I’ve been to San Diego Comic Con over ten times and every year has a different focus from Arnold’s universe. Sometime Arnold himself is there to promote his latest film. In previous years, our favorite action hero was in San Diego to promote Escape Plan, Expendables or a Terminator film. Many of the leading toy companies are also showcasing the latest Arnold film properties and unveil the most recent, pumped-up action figures. One year we only got Terminator products and another year Predators were the toy highlights. This year, Conan the Barbarian was front-and-center among the collectibles that are “best in life!”
Our Southern California onsite reporter, Duvien Ho, gives fans the low-down on news and products for Schwarzenegger fans.
Duvien Ho of TheArnoldFans reports:
San Diego Comic-Con 2025: Arnold Edition
We’re a couple weeks removed from San Diego Comic-Con 2025, the tornado of creative arts
and popular culture that is simultaneously constantly overwhelming yet hugely fun and fulfilling.
The Austrian Oak has attended many years in the past promoting the likes of Terminator 3: Rise
of the Machines, The Expendables, Escape Plan and Terminator: Dark Fate. While The Oak
was not in person at this year's confab, his presence was seen and felt throughout the week.
On the exhibition floor Conan the Barbarian was in full view via statue, tee-shirt, pin, poster and
action figure form. One booth had a raffle for a healthy sized Conan and Valeria statue and I
picked up an Arnold as Conan themed pin. Infinite Statue and Collectables was showcasing a ⅙
scale Luxury Action Figure then I spotted some more, regular sized Conan action figures at
another booth.
Upcoming flick Predator: Badlands had huge awareness for the week with
lamppost banners, an interactive pop up and a panel in Hall H, the 6,500 seat room where Fox-
Disney brought out director Dan Trachtenberg who shared a new epilogue featuring Arnold as
Dutch Schaeffer was being added to Hulu’s animated Predator tale, Killer of Killers. Danny
Glover’s Mike Harrigan from Predator 2 was also added to the film which already featured
Michael Biehn aka Kyle Reese from The Terminator.
At the Grand Hyatt next door to the convention center, their 40th floor bar was decked out as a
“dive bar” complete with a Dolph Lundgren/Rocky IV themed cocktail and The Terminator poster
on the wall. Similar vibes at barleymash who went Blockbuster Video theme with Terminator
and Rocky IV posters. DC Studios hosted popular offsite Peacefest 2025 to promote season 2
of Peacemaker as a glam rock, 80’s and 90’s activation complete with Way Out There The Band
belting out classics from Guns N’ Roses, Bon Jovi and a tribute to Ozzy Osbourne. I did my part
by wearing a Terminator 2: Judgement Day shirt which received many compliments.
Until 2026, “hasta la vista, fan boys”!
Randy Jennings & Duvien Ho