Momoa Cancels; ‘Jurassic Park,’ ‘Police Academy’ Stars To Make First Wizard World Appearance as Combs, Krause, Acker, Caulfield, Page, Grieco, Shepard Also Added For 22nd Annual Event At Donald E. Stephens Convention Center
ROSEMONT, Ill., August 12, 2019 – The trio of Jeff Goldblum, whose starring roles have come in blockbuster films like Jurassic Park, Independence Day, The Fly and many others; Zachary Levi (Shazam, “Chuck”); and Steve Guttenberg (Police Academy franchise, Cocoon) are among numerous superstar additions to the celebrity roster at next week’s Wizard World Chicago. For Goldblum and Guttenberg, the appearances will mark their first at Wizard World at the 22nd annual event, set for August 22-25 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center. Also, due to unforeseen personal circumstances, Jason Momoa will no longer attend the event. In addition to those three headliners, several other stars have been added to the field, including the “Charmed” duo of Holly Marie Combs and Brian Krause, Richard Greico (“21 Jump Street,” “Gargoyles”), the “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” twosome of Amy Acker and Emma Caulfield, Ken Page (The Nightmare Before Christmas, All Dogs Go to Heaven) and Mark Sheppard (“Supernatural,” “Battlestar Galactica”). Goldblum will appear on Saturday, August 24, only; Guttenberg will attend on Friday, August 23; Levi and Acker are scheduled for Thursday and Friday; Combs, Page and Sheppard will appear on Saturday and Sunday; Krause, Caulfield and Greico will attend on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Goldblum’s career, which began with small roles in popular and acclaimed films Death Wish, Nashville and Annie Hall in the 1970s, got a big boost with roles in The Big Chill, Silverado and The Fly. He reached superstardom with leads in Independence Day and Jurassic Park and sequel The Lost World: Jurassic Park. He appeared in additional sequels to both films and also joined the cast of the long-running TV drama “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” in 2009 and had a recurring role in the offbeat comedy “Portlandia.” The Pittsburgh native later co-starred with Harrison Ford and Diane Keaton in Morning Glory. Levi, the newest superhero in the DC Universe with this year's Shazam, first gained wide popularity in the title role of the NBC series "Chuck." He has also earned acclaim for his role in Amazon Studios' "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" along with credits in Thor: The Dark World, Alvin & The Chipmunks: The Squeaquel and Tangled. Guttenberg started in the hugely successful Police Academy film series, in addition to leads in Cocoon, Short Circuit, 3 Men and a Baby and many other popular film titles. He's had recurring roles on "Ballers," "The Goldbergs" and "Veronica Mars" television series. The new additions join a standout roster at Wizard World Chicago which already includes “Gotham” stars Ben McKenzie, Morena Baccarin and Drew Powell, Cary Elwes (The Princess Bride, “Stranger Things”), Henry Winkler (“Happy Days,” “Barry”), Chris Sarandon (The Princess Bride, The Nightmare Before Christmas),Daniel Cudmore (X-Men, The Twilight Saga), George Wendt (“Cheers”), Melissa Joan Hart (“Sabrina, the Teenage Witch,” “Melissa and Joey”), Katrina Law (“Arrow,” “Spartacus: Blood and Sand”), David Giuntoli (“Grimm,” “A Million Little Things”) and many others.
Wizard World Chicago will also feature the world’s greatest comics writers and creators, as well as non-stop live entertainment hosted by Kato Kaelin, gaming, exclusive Q&A sessions with top celebrities, world-class panel programming and more. Details to follow soon, along with programming and entertainment stage schedules. Wizard World events bring together thousands of fans of all ages to celebrate the best in pop culture: movies, television, gaming, live entertainment, comics, sci-fi, graphic novels, toys, original art, collectibles, contests and more. The eighth event scheduled on the 2019 Wizard World calendar, Chicago show hours are Thursday, August 22, 4-9 p.m.; Friday, August 23, noon-7 p.m.; Saturday, August 24, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday, August 25, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Kids 10 and under are admitted free with paid adult.
Wizard World Chicago is also the place for cosplay, with fans young and old showing off their best costumes throughout the event. Fans dressed as every imaginable character – and some never before dreamed – will roam the convention floor and participate in the famed Wizard World Costume Contest on Saturday evening. About Wizard Entertainment, Inc. (OTCBB: WIZD) Wizard Entertainment, Inc. (www.wizardworld.com) produces comic, gaming and pop culture conventions across North America that celebrate the best in pop culture: movies, television, gaming, live entertainment, tech, comics, sci-fi, graphic novels, toys, original art, collectibles, contests and more. A first-class lineup of topical programming and entertainment takes place at each event, with celebrity Q&A's, comics-themed sessions, costume contests, movie screenings, evening parties and more. Wizard Entertainment has also teamed with Sony Pictures Entertainment to find the next generation of movies as well as to engage in a number of strategic initiatives. Additional initiatives may include an augmented touring schedule of Wizard World shows, fixed-site installations, curated e-commerce, and the production and distribution of content both in the U.S. and internationally. Fans can interact with Wizard Entertainment at www.wizardworld.com and on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and other social media services. The 2019 Wizard World convention schedule is available at: http://www.wizardworld.com/comiccon.
