Next weekend at the Anaheim Convention Center the inaugural FAN EXPO Anaheim kicks off with a loaded lineup of guests including many Hollywood stars and a packed artist alley lineup.
Some of the notable names include Mark Hamill, Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, John Rhys-Davies, Brian Blessed (who is making his U.S. convention debut), Giancarlo Esposito, Ahmed Best, Omid Abtahi, Lateef Crowder, Brendan Wayne, Ashley Eckstein, Matt Lanter, James Arnold Taylor, Sam Witwer, and Jim Cummings.
Also appearing are a lot of the behind the scenes crew that helped make Batman: The Animated Series including Paul Dini, Tom Ruegger, Kevin Altieri, Alan Burnett, Stan Berkowitz, Dan Riba, Frank Paur, Eric Radomski, Brad Rader, and John Calmette.
One of my favorite parts of any comic con is the artist alley section, and the names that are showing up include such legends as Greg Capullo, Joe Quesada, David Mack, Simon Bisley, Mitch Gerads, Mark Brooks, Stephen Platt, Bill Morrison, and so many more!
Full press releases are below with schedule highlights, and more info on the massive guest list!
June 26-28: FAN EXPO Anaheim: Special Edition Brings Ultimate Pop Culture Weekend to Southern California with Icons from Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, Hollywood, Comic Books and More
Programming Announced with New Mark Hamill Stage Session, Cast Reunions, Legendary Panel Team-ups, Fan Community and Family Fun
- The Lord of the Rings actors Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan together with fans for An Evening with the Hobbits: In Celebration of 25 Years on Sun., June 28; castmate John Rhys-Davies (“Gimli”) will also appear to meet fans Friday – Sunday.
- Star Wars fans will find an exceptional gathering of talent from across the galaxy of film, TV, animation and gaming, including Mark Hamill (on stage Friday and greeting fans all weekend), Brian Blessed in his first and only U.S. convention appearance, Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad, The Mandalorian, Captain America: Brave New World), Ahmed Best (“Jar Jar Binks”), Omid Abtahi, Lateef Crowder and Brendan Wayne (The Mandalorian), as well as voices of animated favorites including Ashley Eckstein (Her Universe founder, “Ahsoka Tano”), Matt Lanter (“Anakin Skywalker”), James Arnold Taylor (“Obi-Wan Kenobi”), Sam Witwer (“Darth Maul”), Jim Cummings, and more!
- Comic book, animation, and storytelling fans will can meet acclaimed creators behind some of the most influential franchises in popular culture. Among those appearing are Paul Dini, the Emmy Award-winning writer and producer known for Batman: The Animated Series and the co-creation of Harley Quinn, along with celebrated animation veterans Tom Ruegger, Kevin Altieri, Alan Burnett, Stan Berkowitz, Dan Riba, Frank Paur, Eric Radomski, Brad Rader, John Calmette, and other creators whose work has shaped generations of fandom.
- Ultimate cast reunions will include Naruto with Maile Flanagan, the voice of “Naruto Uzumaki,” alongside fellow cast members who helped bring the long-running anime phenomenon to life, as well as cult-favorite animation show casts of Regular Show and Invader ZIM, celebrating 25years.
- Animation, anime and gaming fans can meet the voices behind some of the most beloved franchises in pop culture – from hit cartoons of the 80’s and 90’s (including legendary voice actors Peter Cullen and Frank Welker, whose iconic rivals “Optimus Prime” and “Megatron” anchored the animated Transformers universe) to anime favorites including One Piece, My Hero Academia, Dragon Ball, Demon Slayer and Sailor Moon, to gaming including Resident Evil’s Nick Apostolides and popular franchises like Sonic The Hedgehog, Star Wars, Marvel Rivals, Call of Duty, and more.
