SDCC 2026: Resident Evil Movie, Lanterns, Avatar Aang Among Biggest Reveals
San Diego Comic-Con 2026 is underway, and the weekend has already delivered news on the Resident Evil film, the HBO Lanterns series, and a new Avatar animated movie with a fresh Seven Havens announcement.
The Convention Floor Opens Up
San Diego Comic-Con 2026 kicked off this week, and the announcements are already coming in fast. IGN is on the ground hosting a live show featuring exclusive reveals, interviews, and more across games, movies, TV, comics, anime, and collectibles. For anyone tracking the intersection of gaming and pop culture, this year’s SDCC has some genuinely interesting material to follow.
The biggest gaming-adjacent story out of the weekend so far centers on the long-awaited Resident Evil film adaptation.
Resident Evil Director Talks Games and Monster Design
Director Zach Cregger and star Austin Abrams made an appearance at SDCC 2026 to discuss the upcoming Resident Evil movie, which IGN describes as “much-anticipated” and based on “the beloved horror video game franchise.” Cregger spoke about the film’s monster design and, perhaps most notably for fans of the source material, ranked his personal top five Resident Evil games.
Having a director who is clearly literate in the games themselves tends to matter to the fanbase. The Resident Evil series has had a complicated history with adaptations, so Cregger’s willingness to rank his favorites publicly is at least a signal that he’s approaching this as someone who has spent real time with the franchise rather than just the IP paperwork.
No specific release date was mentioned in the SDCC panel coverage as reported by IGN, but the appearance suggests the film is far enough along that the studio is ready to start generating heat.
Lanterns Gets Deep Into DCU Rules and Green Lantern Politics
The HBO series Lanterns had a substantial presence at the convention. Showrunner Chris Mundy appeared alongside cast members Kyle Chandler, Aaron Pierre, Garret Dillahunt, and Poorna Jagannathan. IGN covered five major reveals from the panel, though specifics carry spoiler warnings.
Perhaps more interesting for fans of the source material, co-creators Damon Lindelof and Tom King sat down with IGN to discuss James Gunn’s rules for adapting comic book heroes into live-action television and film. They also got into why Guy Gardner functions as the main Green Lantern in the series, and what the show does with the tension between a veteran like Hal Jordan who doesn’t want to step aside and a younger, more capable Jon Stewart waiting in the wings.
Aaron Pierre, who plays Jon Stewart, also shared that a grisly bicep injury nearly cost him the role entirely.
Avatar: Seven Havens Announced With New Trailer
On the animation side, the Avatar franchise showed up in a big way. The cast of Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender, featuring the characters of Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph, talked about the new animated movie and where the main group stands in their mid-twenties.
More significantly, creators Bryan Konietzko, Michael DiMartino, and Lauren Montgomery announced a new project called Avatar: Seven Havens, complete with a brand new trailer. The three spoke with IGN about animation styles for future Avatar movies and shows, and whether a live-action adaptation of The Promise graphic novel series could ever happen. The announcement of Seven Havens suggests the franchise has a broader roadmap in place beyond just the theatrical film.
Clayface Leans Hard Into Practical Horror
Rounding out the weekend’s early headlines, the DCU horror film Clayface made a strong impression. Director James Watkins and star Tom Rhys Harries joined IGN at SDCC to discuss the movie’s heavy reliance on practical effects. IGN’s framing, that Clayface offers “f***ed up practical horror” and proves “anything is possible in the DCU,” suggests the production is leaning into its weirder instincts rather than smoothing them out for mainstream comfort.
For Resident Evil fans specifically, Cregger’s game rankings are the detail worth watching for when that conversation gets published in full.
What was revealed about the Resident Evil movie at SDCC 2026?
Director Zach Cregger and star Austin Abrams appeared at SDCC 2026 to discuss the upcoming Resident Evil film, including its monster design. Cregger also shared his personal top five Resident Evil games, according to IGN's coverage of the event.
What is Avatar: Seven Havens?
Avatar: Seven Havens was announced at SDCC 2026 alongside a brand new trailer. Creators Bryan Konietzko, Michael DiMartino, and Lauren Montgomery discussed it with IGN, along with the animation styles being considered for future Avatar projects.
Who appeared at the Lanterns SDCC panel?
Showrunner Chris Mundy and cast members Kyle Chandler, Aaron Pierre, Garret Dillahunt, and Poorna Jagannathan appeared at the Lanterns panel. Co-creators Damon Lindelof and Tom King also spoke with IGN about James Gunn's rules for adapting comic book heroes.