Established 1961 21 Lifestyle Comic-Con Sunday, July 22 , 2018 Comic-Con laments departure of ‘Walking Dead’ star he world’s largest fan convention bid a portrayed in “The Walking Dead” has proved peaceful times as the leader of a sprawling settle- poignant farewell to the star of the most uniquely resonant. Dwarfing competition like ment of survivors-but with tensions rising among successful show in cable TV history on HBO’s “Game of Thrones” in the US, it has the his lieutenants. “Fear the Walking Dead” kicked off TFriday as zombies took over San Diego highest total viewership in cable history and, cru- the two-hour zombocalypse earlier with a presen- Comic-Con. An extensive line-up of stars cially, the highest audience of 18-49s for any kind tation that critics agreed seemed to be drawing a descended on the city’s sprawling convention cen- of US television between 2013 and 2017. line under all storylines past and presenting an ter to whet appetites for AMC’s “The Walking almost entirely new show. Dead” and its sister show “Fear the Walking Tensions rising Dead.” The departure of British actor Andrew The show centers on Lincoln’s Grimes, who Fermentation process Lincoln, who has appeared as Sheriff Rick Grimes wakes up in a hospital bed after getting shot, only Aired since 2015, “FtWD” doesn’t get the histo- in almost every episode since the 2010 pilot, has to find he is alone in a world of vicious, flesh-eat- ry-making numbers of the main show-but is still been an open secret since May, confirmed inad- ing reanimated corpses-known as “walkers” on the one of the top-rated US cable series with just under two million viewers per episode. “Fear” shocked its legion of ardent fans by presaging its parent show and killing its protagonist-Kim “This will be my last season” Dickens’s Madison Clark-just before the halfway break of season four. The remaining cast-including established stars Colman Domingo, Alycia Debnam-Carey, Danay Garcia and newcomers vertently by executive producer Robert Kirkman. show. “I got kind of choked up. It’s been nine years Lennie James, Garret Dillahunt, Maggie Grace and But the official announcement was reserved for of coming here,” Lincoln told reporters after what Jenna Elfman-spoke passionately about their Comic-Con, an annual pop culture celebration that will be his last sojourn to San Diego on behalf of work. attracts more than 100,000 devotees to southern “The Walking Dead.” “I love this place and I love But it wasn’t long before the conversation with California, many in elaborate costumes, every July. seeing the fans, and you’ve been such a vital part journalists descended into a conversation about “There seems to be an elephant in the room. This of this experience. But my relationship with Mr whether zombies were able to “poop,” as well as famous for ABC’s “Lost” and the “Taken” movies, This file photo shows British will be my last season playing the part of Rick Grimes is far from over.” snarling and shuffling. The tone was lowered as was disdainful, however, explaining that she didn’t actor Andrew Lincoln arrives Grimes,” Lincoln, 44, told the packed 6,500-seat It was unclear if he was talking about the cur- Gimple mentioned in passing that James’s charac- really go in for matters “scatalogical.” She was for ‘The Walking Dead’ photo Hall H, prompting a dismayed murmur that spread rent shoot for his final episodes, the possibility of ter Morgan, a crossover from the main show, is game enough to suggest, though, that we might call at Comic-Con throughout the arena. “I love this show. It means appearing in one of the franchise’s numerous side seen on the toilet in an upcoming episode and was already be witnessing the effect of many a zombie International 2018 in San everything to me. I love the people who make this projects, or something else entirely. The ninth sea- asked if zombies “poop.” “What did I say? It’s call-of-nature in every episode. “That’s why they Diego, California. show. I promise not to cry. I’ve done enough cry- son, coming in October, takes place two years going to be the next thing people want to know! walk so strangely,” she said. Season four of “Fear — AFP photos ing on screen,” Lincoln promised. after the “All Out War” saga of the previous two, It’s exactly what I said!” grandstanded a faux- The Walking Dead” resumes on August 12.—AFP Based on a comic book of the same name by a with story editor Angela Kang taking over from exasperated James. trio of writers including one of the show’s execu- veteran showrunner Scott Gimple. “I think there’s a fermentation process that tive producers Robert Kirkman, the post-apoca- AMC dropped a trailer lasting almost six min- could result in projectiles,” offered a wry Gimple, lyptic zombie-ridden vision of the United States utes at Comic-Con which shows Rick in more clearly amused by the prospect. Grace, most

Cosplayers pose for a picture at Comic Con in San Diego.

