Washington DC [US], March 10 : The iconic San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) will host its first-ever international edition in Malaga, Spain. It is set to take place in September this year, reported Variety.
SDCC has been a can't-miss event for the fans and creators of comics, films, television and all other mediums of pop culture distribution.
Now, for the first time, SDCC is stepping outside the U.S. with Malaga, Spain, chosen as its European host city. The milestone was officially unveiled today during a star-studded event held at the Gran Hotel Miramar in the Spanish coastal city, Variety reported.
As per the outlet, the SDCC will hold its first-ever licensed event outside the U.S. from Sept. 25 to 28 of this year. This move marks the beginning of a new chapter for the convention, bringing its celebrations of comics and culture to a European audience.
David Glanzer, chief communications and strategy officer of SDCC, said of the day's announcement,
"We're very excited to celebrate comics and the popular arts and share Comic-Con's unique spirit with audiences in Europe. Malaga is a city full of energy, creativity and warmth--exactly the kind of place we had in mind for this historic expansion," he said. .
The announcement was a star-studded affair, hosted by Spanish actor and director Santiago Segura and featuring key figures from the worlds of politics, culture and entertainment.
As per the outet, among the attendees were Juan Manuel Moreno Bonilla, President of Andalusia, and Malaga's Mayor, Francisco de la Torre Prados, who both emphasized the significance of bringing SDCC to Malaga as part of the city's growing role in the global cultural and digital arts scene.
At Monday's unveiling, more than 200 guests from across the entertainment industry, including filmmakers, actors and artists such as Alex de la Iglesia, Carolina Bang, Paco Plaza and Natalia Verbeke, gathered to celebrate the announcement.
The event culminated with a performance by the 501st Legion, with Stormtroopers and Darth Vader making a grand entrance.
According to Variety, guests were treated to a themed cocktail reception, where they were further surprised by a flash mob set to the iconic "Mission: Impossible" theme song.