SDCC 2026 wishlist: 6 announcements we're hoping to see at San Diego Comic-Con

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San Diego Comic-Con 2026 is almost here, and we already have some thoughts (and big dreams) for what is going to be announced this year.

After looking at the SDCC schedule and all the panels that are heading our way, the GamesRadar+ team has come together to create the ideal wishlist of all the movie and TV updates that we are hoping happen in some kind of way over the next few days. Below you'll find a round-up of some of the team's expert opinions, from potential trailers for upcoming Marvel movies to iconic horror adaptations.

Obviously, keep in mind that none of these have been confirmed just yet. We are hoping that they all do, but for now, they are just speculation. So, with all that out of the way, read on to discover what we think will be the hottest announcements at SDCC 2026, from upcoming movies to the newest TV shows.

San Diego Comic-Con 2026 wishlist

The Rings of Power season 3 casting news

(Image credit: Amazon Studios) The Rings of Power season 3 will be bringing Middle-earth back to San Diego this year ahead of new episodes in November. Showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay will be appearing alongside the cast as we expect more details about just how that time jump will impact the story.

However, we are most excited to see if it's finally revealed who Jamie Campbell Bower is playing. The Stranger Things star joined ahead of season 3 and has been having a lot of fun teasing fans about his connection to the Witch King. Our money is that he may be a little more Elven than audiences have realised though – could he be playing the long-awaited Celeborn? Only time will tell…

Blade Runner 2099 timeline details

(Image credit: Sony Pictures ) Prime Video has kept its long-gestating sequel series Blade Runner 2099 tightly under wraps since filming finished in December 2024. But with a full reveal just days away, it won't be long till we're all elegiacally muttering "I've seen things you people wouldn't believe…"

A first trailer, release date reveal, and plenty of insights from the cast (Michelle Yeoh, Hunter Schafer and Tom Burke star) are all practically guaranteed during the show's SDCC panel. But what we really want to know is how 2099 will connect to Ridley Scott's seminal Blade Runner and Denis Villeneuve's superlative sequel. Will Replicant-born children factor into the story? Given Blade Runner 2049's paradigm-shifting ending, it's the perfect avenue to explore.

A new Lanterns trailer

(Image credit: HBO Max) With the newfangled DCU stumbling slightly after Supergirl failed to soar at the box office, it's suddenly Lanterns' job to right the ship steered by DC Studios bosses James Gunn and Peter Safran. The elevator pitch – a True Detective-style mystery with a grizzled Green Lantern and a fresh-faced hero in training – holds plenty of promise, but the initial trailers showcasing Kyle Chandler's Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre's John Stewart have lacked anything to make rivals Marvel Studios green with envy.

What we immediately want to see from its SDCC showing is a little more in the way of color and personality to help it stand out in a new trailer, as well as a slight taste from those attending on how it connects to the wider DCU. If nothing else, Lanterns ' panel needs to be a confident tone-setter for DC's next 12 months.

The Avengers: Doomsday trailer

(Image credit: Getty Images) Marvel could have its biggest year ever in 2026 with the release of Avengers: Doomsday , but, if it wants to have any hope of rivalling the shock announcement of Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom at this year's SDCC panel, it needs to drop something huge. We are almost certain that means we'll get our first full Doomsday trailer, after one debuted behind closed doors at Cinema Con.

Plus, if Marvel wants to absolutely blow the roof off, it could also reveal more about its upcoming X-Men movie. Here's hoping we get a cast reveal, especially with rumors swirling that Adam Driver is set to play Magneto.

A Silo spin-off

(Image credit: Apple TV+) Silo season 4 is already confirmed, but we are greedy and hoping for news of a potential spin-off series during Apple TV's panel. Author of the Silo books, Hugh Howey, mentioned during a Reddit AMA that he has plans for another trilogy that follows Silo 40 "from before the events of WOOL to after DUST", so there is a chance here, folks.

We will say it is still a long shot, given that we've no word on these new books yet. But announcing whether we were going to get a spin-off and planting the seeds ahead of the show's final season would be a smart move and would also drum up excitement for Howey's new trilogy. It would be a win-win scenario, so we are keeping our fingers crossed.

A Carrie trailer

(Image credit: Prime Video) Horror legend Mike Flanagan is putting the boo in Ballroom 20, as the filmmaker makes his San Diego Comic-Con debut to tease his upcoming adaptation of Stephen King's beloved 1974 novel Carrie. The horror masterpiece has been adapted many times for film, but Flanagan's series, set to hit Prime Video just in time for Halloween, will explore the telekinetic teen's troubled time at high school over eight episodes.

Prime Video has already released first-look images and the official synopsis. Given how much information is already out there, we expect to see the first trailer at SDCC 2026. Deadline reports that the panel will include an "exclusive look at the series, behind-the-scenes insights, and a special announcement." Might we get a glimpse at the iconic prom scene? Or maybe King himself makes an appearance? However, we do know that Flanagan will be joined on stage by stars Summer Howell, Samantha Sloyan, Siena Agudong, Alison Thornton, Amber Midthunder and Matthew Lillard.

San Diego Comic-Con 2026 runs from July 22-26. For more, check out our list of upcoming Marvel movies and shows .