Michael Key, Olivia Munn, Sterling K. Fox showcases Brown, Alfie Allen and Jake Busey. The Hall H crowd at Comic-Con was treated to Jodie Whittaker gives ‘Doctor detailed footage including a look at Munn’s ‘Harry Potter’ star bigger, badder government scientist in a hotel room with a group of ex-soldiers who’ve just got away Who’ the female touch from one of the alien hunters. ritish actress Jodie Whittaker was Tom Felton in new Another clip shows a Predator almost aliens in ‘The unveiled Thursday as the first woman getting the better of Munn, Tremblay Bto play “Doctor Who,” telling fans of (“Room”), and Boyd Holbrook (“Narcos”) the cult BBC series she felt the weight of YouTube show before getting taken out and beheaded by history-but that gender should be irrele- Predator’ a bigger, previously unseen “Ultimate ouTube has offered the first glimpse of its vant. The 36-year-old, who rose to fame in new sci-fi thriller series fronted by “Harry Predator.” Black described the latest aliens award-winning British drama ox kicked off San Diego Comic-Con as “completely savage, brutal creatures,” Potter” star Tom Felton-revealing it is an “Broadchurch”, takes over from Scottish “Alien”-like horror story on an isolated on Thursday with world premiere adding that their genetic augmentation actor Peter Capaldi as the 13th incarnation Y footage of its action horror retread would not only affect their size but ship. “Resident Evil” director Paul W S Anderson of the Time Lord. “I knew, obviously, being British actress Jodie Whittaker arrives for “The Predator,” showcasing a new improve their bloodcurdlingly efficient is to helm “Origin,” which brings together an F the first female it was going to have some the photo call of ‘Doctor Who.’ international roster of talent alongside Felton, the supercharged alien hunter. The movie, due killing stlye. Previous installments have extra responsibility thrown in,” she told boy wizard’s conniving nemesis Draco Malfoy in out on September 14, will reacquaint audi- taken place in jungles and built-up cities bought was just the Doctor-but it was new, 6,500 fans at the annual Comic-Con con- all eight “Harry Potter” movies. A teaser trailer for ences with the deadly extraterrestrial made but the suburbs are the theater of war in it was fresh,” said Chibnall. “It was very vention in San Diego, which hosted the the 10-episode show made by Left Bank Pictures famous in the 1987 blockbuster starring “The Predator.” funny, very emotional. It’s really exciting as cast’s first news conference together. and Sony Pictures Television screened at a panel Arnold Schwarzenegger. Shane Black’s Black said he hoped his version would “It’s incredibly inclusive and it also a showrunner when you see them audition at San Diego Comic-Con given by the creators modern take on the cult series-five films in be a “Dirty Half Dozen” and paid homage feels, knowing that the fans are all over the and you want to write instantly, and it sug- and cast on Thursday. total, including two crossover releases with to the 1987 original movie, describing it world, like there’s this huge Whovian family gests scenes. That’s what happened really- The show follows a group of the Alien franchise-sees the universe’s as “a piece of perfect pop art.” “(It was) that you want to be a part of because it’s she just nailed it.” outsiders who find themselves most lethal hunters returning smarter and the alien craze of the 1980s and the so supportive and inclusive, and fun.” Fans The show is aired around the world, and abandoned on a ship bound for a deadlier thanks to genetic modifications. Rambo craze, put together. And it had a were treated last year to a brief glimpse of marked its 50th anniversary four years ago distant land. They have to work “There’s a faction on Predator home- wink to it, because you had these muscu- Whittaker, walking towards the Tardis in a with a special episode screened simultane- together for survival but quickly world that’s been bested not once, but lar guys with weapons that were forest, in a clip shown after the Wimbledon ously in nearly 100 countries. “The thing realize one of them is far from twice, by earthlings,” said Black. “They absolutely ridiculous.”