It’s time for another convention, folks. Friday marks the beginning of what is now Fan Expo Chicago and we’re excited, because the lineup is absolutely packed with great guests and as always, tons of great shopping for everything from lightsabers, bat’leths, T-shirts, art prints and more. Fan Expo’s trimmed off the low-key Thursday open for an afternoon open on Friday with panels going well into the evening.
Now, about that guest list. We’re still going to go the choose your own adventure route, but with so many big names, let’s also make sure to list off all the celebrity guests who are going to be in attendance just so you can get an idea of who to look out for. Celebrity guests for Fan Expo Chicago include Mark Hamill, Hayden Christensen, Rosario Dawson, Ella Purnell, Matthew Lillard, Charlie Cox, Marisa Tomei, William Shatner, Adam Savage, Temeura Morrison, Gina Carano, Alan Tudyk, Morena Baccarin, Ben McKenzie, Giancarlo Esposito, Linda Hamilton, Lucas Grabeel, Corbin Bleu, Rose McGowan, Holly Marie Combs, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Cameron Monaghan, Kate Mulgrew, Sean Gunn, Cole Sprouse, Skeet Ulrich, Laurie Metcalf, Joonas Suotamo, Eman Esfandi, Diana Lee Inosanto, Robert Patrick, Lance Henriksen, Sofia Boutella, Johnny Yong Bosch, Mario Lopez, Elizabeth Berkley, Patrick Warburton, Wayne Knight, Phil Morris, Larry Thomas, Michael Biehn, Jennifer Blanc-Biehn, Lee Waddell, Jamie Kennedy, Edward Furlong, and Butch Hartman, and that’s the SHORT list.
There’s also animation voices like Frank Welker, Grey Delisle, Jim Cummings, Maurice LaMarche, Rob Paulsen, Blake Roman, Erika Henningsen, Amir Talai, Diana Perhsing, Cal Dodd, Catherine Disher and Fred Tatasciore, a veritable ton of anime guests, comic creators and gaming stars as well. In other words, this con is stacked and there’s something for everyone. You can check out the full guest list
One more important thing to note - Culture Combine will be there! Yes, we’ll be on the floor covering cosplay and in the panel rooms with our pens and notebooks out, but we’ll also take the Creator Stage for our first ever panel on Sunday at 12:00, when we’ll be discussing pop culture current events, playing games, and giving out prizes!
There’s a lot to process, so let’s get into it with our traditional Choose Your Own Adventure Preview.
Friday, August 15:
Things kick off at a perfectly lovely 2 pm for VIPs, Ultimate and 3-day pass holders who purchase in advance and 4 pm for everyone else, which gives you time to get lunch, get parked, and stroll in to get your badges if you play your cards right.
Unlike the low key nature of Wizard World’s first day, since we’ve cut out Thursday we’ve packed more into Friday despite the afternoon start
If you’re all about busting myths, make sure you beat the traffic and park well before 4:45 when you can hang with Adam Savage in the Mythbusting with Adam Savage panel in the Main Theater.
OR
If there’s always been room in your heart for more Animaniacs, check out the legendary talents of Maurice LaMarche and Rob Paulsen for the Narf! Inside the World of Pinky and the Brain panel at 5:00 pm in Theater 2.
BUT
If you’re a gamer wanting to dive right into tournaments, don’t miss the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Tournament in the Gaming Zone on the show floor at 5 pm.
Gamers may have to multitask though, as you’ll probably want to run over to the Main Theater at 5:45 pm, because that’s when you can check out A Look at Baldur’s Gate III with Neil Newbon, Samantha Beart and Amelia Tyler.
If the Force is strong with you, then Let the Wookiee Win with Jonas Suotamo at 6 pm in Theater 2
OR
If you’re an anime fan, it’ll be time to head over to the Anime Theater for Discussing Deku: Q&A with My Hero Academia’s Justin Briner at 6pm.
Most everyone, though, should take note of someone we consider a legend and the Day One headliner, Mark Hamill, who takes the stage at 8 pm in the Main Theater.
Kick off your late night in the panel rooms for a little more grown up entertainment with a Drawing Jam in the Workshop at 8 pm, Twihard: The Musical - Selects from the Hit Twilight Musical Parody, or Improv D&D (18+) at 9 in Theater 3.
Don’t miss out on late night at Fan Expo, as it’s basically a pre made party block between hotels, restaurants and Rosemont’s entertainment district and all the people who like all the “nerdy” stuff you do. Just…make sure to hydrate and get some sleep no matter what you get up to at night, because Saturday is always the mother of all days at the con.
Saturday, August 17th
Growing up, we loved Saturday morning cartoons, a great excuse to wake up at 6 am and lay on the floor in your PJs with a bowl of cereal or some Eggo waffles until just about noon. Channel that energy to make sure you’re there before 10:15 am so you can dive right back into that vibe with the Legends of Animation panel with Jim Cummings (Winnie the Pooh!), Maurice LaMarche (Pinky and the Brain!), Rob Paulsen (Animaniacs), Fred Tatasciore (Overwatch), Grey DeLisle (Avatar: The Last Airbender) and Butch Hartman (The Fairly Oddparents). Trust us when we say these panels are some of the most heartwarming, hilarious and interesting ones at any convention, and these guests are true legends in the field.
OR
If you want to sleep just a few more minutes, comics fans, amble on over to Fan Favorite Duo: A Panel with Morena Baccarin and Ben McKenzie, who’ll cover everything from Gotham to Deadpool &Wolverine and hopefully tell some behind the scenes tales from the blockbuster at 10:45 in the Main Theater.
