Benedict Cumberbatch is to get San Diego Comic-Con started, as the sold-out pop culture convention kicks off.

The Sherlock star will be joined by co-stars John Malkovich and Tom McGrath as he makes his debut at the event today (July 24), to promote DreamWorks animation The Penguins Of Madagascar.

Other film stars who will attend the first day include Jack Black for RL Stine's Goosebumps, Pixels director Chris Columbus and Jeff Bridges, Brenton Thwaites and Odeya Rush, alongside director Phillip Noyce, for The Giver, which has been 20 years in the making.

Kiefer Sutherland will also discuss his return to 24: Live Another Day, while Battlestar Galactica stars Richard Hatch, Jamie Bamber and Luciana Carro and Betty White and Scrubs actor Donald Faison will talk about their careers.

The cast of Under The Dome including Mike Vogel, Dean Norris and Rachelle Lefevre will offer a sneak peek of the second series, as the cast of Community such as Joel McHale, Gillian Jacobs, Jim Rash and creator Dan Harmon discuss the future of the comedy.

Daniel Radcliffe, Salma Hayek, Zachary Quinto, Evangeline Lilly, Ne-Yo and the casts of The Walking Dead and Game Of Thrones are among the other special guests at Comic-Con, while film studios such as Paramount Pictures, Legendary, 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros will offer previews of their coming slate.

Comic-Con, now in its 45th year, runs until July 27.