Several weeks in advance of Comic-Con 2009, the annual mega-event where (among other things) Lost masterminds Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse end their self-imposed radio silence post-season finale, the powerhouse duo participated in a Q&A for fans in London over the weekend at the Curzon Cinema. A blogger named McLeron attended the event and has provided a complete transcript of all that was revealed.

There’s a lot to digest in the transcript, but here are the comments this blogger believes to be the most telling, along with my thoughts:

• Damon Lindelof: “You are married to your destiny, you can try to avoid it, but it will catch up to you.” I’m thinking this is going to be hugely important in Season 6. Perhaps the hydrogen bomb’s detonation caused some changes to the timeline, but ultimately will not be able to alter the destinies of the main characters.
• Lindelof shut down any possibilities for spin-offs, comic books, or any other continuations of the show once Season 6 ends, saying, “We feel that if we hold anything back for the final season of the show, it will be bad. People have come along this far, and they need a conclusion.” Bravo, Mr. L. A very wise man, you are.
• Lindelof reveals that celebrated comic book writer Brian K. Vaughan, who’s been on the Lost writing staff since Season 3, has “left for greener pastures.” Say what?! I hadn’t heard that. Did we know this already? Somebody help me out here, I’m seriously bummed over this.
• Filming on Season 6 begins Monday, August 24th.
• Regarding where the show’s major characters find themselves, at the beginning of Season 6, Lindelof would only cryptically say, “…everybody gets back together in one form or another, and we feel that Season 6 is a lot like Season 1 with its [feeling of] community.” Sounds like the whole gang is getting back together!

A new article in The Hollywood Reporter breaks down the impact and importance that featuring a genre television show at Comic-Con International can have. Within that piece, there’s a tidbit from an ABC spokesperson about their plans for Lost at the event, which they credit as “the first TV show to launch at Comic-Con.”

ABC has taken an increasingly unique approach to its Lost panel. Instead of simply screening footage and answering questions, the event is a carefully planned production that typically includes specifically shot footage and surprise guests.

“We’ve been working on the Lost panel for literally months,” said Mike Benson, executive vp marketing at ABC Entertainment. “We want the audience to experience Lost in a fully entertaining way.”

That sound you now hear is the roof breaking from my anticipation level skyrocketing through it.

IGN.com is reporting that the highly anticipated Lost panel at Comic-Con International 2009 has been set for Saturday, July 25th, at 11:AM in Hall H.

For those not in-the-know, the Lost panel at Comic-Con is the traditional time when executive producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse emerge from their self-imposed end-of-season media blackout, and speak publically for the very first time about the upcoming season. Since the upcoming season in question is Lost’s last one ever, saying that this year’s CCI Lost panel is going to be a big deal would be the understatement of the decade. Darlton always bring some surprises for CCI attendees, usually in the form of special videos, ARG-related stuff, and surprise guests. (Two years ago, Harold Perrineau appeared to promote his return for Season 4; last year, Matthew Fox showed up unexpectedly halfway through the panel.)

The fact that it’s taking place once again in Hall H is huge. Last year, Lost and Heroes became the first two TV shows to ever get to use the cavernous Hall H at Comic-Con, which holds up to 6,500 people, and the back-to-back panels for the two shows garnered standing-room-only crowds. Heroes won’t be holding a panel this year, but Lost’s crew has promised to bring “something special” to CCI.

If you’re planning to attend Comic-Con 2009 and hope to get into the Lost panel… As someone who’s been to Comic-Con the last four years in a row, take my advice and get there insanely early. Camping out the night before might even be worth considering. I’m not joking! Here’s a video shot by a friend of mine that shows just how ridiculously long the line was last year for those of us waiting to get in for the Heroes and Lost panels:

Image: Comic-Con logo Copyright 2009 ©Comic-Con International.