- Television fans can celebrate generations of iconic programming. Supernatural stars reunite including Jared Padalecki (also beloved by audiences for his Gilmore Girls role as “Dean Forester”), Mark Pellegrino, Ruth Connell and Jim Beaver, alongside fan-favorite actor Timothy Omundson (also of Psych, with Maggie Lawson joining); and welcoming Hocus Pocus stars Omri Katz and Vinessa Shaw; William Daniels (Boy Meets World, St. Elsewhere, Knight Rider); Catherine Bell (JAG, The Good Witch); Patricia Richardson and Richard Karn (Home Improvement).
- FULL GUEST LINEUP AVAILABLE HERE
ANAHEIM, Calif. (June 16, 2026) – Stars, stories, and fandom collide this month when FAN EXPO Anaheim: Special Edition takes over the Anaheim Convention Center from June 26–28, 2026. With something epic in store for any pop culture aficionado, fans have two opportunities to see Star Wars icon Mark Hamill on stage, can spend an evening with Hobbits, and meet favorites across popular film, TV, gaming, animation, anime, and comic universes.
FAN EXPO HQ, the largest producer of comic con events in the world, is bringing its signature experience that connects fans to pop culture and each other to Southern California for the first time. From Middle-earth to a Galaxy far, far away, the FAN EXPO Anaheim: Special Edition lineup offers an action-packed weekend for fans of all types and all ages. With so much to see and experience, check the OFFICIAL SCHEDULE* for a full day-by-day listing. Highlights include:
FRIDAY, JUNE 26 HIGHLIGHTS
- Mark Hamill Liveheadliner stage talk(7 p.m.)
- Voices of Video Gaming: Legends behind the Controller (6 p.m.) & Resident Evil: Voices from Racoon City (7 p.m.): Hear from legendary voices who’ve shaped favorite video games, and the voices behind Resident Evil’s most iconic characters: Nick Apostolides (“Leon S. Kennedy”), Delanie Nicole Gill and Eden Riegel.
- Pop Culture Trivia with Toonuki Lab(8:30 p.m. at The Poppy at The Hilton Anaheim):Free for all FAN EXPO Anaheim and Vidcon attendees, test your pop culture knowledge along with other attendees in this interactive after-hours meetup!
SATURDAY, JUNE 27 HIGHLIGHTS
- The Villains of Batman the Animated Seriespanel with Mark Hamill (“The Joker”), Paul Williams (“The Penguin”), and legendary writer Paul Dini (5 p.m.)
- Supernatural: Hunters, Angels and Legends (3 p.m.): Cast favorites reunite onstage to celebrate the legendary series and relive favorite memories.
- Believe It! The Naruto Voice Actor Q&A (3 p.m.): This moderated Q&A features one of the largest gatherings ever of the voices behind the beloved anime franchise, including the voice of “Naruto Uzamaki,” Maile Flanagan.
- Star Wars Live Action: From the Set to the Galaxy (Noon): Behind-the-scenes stories from the prequels, The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, The Acolyte, and more!
- Voices of Your Favorite Saturday Cartoons (11 a.m.): Hear stories from voice actors who defined an era, from classic shows like He-Man, She-Ra, Transformers, G.I. Joe, Smurfs, and more.
- Creator Xplosion (doors at 6 p.m. outside the Anaheim Convention Center): A one-night crossover event from FAN EXPO Anaheim and VidCon packed with live art, creator energy, and fandom fun. Comic creators and digital artists go head-to-head in unforgettable rounds of live art while incredible hosts keep the party going. See the lineup of creators and comic artists HERE. Access is included with any FAN EXPO Anaheim and VidCon badge.
SUNDAY, JUNE 28 HIGHLIGHTS
- An Evening with the Hobbits: In Celebration of 25 Years (4 p.m.): Part variety show, part storytelling session celebrating a quarter-century of The Lord of the Rings, Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, and Dominic Monaghan reunite for a lively mix of behind-the-scenes memories, on-stage antics, heartfelt reflections, and plenty of laughs.
- An Unforgettable Conversation with John Rhys-Davies(3 p.m.): Castmate John Rhys-Davies (“Gimli”) shares behind-the-scenes stories from his roles in The Lord of the Rings and the Indiana Jones franchise.
- Panel of Doom! Invader Zim 25TH Anniversary Q&A (1 p.m.): This moderated Q&A and cast reunion will look back at the moments and memories that made the animated Nickelodeon show a cult classic, with Richard Horvitz “Zim,” Rikki Simons “Gir,” Melissa Fahn “Gaz,” Wally Wingert “Tallest Red,” writer Eric Trueheart and creator Jhonen Vasquez.
DAILY JUNE 26-28 (CHECK SCHEDULE FOR DAYS/TIMES)
- Ultimate cast reunions and pairings abound, including the stars of Supernatural, Naruto, the Star Wars franchise, Invader Zim, Regular Show, Psych, Hocus Pocus, Resident Evil, and much more.
- Meet nostalgia film and TV stars including Sean Astin and Corey Feldman (The Goonies); Jared Padalecki (Gilmore Girls, Supernatural); John de Lancie, Todd Stashwick and Denise Crosby (Star Trek), Richard Karn and Patricia Richardson (Home Improvement), Sam Jones and Brian Blessed (Flash Gordon) and animated favorites like the voices of “She-Ra,” “Skeletor” from He-Man and “Optimus Prime” and “Megatron” from Transformers, and many others from Star Wars, Batman: The Animated Series and more.
- See the stars of Star Wars including Mark Hamill, Brian Blessed in his first and only U.S. convention appearance, Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad, The Mandalorian, Captain America: Brave New World), Ahmed Best (“Jar Jar Binks”), Omid Abtahi, Lateef Crowder and Brendan Wayne (The Mandalorian), as well as voices of animated favorites including Ashley Eckstein (Her Universe founder, “Ahsoka Tano”), Matt Lanter (“Anakin Skywalker”), James Arnold Taylor (“Obi-Wan Kenobi”), Sam Witwer (“Darth Maul”), Jim Cummings, and more!
- Find unique photo ops and meet and greets like Peggy the Dog (“Dogpool”), Disney influencer TheDapperDanielle (FREE autographs and book signings), legendary comic creators, and more!
- Check out interactive activities in the Community Zone like lightsaber training, free video gaming, Dungeons & Dragons play, minifigure painting, Cosplay Bingo, and more!
- Fans star on the Cosplay Red Carpet (look for themed meetups throughout each day)!
- Stroll Artist Alley for custom art and collectibles to bring home, and watch comic artists face off for Sketch Duels, friendly high-energy art battles where fans have a chance to win the art!
- A perfect family weekend destination, check out the Kids Cosplay Red Carpet (Sat.), Superhero Storytime, ghost busting, lightsaber training, D&D play, video gaming, a Millenium Falcon-themed inflatable, create a superhero mask, and take home memories with character photo opps including The Mandalorian’s “Din” and “Grogu”!
TICKETS & SCHEDULE
Single-day adult tickets start at $45; 3-day passes, child and family passes, and VIP packages are available at www.fanexpoanaheim.com. Tickets are also available for guaranteed seating at featured stage experiences.
There’s so much more to see and do – the latest schedule is available at: https://fanexpohq.com/fanexpoanaheim/our-schedule/.
*Schedule is subject to change. Check online or download the app for the latest. Please note that meet and greets and guaranteed seats at some panels may require a separate ticket.
FAN EXPO Anaheim: Special Edition runs June 26-28, 2026, at the Anaheim Convention Center (800 W. Katella Ave.). Show hours are Friday 3 – 8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., with a Special Preview on Friday at 1 p.m. for VIP, Ultimate, and 3-Day pass holders who purchase in advance.
Fans can visit www.fanexpoanaheim.com or download the free FAN EXPO Anaheim mobile app for the latest schedule, updates, and guest announcements, and follow on Instagram, Facebook, and X at @FANEXPOAnaheim.
