The big day in Comic-Con is Saturday, but that never stopped people from doing more promo work on Friday. Several panels involved upcoming films like Skyline, Drive Angry 3D, Super, The Green Hornet and The Other Guys. There’s also a look at the highly anticipated zombie series The Walking Dead.

Skyline

There wasn’t much information about this film aside from the fact that it is an alien invasion story taking place in LA. Sound familiar? Yes, I believe Battle: Los Angeles has the same concept. To make matters worse, it appears the film is directed by The Brothers Strause, the same duo that made the dreadful AVP: Requiem. However, this film just might end up being surprisingly good decent.

• The brothers explained that they made this movie because they couldn’t get any other project off the groups with studios (perhaps due to the AVP debacle). They opted to do everything around their LA apartment complex and using their in-house special effects company without any studio involvement whatsoever.
• Despite the limitations, it appears that the scale of this movie is quite big… almost summer blockbuster big.
• It’s hard to see Donald Faison in a serious role since I keep picturing him as Dr. Turk on Scrubs… but that’s my fault for watching that show for 8 seasons (well plus that spinoff bust I suppose).

Drive Angry 3D

This film will be released in the month of February, so don’t set your hopes too high in terms of quality. However it does deliver on what it promises – silly but fun action. Nicholas Cage stars in the movie as Milton, a man who is hell bent on finding his kidnapped daughter by any means necessary. On the bright side, it doesn’t hurt to have Amber Heard in the movie.

• The film is shot in 3D, so no cheesy post-production conversion.
• Shooting actually finished 9 weeks ago and the special effects started 3 weeks ago. Not bad for having something ready for Comic-Con.
• This is Cage’s first 3D movie.
• The film was inspired by movies like Vanishing Point, Bullitt and other action films from the late 60s and early 70s (I guess that explains the ‘original’ storyline).
• They came up with the title because they were writing the movie on Groundhog Day and got to talking about the driving scene in the film where Bill Murray tells the groundhog “Don’t drive angry.”
• Cage believes the ’69 Charger he drives in this movie is cooler than Eleanor which he drove in Gone in 60 Seconds because this one had Amber Heard on the hood. Couldn’t have said it better myself.
• Fun fact: One of the films that Cage can watch anytime is 2001: A Space Odyssey. Surprisingly, it’s one of the movies I can’t stand.

Super

Prepare for another round of Kick-Ass… sort of. No this isn’t a sequel of any sort, but it does share some common themes. Directed by James Gunn, this quasi-superhero flick stars Rainn Wilson, Ellen Page, Liv Tyler and Nathan Fillion. For those thinking that this would be some sort of off-beat comedy, well, you’re wrong. The movie does go a bit dark and thrives on the ridiculous violence.

The premise of the movie is about a wronged man (Wilson) whose drug-addict wife (Tyler) leaves him for another man (played by Kevin Bacon).  Looking to reclaim his dignity, he becomes a masked vigilante-for-hire called “The Crimson Bolt”.

• Gunn had trouble finding an actor to play the lead character as he was looking for someone with the right balance of dramatic and comedic chops.  It was Jenna Fischer (Gunn’s ex-wife) who referred her co-star from The Office (Wilson) to him.
• Liv Tyler doesn’t like hand and foot doubles, so she actually had fake heroin shot up her foot with an actual needle, which prompted Fillion’s response “If I was half the woman you are, I’d be twice the man I am.”
• If you’re ever wondering what it’s like working with Kevin Bacon, according to Fillion, it’s a universal truth that everything is better by adding Bacon.
• Highlight of the panel: Who would win in a fight: Dwight or Mal?  Wilson said that they should find out, so he and Fillion started to “fight” and Wilson kicks the crap out of Fillion. Wilson then calmly returns to his seat and says, “Thank you for your question.”

The Walking Dead

Based on the comic book by Robert Kirkman, AMC is bringing another original show to their slate with the upcoming series The Walking Dead. While the cast and crew are present at Comic-Con, they are actually still in production (currently shooting episode 5 of the 6 episodes in season 1). There are high expectations for this series and so far the 5 minute reel looks bloody good.

• Along with producer Frank Darabont, they claim that there is much more blood involved and the preview clip was a slimmed down version of what you’ll see in front of your TV when the show premiers.
• The series is shot in Atlanta and it appears that it’s not the zombies that are kicking everyone’s asses… it’s the heat!

The Green Hornet

While there was a fairly warm reception for The Green Hornet at Comic-Con, it certainly seemed like the fans weren’t that enthusiastic about the film (it might explain the release in the barren month of January). Anyway, onto the highlights from the panel.

• I’m sure there is plenty of confusion between this and another upcoming flick Green Lantern. Since the Green Lantern is also appearing at Comic-Con this year, Rogen took the opportunity to crack a joke as he emerged on stage and said to the audience that he knew they were expecting Ryan Reynolds.
• Fun fact: Christoph Waltz has been a fan of Seth for years and wanted to work with him. Who knew?
• On a non-Green Hornet related note, Jay and Seth vs. the Apocalypse IS happening! (For those who need a reminder, see the trailer here).
• They turned down thousands of dollars from car companies to design a concept car and instead went for a 1965 Chrysler. I think they made the right decision.
• Christoph Waltz is not a comic book fan! Uh oh, I sense angry fanboys somewhere!

The Other Guys

So this isn’t based on a comic book, but the movie looks damn funny, so let’s throw it in here as well. Seriously, Glee is appearing at Comic-Con, so why not this? The 7-minute footage contained some deleted material mixed with the regular scenes from the movie and it generated quite the laughter in the hall. It’s definitely a good sign for this buddy cop comedy. Present at the panel included director Adam McKay and the film stars Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg and Eva Mendes.

• The idea for the movie just came together after Ferrell and Wahlberg had dinner with McKay.
• McKay jokes about the movie starting off with three main characters (the third person played by Ben Kingsley) but he dropped out due to drinking problems.
• Will goes over his favorite quotes: “You’re my boy, Blue” “Shake and Bake,” “Let’s go streaking and “I want to be on you.” Then he said “it is a pleasure to be here in the whale’s vagina.”
• Eva Mendes calls Anchorman her Godfather and Citizen Kane.
• Will shouted “boner alert!” after Eva jokingly flirted with a 16-year-old fan. Wahlberg told the kid’s mom not to come in if she hears moaning coming from his room later. “He’s just in there with a picture of Eva and some lotion. It’s natural!”
• You know Eva Mendes is great eye candy when she jokingly flirts with another young fan a short time later.
• A fan asked Wahlberg about his fluency in Hebrew. He demonstrated to disbelief from Ferrell and McKay. The fan then translated what he said as a cursing out of Ferrell! (‘Fuck you’ and ‘Son of a bitch’)

That is all for the Friday roundup. Check back tomorrow for a recap of the very busy Comic-Con Saturday.

Follow The Lowdown Blog on Twitter @LowdownFM. Become a fan by “liking” us on our FaceBook page.