Rocky Horror Picture Show at Comic-Con: First 25 minutes shown

Fox’s highly-anticipated adaptation of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, airing this October, is having a moment at San Diego Comic-Con.

On Thursday, Fox dropped a big surprise during the TV movie’s panel, screening the first 25 minutes — including numbers “Time Warp” and “Sweet Transvestite.” While it played as a mostly faithful adaptation, there were some changes made by director Kenny Ortega:

• The film now opens at a movie theater playing The Rocky Horror Picture Show and the opening number “Science Fiction/Double Feature” is performed by the theater’s female usher.
• Much like real-life midnight showings of Rocky Horror, the audience within the film reacts to cues on the screen, such as putting newspaper over their heads when Janet (Victoria Justice) shields herself from the rain during “There’s a Light (Over at the Frankenstein Place).”
• Original Dr. Frank N. Furter Tim Curry is drolly funny as The Criminologist, a.k.a. the narrator of the film.
• Ryan McCartan and Justice are a charming Brad and Janet.

RELATED: Go Inside the Revamped ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’

• “Time Warp” is more of a rock/dance epic led by a full-throttle Reeve Carney (Riff Raff), Christina Milian (Magenta), and Annaleigh Ashford (Columbia).
• Descending from a huge crane, Laverne Cox (Dr. Frank N. Furter) delivers a sultrier, funkier, Tina Turner-esque version of “Sweet Transvestite” — and nails it.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show airs this fall on Fox.