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'Ready Player One,' 'Black Panther' and 5 other can't-miss takeaways from Comic-Con

Comic-Con is over, but here are 7 buzz-worthy events to get excited about.

Chadwick Boseman, from left, Lupita Nyong and Michael B. Jordan and attend the Marvel panel on day 3 of Comic-Con International on Saturday, July 22, 2017, in San Diego.
Chadwick Boseman, from left, Lupita Nyong and Michael B. Jordan and attend the Marvel panel on day 3 of Comic-Con International on Saturday, July 22, 2017, in San Diego.Read moreRichard Shotwell/Invision

This piece may contain spoilers, so if you don't want to know pretty much anything about the geekiest shows or movies coming out in the next year, this is not the article for you.  Cause most folks reading this are like Thor and this article is like the Hulk as pictured here:

Justice League:

In the aftermath of Batman v Superman, it seems that Batman (Ben Affleck aka Batfleck) must assemble the age of heroes (Wonder Woman, The Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg) to prepare for a looming battle with the movie's newly introduced villain, Steppenwolf, Apokolips' uncle, who states, "No lanterns here, no Kryptonian, this world will fall…" Not if the Justice League has anything to say about it.

Ready Player One:

Based on Ernest Cline's bestselling novel about a dystopian future where most of the population lives within a massive online virtual reality program, the Oasis, everyone is searching for a series of keys, that if collected will give the winner complete ownership over the Oasis.  Master story teller, Steven Spielberg, brings this cornucopia of 80's and 90's pop culture to the big screen in a teaser trailer that features The Iron Giant, Freddy Kruger, a DeLorean from Back To The Future, and features hit song "Tom Sawyer" by oft-mentioned-throughout-the-book Canadian rockers Rush. So, strap on your goggles and plug into the trailer below.

Stranger Things: Season 2:

With Will back, "things" don't seem as strange, but all is not as it seems in clearly identified 1984 Hawkins, Indiana. With the boys dressed in Ghostbusters costumes for Halloween, yard signs for Reagan/Bush '84, and Dragon's Lair at the arcade, viewers are ready for the next chapter. But with Will's visions of the Demogorgon Prime and dreamlike state in which he returns to the Upside Down, Sherriff Hopper and the gang might need some help from a certain "numbered" friend who is looking for a way back home.

Black Panther:

Marvel's next foray into individual standalone films that build on their extended universe is a trip to the African country of Wakanda and its king and protector Black Panther.  Introduced in Captain America: Civil War, T'Challa must deal with enemies both home and abroad.  With an amazing cast that includes Chadwick Boseman as T'Challa / Black Panther alongside Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Martin Freeman, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, and Andy Serkis.

Westworld: Season 2:

Not much from this teaser for season 2 of Westworld, though we do get a glimpse of Dolores firing a shotgun from horseback, the apparently alive Man in Blackface's covered in blood, Bernard looking spry and riding in an off-road golf cart, and the aftermath of Maeve's attempted escape from the facility.  Who knows what's hidden within the maze and what other worlds are out there?

 The Defenders:

Marvel's ragtag team of unwilling heroes come together in this Netflix original series which shows how all four storylines collide as enemies, old and new, emerge to take down New York.  Narrated by Alexandra (Sigourney Weaver) the four learn of a new evil in town and how vulnerable they each are because of those close to them.  With flashes of old friends (Foggy, Claire, Stick) and old foes (Elektra,  Madam Goa) and an unknown variable in the form of a tag at the end of the trailer (The Punisher) the new trailer showcases both humor and teamwork among a group better described as co-workers than as friends.

Thor: Ragnarok

Hulk talks.  There.  Spoiled.

This 80's inspired trailer harnesses the fun and excitement of the first Guardians of the Galaxy trailer with flashy graphics, bright colors and Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song" pounding away.  With the Goddess of Death, Hela (Cate Blanchett) taking over Asgard and banishing Thor to a planet of games, the mighty thunder God finds himself a slave forced into a gladiatorial battle by the Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum)  However, his opponent is his Avengers teammate, The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) who refuses to turn back into Dr. Banner.  The two join forces and gather a band of unlikely characters to break free and save Asgard.  Fun music, quippy one liners, and Thor and Loki's love/hate relationship on full display in what feels like a callback to 80's buddy comedies like 48 Hours or Lethal Weapon.  Few cameos are highlighted in this newest trailer, but be on the lookout for Anthony Hopkins, Idris Elba, Karl Urban and even Benedict Cumberbatch.