Matthew Fox is currently in Monte Carlo for a television festival happening there, and during an interview, he’s provided some spoilery/teasery clues about what’s to come in Season 6. He doesn’t actually reveal any answers, but he drops some juicy hints about what he knows. The ODI provides the goods:

• Fox always knew that Jack and Locke would go head-to-head in Season 6, though he doesn’t know now if that means the real Locke or Jacob’s enemy in Locke’s form.
• The first scene of Season 6 will explain what happened when the Jughead hydrogen bomb exploded in 1977. Fox says that at first, it will be “both confusing and surprising” to the audience.
• About one third through Season 6, there will become one solidified timeline on the island, with no more flashbacks. (It’s uncertain here if he’s referring to some kind of joining of the 1977 and 2007 time periods, or an amalgamation of current history and the altered history that may have happened when Jughead blew.)
• He says that he is continually surprised at how “moving” the end of the show is going to be.

The 50-minute video below features Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof talking about the show and fielding questions, in a small, intimate venue (Meltdown Comics in Hollywood) for the web series Comics on Comics. Why should you care? Because the nature of this very small venue gives Lindelof license to talk more candidly than any major media interview.

What’s the real reason the show won’t be revisiting Libby’s unresolved storyline? Lindelof tells all, about all sorts of things he doesn’t usually discuss, including the complete story of the cursed numbers. There’s talk about the alternate reality games, the unexplained mysteries of the island, and the upcoming final season.

Note that the video includes language that’s very NSFW.

Thanks to Jake Palmer at Comics on Comics for sending this my way!

Last Thursday night, JJ Abrams’ Star Trek made its U.S. premiere in the heart of Hollywood, California. Grauman’s Chinese Theatre was the setting for the all-star gala, and several familiar faces from Lost turned out to help celebrate the latest work from Lost co-creators JJ Abrams (Star Trek director) and Damon Lindelof (Star Trek producer). Thumbnails of the stars on the red carpet are below and after the jump; click to enlarge.

Matthew Fox

Image: Pacific Coast News	Image: Bauer-Griffin	Image: Bauer-Griffin
Image: PR Photos	Image: PR Photos	Image: INF

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Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof and X-Men Origins: Wolverine producer Jeff Katz will appear live, in person, this Wednesday night at Meltdown Comics in Los Angeles, California. Both will be taking part in a live taping of Comics on Comics, a WebTV series where three professional comedians and one comic book creator are gathered for a round-table discussion of the latest comic book news.

The taping begins at 8:PM, and admission is free. RSVP for the event on Facebook, or visit ComicsOnComics.com for more information.

Image: Retcon Media.

Lost’s Daniel Dae Kim (Jin) will appear live on Sci-Fi Talk Live tonight to discuss Jin’s return and his thoughts on Season 5. If you miss the live show, I’m told the episode will be archived so you can listen anytime.

Lost’s Evangeline Lilly appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman last night, and here’s a video of her entire interview. They talk about what it’s like living in Hawaii (she’s allergic to everything there), a lingerie charity Lilly is contributing to (let the fanboy drooling begin), and she establishes the fact that Dave is not much of a Lost fan. It’s funny, but there’s nothing revelatory about the show itself (not even a clip).

There’s much buzz around the Net about the Lost Winter Press Tour event and what executive producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse had to say there. They screened the third episode of Season 5 for select members of the press and then held a Q&A session, during which some serious and not-so-serious questions were fielded. TV Guide has the best summary I’ve seen of what went down. A few highlights:

• Nestor Carbonell is contracted to the show through next year’s final season. After almost losing him permanently to last year’s short-lived CBS drama Cane, Darlton decided not to risk losing Carbonell’s Richard Alpert again, because Alpert plays a key role in the final two seasons.
• The show only gets more mythology-laden from here — and not just the mythology of the island, but the histories that have been built around each character. According to Darlton, “If the first episode of Lost that you ever see is the first episode of Season 5, you will not understand a majority of it.” Because of this, they’re not holding out any hope that the Emmys will reward them again in the future.
• Daniel Dae Kim is a series regular for Season 5. Jin is still a major part of the show, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s alive.