Road To San Diego Comic-Con News Round-Up: July 22nd, 2014

Source: TV Guide

The biggest event of 2014 (for comic-book fans, anyway) is here!
With the San Diego Comic-Con literally just around the corner (or over the page, in graphic novel terms), there's naturally been a plethora of tantalising announcements from a variety of studios to tease what's to come in two days' time. So many details have emerged, in fact, that we're resurrecting our traditional semi-regular compilation article format to celebrate, Coulson-style.

In other words, if readers have yet to fully grasp how eager they should be to reach the end of the week, then now's the best time to rectify that calamitous mistake:

• MARVEL'S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. & MARVEL'S AGENT CARTER PROMOTIONAL POSTER REVEALED - ABC have this week unveiled a crossover promotional poster (above) for their upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe TV dramas Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Marvel's Agent Carter. Starring Clark Gregg and Hayley Atwell as their beloved non-superheroic protagonists, the two shows aren't particularly likely to receive direct crossover episodes due to their narratives taking place over half a century apart (S.H.I.E.L.D. is set in modern-day America, whereas Carter explores the US of A in its World War Two guise), but that's hardly relevant in light of the sheer thrill that comes with seeing their characters share the metaphorical screen in the aforementioned preview pic. Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. returns for its action-packed season season on September 23rd, while Marvel's Agent Carter will solve its first case on ABC in January 2015.
• NEW THE SIMPSONS / FAMILY GUY GUEST STARS & PRODUCTION DETAILS ANNOUNCED - 20th Century Fox recently announced several new guest stars set to feature in the next seasons of their hit animated comedy series The Simpsons and Family Guy. The former programme (which will crossover with Family Guy in the latter's season première) programme will play host to Jane Fonda (The Newsroom), Sarah Silverman (The Sarah Silverman Show), David Hyde Pierce (Frasier), Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation), Matthew Sweet and William Dafoe (Spider-Man; The Fault in our Stars), along with the central cast of Futurama, all of whom have returned for a (currently untitled) crossover episode of The Simpsons and Futurama, and as if all of that news weren't enough, showrunner Al Jean revealed at TCA 2014 that the opening episode of Season 26 (better known as the instalment which features the death of a still-to-be-revealed-but-fairly-obvious character) will be called "Clown in the Dumps". Hilarious, right...? Moving on, joining the Family Guy cast at varying intervals in Season 12 are Liam Neeson (Taken; The LEGO Movie), Allison Janney (Mom) and Julie Bowen (Modern Family). The Simpsons and Family Guy will commence their reigns of contrived comedy once more on Fox this September 28th.
• MORE GOTHAM SEASON ONE PLOT DETAILS ANNOUNCED - Speaking at the TCA 2014 panel for Fox's impending detective drama Gotham, executive producer Bruno Heller had these brief but thought-provoking comments to offer on Season One: "The first year is very much about the rise of The Penguin and his titanic struggle with [gang-owner] Fish Mooney. She's a new part of the mythology." There you have it - although he'll apparently be teased, it turns out that the Joker won't be the primary antagonist of the series' initial run! Gotham débuts with "Pilot" on Fox this September 22nd.
• STAR WARS: REBELS EXTENDED TV TRAILER RELEASED - Walt Disney Pictures have just released the second extended TV trailer for their impending animated science-fiction series Star Wars: Rebels. Set between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope, Rebels will depict the troubled origins of the Rebel Alliance and, it seems, re-introduce one of the Star Wars franchise's central characters back into the mix as early as its pilot episode. Check out the trailer below ahead of the show's (presumably) announcement-packed Comic-Con panel this weekend. Star Wars: Rebels will jump out of hyperspace and onto Disney XD with a feature-length special this Autumn.

Keep it On-Screen as the week progresses and more and more major announcements land on the internet fresh from the San Diego Comic-Con showfloor!

UPDATE (22-07-14, 11.30pm) - Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. exec producers Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen have just added another exciting detail regarding Season Two into the fray. Cobie Smulders will reprise her role as Maria Hill (who's also set to feature amongst the hefty character ensemble for Avengers: Age of Ultron) in a recurring guest star capacity, with the frequency and total number of scheduled appearances still to be confirmed. Agents returns this September 23rd on ABC.