Casting director Carmen Cuba is responsible for bringing muscle men Channing Tatum, Matthew McConaughey, and Joe Magianello to the big screen in the "Magic Mike" franchise. 

As the founder of Carmen Cuba Casting, based in Los Angeles, she has also hired actors for movies like "Contagion,""The Butterfly Effect," and the upcoming Matt Damon movie "The Martian," among many other projects.

And while it may seem like all fun and games to spend her days looking at hunky men to cast in "Magic Mike" and its sequel, Cuba says a lot goes into hiring an actor for a role.

Cuba recently sat down with Refinery29 to explain what exactly a casting director's job entails:

The short answer is that when I start on something, there is a script (or just an outline) with either a famous person attached or nobody attached and by the time I’m done, every single speaking role in the project has a corresponding actor playing it. It basically involves a lot of brainstorming, listening to pitches, lots of auditioning, helping to structure and negotiate deals, and strategizing about all of the above.

When it came to casting "Magic Mike XXL," Cuba tried to broaden her horizons outside of Hollywood. 

Channing Tatum was always attached because it's based on his own real story, but then I filled every single other speaking role. Some of it was traditional auditioning, and some of it was Googling 'actors with six packs' and then bringing the ones who had the best abs in for interviews. I also did a big search in the world of WWF and interviewed lots of wrestlers. I love research and I love people’s stories, so both of these things usually find their way into my work, no matter what the project is.

Once the cast was set, Cuba knew she had chosen the right people to fill the roles, telling Refinery29:

The group of guys bonded so quickly and really had such joy for the projects that it was contagious. Having Joe Magianello tell me about his pre-acting Captain Morgan gig (where he had to dress up as the pirate and sell shots) and Amber Heard telling me about her teenage life ditching school to see old movies in Austin, Texas, were very helpful to me in knowing they were right for their roles. 

Read Cuba's full interview with Refinery29 here.

Despite being anticipated as the best sequel of the summer, "Magic Mike XXL" opened to just $11.6 million during it's opening July 1 weekend. 2012's "Magic Mike" made $39 million opening weekend on a $7 million budget.

SEE ALSO: The 'Magic Mike' sequel was a huge disappointment at the box office opening weekend

MORE: Stephen Colbert wanted to leave 'The Colbert Report' even before getting the Letterman gig

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NOW WATCH: The new trailer for 'Magic Mike XXL' promises a guaranteed box office smash

Huge spoilers ahead if you haven't read the book series:

“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2” was the most anticipated panel of the day at San Diego Comic-Con.  

While we’ve seen a few teasers for the film, most details have been kept under wraps.  

If you’ve been following the series, you know the basic premise — Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) will continue her journey to try and take down President Snow’s (Donald Sutherland) reign of the Capitol.  

However, it looks like she’ll be doing more than just that.  

Director Francis Lawrence let out a little slip Thursday at Comic-Con after panel host Conan O’Brien asked him, ‘Without giving any incredible spoilers, can you tell us what we’re going to see in ‘Mockingjay - Part 2’”? 

“I think you know this is where Katniss kind of gets back into action,” said Lawrence. “She was a bit sidelined in the last movie, and going through some of her own issues, but this time she’s finally going after Coi —“ 

Lawrence quickly stopped and corrected himself before continuing, “uh, after Snow,” but not before he was caught by a murmur of “ooooooo” from fans in the panel crowd.  

Fans in the know were quick to notice that Lawrence was about to say Coin, referencing President Coin (Julianne Moore), who was introduced in the 2014’s “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part I.” 

While the character was introduced as a potential ally of Katniss, fans of the books know the character has an agenda of her own.  

Tension rises between Coin and Katniss in the final book after a devastating explosion orchestrated by Coin harms one of Katniss' loved ones. 

It seems like Lawrence may have been hinting toward the impending confrontation between Coin and Everdeen that takes place in the third and final novel of the “Hunger Games” trilogy. 

“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2” is in theaters November 20, 2015.

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NOW WATCH: What really happened to Jon Snow in 'Game of Thrones'?

