Johnny Depp mumbled, Robert Pattinson twinkled and James Cameron previewed his new film Avatar at the festival where everyone’s dressed up as their favourite superhero
The first sighting of James Cameron’s Avatar (not mine)
The popularity of the big movie panels in the convention centre’s largest hall means that if you’re not there queuing up five hours before (if you’re, say, doing something else) you’re not getting in.
So I can’t tell you how amazed and awestruck I was to see James Cameron’s new movie juice splodged all over the big screen in glorious 3D technicolour. But I can tell you how impressed other people seem to have been, like this person from E-Online and this person from Screenrant. They both liked it. And luckily, you don’t have to wait too long to find out, because Cameron’s going to be staging 15-minute Imax Trailers on 21 August. For free. Which is an unprecedented move. And should make for some interesting dates.
“What shall we do tonight?”
“I thought we’d go to the cinema for quarter of an hour, then I’ll drop you home and I’ll go back to my house and think about a 3D Zoe Saldana painted blue for the rest of the evening.”
“Oh. Um. OK.”
Depp drops in. Mumbles. Leaves.
In five words. Exactly. Well, that’s all he had for the audience excitedly watching a preview of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland.
You can see how he might have felt miffed, of course. The audience, though thrilled at his appearance, was overwhelmingly made up of people who’d been queuing all night for the Twilight panel, which came later than the Disney morning panel. I don’t care how laidback and tousled you are, when you’re being stared at by 6,500 bleary-eyed teens who are clearly all thinking “Well he’s all right, but he’s no Robert Pattinson …” that’s got to be a kick in the tousled nuts.
You are what you wear. If you wear it for four days straight
For the true fan, wearing a T-shirt to express your allegiance to a franchise (be it comic, character, film, television programme, game or, you know, other) is not enough. Don’t get me wrong: it’s a good start, but the more powerful allegiance still is dressing up in full costume.
So far I’ve seen (among others) three Catwomen, two lycra-clad Stormtroopers, eight Jedis, and for some reason, around a dozen Pikachus. There will, in the middle of Friday, be a “Slave Leia Photo Op” for all the women who’ve come dressed in a metal bikini. Well, there was one last year. There are many other clothing choices: some more familiar than others a selection is here.
Endyman
For those who count themselves among the faithful Middleman comic-to-TV-series adaptation fans – the cult, quickly cancelled TV show made a comeback. Or sort of; the cast got together for a table reading of the 13th (never produced) episode. Highlights are here.
He Wood if he could, and he did
There’ll hopefully be some more on this in the Torchwood panel on Sunday, but Russell T has been warming up his outspeaking muscles in preparation, telling fans that if they don’t like the twist in Children of Earth, that’s too bad, and maybe they should go and watch something jolly like US series Supernatural instead. Huzzah. See, this is a big story because no one popular gets killed off in US TV (unless they ask for too much money to renew their contract) for fear of breaking a winning formula. Good old RTD: All about the story.
That Twilight panel
Was enjoyed greatly.
The three leads (the vampire, the girl, and a hot dog – sorry, sexy werewolf), flirted with each other, complimented the fans and talked about how working on Twilight: New Moon, was one of the greatest experiences of their lives. And a great film that everyone should go and see (obviously).
The noise “SQUEEEEEE!” was made early, loudly, and often, by all.
Meanwhile, on the other side of a heavily guarded conference door, 100,000 grumpy genre fans grumbled about the fact that, frankly, if vampires are sparkle, they’re not real vampires.