Comic-Con schedule update: Coppola to preview 'Twixt,' and more

(AFP PHOTO / ROBYN BECK)

Among news of panels during 2011's Comic-Con, July 21-24, came the announcement on June 30 that veteran director Francis Ford Coppola will return to the sci-fi and fantasy fest after 20 years to debut footage from his upcoming film Twixt.

Coppola described the upcoming film in a statement as "one-part Gothic romance, one-part personal film, and one-part the kind of horror film that began my career," referring to movies like 1963's Dementia 13, produced by Roger Corman.

Coppola's presentation on July 23 in the 6,000-seat Hall H will include live music by electronic performance artist Dan Deacon, who scored the film, on hand to reveal the film's interactive experience, shot partially in 3D.

Coppola wrote the screenplay and financed the thriller, starring Val Kilmer ( Pollock), Elle Fanning ( Super 8), Bruce Dern ( Monster), and Ben Chaplin ( Me and Orson Welles) who portrays macabre author Edgar Allen Poe, who served as inspiration for the film.

The story follows a writer on a book tour in a small town who gets caught up in a murder mystery of a young girl. In a dream, he is approached by a ghost with information that leads to the surprising truth of the murder - and his own life.

Coppola last attended Comic-Con in 1991 to present Bram Stoker's Dracula.

Attending Comic-Con for the first time, Steven Soderbergh will present a preview of Haywire on July 23, along with martial artist Gina Carano, who plays a betrayed black ops soldier. The film also stars Ewan McGregor and Michael Fassbender and releases this fall in Europe and followed by the US in January 2012.

Other films presented at the event include the thriller The Raven starring John Cusack as Edgar Allen Poe with director James McTeigue ( V for Vendetta) and the Greek epic Immortals starring Henry Cavill (the upcoming Superman), Luke Evans ( Robin Hood), Freida Pinto ( Slumdog Millionaire), and Mickey Rourke.

As previously announced, the conference at the San Diego Convention Center will kick off with exclusive footage of the finale, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1, followed by a Q&A session with director Bill Condon ( Dreamgirls) and cast members. The film releases November 18.

A big premiere of the sci-fi western Cowboys & Aliens is scheduled at the convention with director Jon Favreau ( Iron Man). The sci-fi action film stars Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford and releases July 29 in North America and throughout August worldwide.

RC