The crowd at San Diego Comic-Con fell hard for Pixar’s upcoming short “Sanjay's Super Team,” one of the studio’s most heartwarming films yet.

The short will air before the highly anticipated animated movie “The Good Dinosaur,” which premieres in November.

Directed by 20-year Pixar veteran Sanjay Patel (who cut his teeth on 1998's "A Bug's Life" and went on to help animate “Toy Story 2,” “The Incredibles,” and the “Monsters, Inc.” movies), “Sanjay's Super Team” is a “‘mostly’ true story” based on the animator’s upbringing in an American-Indian household.

It stars a young boy, Sanjay, caught between his idolization of superhero characters and his father’s religious traditions. When he accidentally disturbs one of his father’s rituals, the boy is transported to a cosmic temple where he must band together with a troupe of Hindi gods to defeat an evil shape-shifter.

From the moment it starts, it’s clear “Sanjay's Super Team” is a personal film. The short opens with Sanjay and his father sitting on opposite sides of a living room, admiring their respective icons — Sanjay plays with a superhero action figure, his father prays.

"I worshipped my gods on the TV and he worshipped his at his shrine,” Patel told the packed room at San Diego Comic-Con.

Patel admitted that after 30 years of avoiding his parents' customs, he was first drawn to his Indian heritage when a unique rave culture swept San Francisco. "Goa trance" raves were made infamous for their illicit drug use, psychedelic imagery, and Indian trance music. Patel couldn’t escape the all-too-familiar sounds of bells and chanting throughout the Bay Area, where Pixar is headquartered.

"I pretty much rejected my parents’ culture. I wanted to be American,” Patel said. “Then rave culture happened and it was in my head all the time. [Goa trance] imagery was all over CD covers. It really [forced me to] look at my parents’ beliefs differently."

Patel began drawing deities as cutesy cartoons in his notebooks, and put the illustrations together in a book called “Little India,” which he sold at a San Diego Comic-Con roughly 10 years ago.

Fast-forward to the present, and Patel has published four books and written and directed Pixar’s 17th short film, based on his journey to embrace his cultural identity.

We won’t give away the film’s ending.

But "Sanjay's Super Team" is the cutest Oscar bait we’ve seen in a while.

SEE ALSO: 19 photos of San Diego taken over by Comic-Con

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NOW WATCH: Here’s the first trailer for Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks' next movie ‘Bridge of Spies’

San Diego Comic-Con kicked off its four-day long extravaganza Thursday morning.

During "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2" panel, a fan asked the cast if they could do their best imitation of the iconic whistle from the movie. 

You know, this one.

While they weren't so good at duplicating the whistle, they did make a noise they agreed was reminiscent of the "X-Files" theme.

Actor Josh Hutcherson may not have been able to recreate the whistle either, but he was able to demonstrate some other skills that piqued panel host Conan O'Brien's interest.

Check it out below:

SEE ALSO: "The Hunger Games" director accidentally spoiled a twist in the final film

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Bill Murray surprised fans who woke up early for the first day of San Diego Comic-Con, but the only person he may have surprised more was Jennifer Lawrence. 

The two stars ran into each other at the event, and Lawrence's reaction was priceless. 

It's exactly how anyone would react when meeting Murray.

As for the 64-year-old actor, it was another day in the life of Bill Murray.

SEE ALSO: "The Hunger Games" cast tried and miserably failed to do the iconic whistle from the movie

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NOW WATCH: Everyone's going crazy over this 'Hunger Games' propaganda video that just hit Comic Con

As Comic-Con is in full effect out in San Diego, DC Comics and Warner Brothers found it the perfect time to double-down on their newest Dark Knight by announcing that Ben Affleck will star and direct a standalone “Batman.”

According to Deadline, Affleck will be teaming with DC Comics’ chief creative office Geoff Johns to co-write the project. Johns has penned book series for "Batman,""Green Lantern,""Justice League,""Superman," among others.

Though the Deadline story indicates that Affleck and Johns plan to have the script done by the end of the summer, it may be awhile before we see a solo Affleck as Batman.

