SAN DIEGO Comic-Con, an annual celebrity-studded showcase of superhero films and pop culture, has been canceled for the first time in its 50-year history due to the global coronavirus outbreak, organizers said Friday.

Comic-Con had been scheduled to take place in July. The event typically draws tens of thousands of costumed revelers to a San Diego convention hall and surrounding streets, restaurants and hotels.

The next San Diego Comic-Con is scheduled for July 22-25, 2021, the statement said.

Comic-Con had become a major event for TV networks and movie producers to promote upcoming programming. Last year’s lineup featured Angelina Jolie and Natalie Portman talking about their roles in upcoming films from Walt Disney Co.’s Marvel Studios, and Tom Cruise previewing a new “Top Gun” movie.

(SD-Agencies)