2014 San Diego Comic-Con: Animation Panels and Booths You Won’t Want to Miss

The 2014 San Diego Comic-Con is just around the corner with only a few more weeks until the event opens. This year is going to be a packed year for animation with lots of booths and panels dedicated to upcoming animated features and TV shows. In this article, you can find all animation booths and panels we think you would not want to miss during this year’s Comic-Con.

Toy Story That Time Forgot (Panel)

This holiday season Pixar is airing an all new Christmas-themed Toy Story special on ABC. Except for the title, not much has been revealed about yet, but attendees of the Toy Story That Time Forgot panel will get a first look at this upcoming TV special.

Panelists include director Steve Purcell, executive producer Galyn Susman and head of story Derek Thompson.

The panel will give an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the special, including never before seen sketches, storyboards and concept art. Since Pixar doesn’t release art books for TV specials, this will most likely be the only way to see most of the concept art from Toy Story That Time Forgot.

This 60-minute panel will take place in Room 6A on July 24, starting at 11:15 a.m.

The Art of Big Hero 6 (Panel and booth)

Walt Disney Animation Studio’s is returning to Comic-Con to present its 54th animated feature Big Hero 6. A voice cast for the film was recently announced, along with our first official look at the six main characters, so this panel will focus on the making of the film.

Panelists for this panel include Big Hero 6 director Don Hall, producer Roy Conli, production designer Paul Felix and character designer Shyioon Kim. The main topic discussed will be the visual development and making of Disney’s Big Hero 6. The film’s crew will most likely reveal new details about the film, including lots of concept art. Attendees of the panel will be given the opportunity to ask questions to the film’s crew. No word if any footage will be screened, but if history of similar Comic-Con panels repeats itself, then most likely attendees will be treated with some special footage.

This 60-minute panel will take place in Room 7AB on July 24, starting at 2:00 pm.

  
Disney will also have a Big Hero 6 booth on the main floor. This booth will sell six-inch tall Baymax action figures for $30 each. Disney hasn’t revealed much about this booth, but it will most likely also exhibit some concept art and stills from the film similar to the Frozen booth at last year’s D23 Expo. Since it is titled The Art of Big Hero 6, just maybe the art book of the film might make an limited edition appearance.Visit booth 3635 to buy your own Comic-Con exclusive Baymax figure. DreamWorks Animation (Panel)

DreamWorks Animation studios is once again returning to Comic-Con with its own panel. The studio has announced that this year’s panel will highlight upcoming features The Penguins of Madagascar, set to release this November and next year’s Home.

Panelists for The Penguins of Madagascar include the film’s directors Simon J. Smith and Eric Darnell and voice actors Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom McGrath and John Malkovich. The DreamWorks panel will similar to previous DreamWorks panels show clips from the film, the filmmakers will share new details and guests will have the opportunity to ask questions. The filmmakers will also reveal new details about the film’s plot, characters and more, especially since the film is set to release later this year and we still know very little about the film.

Director Tim Johnson will present Home, a new feature set to release March of 2015. Similar to The Penguins of Madagascar, he will most likely reveal new information, show some exclusive clips, answer questions from the panel attendees. Who knows, he might even preview one of the songs from the film sung by Rihanna. However, none of voice actors are currently scheduled to attend the Home panel.

DreamWorks will also premiere the long-awaited Rocky and Bullwinkle short that was originally planned to release in front of Mr. Peabody & Sherman earlier this year. It remains unclear if the short’s director Gary Trousdale or any of the iconic voice actors will attend this panel to present the short to the audience.

Since this is a 90-minute panel, it seems unlikely that DreamWorks will have time to talk about anything other than what’s on the docket. However, there still is a chance that DreamWorks might surprise the panel’s attendees with new footage from upcoming features B.O.O. Bureau of Otherworldly Operations and Kung Fu Panda 3.

This 90-minute panel will take place in the convention center’s Hall H on July 24, starting at 11:30 a.m.

Peanuts (Booth)

Blue Sky Studio’s will present its upcoming animated feature Peanuts with a special booth. The studio will most likely have a panel next year since the film is set to release fall of 2015, but visitors of this year’s Comic-Con will be able to get an exclusive sneak peek at the film with the Peanuts booth. The content of this booth is still a secret, but the booth will most likely exhibit concept art, stills, clips and free Peanuts movie swag.

Visit Booth #G141 to get an exclusive sneak peek at Peanuts.

The Legend of Korra: Book 3 (Panel)

A couple of weeks ago Nickelodeon premiered book 3 of The Legend of Korra. This year’s The Legend of Korra panel will give fans of the show a behind-the-scenes look at how Book 3 of the show was made.

Panelists include the show’s creators Bryan Konietzko and Mike DiMartino and voice actors Janet Varney (Korra), David Faustino (Mako), P.J Byrne (Bolin), Seychelle Gabriel (Asami) and Mindy Sterling (Lin Beifong).

This panel will give an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the making of Book 3 of The Legend of Korra as well as premiere an all new episode from Book 3. There is a possible chance that new details on the fourth season will be shared, but nothing official has been announced about that.

This 60-minute panel will take place in the convention center’s Ballroom 20 on July 25, starting at 11:15 a.m.

Twentieth Century Fox/The Book of Life (Panel)

Film distributor Twentieth Century Fox will have its own panel where five upcoming films will be discussed, one of those being the highly anticipated animated feature The Book of Life.

Panelists include director Jorge Gutierrez, producer Guillermo del Toro and the film’s voice-cast Channing Tatum, Ron Perlman and Christina Applegate.

Twentieth Century Fox has unfortunately announced nothing about what to expect from this panel apart from The Book of Life panelists. Guests of this panel can expect to see some clips from the film and ask questions to the filmmakers. Please keep in mind that this is a two-hour panel where five films will be discussed (taking approximately 25 minutes each) and The Book of Life is the only animated film.

This 120-minute panel will take place in the convention center’s Hall H on July 25, starting at 4:20 p.m.

So there you have it! All the panels and booths that animation fans won’t want to miss during this year’s San Diego Comic-Con. If you’re going to Comic-Con this year, let us know in the comments which panel or booth you’re most excited to visit and for everyone who isn’t going, which panel or booth are you most sad about not being able to visit?

Visit this year’s San Diego Comic-Con from July, 24 until July, 27, 2014.