20 Stars We’re Excited To See At Fan Expo Chicago

Summary

• Fan Expo Chicago 2024 will showcase stars from top pop culture properties like the MCU,
  Star Wars
  , and
  Scream
  .
• Screen Rant
  is hosting panels for Disney franchises at Fan Expo Chicago 2024, including the MCU and
  Star Wars
  .
• The actor lineup for Fan Expo Chicago 2024 includes Mark Hamill, Rosario Dawson, Sean Gunn, and many more.

Fan Expo Chicago 2024, following other conventions earlier this year, is set to feature an all-star roster of stars from the biggest properties in pop culture. Fan Expo Chicago is a major event for the industry, attracting fans every year for a chance to meet their favorite celebrities and learn the latest news about their favorite movies, TV shows, and more. This year’s event is set to highlight legends like Mark Hamill and Linda Hamilton, alongside various other stars from Star Wars, Terminator, the MCU, Scream, High School Musical, and more.

Those attending Fan Expo Chicago this year include some of the most exciting celebrities from Fan Expo Philadelphia 2024, who are up for another round of meeting fans and discussing their work. Screen Rant is hosting multiple Fan Expo Chicago 2024 panels, including those for the MCU, Star Wars, and Scream. These Disney franchises are among the main events at this year’s Fan Expo Chicago, with both the biggest legacy and newer stars appearing. However, some famous actors from classic sitcoms and adventure movies will also attend, reuniting with co-stars and fans.

All prices at Fan Expo Chicago 2024 are subject to change.

20 Mark Hamill

Known For Star Wars & Batman

Close

Mark Hamill is first and foremost the man behind the legend of Luke Skywalker, having brought the character to life across six movies. He is also known for his chilling voice performance as the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series, Batman Beyond, Justice League, Justice League Unlimited, and some other DC animated universe properties. Hamill also more recently voiced Art Rosebaum in Prime Video’s Invincible. While Hamill may not be directly involved in any upcoming Star Wars media, he is always a highlight when he appears to discuss the franchise with its current stars.

Days	Autograph Price	Autograph Premium Price	Autograph Premium Bulky Prince	Panel
Friday, August 16; Saturday, August 17; and Sunday, August 18	$400	$500	$700	“Mark Hamill Life” on August 16th at 8 pm in the Main Theater (Rooms 23-32)

Related The 10 Best Star Wars Things We Saw And Learned At D23

D23 2024 was full of exciting Star Wars news and exciting showcases. Here are the 10 of the biggest and best things Screen Rant saw and learned.

1

19 Rosario Dawson

Known For Ahsoka & Daredevil

Close

On the other hand, Rosario Dawson is a much newer addition to the Star Wars franchise, joining in recent years as the next step in her successful career. Dawson plays the live-action iteration of Anakin Skywalker’s apprentice Ahsoka Tano in Disney+’s Ahsoka and other TV shows. Appearing alongside some of her Ahsoka co-stars, fans will be eager to hear any hints Dawson has to offer about Ahsoka season 2. Dawson is also a veteran of the Netflix Marvel shows, including Daredevil, setting up another reunion to happen at Fan Expo Chicago.

Days	Autograph Price	Autograph Premium Price	Photo Op Price	Panel
Sunday, August 18	$125	$150	$150	“Becoming Ahsoka With Rosario Dawson” at 3:45 pm in the Main Theater (Rooms 23-32)

Ahsoka ActionDrama Sci-Fi Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

Not available

Not available

*Availability in US

Ahsoka is a Sci-Fi television series based in the Star Wars universe developed by Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni. Starring Rosario Dawson, this series follows Ahsoka Tano as she works with Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo), her trusty droid Huyang (David Tennant), and Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) to prevent the return of the villanious Grand Admiral Thrawn. Ahsoka acts as a live-action continuation of the animated series Star Wars: Rebels.

