Summit will debut footage from “Divergent,” its upcoming adaptation of Veronica Roth‘s bestselling novels, at Comic-Con San Diego later this month, the studio announced on Monday.
Roth will be on hand, as will director Neil Burger and cast members Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Miles Teller, Maggie Q, Ansel Elgort, Mekhi Phifer, Ben Lamb, Ben Lloyd-Hughes and Christian Madsen.
The panel, set for July 18, marks the third such event for Summit and Lionsgate at the annual fanboy confab. Summit will also hold a panel for “Ender’s Game” while Lionsgate, which bought Summit in 2012, will have a panel for a pair of its upcoming movies — “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” and “I, Frankenstein.”
Also read: 'Divergent' First Look: Theo James as 'Four'
While both studios have attended the Con before, the number of major panels they will bring together once again demonstrates that Lionsgate has ascended to the level of a major studio. It also conveys the importance both Lionsgate and Summit place on the convention, which served as a launchined pad for Summit's "Twilight."
Studios often stage one blockbuster panel for several upcoming releases — as Sony, Warner Bros. and others did last year. Summit has decided two of its movies have passionate-enough fan bases that they warrant a stand-alone panel, and one could argue Lionsgate’s “Hunger Games” is bigger than either “Ender’s Game” or “Divergent.”
It remains to be seen if the move will pay off at the box office, but the fans will undoubtedly love them for it.