Ivan Reitman, who directed and produced some of the most iconic films of the past four decades, including the mega-hits Ghostbusters, Animal House, Stripes, and Dave, will make his first Wizard World appearance in special sessions on Saturday, August 25 at Wizard World Comic Con Chicago at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center. Reitman, whose dozens of blockbuster credits also include National Lampoon’s Animal House, Stripes, Kindergarten Cop, Space Jam, Heavy Metal, Old School, Road Trip, Disturbia, Up in the Air and many others, will sign free autographs for fans during his Wizard World Comic Con Chicago visit, pose for photo ops and conduct an interactive Q&A with Ghostbusters star Ernie Hudson.
After success in stage productions in Toronto and on Broadway in the 1970s, Reitman rose to prominence with the release of classic comedies Animal House (1978), Meatballs (1979) and Stripes (1981). In addition to Ghostbusters (1984) and the sequel Ghostbusters 2 (1989), a string of huge hits which he directed and produced followed over the next two decades, including Legal Eagles (1986), Twins (1988), Kindergarten Cop (1990), Dave (1993), Space Jam (1996), Private Parts (1997) and more. Then after a series of other hits, he produced Up in the Air in 2009, which earned multiple Academy Award® nominations and the comedy I Love You, Man. He more recently directed the sports drama Draft Day (2014).
Reitman’s appearance at Wizard World Comic Con Chicago is part of the lead-up to the 35th anniversary Ghostbusters Fan Fest presented by Wizard World, June 8-9, 2019, at Ghost Corps headquarters on the famed Sony Pictures Studio Lot in Culver City, Calif. Wizard World Comic Con Chicago will also feature a variety of Ghostbusters-themed programming and exhibitors; details to be announced.
John D. Maatta, CEO of Wizard World stated: “It is a thrill and an honor to have Ivan Reitman with us at Wizard World, Chicago. Mr. Reitman has been at the epicenter of the American pop-culture zeitgeist (and poltergeist) for a generation and has entertained a multitude of fans with his iconic works. We are proud to have Ivan Reitman with us in Chicago and to be working with him to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Ghostbusters next Summer”.
Reitman joins a standout roster of celebrities scheduled to attend Wizard World Comic Con Chicago, including Hudson, Tom Welling (“Smallville,” “Lucifer”), Ian Somerhalder (“The Vampire Diaries”), “The X-Files” headliners Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny, six stars of the cast of “Outlander” (Caitriona Balfe, Graham McTavish, Lotte Verbeek, Richard Rankin, Sophie Skelton), Guardians of the Galaxy standouts Michael Rooker and Pom Klementieff, the “Boy Meets World” foursome of Ben Savage, Danielle Fishel, Will Friedle and Rider Strong, David Krumholz (“Firefly,” Serenity), Christy Carlson Romano (“Kim Possible”) and many others.
Wizard World Comic Con 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 10th event scheduled on the 2018 Wizard World calendar, Chicago show hours are Thursday, August 23, 4-9 p.m.; Friday, August 24, noon-7 p.m.; Saturday, August 25, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday, August 26, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Kids 10 and under are admitted free with paid adult.
The 20th Anniversary Wizard World Comic Con Chicago (first held in 1998) 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.
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