So much spooky. The Greatest American Hero and FSCW will also be at Nightmare Weekend in Miami
It’s October, and you know what that means.
Time to get your spooky on.
To ingress the spirit of Halloween, GalaxyCon, the largest independently owned consumer fan engagement company which started Florida Supercon, debuts Nightmare Weekend Oct. 18-20 at the Miami Airport Convention Center.
Dress in your favorite spooky-inspired gear, while meeting some interesting personas from the horror movie, TV, cosplay and anime world.
That cast of characters includes television, theater and movie star William Katt.
He landed his first major movie role in “Carrie,” along with Sissy Spacek, Amy Irving, Piper Laurie, Nancy Allen and John Travolta. That cult thriller was the first movie adaptation from a novel written by legendary author Stephen King.
Katt is also noted for his starring role in the hit TV series “The Greatest American Hero.”
How about this. Katt nearly landed the role of Luke Skywalker in the movie “Star Wars,” but George Lucas chose Mark Hamill instead.
My audio interview with William Katt as he discusses Nightmare Weekend Miami, Halloween, “Carrie”, “The Greatest American Hero,” Stephen J. Cannell, the superhero suit, “Star Wars,” “Seinfeld” and more.
FYI, Katt did co-star in “House,” a 1985 American comedy horror film directed by Steve Miner, with a screenplay by Ethan Wiley, from an original story written by Fred Dekker. Produced by Sean S. Cunningham, the film is the first installment in the “House” film series and also starred Richard Moll (Bull on “Night Court”), Kay Lenz and George Wendt (“Cheers”).
Wendt, whose iconic TV character Norm in the hit TV series “Cheers,” was also participating in Nightmare Weekend Miami, but recently had to cancel. Cunningham will be there.
As for Stephen J. Cannell’s “The Greatest American Hero,” Katt starred with movie and TV superstar Robert Culp, Connie Sellecca and Michael Pare. The theme song for that TV series, “Believe It or Not,” composed by legendary TV show theme music writer Mike Post and Stephen Geyer (lyrics) and sung by Joey Scarbury, became a No.2 smash hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
During an episode of “Seinfeld,” Jason Alexander’s character George Costanza leaves a voice message on his answering machine, with his own version of “Believe It or Not.”
More about Nightmare Weekend Miami
GalaxyCon, the largest independently owned consumer fan engagement company, is excited to announce that Nightmare Weekend will launch in Miami just in time for Halloween, bringing an eerie chill to the city October 18-20 at the Miami Airport Convention Center.
The convention marks a triumphant return to The Magic City for GalaxyCon’s founder Mike Broder, who previously launched and ran the city’s beloved Florida Supercon. GalaxyCon’s parent company is based in nearby Fort Lauderdale, and it has always been a goal of Broder’s to bring events back to South Florida, after an absence of his company’s fan cons the past five years.
“South Florida’s vibrant culture and energetic atmosphere make it the perfect setting for Nightmare Weekend. This event is more than just a Halloween or horror gathering; it’s an immersive experience that taps into the pulse of the area,” said Mike Broder, founder and president of GalaxyCon. “Returning to South Florida after years away is a homecoming for GalaxyCon, and we’re excited to bring our fans back to where it all began”
Over three exhilarating days, Nightmare Weekend will challenge you with a terrifying lineup of frightful celebrities, after-dark programming, sinister vendors, and ominous cosplay competitions. Immerse yourself in more than 100 hours of horror-themed programming, including Q&A sessions, live performances, fan panels, screenings,video gaming, tabletop gaming, tattooing, and more. Whether you’re a die-hard horror enthusiast or just love the excitement of the scare, this event promises spine-tingling fun for all.
Fantasy Super Cosplay Wrestling (FSCW), the Galaxy’s No.1 cosplay wrestling organization, also invades Miami for three nightmarish shows. They will also conduct an intro to pro wrestling seminar. FSCW combines pro wrestling with cosplay with actual pro wrestlers, like WWE Hall of Famer D’Von Dudley, AEW star Darby Allin and AEW alum The Librarian/Leva Bates.
The party continues into the early morning hours Friday and Saturday night with After Dark Cosplay Competition, Cosplay Cabaret, Karaoke, Dance Parties, and more.
