Comic-Con cancelled due to coronavirus crisis
The San Diego Comic-Con has been cancelled because of the coronavirus outbreak.
The event, the largest fan convention in North America, had been due to attract more than 130,000 people to southern California from 23-26 July. However, organisers said that in the light of the health crisis, it could not go ahead safely.
It is the first time San Diego Comic-Con has been cancelled in its 50-year history.
A state of emergency has been declared in California and the governor, Gavin Newsom, this week said large-scale events were “not on the cards” for the foreseeable future.
In a statement, Comic-Con said: “Recognising that countless attendees save and plan for its conventions each year, and how many exhibitors and stakeholders rely upon its events for a major portion of their livelihood, [the organisers] had hoped to delay this decision in anticipation that Covid-19 concerns might lessen by summer.
“Continuous monitoring of health advisories and recent statements by the governor of California have made it clear that it would not be safe to move forward with plans for this year.”
San Diego Comic-Con will return in 2021 on 22-25 July, the statement added. Fans who had bought tickets for the 2020 convention can ask for a refund or transfer their badges to next year.
Comic-Con joins a long list of entertainment events that have been cancelled because of the virus.
Nearly all major Hollywood film releases have been postponed, including Mulan, A Quiet Place 2 and James Bond’s No Time to Die, with cinemas in both the UK and US closed.