He’s currently prepping his latest directing effect, “Live by Night.” A story set in the Prohibition-era focused on the early days of organized crime. It begins filming in the winter. Then following his appearance as the Caped Crusader in “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” (out next year), he will play the character again in Zack Snyder’s "Justice League" movie (out in 2017).

So though it's on the fast-track, we probably won’t see it until 2018, at the earliest.

But it seems it has always been in the cards for Affleck to take Batman on his own at one point.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the actor put in a condition when he signed on to play Batman in 2013 that he would inevitably direct a standalone of the iconic comic book character.

SEE ALSO: Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner will both have a huge year at the movies post-divorce

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NOW WATCH: This Lego version of the 'Batman v. Superman' trailer is absolute gold

Superhero movies live and die according to hype. In the current box-office climate, movies with the names "Marvel" or "DC" attached to them aren't interested in building audiences based on post-release word-of-mouth. But instead in guaranteeing attendance months and years in advance via sprawling interconnected universes that always have one eye firmly fixed on the next film in the sequence. Hence, the hype. Hence, Comic-Con. 

So what about "Fantastic Four?"

In a recent LA Times feature, director Josh Trank was interviewed about the way his film is being received by fans so far, which has ranged from apathy to downright hostility. In that same piece, producer Simon Kinberg goes as far as to say some of those fans have "a chip on their shoulder."

Of course, no one has seen the film yet. Even just one month out, the promotional machine for "Fantastic Four" has been much quieter than those touting films from other studios like "Batman v. Superman" or "Suicide Squad," both of which are roughly a year away. In fact, superhero films from the same studio as "Fantastic Four"— namely, the upcoming slate of X-Men films such as "Apocalypse" and "Deadpool"— are getting plenty more attention. 

To his credit, Josh Trank sounds like he expected this. 

"I made every single choice knowing that people would question it," the director told the LA Times. "And what better reaction than to have people then go see the movie and understand it and feel like maybe they've learned something about the world, to not question the next thing they think is going to be stupid or weird."

That's the sort of quote that makes you think Trank is the perfect guy to adapt the "Fantastic Four", a team all about learning and discovery. But no matter how thoughtful Trank sounds, it seems like he just can't shake the ghost of movies past. 

As ScreenCrush notes, the previous "Fantastic Four" movies, while blockbusters, are not fondly remembered. Even though the last film, "Rise of the Silver Surfer," came out in 2007, it feels like the product of another era with its kitschy family-friendly approach that you wouldn't see today. 

Still, there's that chip on fan's shoulders. While the second "Fantastic Four" film was legitimately terrible, the first one wasn't awful. Sure, it got some characters wrong (Dr. Doom), but mostly it was a case of a film attempting to appeal to everyone and really appealing to no one. But the strange thing about the failure of that first film franchise is that it seems to be projected onto the property as a whole —as if the Fantastic Four just aren't inherently interesting. 

That couldn't be more wrong. 

As Vulture's Abraham Riesman explains at length, if there's anything you love about Marvel comics or modern superheroes, they wouldn't exist without the Fantastic Four. They're also still relevant. "It has a core idea that never gets old," writes Riesman, "the struggles, compromises, joys, and agonies of being in a family."

That, right there, is what makes the Fantastic Four special. It's something that, frankly, the marketing behind the forthcoming film is pretty lousy at conveying: They're a family. Susan and Johnny Storm (played by Kate Mara and Michael B. Jordan) are siblings, while Sue and Reed (Miles Tellar) get married and have children.

This all happens extremely early in Fantastic Four history, by the way. The team debuted in 1961, and the marriage of Reed and Sue occurs in the fall of 1965. Franklin Richards, their first son, then shows up in 1968. So, for almost the entirety of their existence, the Fantastic Four has had a married couple at its core, with Sue's brother Johnny serving as a source of youthful energy and Reed's best friend Ben Grimm, aka The Thing, fulfilling the role of clear-eyed, blue-collared heart of the team. 

