Geek Heaven: The Sights and Star Power at Comic-Con 2005

by Lesley Kallet and Capulet Poehner

More and more each year, film studios are bringing out the big guns at San Diego's annual comic book convention known as Comic-Con. One need look no further than the recent box office bonanza of 'Fantastic Four' to find out why. We joined the ranks of the costume-clad faithful to see firsthand what all the hubbub's about.

'Superman Returns'

What We Saw: A riveting first glimpse of Bryan Singer's take on the Man of Steel. The reel opened with sunset shots of the Kent farm, and spines immediately tingled when the voice of Marlon Brando as Jor-El broke the silence. We learned that Superman comes back from a mysterious disappearance -- possibly after visiting his doomed home planet -- to find that Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth) has hooked up AND had a baby with James Marsden ('X-Men'). She's also won an award for her Daily Planet article "Why the World Doesn't Need Superman." Poor Clark. Before showing the reel, Singer told the audience that his film "is first and foremost a love story." As Clark Kent, little-known soap star Brandon Routh gets all puppy-dog-eyed behind those big glasses. But enough about Clark -- we came for the big "S"! We saw the Daily Planet newsroom under attack, Lois getting flung around inside a commercial plane and then a first look at Kevin Spacey -- chromed dome and all -- as Lex Luthor, appearing all sly and dastardly. The final shot seemed to nod 'The Matrix,' as Superman hovers high over Metropolis and then blasts off towards the city, bursting into a sonic boom. All of this was accompanied by John Williams' original 1978 score.

Fan Reaction: Ever see 7,000 comic book fans weep with joy? We did. After the reel, the audience erupted into a standing ovation, with one fan screaming, "That rocked!" Singer immediately offered to run the reel again, which generated even more applause.

Star Wattage: Singer flew in from the set in Australia all by his lonesome. When asked why he came all that way for one presentation, Singer quipped that Comic-Con "is Superman."

'King Kong'

What We Saw: The last two minutes of a six-to-seven minute fight sequence. Attendees were treated to a rough cut of Kong battling three T.rexes while trying to keep the lovely Anne Darrow (Naomi Watts) in hand -- literally. The clip, a hybrid of blue screen, animatics and almost-finished product, offered a rare glimpse into the CG process. But perhaps the biggest surprise was the taped intro from director Peter Jackson, who has dropped so much weight that we had to wonder if 'Kong' took a hefty bite out of him.

Fan Reaction: The fact that the footage was rough did not deter Jackson's fans from hooting and hollering. Excitement levels reached a peak when, in the climax of the scene, Kong ripped out a T.rex's tongue and cracked open its immense jaws, prompting the audience to demand a replay. Guess seeing a T.rex rendered speechless never gets old.

Star Wattage: All three stars appeared onstage in a panel, but Jack Black reigned King. His impromptu musical homage to King Kong, with co-stars Adrien Brody and Watts providing backup percussion, alone was worth the price of admission.

NEXT PAGE >>