Fox Movie Studio Pulls Out of Comic-Con Main Event Over Piracy Fears (Exclusive)

20th Century Fox will not showcase its upcoming movie releases in Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con this year.

The studio feels it cannot prevent the piracy of custom trailers and exclusive footage routinely screened for fans in attendance, an individual familiar with the decision told TheWrap.

A representative for Fox declined to comment. SDCC was not immediately available for comment.

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The studio will be accounted for in smaller events, like their DreamWorks Animation collaboration “Trolls,” a second individual close to the studio told TheWrap. That individual added that footage from other upcoming Fox films would be unfinished and far down the release schedule, like “Wolverine 3” and “Assassin’s Creed.”

Fox would likely have shown glimpses of “Assassins Creed,” the Michael Fassbender video game adaptation that wowed movie exhibitors at this year’s CinemaCon. An early first look at Hugh Jackman‘s “Wolverine 3” and the recently-delayed “Maze Runner: The Death Cure” were also possibilities.

The first individual added that Walt Disney was considering pulling out of their regular showcase inside the San Diego Convention Center’s grand hall as well, though a rep for Disney denied the claim. The studio would not disclose its Comic-Con plans.

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Last year Fox screened footage from “Deadpool,” the Ryan Reynolds superhero film that would go on to gross $760 million worldwide. A trailer prepared especially for the 2015 convention was screened on a Saturday — and a pirated version was available online the following Monday.

The same went for “X-Men: Apocalypse” and Warner Bros’ hotly anticipated “Suicide Squad.” Footage for the latter was shown while shooting was still underway — 13 months prior to the DC Comics film’s forthcoming August 5 release.

“Clearly we are disappointed,” David Glanzer, director of marketing and public relations for Comic-Con International, said at the time. “This leak not only violates the trust of Comic-Con and the studios, but each of the attendees who respect the bond we have long held.”

The Scene at 2015 Comic-Con (Updating Photos)

Actor Hugh Jackman from "Pan" attends the Warner Bros. presentation during Comic-Con
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Actress Ginnifer Goodwin speaks onstage at the "Once Upon a Time" panel during Comic-Con
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Actresses Emma Roberts and Lea Michele attend the 20th Century Fox party during Comic-Con at Andaz Hotel
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Actors John Corbett, John Ales, Elizabeth Gillies, Robert Kelly, Denis Leary and Elaine Hendrix attend the 20th Century Fox party during Comic-Con at Andaz Hotel
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Actress Keke Palmer attends the 20th Century Fox party during Comic-Con
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Actors Wilmer Valderrama, Laura Regan, Stark Sands and Meagan Good attend the 20th Century Fox party during Comic-Con at Andaz Hotel
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Moderator Chris Hardwick, producer Kathleen Kennedy, director J.J. Abrams, screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan and actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Domhnall Gleeson, Gwendoline Christie, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford at the "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" panel during Comic-Con
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Director J.J. Abrams and screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan at the Hall H Panel for "Star Wars: The Force Awakens"
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Actor Adam Driver at the :Star Wars: The Force Awakens" panel during Comic-Con
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Actors Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford at the Hall H Panel for "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" during Comic-Con
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Director J.J. Abrams, producer Kathleen Kennedy and more than 6,000 fans enjoy a surprise "Star Wars" Fan Concert performed by the San Diego Symphony, featuring the classic "Star Wars" music of composer John Williams, at the Embarcadero Marina Park South
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More than 6,000 fans enjoy the "Star Wars" Fan Concert at Comic-Con
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"Mr. Robot" actor Rami Malek attends Playboy and Gramercy Pictures' "Self/less" party during Comic-Con
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The Playboy and Gramercy Pictures' "Self/less" party during Comic-Con weekend at Parq
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Guests attend Playboy and Gramercy Pictures' "Self/less" party during Comic-Con weekend at Parq
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Actors Connor Weil, Willa Fitzgerald, Amadeus Serafini, John Karna and Bella Thorne attend the "Scream" press room during Comic-Con at the Hilton Bayfront
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Actresses Wendi McLendon-Covey and Eliza Taylor speak onstage at TV Guide Magazine: Fan Favorites during Comic-Con
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Actor Wilmer Valderrama speaks onstage at the "Minority Report" panel during Comic-Con
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Actors Tara Reid, Ian Ziering and Cassie Scerbo attend the "Sharknado 3 party during Comic-Con at Hotel Solamar
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Model-actress Carmen Electra attends the "Sharknado 3" party during Comic-Con
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Actor Robert Buckley at the "iZombie" special video presentation during Comic-Con
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Ricky Whittle and Lindsey Morgan at "The 100" Comic-Con panel
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Executive producer Carolyn Strauss, actors Conleth Hill and Maisie Williams speak onstage at the "Game of Thrones" panel during Comic-Con
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Judy Greer outside of the "Teen Wolf" press room at Comic-Con
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"The 100" costars Noah Wyle and Moon Bloodgood pose together at Comic-Con
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Producer Gotham Chopra and filmmaker Morgan Spurlock attend Geeks For Peace
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Actor Alexander Ludwig attends The Nintendo Lounge on the TV Guide Magazine yacht during Comic-Con
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Actress Kristen Schaal attends The Nintendo Lounge on the TV Guide Magazine yacht during Comic-Con
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Actor Daniel Radcliffe and professional boxer Mike Tyson attend the Getty Images Portrait Studio at Hard Rock Hotel
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Actors Andrew Lincoln and Steven Yeun speak at AMC's "The Walking Dead" panel during Comic-Con
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Actress Danai Gurira speaks onstage at AMC's "The Walking Dead" panel during Comic-Con
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Actors Carice van Houten, Liam Cunningham and Gwendoline Christie speak at the "Game of Thrones" panel during Comic-Con
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Norman Reedus speaking at "The Walking Dead" panel at Comic-Con

