It’s Preview Night at Comic-Con and attendees had three hours to get a sneak peak at all the San Diego Convention Center has to offer this year during the annual pop culture celebration.
In addition to some locals, waves of visitors from across the country and around the world began pouring into the Gaslamp Quarter to start what will be a total of five days of festivities in categories such as video games, anime, books and television.
Our reporters were out and about downtown looking for the best things they could find inside and around Comic-Con. Here’s Wednesday’s list.
‘Tron’-themed cocktails
“Tron”-inspired cocktails at the Grant Grill inside The US Grant seen during Preview Night of Comic-Con. (Jemma Stephenson / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
The US Grant Hotel has “digital drinks” and “bit bytes” for Comic-Con. The blue MCP is a floral tequila drink, reminiscent of a margarita, according to bartender Jake Reif. The red ISO is vodka-based and piña colada-flavored. Grant Grill, 326 Broadway, San Diego.
— Jemma Stephenson
Peacefest gears up
Construction seen outside Nova SD (454 Sixth Ave.) for a fan experience, Peacefest, inspired by HBO’s “Peacemaker” series. (Phillip Molnar / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Construction seen outside Nova SD (454 Sixth Ave.) for a fan experience, Peacefest, inspired by HBO’s “Peacemaker” series. (Phillip Molnar / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Construction was ongoing Wednesday around 4:45 p.m. on DC Studios’ “Peacemaker” pop-up night club on the corner of Island and Sixth avenues in downtown San Diego. The show will have a panel in Hall H on Saturday. Nova SD, 454 Sixth Ave., San Diego.
— Phillip Molnar
Gaslamp Quarter takeover
A view of the modified Gaslamp Quarter sign during Comic-Con in San Diego on July 23, 2025. (Phillip Molnar / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
A promotion for the animated film “Bad Guys 2” has been placed directly on the Gaslamp Quarter sign on Fifth Avenue. It is a Dreamworks picture.
— Phillip Molnar
A mysterious ‘Wanted’ sign
Wanted signs for the new “Red Sonja” movie spotted outside Comic-Con during Preview Night. (Phillip Molnar / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Wanted signs for the new “Red Sonja” movie have been placed throughout the Gaslamp Quarter. This one is pictured on a utility box next to trolley tracks near the San Diego Trolley Gaslamp Station.
— Phillip Molnar
The ever-popular The Lodge from Paramount+
Paramount+’s The Lodge activation promotes upcoming and iconic franchises. Guests can tour several replica movie and television show sets, take photos and get some free swag. (Carlos Rico / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Paramount+’s The Lodge activation promotes upcoming and iconic franchises. Guests can tour several replica movie and television show sets, take photos and get some free swag. (Carlos Rico / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Sports, television shows and movie franchises collide at Paramount+’s The Lodge activation. The pop-up is meant to promote upcoming shows and pay homage to past films. Attendees can experience the scene from 1996’s “Mission: Impossible” where Tom Cruise’s character Ethan Hunt is lowered into a high-security vault. There is also a spot to advertise the NFL on CBS with jerseys of 32 NFL teams, artificial turf, stadium-style seating, a football throwing contest, as well as televisions showing sports games and a UEFA Champions League-themed sports bar. Plus, there are photo opportunities from replica sets of “NCIS: Tony & Ziva,” “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy” and a hidden vault from “Dexter: Resurrection.” 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. 340 Fifth Ave., San Diego. Free.
— Carlos Rico
A massive poké ball
Pokémon Mega Evolution offers a simulated experience at Booth #235 in the exhibit hall. (Olivia Petty / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Pokémon Mega Evolution offers a simulated experience at Booth #235 in the exhibit hall. (Olivia Petty / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
A huge poké ball looms over the left wing of the exhibit hall, inviting convention-goers to become Pokémon trainers and embark on a set of simulated missions inside the booth. The simulation is based off the Mega Evolution process, as seen in the Pokémon video game franchise. Booth #235.
— Olivia Petty
Mega ‘Minecraft’
Minecraft statues made entirely from Lego bricks at the Lego Minecraft Booth. (Olivia Petty / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Two hand-constructed LEGO statues of Steve and a Creeper stand tall at the LEGO Minecraft booth in the exhibit hall. Each statue took 51 hours to construct, totaling over 13,000 Lego bricks. Booth #435.
— Olivia Petty
A Star Wars costume
At the Star Wars section of the exhibit hall, fans can see the Cad Bane costume from “The Book of Boba Fett.” (Phillip Molnar / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Attendees can see a Cad Bane costume from the Star Wars show “The Book of Boba Fett” on display in the Star Wars section of the exhibit hall. Booth #2913.
— Phillip Molnar
Funko fun
Funko fan Ken Leung is greeted by Freddy and Proto at the Funko booth inside the exhibit hall. (David J. Bohnet / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Funko fan Ken Leung is greeted by Freddy and Proto with a photo op inside the Funko booth #5145. The Funko fun continues at the Funderdome panel on Thursday, July 24, at 10:30 a.m. in room 6BCF.
— David J. Bohnet
The Delorian
The Hot Wheels booth at Comic-Con displays a replica of the Delorian from “Back to the Future.” (Phillip Molnar / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
The back of the Delorian from the “Back to the Future” films is available for photos at the Hot Wheels section of the convention floor.
— Phillip Molnar
A LEGO version of Comic-Con
LEGO has created several scenes from Comic-Con at its booth inside the exhibit hall. (Jemma Stephenson / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
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LEGO has created several scenes from Comic-Con at its booth inside the exhibit hall. (Jemma Stephenson / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Fans can see a large LEGO construction replica of Comic-Con known as LEGO Con. LEGO attendees are filing through the Lego Gaslamp District sign and can be seen on the Lego Convention Floor. It is in the rough center of the Convention Floor.
— Jemma Stephenson
Originally Published: July 23, 2025 at 7:55 PM PDT