Cast Rosario Dawson , Natasha Liu Bordizzo , Hayden Christensen , Eman Esfandi , Ivanna Sakhno , Mary Elizabeth Winstead , Ray Stevenson , Genevieve O’Reilly , Lars Mikkelsen , Diana Lee Inosanto Release Date August 23, 2023 Seasons 1 Showrunner Dave Filoni

18 Alan Tudyk

Known For Star Wars & Firefly

Close

Comedy and sci-fi star Alan Tudyk has been a staple of the sci-fi genre since he joined the cast of the infamous, short-lived series Firefly. Since then, Tudyk has graced many movies and TV shows with his voice acting talents, before returning to sci-fi as the sarcastic reprogrammed Imperial droid K-2SO in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. With the recent confirmation at the D23 Expo that K-2SO will be returning in Andor season 2, Tudyk will likely be the target of many questions about his role in one of the best Star Wars TV shows.

Days	Autograph Price	Photo Op Price	Panel
Friday, August 16 and Saturday, August 17	$80	$100	“The Many Characters of Alan Tudyk” on August 17th at 12:45 pm in the Main Theater (Rooms 23-32)

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story 12+Action Sci-FiAdventure Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

Not available

Not available

*Availability in US

Set in the weeks leading up to Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story provides additional context for the Rebellion’s plan to destroy the Death Star. Rogue One follows Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) as she enlists the help of Rebel Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) to locate her father, Galen Erso (Mads Mikkelsen), after the Empire kidnaps him. 

Director Gareth Edwards Release Date December 13, 2016 Writers Tony Gilroy , Chris Weitz Cast Felicity Jones , Diego Luna , Ben Mendelsohn , Donnie Yen , Mads Mikkelsen , Alan Tudyk , Jiang Wen , Forest Whitaker Runtime 134 Minutes

17 Sean Gunn

Known For Guardians Of The Galaxy

Close

Sean Gunn is best known for playing the supporting Guardian of the Galaxy Kraglin in the main Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy (directed by his brother James Gunn), as well as other MCU tie-ins. With the trilogy having come to an end and the Guardians mostly going their separate ways, Gunn’s future in the MCU is unclear. He is also known for his role in The Suicide Squad, as well as some minor but iconic roles before that. For instance, he is beloved by the Gilmore Girls fandom for his recurring role as Stars Hollow resident Kirk Gleason.

Days	Autograph Price	Photo Op Price	Panel
Friday, August 16, and Saturday, August 17	$45	$60	“From Kirk to Kraglin: Spotlight on Sean Gunn” on August 17th at 12:45 pm in Theater #2 (Rooms 21-34)

16 Charlie Cox

Known For Daredevil

Close

Charlie Cox’s future in the MCU is more definitive, as he is set to return in Daredevil: Born Again next year. In the wake of Deadpool & Wolverine‘s take on bringing other superhero stars into the main universe, Cox’s role as Daredevil is an interesting topic. Cox is best known for leading Netflix’s Daredevil as Matt Murdock and has been making scattered appearances in the MCU in recent years in Spider-Man: No Way Home, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, and Echo. Cox is joining some other MCU stars at Fan Expo Chicago, but people may also remember him from his other roles in Stardust and The Theory of Everything.

Days	Autograph Price	Photo Op Price	Panel
Saturday, August 17	$100	$110	“Born Again: Meet Charlie Cox” at 2:45 pm in the Main Theater (Rooms 23-32)

15 Marisa Tomei

Known For Spider-Man & My Cousin Vinny

Close

Marisa Tomei is seemingly out of the MCU after her fantastic turn as Spider-Man’s aunt May Parker but was an A-lister in her own right before joining the franchise. Just as the MCU was lucky to have her, its stars are lucky to be representing the cinematic universe alongside her at Fan Expo Chicago. Tomei is also known for movies including My Cousin Vinny, The Wrestler, In the Bedroom, and What Women Want. She has also appeared in recent popular streaming movies and TV shows, including Upgraded and The Handmaid’s Tale.

Days	Autograph Price	Autograph Premium Price	Photo Op Price	Panel
Saturday, August 17, and Sunday, August 18	$100	$120	$120	“Meet Aunt May Parker: Spotlight on Marisa Tomei” on August 17th at 12:15 pm in Theater #2 (Rooms 21-34)

Related All 11 MCU Movies That Made Over $1 Billion At The Box Office

From The Avengers onwards, here’s every Marvel Cinematic Universe movie that made over $1 billion at the box office, and what is behind their success.