Granted, Trank's film seems to be adapting "Ultimate Fantastic Four," a newer take on the characters that significantly changes their origin, makes them all younger, and never has Reed and Sue marry. Still, family was important to that run too, albeit a more dysfunctional, Joss Whedon-style "found" family rather than one centered around matrimony.

The idea of family is so timeless and versatile that it gave us a hit Pixar film and transformed the "Fast and Furious" movies into one of the best crowd-pleasing franchises in existence. It's also something that the current crop of superhero movies refuses to come anywhere near — meaning that a good "Fantastic Four" movie has room to be truly unique, and not just a remix of things we've all seen before. 

This works on a visual level as well as a thematic one. The Fantastic Four go to impossible places and see incredible things. They're the relatable center of stories that take us to mind-bending places. They showed just how far superhero comics could take us, how much heart was hidden away in the comic books that were so often ignored by mainstream media.

The Fantastic Four matter. Let's hope they get a movie that treats them that way. 

SEE ALSO: Marvel comics you need to read

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NOW WATCH: Here's what X-Men would look like if Wes Anderson directed it

UPDATE: Straight from Paul Feig's Twitter account is the first official photo of the new Ghostbusters cast in uniform, complete with proton packs!

The original story follows below:

Director Paul Feig has been teasing his forthcoming all-female "Ghostbusters" piecemeal over the past few weeks, tweeting out shots of the new Ghostbuster uniforms and proton packs, stopping just shy of any actual photos of the cast on set. Looks like someone beat him to the punch. 

Fan site Ghostbusters News has just released the first, unofficial image of the main cast in uniform— Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones, Melissa McCarthy, and Kate McKinnon, from left to right.

Since the image isn't official, it's hard to tell if this is actually a scene from the film or if the cast is just idly hanging out on set.

They can definitely see the photographer, though. 

SEE ALSO: Meet the cast of the 'Ghostbusters' reboot

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NOW WATCH: Bryan Cranston's new Crackle series looks like a raunchy version of 'The Incredibles'

Like most modern blockbusters, Marvel movies often have stylish credits sequences filled with rousing music and cool imagery. 

For "Avengers: Age of Ultron," these credits took place as a camera swept over a grand ivory sculpture of the Avengers battling a horde of Ultron robots. It was unusual and rather stately for a Marvel movie, and no one would blame you for thinking that sculpture was a CG creation, like most credits animations. 

Turns out it's not! The folks at io9 spotted a Marvel exhibit showing off the actual sculpture used for filming the credits sequence in "Avengers: Age of Ultron," and took a video of it. Watch below!

Click here for more of the latest from San Diego Comic-Con. 

SEE ALSO: The coolest things to see and do at San Diego Comic-Con

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NOW WATCH: A 19-year-old will play Peter Parker in the next Spider-Man movie

Oscar-nominee Omar Sharif died on Friday at the age of 83.

He’s best known for his dramatic work, like his Oscar-nominated performance in "Lawrence of Arabia" and his memorable leading role opposite Julie Christie in "Doctor Zhivago."

But for some of us, there’s another performance we like to remember when thinking of Sharif. In 1984, the actor starred in cult favorite “Top Secret!,” comic directors Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker’s follow-up to their hit debut film “Airplane.” 

A parody of the World War II spy movies, the film stars a very young Val Kilmer in his feature film debut as a rock singer who finds himself involved in a rescue mission to save a scientist from an East German prison.

Sharif plays Agent Cedric, who at every turn finds himself the butt of the joke. Like Lloyd Bridges in "Airplane," having a serious actor like Sharif play the role adds to the fun. And Sharif does it perfectly as he performs his part as if he’s in a serious war espionage drama.

In one scene, Sharif’s character, Cedric, hopes to gain intel on the whereabouts of the scientist by talking to an undercover source. To make sure they are on the same side Cedric asks the question: “Do you know any good white basketball players?” The response from the source: “There aren’t any good white basketball players.” He’s found his man. 

The scene then unfolds with Cedric playing with the trinkets the source has, as not to draw attention to their secret conversation. But they turn out to be gag gifts. A flower Cedric sniffs shoots water at him, and the cigar he's offered explodes in his face.


