Five Things You Gotta Know About Comic-Con Movies

Key flicks from the comics expo include The Avengers, Tron: Legacy, Sucker Punch, Green Lantern, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and Pirates 4

By Jen Yamato Jul 26, 2010 6:21 PMTags

Most of Twilight's vamps were a no-show this year, but plenty of superheroes and superstars showed up to dazzle the sell-out crowds at this weekend's Comic-Con International in San Diego.

Which A-listers got their geek on as Hollywood took the enormous comic book convention by storm? Who was the first to crack a joke about Saturday's scandalous seating-squabble stabbing? And which films should you look forward to most as they pow! and bam! and thwack! their way to a theater near you?

Here are the five things you gotta know:

1. The Avengers Deliver 3-D Abs—in Your Face! Get ready for a Marvel-ous 2011, ladies and nerds, when Chris Evans dons Captain America's red, white and blue spandex and Chris Hemsworth—and his godlike abs—take a 3-D trip straight into your brain.

After dazzling fans on their own, Evans and Hemsworth were joined by a few of their new superfriends: Samuel L. Jackson, Clark Gregg, Scarlett Johansson, Robert Downey Jr., Jeremy Renner and Mark Ruffaloyour new Avengers!

2. Ladies Kick Ass: Sylvester Stallone and his beefy Expendables brought real men to Comic-Con, but Angelina Jolie (sans Brad Pitt, who showed up in cardboard-cutout form and was announced to star in the zombie flick World War Z) led the grrl-power charge with Salt.

Joining Jolie in the fierce lady brigade: Vanessa Hudgens, shedding that High School Musical image with her badass Sucker Punch costars, plus: Chloë Moretz (Let Me In), Olivia Wilde (Tron: Legacy and Cowboys and Aliens), Milla Jovovich and Ali Larter (Resident Evil: Afterlife).

3. Green Lantern Causes Oohing and Awwwing: Ryan Reynolds kept his CG-only Green Lantern suit under wraps, but he melted every woman's heart in Hall H with a sweet exchange with a young fan. Meanwhile, Gossip Girl Blake Lively and her boob-tacular top earned a special place in Comic-Con fashion history and nearly distracted fans from the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows trailer footage that followed.

4. Everybody Loves Cowboys, Aliens and Stabbing Jokes: Con regular Jon Favreau returned (wearing his own Iron Man 2 T-shirt) to show off his currently filming sci-fi Western, Cowboys and Aliens. The footage blew fans away, but Harrison Ford's entrance—handcuffed and escorted by security guards, seemingly mocking the Hall H fan stabbing that had occurred only an hour earlier—earned him a standing ovation. A short while later Robert Downey Jr. also made a stabbing joke, but we all know Harrison shot first.

5. Fan Faves Deliver: After three visits to Comic-Con to hype Tron: Legacy, Jeff Bridges & Co. brought more footage than ever to hook the Tron faithful, including looks at NEW lightcycles, flying vehicles, Olivia Wilde in her skintight "program" outfit and Bridges playing a 35-year-old version of himself.

Harry Potter fans who camped out overnight were rewarded with a thrilling extended trailer full of aerial battles, magic duels and He Who Shall Not Be Named—introduced by surprise guest Tom Felton.

Meanwhile, Johnny Depp made his second surprise appearance for the second time in a row via a taped message. In character as Jack Sparrow, he invited fans to join him on his next ocean voyage.

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