1

14 William Shatner

Known For Star Trek

Close

William Shatner has starred in more than 200 titles in his decades-long career — but of course, he is primarily known for originating the role of Captain Kirk. All these years later, people are still asking Shatner questions about his time working on the classic Star Trek TV shows and movies. He is the Star Trek counterpart who can match Hamill for his fame and status in the Star Wars fandom at this event. Shatner also has some new upcoming projects, including The Elevator and Keeper of the Cup, which some may be curious about.

Days	Autograph Price	Photo Op Price	Panel
Friday, August 16, and Saturday, August 17	$120	$145	“To Boldly Go: Spotlight on William Shatner” on August 17th at 11:45 pm in the Main Theater (Rooms 23-32)

Star Trek

Star Trek is one of pop culture’s biggest multimedia franchises, spanning multiple movies, TV shows, books, comics, video games, and various other media. The franchise was created by Gene Roddenberry and started with the 1960s TV series starring William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy. Over the decades, several equally popular series have come out since as Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Discovery.

Created by Gene Roddenberry First Episode Air Date September 8, 1966 TV Show(s) Star Trek: The Original Series , Star Trek: The Animated Series , Star Trek: The Next Generation , Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , Star Trek Voyager , Star Trek: Enterprise , Star Trek: Discovery , Star Trek: Short Treks , Star Trek: Picard , Star Trek Lower Decks , Star Trek: Prodigy , Star Trek: Strange New Worlds , Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Character(s) Captain James Kirk , Spock , Jean-Luc Picard , Captain Worf , Data , Nyota Uhura Expand

13 Kate Mulgrew

Known For Star Trek & Orange Is The New Black

Close

Kate Mulgrew is also a longtime Star Trek actor, having appeared in many of the franchise’s movies and TV shows. This includes the animated series Star Trek: Prodigy, the only Star Trek property made specifically for children. Mulgrew recently made an appearance at San Diego Comic-Con for an event related to this show. However, Mulgrew’s career has grown beyond Star Trek as she found another iconic role as Red in Netflix’s Orange Is the New Black. While Fan Expo Chicago is likely to focus on her tenure with Star Trek, her later career should not be ignored.

Days	Autograph Price	Photo Op Price	Panel
Saturday, August 17	$70	$80	“Kate Mulgrew: Commanding the Final Frontier” at 3:15 pm in Theater #2 (Rooms 21-34)

Orange is The New Black (2013) ComedyDramaCrime Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

Not available

Not available

*Availability in US

Based on the memoir by Piper Kerman, Orange Is the New Black follows Piper Champman (Taylor Schilling) after she turns herself in for a 15-month sentence in a minimum-security women’s prison for aiding in a drug-smuggling operation run by her ex-girlfriend Alex Vause (Laura Prepon). One of Netflix’s most popular original series, the show explores the corruption inherent in the US prison system through the lens of Piper’s experiences. 

Cast Taylor Schilling , Dascha Polanco , Natasha Lyonne , Samira Wiley , Kate Mulgrew , Danielle Brooks , Michael Harney , Uzo Aduba , Jason Biggs , Laura Prepon Release Date July 11, 2013 Seasons 7 Showrunner Jenji Kohan

12 Lucas Grabeel

Known For High School Musical

Close

High School Musical is still an iconic series for 2000s kids who grew up on Disney Channel, and Lucas Grabeel is one of its biggest stars. Grabeel is still most widely known for playing Julliard-bound choreographer Ryan Evans, the brother of school diva Sharpay Evans. Grabeel guest starred in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, which follows a new generation of aspiring teenage performers. Grabeel was also one of the main stars of the drama series Switched at Birth, playing the shared brother of the two main characters.