Later in the movie, Agent Cedric shows up again.

Having been double-crossed, he’s been compacted inside his car. He walks to the hotel to tell his comrade of the danger they are in. Disoriented and banging into things, he enters the room as part man-part automobile.

Still, even at its most silliest, Sharif plays the role straight.

“He was all in,” said David Zucker of Sharif in an interview with ScreenCrush last year about the movie. “He was just wonderful. You know, you have to remember that in our style, using these non-comedians — either famous leading men or character actors in serious movies — they loved doing comedy. Every one of them does. From Robert Stack to Lloyd Bridges, they all love doing comedy because they don’t get asked to do this kind of stuff.”

In the same interview, Abrahams looks back at it this way: “I think it was a job [to Sharif]. He couldn’t have been a nicer guy. He couldn’t have been more professional. He couldn’t have done it better. But, I think it was a job.”

A job that showed a different side of the legendary actor.

Check out the full scenes below:

SEE ALSO: Hollywood mourns the death of "Oceans" super-producer Jerry Weintraub

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There are plenty of cool things to see and do on the San Diego Convention Center showroom floor at Comic-Con. 

The coolest?

A wall display of gadgets and props from "Batman v Superman" that will be seen in the movie.

Sure, we've seen one official teaser trailer for next March's big release; however, we haven't seen any of Batman's gadgets up close and personal.

If you're a Batfan, and you can't make it to the Con, you'll definitely want to check these out.

Most recognizable are Batman's iconic Batarangs which he uses to knock out villains.

If you've been playing "Batman: Arkham Knight," the item on the right looks a lot like Batman's explosive gel he uses to blast through walls. The item on the lower left appears to be a smoke grenade.

No question what these are! Grenade launchers and sticky bombs. 

(Don't mind the "Star Wars" footage in the shot. Disney and Lucasfilm strategically set up shop right across the way from the "Batman v Superman" displays with a huge monitor streaming "Star Wars" footage and trailers all day. You literally couldn't look at the Batman displays without being reminded of "Star Wars" right behind you.)

Here's the head gear that will be a part of Batman's tech suit in the new movie.

We can't wait to see Bats use this grapple gun.

But we're more excited to see him use this old-fashioned grapple gun.

How slick is that?

Here's another view of it.

In case, you're skeptical Batman has two grapple guns:

Why two grapple guns, you ask?

For one, Batman will have multiple suits in the film. Different grapple guns probably look (and work?) better with different suits.

Also, this is Bruce Wayne we're talking about. He has more than enough money to have as many grapple guns as he pleases. Fans won't stop crowding around the 'Batman v Superman' costumes on display

A few more of the Dark Knight's gadgets you'll see in the film:

"Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" will be in theaters March 25, 2016.

SEE ALSO: The coolest things to see and do at San Diego Comic-Con

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Some people believe that this McDonald's Minion Caveman toy is swearing. McDonald's issued a statement saying the sounds are nonsense words, nothing offensive or profane. It says that the Minion Caveman toy makes three sounds — "para la bukay," ''hahaha" and "eh eh."

Produced by Emma Fierberg. Video courtesy of Associated Press.

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When "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2" premieres this November, the YA box office phenomenon will, presumably, come to an end. After all, that is the end of the story author Suzanne Collins laid out in her hit trilogy of novels. But last night, one of the actors accidentally let it slip that there might be more movies to come after "Mockingjay." 

The goof happened on last night's San Diego Comic-Con episode of  "Conan," where the host had stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth on the show to talk up "Mockingjay." At one point, Conan asks the cast if the "Hunger Games" franchise would follow the same pattern established by other popular YA series like "Harry Potter" and somehow cobble together a way to keep making more movies. 

"There is —" Josh Hutcherson blurted out before Jennifer Lawrence was able to reply. Both of his costars then give him sidelong glances as the three of them try to walk back what looked like a pretty big blunder. "Well see what happens!" Hutcherson then said. 

"That's the worst lying I have ever seen," Conan quipped. 

