Comic Con Thursday Movie Events: What Big Panels Are Coming Your Way

The minds behind upcoming sci-fi movies will be flocking to Comic Con this week – here's a ranking of the five most exciting movie panels happening on Day 1 of Comic Con.

1) Perhaps one of this year's most anticipated panels, Summit Entertainments Enders Game and Divergent panels will happen this afternoon in Hall H. The studio has been teasing fans with promises of exclusive footage – no actual footage from Divergent has been released as of yet – and super-star appearances. From Enders Game, stars Hailee Steinfeld, Abigail Breslin and Asa Butterfield will be there, as will producer (and current sci-fi heavy hitter) Roberto Orci and director Gavin Hood. Oh, and Harrison Ford, no big deal.From Divergent, expect the author of the bestselling series, Veronica Roth, director Nell Burger and stars Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Miles Teller, Ansel Elgort and more.

2) Entertainment Weekly's The Visionaries panel will bring three of the top fantasy directors together to discuss what they believe to be the future of film (and hopefully divulge some inside scoop on their current projects as well). Marc Webb, director of the highly anticipated Amazing Spider-Man 2, is participating – fingers crossed he'll give the audience a little taste of the film currently in production. Joining Webb are Alfonso Cuarón, who's upcoming space movie Gravity stars George Clooney and Sandra Bullock as astronauts who get stranted in space, and Edgar Wright, director of this summer's sci-fi comedy The World's End.

3) Super fans of Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit will gather in the evening for a fan-driven panel: 'An Unofficial Sneak Peek of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug with TheOneRing.net'. Contributors to the Lord of the Rings unofficial website will discuss their hopes and fears for the upcoming Hobbit sequel, and dish with fans about rumors and scoop they've investigated. Die hard Tolkein fans won't want to miss it.

4) Director Sebastián Cordero will be taking over Hall H early in the afternoon to give fans a taste of his science-driven new flick Europa Report. Europa Report, a space thriller, tells the story of a group of scientists tasked with the exploration of Europa, Jupiter's moon. As one of the most science-based films making a splash at Comic Con, Europa Report is definitely going to make waves at the convention with their panel. Not only will the panel be moderated by astronomer Dr. Phil Plait, but, in addition to Cordero, producer Ben Browning and star Karolina Wydra, two scientists, Steve Vance and Kevin Hand will sit on the panel.

5) If you prefer animation to live action, you're in luck. Swing by Room 6BCF around 4:45 P.M. for a preview of I know that Voice, a documentary about voice-over actors. The panel will be quite something, with voice actors Billy West (Futurama, Ren and Stimpy), Rob Paulsen (Pinky and the Brain), Dee Bradley Baker (American Dad), Fred Tatasclore (Hulk), Tom Kenny (Spongebob Squarepants) and Andrea Romano (Anamaniacs).

In addition to those five, DC Comics is premiering a first look of their new documentary Necessary Evil: Super-Villains of DC Comics, which looks into what makes a good villain and how villains have historically contributed to DC Comics. Comic Con attendees can also get the inside scoop on The Zero Theorem, an upcoming film from director Terry Gilliam (The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus) set to star Matt Damon, Christop Waltz, Ben Wishaw and Tilda Swinton (to name a few), though none of the cast is set to apear. However, The Zero Theorem panel is taking place in Hall H, which usually means you can expect surprise guests.

Don't forget to check back with Uinterview for more on Comic Con as it happens!

– Olivia Truffaut-Wong