Some movies are going into this year's Comic-Con as returning heroes (like Tron Legacy, which has been shown off to great effect for two years running) or sure things (like Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, which could have been conceived in a Comic-Con test tube), but there are several big films that have a lot to prove at the Con -- and a lot to lose. Here are six properties that could go either way:
Thor
Just a few short months ago, Thor seemed to have everything going for it: a deep ensemble cast full of respected actors like Anthony Hopkins and Natalie Portman, a fresh face in Chris Hemsworth, and a name director in Kenneth Branagh (whose last attempt at genre filmmaking is probably best overlooked). Unfortunately, each overlit photo released or leaked from the production has shaken fanboy confidence in the picture, and now it's time for the first look at footage to either dispel all doubts or confirm them.
The Green Hornet
Michel Gondry isn't just a director that white people like -- he's an inventive talent and an intriguing choice for Sony to make to helm The Green Hornet. Still, that recent trailer didn't exactly stick the landing, and the announcement that the film will be converted into 3D spooked fans who've had to put up with subpar visual conversions all year. To build buzz, expect Hornet to launch a full-scale charm offensive at the Con with full scenes screened and Seth Rogen holding court over Gondry and costar Jay Chou at the panel.
Sucker Punch
Zack Snyder's follow-up to Watchmen could either be this year's Kick-Ass -- one of the smaller properties that turns into a buzz sensation at the Con -- or it could give ammo to his detractors that claim Snyder is a one-trick, speed-ramping pony. At the very least, it should be interesting to see what the hell they've been making all this time, and I'd love to watch fanboys react to Carla Gugino's musical number.
Green Lantern
Green Lantern hasn't inspired the amount of chatter that Thor has, but the two comic book properties have followed similar trajectories: They put together good casts with a solid director at the helm (in this case, Casino Royale's Martin Campbell), but the first released pictures were more head-scratching than awe-inspiring. Maybe that striated suit they've put on Ryan Reynolds will look better in actual footage, but how much will the still-shooting film have to show?
Captain America
The casting race for Captain America's title role was a nail-biter, but since the film has settled into its shoot, buzz has cooled considerably. You'd never know this movie was coming out just two short months after the talked-about Thor, but maybe its underdog status will work in the Captain's favor. Could Marvel show something that will make Captain America the sleeper hit in its Avengers arsenal?
The Avengers
And then there's The Avengers itself. Joss Whedon is expected to be officially confirmed as the film's writer-director at the Marvel panel, and it's rumored that he'll bring out the entire Avengers cast (if they can find a Hulk replacement in time, that is). Still, there's a concern that Marvel may be putting the cart before the horse; after all, one of the Avengers heroes may be a phenomenon (Iron Man), but another has performed only so-so theatrically (The Hulk), and two of the crucial characters (Thor and Captain America) have yet to launch. One question I've got: Will there be any notable women in this cast besides Scarlett Johansson? Iron Man's four-quadrant appeal owes quite a bit to the we-like-her-in-this Gwyneth Paltrow, but how far down the Avengers credit block will you have to go to find someone other than Robert Downey Jr. who can be counted on to draw in women? We'll soon see.