Comic convention draws film studios

SAN DIEGO, July 20 (UPI) -- The annual San Diego Comic-Con has grown since it was first held in 1970 and now features A-list actors, directors and large film studios.

It's long past when Comic-Con "was just comic book fans getting together to buy, sell and talk about the comics and characters they loved," said Stan Lee, chairman of Marvel Enterprises and founder of POW! Entertainment. "Today you have 100,000 people coming, and half of Hollywood shows up to promote upcoming movies and TV shows, look for new ideas and look for new properties to buy," the Los Angeles Times reported Thursday.

This year's celebrity lineup includes Hilary Swank, "Superman Returns" director Bryan Singer, Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendes and "Lost" stars Jorge Garcia and Daniel Dae Kim.

Fans are also going to be treated to a specially prepared message from the set of the fifth "Harry Potter" movie, now being filmed in England.