San Diego Comic-Con International 2014: The Celebrities

One of the key elements of Comic-Con is that it's where fans get to meet creators, where those who enjoy and consume pop culture have a chance to rub shoulders with those who produce it. Hollywood has seized upon Comic-Con as an opportunity to market directly to the most passionate of target audiences and while that means the formerly comics-centric gathering has gotten commercialized and, some might say, bloated, it also means we get lots and lots of big stars descending on San Diego. This year, I was able to go in with a press pass and was granted access to the hallowed Hall H on Saturday (look out for my article on the experience coming soon). Besides Zack Snyder and his Trinity of Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck and Gal Gadot showing up, there were lots more famous faces gracing the Hall H stage - and, as is customary, incognito on the convention floor, disguised in a mask or something of that sort.

A dose of the Cumber-chins for Penguins of Madagascar

Malkovich Malkovich Malkovich!

Unfortunately, Cumberbatch did not stick around for the press conference and we were all really disappointed. My theory is they needed to whisk him away to Hall H through some secret tunnels so he wouldn't get utterly mobbed.

Author Lois Lowry and star Brenton Thwaites for The Giver

Jeff Bridges and leading lady Odeya Rush

The Paramount panel kicks off with an appearance by the voice of Spongebob Squarepants himself, Tom Kenny.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles co-creator Kevin Eastman throws his full support behind the new movie.

Director Jonathan Liebesman

Our April O'Neil and Vern, Megan Fox and Will Arnett respectively

Dwayne Johnson makes a surprise appearance to tell everyone that he's booked out three theatres to treat us all to a screening of Hercules. First come, first served!

The Rock demonstrating his "pimp lean", as per his throwback Thursday Twitter post. Look that one up, fanny packs are involved.

Clark Duke exhorts, "if you see only one Hot Tub Time Machine sequel this year, make it this one."

The star of Interstellar himself, Matthew McConaughey. Alright x 3.

For an even bigger treat, his director Christopher Nolan makes his Comic-Con debut.

Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, showrunners of Sleepy Hollow and screenwriters of Star Trek, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and Transformers.

Greg Berlanti (Arrow/Flash), Julie Plec (Vampire Diaries) and Rob Thomas (Veronica Mars) complete the Showrunners panel.

Ralph Garman moderates the Batman '66 panel. This November, the entire series is finally being released on Blu-ray, completely remastered in HD!

Julie Newmar is helped on stage by her minions.

The eternal Boy Wonder.

Lee Meriwether, who was Catwoman for the '66 film.

Our dynamic duo!

Thank you Burt and Julian for this opportunity!

And who should we serendipitously run into but Guillermo del Toro himself!

I told him I wanted to hug him because of how much I enjoy his films. This was a moment. Thanks Tedd for taking the photo.

Kurtwood Smith, Frances Fisher and Devin Kelley from the TV show Resurrection.

Kurtwood Smith and Frances Fisher sharing an affectionate moment.

Devin Kelley looking lovely.

Omar Epps

Batman comic book writer Scott Snyder

Managed to grab a selfie with Willa Holland, Arrow's one and only Thea Queen!

Press conference for The Maze Runner

Will Poulter and Kaya Scodelario

Director Wes Ball

James Dashner, author of the book series

Kaya Scodelario

Kaya Scodelario and Dylan O'Brien

Guillermo del Toro, producer of Book of Life.

Christina Applegate and director Jorge Guttierez

Channing Tatum

Ron Perlman

Giggles.

Hannah Ware from Hitman: Agent 47.

Zachary Quinto, main antagonist of Hitman: Agent 47

Artist Dave Gibbons and writer Mark Millar, creators of The Secret Service.

Colin Firth and Samuel L. Jackson

Taron Egerton and Sophie Cookson

Sofia Boutella and Dave Gibbons

I can tell you that Samuel L. Jackson was not very pleasant at all. The journalists had placed all their phones and other recording devices on the table. When one of the phones rang, he picked it up, yelled down the line and then asked the journalist to "claim your f**king phone."

Keagen Michael Key and Nina Dobrev of Let's Be Cops.

Damon Wayans, Jr. and Rob Riggle

Willa Holland, Stephen Amell and Colton Haynes, stars of Arrow.

John Barrowman and Willa Holland share a cute daddy-daughter moment.

Willa Holland proves she can tough it out with the guys of the cast.

Producer James Tucker, John DiMaggio (King Shark), Troy Baker (Joker), Matthew Gray Gubler (Riddler) and Kevin Conroy (Batman) from Batman: Assault on Arkham.

Director Jay Oliva, James Tucker, John DiMaggio, Troy Baker and Matthew Gray Gubler.

We kick off Saturday in Hall H with moderator Chris Hardwick as Marty McFly.

It wasn't on the schedule, but we were all hoping to see something from Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Zack Snyder presents 30 seconds of teaser footage.

And his World's Finest

Make that the Trinity, plus Hardwick unable to resist snapping a selfie.

Channing Tatum has something of a tough act to follow, talking Jupiter Ascending.

Hardwick with George Miller, director of all the Mad Max films - including the upcoming Mad Max: Fury Road.

Time to head to Middle Earth with Stephen Colbert, dressed as his cameo character "The Laketown Spy" and seen here with his son.

Director Peter Jackson, co-writer/producer Philippa Boyens, Benedict Cumberbatch (Smaug, Sauron), Cate Blanchett (Galadriel), Orlando Bloom (Legolas), Evangeline Lilly (Tauriel), Luke Evans (Bard the Bowman), Lee Pace (Thranduil), Graham McTavish (Dwalin), Elijah Wood (Frodo), Andy Serkis (Gollum)

Jessica Chobot and Legendary Studios chief Thomas Tull open the Legendary Studios panel.

John and Drew Dowdle, the brothers behind As Above, So Below.

Michael Mann, director of Heat, Thief, The Last of the Mohicans, Collateral and now Blackhat.

All swoon for Chris Hemsworth

Warcraft director Duncan Jones, wearing a shirt from his earlier film Moon.

Guillermo del Toro talks Crimson Peak.

The voice stars of The Boxtrolls, Isaac Hempstead-Wright, Elle Fanning and Ben Kingsley.

Direcotr/animated Travis Knight

The Sin City: A Dame to Kill For panel begins. Director Robert Rodriguez, comics creator Frank Miller, Rosario Dawson (Gail), Josh Brolin (Dwight) and Jessica Alba (Nancy)

Gotta love Miller's face here.

The Women Who Kick Ass: Katey Sagal (Sons of Anarchy), Sarah Paulson (American Horror Story), Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black), Nicole Beharie (Sleepy Hollow), Maisie Williams and Natalie Dormer (Game of Thrones).

Comic-Con gets antsy: Producer Kevin Feige, director Peyton Reed, actors Paul Rudd (Scott Lang), Michael Douglas (Hank Pym), Evangeline Lilly (Hope Van Dyne) and Corey Stoll (Darren Cross)

A rose by any other name...

Robert Downey Jr. (Tony Stark/Iron Man), Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye/Clint Barton), Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner/the Hulk), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Cobie Smulders (Maria Hill), Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury), Chris Evans (Captain America/Steve Rogers), Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Quicksilver/Pietro Maximoff), Paul Bettany (Jarvis/Vision), James Spader (Ultron), Elizabeth Olsen (Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff)