The 10 Best Things To Do at FAN EXPO Chicago 2024 (2024)

It's common knowledge that geeks love to gather at comic events. FAN EXPO HQ is the largest comic events producer on the planet, so it's logical that their expos are always an occasion that fans of movies, television, video games, and the like don't want to miss. In a few days, people from the Chicago area will get a chance to experience FAN EXPO Chicago and all the magic that it brings.

Whether they would like to join a video game tournament, attend panels for House of the Dragon and Scream, dabble in some casual play, or watch Collider founder and editor-in-chief Steven Weintraub moderate a series of can't-miss panels with the likes of Marisa Tomei and Linda Hamilton, fans are in for a hell of a time in Chicago this weekend. There will be celebrities to listen to, photos and autographs to hunt, merch to buy, and tons of fun to be had.

10 Attend the "Psychology of the Dragon" Panel

Sunday, August 18th at 12:15 pm — Fan Panels (Room 4)

HBO's hit show Game of Thrones, based on George R.R. Martin's legendary works, became an instant staple of modern pop culture. As such, it was no surprise when House of the Dragon came out and proved to be one of the best prequels in television history. There are a myriad of reasons why fans love it so much, but one of the main ones is its multitude of nuanced, complex characters who are a delight to keep track of.

On the last day of FAN EXPO Chicago, curious attendees will get the chance to listen to licensed therapists (the co-hosts of the Popcorn Psychology podcast) discuss mental health and psychology-related topics contained within House of the Dragon. With characters as psychologically complex and compelling as Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy), Daemon (Matt Smith), and Alicent (Olivia Cooke), this panel is sure to be a fascinating experience for fans of the show.

House of the Dragon

TV-MA

Fantasy

Drama

Action

Adventure

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

*Availability in US

Release Date

August 21, 2022

Creator

Ryan J. Condal, George R.R. Martin

Cast

Paddy Considine , Olivia Cooke , Rhys Ifans , Matt Smith , Eve Best , Steve Toussaint , Emma D'Arcy , Milly Alco*ck , Emily Carey

Seasons

4

9 Play Some Games at the Video Game Free Play

Friday, August 16th at 4:00 pm; Saturday, August 17th at 10:00 am; Sunday, August 18th at 10:00 am — Gaming Zone (Show Floor)

Gaming and gamic culture are crucial elements of fan conventions, with many of these kinds of events often having sections where attendees can pick up a controller and make friends over some games. FAN EXPO Chicago will be no exception. The event will have tournaments of games like Street Fighter 6 and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, but they will also have a Video Game Free Play section for gamers looking for more casual play.

This is the perfect opportunity for attendees who don't necessarily want to commit to a tournament but still want to meet some friends and show off their skills at the Gaming Zone. Panels with movie and television stars may often be the main attractions of conventions like this one, but it's always worth looking into other kinds of events to make the FAN EXPO experience feel more diverse.

8 Attend the "Meet the Cast of Scream" Panel

Sunday, August 18th at 1:45 pm — Main Theater (Rooms 23 - 32)

Meta-horror movies are some of the most fun and creative the genre has to offer, and when it comes to smart

humor and meta-narratives in the subgenre, it hardly gets much better than the funny and twisted Scream movies. An intelligent commentary on the horror genre that's an outstanding slasher in its own right at the same time, it's about a teenage girl terrorized by a masked killer targeting her and her friends using scary movies as part of a deadly game.

On the last day of the event, five actors from the cult classic will be present in Chicago: Matthew Lillard (Stuart), Skeet Ulrich (Billy), Lee Waddell (Ghostface), Laurie Metcalf (Mrs. Loomis in Scream 2), and Jamie Kennedy (Randy), all of them also being available for photos and autographs. Fans are in for a probably not very scary but definitely very fun afternoon of behind-the-scenes stories about the franchise.

Scream

R

Horror

Mystery

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

*Availability in US

Release Date

December 20, 1996

Director

Wes Craven

Cast

Drew Barrymore , Neve Campbell , Skeet Ulrich , Matthew Lillard , Jamie Kennedy , Rose McGowan

Runtime

111 minutes

Writers

Kevin Williamson

7 Attend the "From Kirk to Kraglin: Spotlight on Sean Gunn" Panel

Saturday, August 17th at 4:15 pm — Theater #2 (Rooms 21 - 34)

Nowadays, Sean Gunn is the kind of actor who makes people go, "Hey, I've seen that guy before!" even if they don't necessarily know his name. Not so for fans of movies and television. They know him well as characters like Kirk from Gilmore Girls and Kraglin from the MCU (a character he most recently played in the acclaimed Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, one of the best superhero movies of the last five years).

As Gunn becomes increasingly well known with each new project he takes on, it's more exciting than ever before to attend a panel putting a spotlight on him and his career. Character actors like him always have interesting stories to tell about the projects they've worked on, so fans of Marvel, DC, and Gilmore Girls won't want to miss this conversation with him. Gunn will also be available for photos and autographs on Friday and Saturday.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

PG-13

Science Fiction

Action

Adventure

Release Date

May 5, 2023

Director

James Gunn

Cast

Zoe Saldana , Dave Bautista , Vin Diesel , Bradley Cooper , Karen Gillan , Pom Klementieff , Elizabeth Debicki , Chris Pratt

Runtime

150 minutes

Writers

James Gunn

Watch on Disney+

6 Attend the "Join the Fallen Order with Cameron Monaghan" Panel

Sunday, August 18th at 12:45 pm — Main Theater (Rooms 23 - 32)

Once an up-and-coming young actor who got his big break as Ian Gallagher in the award-winning Shameless, one of the most shocking TV shows in recent memory, Cameron Monaghan now lives rent-free in the heads of geeks and pop culture fans around the world. Starring in big roles in projects like Gotham and the Jedi video games, he's letting audiences watch his career skyrocket.

On the last day of FAN EXPO Chicago, attendees will get to listen in on a conversation with Monaghan regarding past, present, and future projects. It'll surely be a blast full of fun stories, industry advice, and insightful comments, which fans can choose to top off with a picture or an autograph (which Monaghan will only be available for on Saturday).

5 Attend the "Mark Hamill Live" Panel

Friday, August 16th at 8:00 pm — Main Theater (Rooms 23 - 32)

Mark Hamill is an actor who needs no introduction. He's come a very long way since becoming a household name thanks to his role as Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars franchise, later taking on the voice of the Joker in various Batman media and supporting roles in shows like What We Do in the Shadows, The Fall of the House of Usher, and The Flash. It's an impressive resume, to say the least, and Hamill backs it up with tremendous talent and a strong personality that comes across in every public conversation — such as the panel he'll be the star of at FAN EXPO Chicago.

Common comic event attendees will surely be well acquainted with Hamill by now, as he loves to engage with fan culture. FAN EXPO veterans or newbies, though, all attendees are sure to have an unforgettable time listening to Hamill talk about his process, his many projects and roles, and the significance of his work. Hamill will also be available for photos and autographs on all three days of the event.

4 Attend the "Fan Favorite Duo: A Panel With Morena Baccarin and Ben McKenzie" Panel

Saturday, August 17th at 10:45 am — Main Theater (Rooms 23 - 32)

For the nearly five years that it aired, Gotham proved to be what it still is today: one of the most criminally underappreciated DC projects ever made. It followed the story of Detective Jim Gordon and his rise to prominence in the crime-filled streets of Gotham City a few years before the arrival of Batman. Dark, mature, and consistently gripping, Gotham earned a loyal fanbase that still loves it and defends it today.

Morena Baccarin and Ben McKenzie (who played Lee Thompkins and Jim Gordon, respectively) will be in Chicago on Saturday for a panel moderated by Collider's Steven Weintraub. Watching the reunion of this fan-favorite duo will surely be a sight to behold, and the stories they'll share about their time working on Gotham are sure to delight fans who still can't get enough of the series even five years after its finale. Both actors will also be available for photos and autographs.

Gotham

TV-14

Superhero

Action

Adventure

Crime

Mystery

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

*Availability in US

Release Date

September 22, 2014

Cast

Ben McKenzie , Donal Logue , David Mazouz , Sean Pertwee , Camren Bicondova , Morena Baccarin

Seasons

5

Creator

Bruno Heller

3 Attend the "Meet Aunt May Parker: Spotlight on Marisa Tomei" Panel

Saturday, August 17th at 12:15 pm — Theater #2 (Rooms 21 - 34)

Nowadays, she may be best known as the MCU's own Aunt May Parker, last seen in the hyper-successful Spider-Man: No Way Home, perhaps Tom Holland's best movie as the Wall Crawler. However, Oscar-winner Marisa Tomei has had a long and illustrious career full of awards, including another two Oscar nods aside from her win, breakout roles, and acclaimed performances.

Steven Weintraub will be having a chat with Tomei on the second day of FAN EXPO Chicago. He'll put a spotlight on her work as Aunt May but will surely also touch on some of her other famous roles and what she's up to now that her work at Marvel is (tentatively) over. It's not every day that one gets to watch an Oscar-winning actress and possibly take a picture with her or get an autograph, making this a must-attend opportunity.

Spider-Man: No Way Home

PG-13

Superhero

Drama

Action

Comedy

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

*Availability in US

Release Date

December 17, 2021

Director

Jon Watts

Cast

Tom Holland , Zendaya , Benedict Cumberbatch , Jacob Batalon , Jon Favreau , Jamie Foxx , Willem Dafoe , Alfred Molina , Benedict Wong , Marisa Tomei , Andrew Garfield , Tobey Maguire

Runtime

148 minutes

2 Attend the "From Wilderness to Wasteland It's Ella Purnell" Panel

Sunday, August 18th at 11:45 am — Main Theater (Rooms 23 - 32)

The future is looking very bright for Ella Purnell. The actress, despite having a relatively long trajectory, has most recently become a household name thanks to her work on series like Amazon's Fallout and Netflix's Arcane, two of the best TV shows based on video games. Now that she's become a key player in contemporary pop culture, fans won't want to miss a chance to hear a panel putting the spotlight on her.

It'll be Steven Weintraub who'll be moderating the panel, talking to Purnell about her work on projects like Fallout, Arcane, and Yellowjackets. It'll be very fun to hear this up-and-coming star talk about the kinds of projects that have made her so successful. Attendees can also add a picture or autograph to this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity on either Saturday or Sunday.

Fallout

Sci-Fi

Action

Adventure

Drama

Release Date

April 11, 2024

Cast

Moises Arias , Johnny Pemberton , Walton Goggins , Kyle MacLachlan

Seasons

1

Creator(s)

Graham Wagner , Geneva Robertson-Dworet

Watch on Amazon

1 Attend the "Terminator Legacy: A Conversation With the Cast" Panel

Saturday, August 17th at 4:45 pm — Main Theater (Rooms 23 - 32)

Arguably, the flagship event of FAN EXPO Chicago this year will be the legendary reunion of five iconic actors from The Terminator franchise. Created by visionary Canadian filmmaker James Cameron, the series follows different characters and stories set in a world where, in the not-so-far future, killing machines have taken over the world and found the key to traveling in time.

Linda Hamilton (the legendary Sarah Connor), Robert Patrick (the terrifying T-1000), Edward Furlong (young John Connor in Terminator 2), Lance Henriksen (Vukovich, originally envisioned by Cameron to play the Terminator), and Michael Biehn (Kyle Reese) will all be present in a can't-miss panel moderated by Steven Weintraub. The five actors will be talking about the legacy of the franchise and their experiences working on it. It'll undoubtedly be an unforgettable moment for fans, who will get the option to immortalize it with a picture or autograph.

NEXT:The Best Sci-Fi Movies of All Time, Ranked According to IMDb