Comic-Con 2012: What to expect

(CBS News) Starting Thursday, thousands of fans will descend on San Diego for the annual Comic-Con convention.

The four-day, pop culture-packed event will feature celebrity appearances and exclusive announcements about upcoming movies and TV shows new and old.

Here's some of what to expect this year:

Movies:

• The "Twilight" film franchise comes to a close this fall with "Breaking Dawn - Part 2," making this the final time the cast and crew will be at Comic-Con. Fans can expect a cast and filmmaker Q&A and exclusive footage from the finale, according to the Comic-Con website. (Thursday)
• Walt Disney Studios will host a panel promoting its upcoming films, featuring "Frankenweenie" director Tim Burton, "Oz the Great and Powerful" with director Sam Raimi and the director and cast of the animated film "Wreck-It Ralph." (Thursday)
• Sony will host a panel promoting a trio of big action/sci-fi movies - "Total Recall" (with Colin Farrell, Bryan Cranston, Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel and director Len Wiseman), "Looper" (with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Emily Blunt) and "Elysium" (with "District 9" director Neill Blomkamp and stars Matt Damon and Jodie Foster). (Friday)
• "The Hobbit" will be part of Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures' panel highlighting their upcoming films, along with the new Superman movie "Man of Steel" and Guillermo del Toro's sci-fi adventure "Pacific Rim." (Saturday)
• "Iron Man 3" producer Kevin Feige and "special guests" (according to the Comic-Con website) will discuss the Marvel film. The studio will also be handing out posters featuring concept art from the third installment. (Saturday)
• Others panels to look forward to: "Django Unchained," "The Expendables 2," "Branded," "Resident Evil: Retribution."

TV:

• CBS will screen the pilot of its new, modern-day Sherlock Holmes series "Elementary," which is set to premiere on the network this fall. Following the screening, a panel featuring stars Johnny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu will take place. (Thursday)
• "Dexter" fans will get to see the first two minutes of the show's upcoming season premiere during its Comic-Con panel, featuring Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Carpenter. Attendees will also be the first to see the world premiere trailer for the next season of "Homeland." (Thursday)
• The panel for AMC's "The Walking Dead" promises a sneak peek at Season 3 and a panel featuring cast and crewmembers, including Danai Gurira and David Morrissey, who play Michonne and The Governor, respectively. (Friday)
• George R.R. Martin, author of the "A Song of Ice and Fire" book series, will moderate the "Game of Thrones" panel, featuring castmembers Alfie Allen, Emilia Clarke and Richard Madden. A Q&A will follow. (Friday)
• "Breaking Bad" will give a sneak peek at its fifth season during its panel, which takes place two days before it returns to AMC. Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul will be among the cast members in attendance. (Friday)
• "Fringe" will celebrate its fifth and final season in the San Diego Convention Center's Hall H, with stars including Joshua Jackson, Anna Torv, Lance Reddick and Blair Brown. There will be a Q&A with fans and a video presentation. (Sunday)
• Other panels to look forward to: "The Big Bang Theory," "Bones," "Community," "True Blood," "Glee" and ones for upcoming new shows like "666 Park Avenue," "Arrow" and "Revolution."

See the full schedule of Comic-Con events here.