—AFP tennis final on BBC television. At Comic- about this role, which is why it’s so amaz- who they claim to be. Felton, send their champions to earth, and they Con, which attracts 130,000 movie, TV ing for any actor to play, is that essentially who also appeared in “Rise of don’t come home. They don’t like that. So and comics fans from around the world, gender is irrelevant and that’s completely the Planet of the Apes,” will be we figured they want to punch back.” The BBC America dropped the first full trailer liberating,” Whittaker told the audience. joined in the show by fellow Potter alumnus new cast is a diverse ensemble featuring which opened with Whittaker’s startled “As a woman who isn’t a genre, is just a Natalia Tena, as well as Sen Mitsuji, Nora Boyd Holbrook, Jacob Tremblay, Keegan- expression. woman, I have never approached a role Arnezeder, Nina Wadia, Adelayo Adedayo and Wil “All of this is new to me,” she says, pre- thinking, ‘Oh, how do women do this?’ I’ve Coban. The show will air on YouTube Premium, a sumably after just regenerating. “New just done it from my perspective.” subscription service that offers access to the faces, new worlds. New times. So if I asked company’s original content. really, really nicely, would you be my new Best so far YouTube, which started in 2005 as a video- best friends?” There were glimpses of the It was a big day for iconic television sharing network-still its main function-also Doctor with her new sonic screwdriver, shows, with AMC’s “Better Call Saul” mak- announced a second season of the critically some impressive-looking shots of alien ing its debut at Comic-Con and generating acclaimed supernatural thriller “Impulse.” Since worlds and the first look at her three new buzz with a new character from sleazy its debut on June 6, the first episode has generat- companions. attorney Saul Goodman’s “Breaking Bad” ed around eight million views. Season two of the days. “BCS” is a prequel show to the iconic 10-episode, hour-long series will premiere on ‘She just nailed it’ series which introduced fans to Saul (Bob YouTube Premium in 2019. Season one starred The adventures of the Doctor-a time Odenkirk) in its second season, in 2009. Maddie Hasson as Henrietta “Henry” Cole, a traveling, humanoid alien who traverses the When Saul thinks he’s about to be bumped rebellious 16-year-old girl who always felt differ- universe-have maintained a fervent follow- off by Walt (Bryan Cranston) and Jesse ent from her peers and longed to escape her ing since they were first aired in 1963. The (Aaron Paul), he demands to know if it was small town. new season gets a 10-episode run and someone called Lalo that sent them. During a traumatic event, Henry discovers she although there is no announced release While many fans may never have con- has the ability to teleport and her newfound pow- date, fans are expecting it to return in templated the line again, the specter of er makes her the focus of those who want to con- October. Whittaker will work alongside Lalo returned to San Diego as the cast hit trol her. Meanwhile Netflix, the world’s leading “Broadchurch” creator Chris Chibnall, who the stage. Co-creator Peter Gould video streaming service, announced its own new takes over from Steven Moffat as the new screened that original Lalo mention from original show, separate from the festivities in San showrunner. “Breaking Bad” to jog everyone’s memory, Diego. “The One,” which will run for six one-hour “She just walked in the room she was along with the first image of actor Tony episodes, is an adaptation of the Mexican show the Doctor. It was one of those things Dalton (“Sens8”) as the character. —AFP “Nino Santo,” moved to Brazil, created and writ- ten by Pedro Peirano and Mauricio Katz.—AFP (Left to right) Sterling K. Brown, Olivia Munn, Thomas Jane, Keegan-Michael Key, and where you don’t know what you’re looking Trevante Rhodes speak onstage during the 20th Century Fox’s ‘The Predator’ panel. for until you see it, and the energy she