MUMBAI: Peter Jackson, the visionary filmmaker behind The Lord of the Rings, King Kong, and other films, will attend Comic-Con International: San Diego for the first time to support TriStar Pictures’ District 9, which Jackson produced.

The District 9 panel discussion will be in the San Diego Convention Center’s Hall H on Friday, 24 July. Jackson will be on the panel with the film’s director, Neill Blomkamp, and star, Sharlto Copley.

Jackson said, "After all these years, I’m thrilled that I finally have the opportunity to visit San Diego for Comic-Con. I am especially excited that I am attending to support District 9. Neill is a tremendously talented young director and he’s made an extraordinary film, so it was important to me to come to San Diego to spread the word. I look forward to attending my first ever Comic-Con and I know that those who visit us on 24 July  in Hall H will be in for quite a ride."

District 9 will be released in theaters on 14 August, 2009.