Of course, as Slashfilm points out, "Hunger Games" studio Lionsgate is pretty transparent about wanting to extend the franchise, but it still seems like this was a genuine goof — especially because the video with Hutcherson's slip-up was deleted from Conan's TeamCoco.com shortly after going live. 

SEE ALSO: Watch the 'Hunger Games' cast fail miserably at the series' famous whistle

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NOW WATCH: Everyone's going crazy over this 'Hunger Games' propaganda video that just hit Comic Con

Warner Bros. went all out to showcase "Batman v Superman" at San Diego Comic-Con.

Out next March, attendees can find props for the film and toys expected to be released in the coming months. 

However, Con-goers are most excited about the actual costumes from the film that are on display.

In the center of the DC Comics booth are four costumes showcasing two different suits Batman will wear in the film along with Superman and Wonder Woman. 

Fans can't get enough of them.

Let's take a closer look!

We've already seen Batman's suit in the first trailer. It was pretty dark there. 

Here's another look at it:

The utility belt looks a bit rusty and worn. Remember Affleck's supposed to be playing an older version of the Dark Knight in this film, so his outfit should look a bit worn.

Heading over to Superman, his costume looks more or less the same as the one he wore in "Man of Steel" with some subtle changes.

Here's another image of him from across the showroom floor from my colleague, Melia.

As a refresher, here's how Supes suit looked before in the 2013 film:

The area around his waist looks slightly different.

Wonder Woman will be in the film, too, played by Gal Gadot ("Fast and Furious" franchise).

Here's how she'll look on screen:

Here's the first image that was released of Gadot in the Wonder Woman costume at last year's Con. It looks like her outfit was brightened up a bit. Initial reactions compared her costume to Xena.

You may not notice the most bizarre thing about Wonder Woman's costume.

Take a closer look at her shoes.

Wonder Woman's wearing ... heels?

That doesn't seem efficient. 

More on that in another post, though. 

Finally, here's Batman's second suit we'll see in the film.

Look real close and you'll notice the cape looks a bit weathered.

We've seen this look teased before in the film's first official teaser trailer.

What do you think of the costumes?

We're sure we'll learn much more about the film during tomorrow's Hall H panel for the film.

"Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" hits theaters March 25, 2016.

SEE ALSO: Check out the 'Batman v Superman' props that are on display at Comic-Con

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NOW WATCH: Here's the best look yet at the next big game starring Batman

Don't expect to see a lot of images from the anticipated "Star Wars" panel at Comic-Con on social media.

The panel is apparently so secretive that security is going around telling fans no photos are allowed to be taken inside the room during the event.

 Via /film's Peter Sciretta:

That's unusual. 

But, we do know that Disney is very keen about keeping footage from its panels under lockdown to prevent leaks.

How do you stop a room full of over 6,500 people from taking photos?

With night vision goggles, of course.

The "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" panel is currently underway. 

We'll have more to come!

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NOW WATCH: 'Star Wars' just surprised everyone with a brand new app and there's all sorts of crazy stuff packed inside

The "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" panel kicked off at San Diego Comic-Con late Friday afternoon and photos from the event are starting to make their way online.

Director J.J. Abrams and cast members including Daisy Ridley and John Boyega are in attendance. 

See what the fans saw in Hall H below!

Chris Hardwick is hosting the panel:

J.J. Abrams, Kathleen Kennedy and Lawrence Kasdan take the stage.

Behind-the-scenes footage from the making of the film kicked off the panel.

Among the footage were new "Star Wars" creatures. 

Cast members emerges on stage!

Here's Oscar Isaac who will play Poe Dameron. 

Newcomer Daisy Ridley, who will play Rey, is all smiles.

Here's the panel. John Boyega is there, too!

Adam Driver, who's playing Kylo Ren, Domhnall Gleeson, who will play General Hux, and Gwendoline Christie, who will play Captain Phasma, join the panel soon afterward.

Say hello to the Dark Side!

Another look at Adam Driver's character, Kylo Ren.

Gwendoline Christie fresh from the "Game of Thrones" panel.

Original cast members Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher join the panel.

A photo of a young Mark Hamill is put up on the big screen for everyone to see. 

