Thursday was the first official day of Comic-Con International in downtown San Diego, and while the star power was lighter than what will likely take place Friday and Saturday, there were still plenty of celebrity sightings.
Gen Z’s favorite book franchise, “Percy Jackson and the Olympians,” is now a TV series, and it kicked off the big celebrity panels Thursday in Hall H. One of the biggest panels of the day was a Ballroom 20 meetup of the cast and crew behind A24’s upcoming thriller film “Onslaught.”
Here’s a look at some of the actors and other celebrities seen inside and outside the San Diego Convention Center.
Adria Arjona
Adria Arjona attends a panel for “Onslaught” during Comic-Con International on Thursday, July 23, 2026, in San Diego. (Photo by Andrew Park/Invision/AP)
Hot off the “Star Wars” series “Andor,” Puerto Rican actress Adria Arjona hit the scene at Comic-Con to promote the A24 action thriller “Onslaught,” set for a September release. She appeared alongside her co-stars in Ballroom 20, including Dan Stevens.
Dave Bautista
Dave Bautista attendsd the ‘Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender’ Hall H panel during 2026 Comic-Con International: San Diego at San Diego Convention Center on July 23, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)
Actor and retired professional wrestler Dave Bautista joined his fellow voice co-stars for an “Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender” Hall H panel on Thursday. Bautista, who also appeared in “Guardians of the Galaxy,” is set to appear in two films next year, “Highlander” and “Road House 2.”
Tom DeLonge
Tom DeLonge attends the “Tubi: Breaking Bear” press room during 2026 Comic-Con International: San Diego at Hilton Bayfront on July 23, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)
Tom DeLonge, known as a member of the hometown band blink-182, stopped by Comic-Con to promote “Tubi: Breaking Bear.” Also at Comic-Con, blink-182 has a new partnership with PAC-MAN to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the band’s landmark 2001 album, “Take Off Your Pants and Jacket.
Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp attends the Paramount Pictures San Diego Comic-Con Ebenezer Office Activation at 235 Fifth Ave. on July 23, 2026, in San Diego, California. (Photo by Daniel Knighton/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)
The biggest celebrity sighting of the day was none other than Johnny Depp himself. The A-lister made a surprise appearance at the Ebenezer Office activation at 235 Fifth Ave. in the Gaslamp Quarter — all a part of Paramount Pictures’ media blitz for “Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol,” set for release around the holidays later this year. He also appeared onstage in Hall H, where the film’s trailer was released.
Seth Green
Seth Green speaks at ‘Inside The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art’ Hall H panel during 2026 Comic-Con International: San Diego at San Diego Convention Center on July 23, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)
Seth Green, long a Comic-Con attendee because of “Family Guy,” appeared in Hall H on Thursday as part of the “Inside The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art” panel. He is set to appear with the “Family Guy” cast on Saturday in Ballroom 20.
Eric Nam
Jessica Matten, left, and Eric Nam attend a panel for “Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender” during Comic-Con International on Thursday, July 23, 2026, in San Diego. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
American singer-songwriter Eric Nam made a Hall H appearance Thursday as part of the “Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender” panel. He appeared alongside voice co-stars Dave Bautista, Jessica Matten and others. “Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender” is set to be released July 24 in the United States.
Mike McCready
Sebastián Piriz, Marc Sable and Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready signing at the Z2 Comics book at San Diego Comic-Con on July 23, 2026. (Photo by Peter Larsen/SCNG)
The Pearl Jam, Mad Season and Temple of the Dog guitarist has joined the wave of musicians getting into graphic novels. On Thursday, McCready appeared in the Indigo Ballroom for a panel titled “Mike McCready’s Alternative History of Grunge.” He also signed some books for fans at an autograph event.
Keke Palmer
Keke Palmer speaks at ‘Inside The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art’ Hall H panel during 2026 Comic-Con International: San Diego at San Diego Convention Center on July 23, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)
Actor, comedian, host, singer and all-around entertainer Keke Palmer was seen Thursday at the “Inside The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art” panel in Hall H. Palmer, whose recent guests on podcast “Baby, This is Keke Palmer,” include Oprah Winfrey, Tracee Ellis Ross, Michelle Obama and Michael Strahan, could also appear at Comic-Con Friday as a cast member at a panel for “Spaceballs: The New One.”
Dan Stevens
Dan Stevens poses for a portrait to promote “Onslaught” during Comic-Con International on Thursday, July 23, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Dan Stevens, known to many “Downton Abbey” fans as Matthew Crawley, joined his “Onslaught” co-stars for a panel Thursday in Ballroom 20. The action thriller hits theater in September, but fans got a sneak peek Thursday afternoon. Just like his co-stars, Stevens stopped by the Associated Press photo studio for a portrait.