A special ribbon-cutting ceremony will officially open the event on October 18 at 2 p.m., attended by celebrities, local officials and fans. This ceremony will symbolize the start of an exciting weekend in Miami.
Nightmare Weekend marks GalaxyCon’s ongoing commitment to creating fan-centered experiences in major cities, and Miami is poised to be the perfect home for its horror-fueled extravaganza.
Some of this year’s Nightmare Weekend celebrity guests include:
Matt Ryan: John Constantine (Constantine/Arrow), Gwyn Davies (Legends of Tomorrow), Edward Kenway (Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag)
Damien Leone: Writer/Director (Terrifier, Terrifier 2, Terrifier 3, All Hallows’ Eve)
David Howard Thornton: Art the Clown (Terrifier), The Joker (Nightwing: Escalation), The Mean One (The Mean One)
Amelie McLain: Young Victoria (Terrifier 2), Appeared in (Day by Day), (The Old Man Club)
Ted Raimi: Henrietta (Evil Dead II, Ash vs. Evil Dead), Ted Hoffman (Spider-Man Trilogy) Joxer (Xena: Warrior Princess)
Lauren LaVera: Sienna Shaw (Terrifier 2, Terrifier 3), Lisa Gray (The Well), Alessa (The Fetus)
Darby Allin: AEW pro wrestling superstar
Andrew Divoff: Djinn (Wishmaster), Mikhail Bakunin (Lost), Cherry Ganz (Another 48 Hrs.)
William Katt: Ralph Hinkley (The Greatest American Hero), Tommy Ross (Carrie), Paul Drake Jr. (Perry Mason TV Movies), Roger Cobb (House)
Robert Brian Wilson: Billy Chapman (Silent Night, Deadly Night), Matt (The Great American Hero), Tom Logan (Santa Barbara)
Vinessa Shaw: Allison (Hocus Pocus), Domino (Eyes Wide Shut), Polly (The Hills Have Eyes)
Omri Katz: Max (Hocus Pocus), John Ross Ewing III (Dallas), Marshall Teller (Eerie, Indiana)
Robert Kurtzman: Director (Wishmaster), Writer/Co-Producer (From Dusk Till Dawn), Writer/Director (The Rage)
Brad Loree: Michael Myers (Halloween: Resurrection), Stunts (X2: X-Men United), Security Guard (Freddy vs. Jason)
Maggie Robertson: Lady Dimitrescu (Resident Evil Village), Orva (God of War: Ragnarok), Voice of Evelyn (Evelyn)
Clint Howard: Gregory Tudor (Ice Cream Man), Stanley Coopersmith (Evilspeak), Mr. Baggy Britches (3 from Hell), The Taxidermist (The Funhouse Massacre), Todd Carlson (Sand Castles), Flynn (Far and Away), Paco (The Waterboy), Slinky (Tango & Cash), Mark Wedloe (Gentle Ben), Eustice (The Old Way), Hughie (Apple Seed); brother of actor/director Ron Howard.
If you go:
What: Nightmare Weekend
When: Oct. 18-20
Where: Miami Airport Convention Center, 711 NW 72nd Ave., Miami
Info: 954-231-0574
Cost: Tickets range from $35-$250
Kids are free with a paid adult. (Up to three kids per adult).
Click: https://galaxycon.com/pages/nightmare-weekend-miami
Special Relief Efforts for Vendors and Attendees
GalaxyCon understands the challenges many exhibitors and attendees face after the recent hurricanes in Florida. That’s why it’s offering 50% off vendor space and tickets for those who had tickets or vendor spaces at any conventions canceled due to Hurricane Milton. This is GalaxyCon’s way of helping the convention community get back on its feet.
Support for Hurricane Relief
As part of GalaxyCon’s relief efforts, a percentage of proceeds from the event will be donated to The Florida Humane Society and Feeding Tampa Bay, ensuring that those impacted by the storm receive critical assistance.
Anyone who shows proof of donating $5 or more to either The Florida Humane Society or Feeding Tampa Bay will receive a 20% discount on Nightmare Weekend merchandise.
GalaxyCon is also hosting a charity auction on Sunday, where 100% of the proceeds will go directly to The Florida Humane Society and Feeding Tampa Bay
This story was originally published October 14, 2024 at 6:11 PM.