Were you a tween or teen in the 90s? If so, you might want to head over to Theater 2 for Saved by the Bell with Mario Lopez and Elizabeth Berkley, replacing Mark Paul Gosselaar who was a cancellation for this year’s Fan Expo.
OR
If you want to talk about cosplay and current issues, we encourage you to check out a panel like Genderbending While Black which will touch on intersectionality in cosplay and how to battle negativity if you’re playing a character whose gender expression or skin tone don’t match your own
BUT
If your heart belongs to the crew of the Starship Enterprise, you’ll want to make sure you get to the Main Theater at 11:45 for William Shatner to regale you with TOS tales and tales of his own trek to space.
THEN
If your Spidey-sense tingles often, you might want to meet up with Aunt May at Marisa Tomei’s Meet Aunt May Parker: Spotlight on Marisa Tomei panel in Theater 2.
OR
If your heart lies on Serenity or the island of Motonui, you’ll want to trek out to see The Many Characters of Alan Tudyk in the Main Theater at 12:45.
BUT
You could also roll for initiative and head over to Dungeons and Dragons and the Twenty Sided Tavern: Connecting with the Fandom Through Entertainment in Theater 2 at 1:15 pm.
OR
Celebrate One Piece by going to the anime theater for Join Our Crew: We’re Searching for the One Piece at 1:30 pm.
If Hazbin Hotel is on your radar, at 1:45 The Main Theater will host Hellfire Conversations: The Voices of Hazbin Hotel with Blake Roman, Erika Henningsen, Amir Talai, and Krystle Elyse Colon, the voice actors behind your favorite Hazbin friends.
MCU fans, you should make sure to be on time for Born Again: Meet Charlie Cox at 2:45 in the main theater to talk all things Daredevil and hopefully get some hints of what’s to come
OR
If your captain is Janeway, hit Warp 10 for Theater 2 at 3:15 pm for Kate Mulgrew: Commanding the Final Frontier.
For some action movie fun, stop by Terminator Legacy: A Conversation With The Cast at 4:45 in the Main Theater.
Round that out with a new event for sci-fi fans, the Fan Expo Chicago Cosmic Celebration which is described as an event that will be “showing love to all your fave sci-fi franchises like Star Wars, Star Trek, Doctor Who and Guardians of the Galaxy." Despite this event kicking off at 8 pm in the Main Theater room, it’s all ages and features a range of activities including music by DJ Awesomus Prime, photo ops, bracelet making, themed drinks for those 21+ and some giveaways.
Then hit your hotel room and hit the hay (or you know, horse around and hit up after parties) and get ready for your last chance for convention adventures on Sunday.
Sunday, August 18
You’ve made it, and of course you’re going to be on the show floor in time for our glorious debut in the Culture Combine Pop Culture Happy Hour at 12:00, right? It’s on the Creator’s Stage and we’ll be chitchatting about pop culture current events, playing games and giving away some great pop-culture themed swag. But we’ve wibbly wobblied this timeline a little, haven’t we? Sorry, couldn’t contain our excitement. Let’s rewind to the beginning of your Sunday at Fan Expo then.
Star Wars fans will want to head over to the Main Theater before our panel for From Clone Troopers to Bounty Hunters with Temeura Morrison at 10:45 am in the Main Theater
BUT
Animation fans will want to hit up A Fairly Odd Panel with Grey DeLisle and Butch Hartman at 11 am in Theater 3.
If you’re not already hanging out by the Creator Stage and you want to crawl out through the fallout, baby, then you might want to head to the Main Theater at 11:45 am for From Wilderness to Wasteland It’s Ella Purnell. We’d be there,
BUT
We HAVE OUR OWN PANEL beginning just fifteen minutes later at 12 pm on the Creator’s Stage on the show floor with the Culture Combine Pop Culture Happy Hour. Come see us! Talk about pop culture, win some prizes and get to know us!
THOUGH
If you did choose to go see Voices of Gaming with Tara Platt, Samantha Beart, Amelia Tyler and Patricia Summersett we’d (kind of) understand, cuz it’s a great lineup.
After we’re done, we can head over to Masters of Their Domain: The Seinfeld Guests Who Stole The Show for any 90s primetime sitcom fans which will be in Theater 2 at 1pm.
OR
Wait for that tingly sense of excitement to die down from our panel for just a little longer and head to the Main Theater at 1:45 with fellow horror fans so you can Meet the Cast of Scream.
BUT
If you want something a little more comforting than creepy, it’s time to head to From the Hundred Acre Wood to a Galaxy Far, Far Away: The Many Voices of Jim Cummings at 2 pm in the Main Theater
OR
Transform your con experience into something more nostalgic with Robots in Disguise at 3:00 pm in Theater 2, which features Optimus Prime and Megatron themselves!
Ahsoka fans should be getting ready for 3:45 pm on Sunday, when Rosario Dawson takes the stage at the Main Theater at 3:45
OR
If High School Musical was something you were all about (we see you, theater kids!) then round out your Fan Expo Experience with Corbin Bleu and Lucas Grabeel at the We’re All in This Together with Corbin Bleu and Lucas Grabeel at 4 pm in Theater 2.
As always, panel times and guest appearances can change at any time, including day of and hour of, so stay tuned to the official schedule or use the app to stay in touch with everything going on and read about all the panels we did NOT cover in this choose your own adventure preview. Don’t forget to join us at the Creator’s Stage at noon Sunday for Pop Culture Happy Hour, wear comfy shoes and hydrate, and you’ll be a con pro by Sunday night.
We’ll meet you out on the floor, fans! Let’s be excellent to each other and enjoy Fan Expo Chicago 2024!
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