Days	Autograph Price	Photo Op Price
Friday, August 16; Saturday, August 17; and Sunday, August 18	$60	$80

11 Corbin Bleu

Known For High School Musical

Close

Grabeel’s High School Musical co-star Corbin Bleu is also making an appearance at Fan Expo Chicago, setting up a great reunion more than 15 years after their wild baseball musical number together in High School Musical 2. Bleu also appeared in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series while pursuing other acting opportunities. Before High School Musical, Bleu was a part of the beloved sci-fi flick Galaxy Quest. During their Disney Channel careers, both Bleu and Gabreel voiced supporting characters in Phineas and Ferb, starring Ashley Tisdale and could be called back for the show’s revival.

Days	Autograph Price	Photo Op Price
Friday, August 16; Saturday, August 17; and Sunday, August 18	$60	$80

High School Musical: The Musical: The Series DramaMusicalMockumentary Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

Not available

Not available

*Availability in US

Based on the film series of the same name, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series is a mockumentary-styled musical drama that follows a group of High School Students that prepare for a major stage production – the creation of “High School Musical 3: Senior Year.” However, those plans are thrown off the rails when the principal announces that Disney will be shooting “High School Musical 4: The Reunion” at their campus.

Cast Olivia Rodrigo , Joshua Bassett , Matt Cornett , Larry Saperstein , Sofia Wylie , Julia Lester , Dara Renee , Frankie Rodriguez Release Date November 8, 2019 Seasons 4 Showrunner Oliver Goldstick , Tim Federle

10 Cole Sprouse

Known For Riverdale & The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody

Close

The full history and variety of Cole Sprouse’s career may be surprising. His earliest days as a child actor included the significant role of playing Ross’ son Ben in Friends. Then he and his twin brother Dylan Sprouse became the twin stars of The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, followed by its spinoff The Suite Life on Deck and The Suite Life Movie. In recent years, Sprouse has been working on his individual career, namely finding more fame by playing Jughead Jones for Riverdale. He is also in Lisa Frankenstein and has some other upcoming projects.

Days	Autograph Price	Photo Op Price	Panel
Friday, August 16; Saturday, August 17; and Sunday, August 18	$60	$80	“The Suite Life of Cole Sprouse” on August 17th at 3:45 pm in the Main Theater (Rooms 23-32)

9 Skeet Ulrich

Known For Scream & The Craft

Close

In the 1990s, Skeet Ulrich landed the back-to-back roles of Billy Loomis in Scream and Chris Hooker in The Craft, becoming one of the most iconic twist villains of all time in the former and cementing his fame as the awful love interest in both. Ulrich’s characters are detestable in both movies, but he is doubtlessly good at playing them. He also played Jughead’s father FP Jones in Riverdale and appears in the new Scream movies. Ulrich is just one of many Scream actors turning up for Fan Expo Chicago this year.

Days	Autograph Price	Photo Op Price	Panel
Friday, August 16; Saturday, August 17; and Sunday, August 18	$60	$80	“Meet the Cast of Scream” on August 18th at 1:45 pm in the Main Theater (Rooms 23-32)

8 Laurie Metcalf

Known For Scream 2 & Lady Bird

Close

Another Scream actor making an appearance is Laurie Metcalf, although she only appears in the second movie of the franchise as Debbie Salt. However, Metcalf’s extensive career means that people will know her from plenty of other things if they haven’t seen this iconic horror movie. For Disney fans, Metcalf voiced Andy’s mom in all four Toy Story movies, as well as the mother of Jim Hawkins in Treasure Planet. She claims the recurring role of Sheldon’s mother Mary Cooper in The Big Bang Theory, but more importantly, earned an Oscar nomination for playing the mother of the title character in Lady Bird.

Days	Autograph Price	Photo Op Price	Panel
Saturday, August 17, and Sunday, August 18	$70	$60	“Meet the Cast of Scream” on August 18th at 1:45 pm in the Main Theater (Rooms 23-32)

7 Holly Marie Combs

Known For Charmed & Pretty Little Liars

Close

Holly Marie Combs is one of the leading ladies of the classic witches fantasy series Charmed; however, she also got back into pop culture geared at a younger audience when she took on the role of Aria’s mother Ella Montgomery in Pretty Little Liars. She also starred alongside Tom Cruise in Born on the Fourth of July and in the TV show Picket Fences in the 1990s, while appearing in Grey’s Anatomy more recently. Yet it is safe to say that most of Combs’ following still comes from Charmed‘s fanbase, ever nostalgic about her time as Piper Halliwell.

