, and the clock is ticking as she struggles to confront secrets she never knew ran through her blood, in this genre-breaking exploration of the ties that bind.”
Starring alongside Johnson are Micah Stock, Ryan Kwanten, Gayle Rankin, Austin Smith, David Alexander Kaplan, Sophina Brown and Sheria Irving.
Kindred season 1 premieres Tuesday, December 13 on Hulu.
On an Apple device? Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Apple News.