Harrison Ford just came out!

If that wasn't enough, all of Hall H was just told they're being taken to a secret location to see a "Star Wars" concert.

What?

We're pretty sure we know who just won Comic-Con.

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NOW WATCH: WHERE ARE THEY NOW? The original 1993 'Jurassic Park' cast today

It’s the moment everyone who attending this year’s San Diego Comic-Con was waiting for — The “Star Wars” panel.

And it didn’t disappoint.

“The Force Awakens” director J.J. Abrams came with a lot of surprises up his sleeve. From bringing out cast members ranging from the new breed like John Boyega, Adam Drive, Oscar Isaac, Gwendoline Christie, and Daisy Ridley to the legends from the original trilogy returning for the upcoming film like Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford.

Abrams even invited all of the six thousand-plus in attendance at Hall H to come join him to a “Star Wars” concert.

Check out everything that went down.

But the biggest highlight was the behind-the-scenes video package Abrams showed to the audience. And thank God for the Internet, because it’s already gone online.

And it is VERY revealing.

Abrams is going back to the pre-CGI "Star Wars" glory days and using a lot of practical effects. As you can see with this character featured in the video.

There’s going to be a flame-throw shooting Storm Trooper.

And Simon Pegg is such a fan he went out to the desert in Dubai to dress up as one of the background characters for the film. As he put it in the footage, “I burn for 'Star Wars.'”

See the full video below:

SEE ALSO: The coolest things to see and do at San Diego Comic-Con

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If you were in attendance at the "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" panel at Comic-Con Friday evening, you were in for a big surprise. 

At the end of the panel, it was announced that EVERY PERSON in the Hall H room was invited to a secret "Star Wars" concert. 

For reference, Hall H holds roughly 6,500 people.

If that wasn't enough, Stormtroopers were on hand to escort the entire hall to the secret venue for the concert. 

The Stormtroopers entered Hall H after the panel already started.

How do you secretly unload 6,500 people out of the Convention Center? 

Out the back.

Stormtroopers marched fans away from the Convention Center down toward the San Diego water front.

Here's the view from overhead to show how it looks to move over 6,000 people at once through the convention ground:

The area was familiar to many who were camping out for access into Hall H the day before.

The walk ended at an event tucked away at the Embarcadero Marina across from the Convention Center.

Once fans got in, they were given a proper "Star Wars" welcome.

Food and wine stations were ready to greet fans.
Not just anyone can head to the event, though.

One of these badges handed out in Hall H is needed to attend.

Here's the scene once fans started to get inside.

This looks like the place to be.

Here's the same view from another angle:

"The Force Awakens" director J.J. Abrams took the stage along with Lucafilm president Kathleen Kennedy to welcome fans and to introduce the cast on stage.

Afterward, the event kicked off with a message from legendary "Star Wars" composer John Williams.

"You fans have always been what's very special about 'Star Wars,'" said Williams. 

Williams told everyone to have a great time Friday evening and 'May the force be with you."

From there, the San Diego Symphony played the "Star Wars" theme followed by the Imperial march and other iconic compositions from the series. 

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NOW WATCH: Here’s the first trailer for Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks' next movie ‘Bridge of Spies’

Fans in attendance at the "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" panel at Comic-Con on Friday were treated to a secret outdoor concert, with the San Diego Symphony performing the movie's iconic theme and "The Imperial March."

But the fans weren't the only ones having fun with it.

Director J.J. Abrams, producer Kathleen Kennedy, and cast members old and new — including Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Domhnall Gleeson, Gwendoline Christie, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Daisy Ridley, and John Boyega — gathered onstage to kick off the event.

Watch the moment below.

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During the "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" panel at San Diego Comic-Con on Friday, director J.J. Abrams invited all 6,500 fans in attendance to a secret concert.

The San Diego Symphony began with an iconic tune, "The Imperial March," and the crowd went wild.

Watch the complete performance below.

SEE ALSO: Stormtroopers escorted 6,500 fans to a secret 'Star Wars' concert at Comic-Con and we were there

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