Days	Autograph Price	Photo Op Price	Panel
Friday, August 16; Saturday, August 17; and Sunday, August 18	$60	$60	“Charmed: A Memorial to Shannen Doherty” on August 18th at 11 am in Theater #2 (Rooms 21-34)

Charmed FantasyDramaMystery Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

Not available

Not available

*Availability in US

Charmed follows the lives of three sisters, who after the tragic death of their mother, discover they are powerful witches. The original series ran for eight seasons between 1998 and 2006 and starred Holly Marie Combs, Alyssa Milano, and Rose McGowan. In 2018, a reboot of the series premiered on The CW and lasted for four seasons. 

Cast Holly Marie Combs , Alyssa Milano , Rose McGowan Release Date October 7, 1998 Seasons 8 Showrunner Brad Kern

6 Wayne Knight

Known For Seinfeld & Jurassic Park

Close

Jerry may have been Seinfeld‘s real villain, not Newman — and maybe the actor Wayne Knight can weigh in on this. Knight is still famous for his recurring Seinfeld role as the mailman whom Jerry hates with a passion. Knight is also known for his role as Dennis Nedry in Jurassic Park, whose self-serving actions have dire consequences for the rest of the cast, while he is killed off by a dinosaur. The other Seinfeld actors who will be joining Knight at Fan Expo Chicago are Patrick Warburton, Phil Morris, and Larry Thomas.

Days	Autograph Price	Autograph Premium Price	Photo Op Price
Friday, August 16; Saturday, August 17; and Sunday, August 18	$60	$70	$80

Seinfeld Comedy Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

Not available

Not available

*Availability in US

Seinfeld stars Jerry Seinfeld as a stand-up comedian whose life in New York City is made even more chaotic by his quirky group of friends who join him in wrestling with life’s most perplexing yet often trivial questions. Often described as “a show about nothing,” Seinfeld mines the humor in life’s mundane situations like waiting in line, searching for a lost item, or the trials and tribulations of dating. Co-starring is Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Jerry’s ex-girlfriend and current platonic pal, Elaine Benes; Jason Alexander as George Costanza, Jerry’s neurotic hard-luck best friend; and Michael Richards as Jerry’s eccentric neighbor, Kramer.

Cast Jerry Seinfeld , Julia Louis-Dreyfus , Jason Alexander , Michael Richards Release Date July 5, 1989 Seasons 9 Showrunner Larry David

5 Mario Lopez

Known For Saved By The Bell

Close

Mario Lopez and his Saved by the Bell co-star Elizabeth Berkley are conducting their own panel pertaining to the classic show. Lopez led Saved by the Bell as well as Saved by the Bell: The College Years playing A.C. Slater in the early 1990s. After those two shows, he starred in the police drama Pacific Blue as Officer Bobby Cruz. He also returned for Saved by the Bell‘s short-lived reboot in 2020. It is a proven example of how some reboots simply don’t pan out, but fans will always be pleased to discuss the original with Lopez and any of his co-stars.

Days	Autograph Price	Photo Op Price	Panel
Saturday, August 17, and Sunday, August 18	$50	$60	“Saved by the Bell with Mario Lopez and Elizabeth Berkley” on August 17th at 11:15 am in Theater #2 (Rooms 21-34)

Saved By the Bell Comedy

An iconic sitcom of the early 90s, Saved By The Bell follows six students (Zack Morris, Kelly Kapowski, A.C. Slater, Jessie Spano, Samuel “Screech” Powers, Lisa Turtle) and their years at Bayside High School in Palisades, California.