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Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth in the Lionsgate press room at Comic-Con 2015

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Willow Shields, who plays Primrose Everdeen in "The Hunger Games," at Lionsgate's press room at Comic-Con 2015
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"Hunger Games" director Francis Lawrence in the Lionsgate press room at Comic-Con 2015

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Elijah Wood attends the Lionsgate press room at Comic-Con 2015

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Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Halle Berry speak onstage during CBS TV Studios' panel for "Extant" at Comic-Con

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Actor Rob Lowe attends Comedy Central's "Moonbeam City" press room during Comic-Con

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Actress Katharine McPhee speaks onstage at the CBS TV Studios' panel for "Scorpion" during Comic-Con

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Jennifer Lawrence posed with Bill Murray at Comic-Con

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Talk show host Conan O'Brien and Bill Murray talk at Comic-Con

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Elaine Hendrix ("The Parent Trap") attends FOX International Studios' Comic-Con party

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Zelda Rae Williams attends the WIRED Cafe at Comic Con 2015

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Eli Roth and Lorenza Izzo at the WIRED Cafe at Comic-Con in San Diego

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Actors Travis Fimmel, Katheryn Winnick and Clive Standen attend a panel for the History series "Vikings" during Comic-Con
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Actor Mike Vogel (“Under the Dome”) attends the CBS Television Studios Press Room

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"Limitless" actor Jake McDorman at the WIRED Cafe at Comic-Con in San Diego

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Robert Patrick at the CBS Television Studios press room at Comic-Con

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Actress Jenna Coleman attends BBC America’s "Doctor Who" photo call at Comic-Con

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Actors Garret Dillahunt, Elizabeth Sarah McLaughlin, creator Ben Watkins, actors Ron Perlman, Alona Tal, Emayatzy E. Corinealdi and Julian Morris attend Amazon Original Series "Hand of God" Panel And Signing on July 9, 2015

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Actors Eric Dane, Travis Van Winkle, Marissa Neitling, Jocko Sims, Rhona Mitra, writer/producer Hank Steinberg and actor Adam Baldwin attend "The Last Ship" talent appearance during TNT at Comic-Con

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Actors Rhona Mitra, Travis Van Winkle, Marissa Neitling and Jocko Sims attend TNT's "The Last Ship" Press Room during Comic-Con International on July 9, 2015

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