Marvel has been fined $160,000 for displaying a large advertisement for "Avengers: Doomsday" during San Diego Comic-Con, after city officials denied permission due to safety concerns. The advert covered the Gaslamp Quarter arch, a prominent location that the city deemed disruptive to pedestrian flow during the event. Despite the denial, Marvel and its marketing company, Elevue Outdoor, proceeded with the installation.
San Diego spokesperson Richard Berg stated that the contractor knowingly created a safety risk and refused to address it, leading to escalating daily fines. The total amount of $160,000 was incurred over six days, with the daily penalty reaching $50,000 towards the end of the period. These fines are reportedly significantly higher than those typically issued during Comic-Con, with last year's total fines for advertising violations reportedly less than $25,000.
While the fine is substantial, it is expected to be a minor cost compared to the anticipated box office revenue of "Avengers: Doomsday," which is slated for release on December 18. This financial setback occurred amidst other Marvel news revealed at San Diego Comic-Con, including the return of Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter and Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool, the announcement of a Ghost Rider film starring Reynolds, and David Jonsson cast as T'Challa's son in "Black Panther 3." The film "Avengers: Doomsday" is projected to be a major success, following the strong performance of "Spider-Man: Brand New Day."