Cast Tiffani-Amber Thiessen , Mario Lopez , Mark-Paul Gosselaar , Lark Voorhies , Dustin Diamond , Elizabeth Berkley , Ed Alonzo , Dennis Haskins Release Date August 20, 1989 Seasons 4 Writers Dustin Diamond See at AmazonSee at Walmart

4 Ella Purnell

Known For Fallout & Arcane

Close

Ella Purnell is one of the biggest rising stars in TV. Fallout is the latest of the many TV shows based on video games and is confirmed for a second season. Yellowjackets is a harrowing survivalist tale about a group of teenage girls stranded in the wilderness, demonstrating Purnell’s versatility. However, no one can forget that Purnell is also the voice of the chaotic criminal Jinx in Arcane, returning for season 2 later this year. Arcane season 2 is one topic Purnell will likely end up discussing at Fan Expo Chicago, but her other shows are also making her the center of attention.

Days	Autograph Price	Autograph Premium Price	Photo Op Price	Panel
Saturday, August 17, and Sunday, August 18	$100	$120	$120	“From Wilderness to Wasteland It’s Ella Purnell” on August 18th at 11:45 am in the Main Theater (Rooms 23-32)

3 Michael Biehn

Known For Terminator & Aliens

Close

Sci-fi and action icon Michael Biehn is technically another Star Wars actor coming to Fan Expo Chicago, as he plays a small role in The Mandalorian. However, Biehn is mostly known for his hugely famous sci-fi adventure movies from the 1980s and 1990s. Biehn was launched to fame in the mid-1980s when The Terminator and Aliens came out back-to-back. His role in The Terminator franchise is a strange one, as he is foundational to the story but only appears in one movie. After its success, he was cast for the follow-up to the massively successful space horror Alien.

Days	Autograph Price	Autograph Premium Price	Photo Op Price	Panel
Friday, August 16; Saturday, August 17; and Sunday, August 18	$80	$100	$90	“Terminator Legacy: A Conversation With the Cast” on August 17th at 4:45 pm in the Main Theater (Rooms 23-32)

Related 10 Terminator Movie Characters Who Can Appear In Netflix’s New Show

Terminator movie characters including Sarah and John Connor, the T-800, and others could play large roles or make cameos in Netflix’s Terminator Zero.

2 Linda Hamilton

Known For Terminator & Dante’s Peak

Close

Action legend Linda Hamilton is teaming up with both Biehn and Edward Furlong for some Terminator features at Fan Expo Chicago. None of Hamilton’s roles are as iconic as Sarah Connor, the average waitress who becomes a revolutionary upon learning of humanity’s bleak future. After starring in the groundbreaking first two movies, Hamilton took a break from Terminator until 2019’s comparatively well-received Terminator: Dark Fate. Hamilton may not be returning for future Terminator movies, but there is still plenty to talk about with the soon-to-be-released anime series Terminator Zero.

Day	Autograph Price	Photo Op Price	Panel
Saturday, August 17	$80	$90	“Terminator Legacy: A Conversation With the Cast” at 4:45 pm in the Main Theater (Rooms 23-32)

1 Giancarlo Esposito

Known For Breaking Bad & The Mandalorian

Close

Giancarlo Esposito is doubtlessly one of the most skilled villain actors in the business, making his performance in Captain America: Brave New World one of the biggest things to look forward to in the future of the MCU. Esposito is everywhere in Hollywood’s biggest properties, following up his iconic performance in Breaking Bad with roles in The Boys, The Mandalorian, and MaXXXine. Yet Esposito has several more upcoming projects for his fans to wonder about. He is certainly one of the busiest and most exciting stars who will be coming to Fan Expo Chicago 2024.

Days	Autograph Price	Photo Op Price
Friday, August 16; Saturday, August 17; and Sunday, August 18	$80	$90

Fan Expo

Fan Expo is a series of conventions held throughout the United States and Canada. At each convention, celebrities meet their fans, participate in panels, and pose for photo ops. Whether you’re a fan of movies, TV shows, comics, video games, or anything else pop culture, Fan Expo has you covered.

Location Toronto, San Francisco, Orlando, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Portland, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton Website

https://fanexpohq.com/home/