WonderCon 2026: Full Schedule

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11:00am PDT

4th Annual Scene Breakdown: Behind the Camera of Film and TV Shows

Saturday March 28, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT

Directors, editors, producers, composers, writers, and other industry experts share insights into their craft and break down memorable scenes from iconic film and television projects, exploring how they bring stories to life. Panelists include producer/actor Edgar Damatian, director Gedaly Guberek, creator/showrunner James McNamara (The Artful Dodger), film director/producer/CEO Kelley Kali, cinematographer Wesley Cardino, and composer Kenny Wood (Nobody Wants This, Locker Diaries: Zombies, A Winter's Song, Ricky, Shadow of the Mages). Moderated by writer/director Chris Rodriguez (Puffing Iron, They'll Find Him in the River). Part 1 of Impact24 PR's Panel Superblock.

Saturday March 28, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
Room 300A

1: Programs, Action/Adventure, BIPOC, Fandom, Humor & Satire, Movies, Music, Television

12:00pm PDT

6th Annual "It's Alive!": Designing Sci-Fi, Horror, and Comic Book Genre Film and TV

Saturday March 28, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT

Room 300A

"It's Alive!" returns to WonderCon with an exploration of the creative work behind horror, anime, thriller, and comic book–inspired films and TV shows. Industry professionals reveal how they bring worlds and characters to life through the artistry of music, editing, and more in this deep dive into the creative process. Panelists include composer Daniel Rojas (Marvel's Hit-Monkey), editor Eric Litman, ACE (One Piece), composer Ian Arber (Drops of God season 2), editor Kristi Shimek (Wardriver), composer Sam Boase-Miller (Good Boy), and composer Sam Jones (Didn’t Die). Moderated by editor Maura Corey, ACE (Gen V). Part 2 of Impact24 PR's Panel Superblock.

Saturday March 28, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT
Room 300A

1: Programs, Action/Adventure, Animation, Comics, Fandom, Horror and Suspense, Movies, Mysteries & Crime Dramas, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Superheroes, Television, Writers & Writing

1:00pm PDT

1st Annual Behind the Cut: Postproduction in Film and TV

Saturday March 28, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT

Room 300A

Experts go behind the scenes of film and television to reveal how stories are finalized in the postproduction process. Through real-world examples, editors and composers break down their creative process and the decisions that shape stories into the final project. Panelists include editor Chris Rodriguez, ACE (Love Is Blind, Project Runway) , editor Daysha Broadway, ACE (The AI DOC or How I Became an Apocaloptimist), editor/director Jon Dudkowski (Star Trek: Starfleet Academy), composer Joy Ngiaw (WondLa), composer Kristen Personius (Tyler Perry's Finding Joy), and Max Davidoff-Grey (The Witcher season 4). Moderated by Ben Urquhart (California Post Alliance). Part 3 of Impact24 PR's Panel Superblock, in partnership with the California Post Alliance.

Saturday March 28, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT
Room 300A

1: Programs, Action/Adventure, Animation, BIPOC, Fandom, Movies, Music, Television

2:00pm PDT

What Is Funlosophy?

Saturday March 28, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT

Room 300A

Funko founder Michael Leo Becker shares stories of the good, the bad, and the "funley"—from building a business to hard-earned life lessons.

Saturday March 28, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
Room 300A

1: Programs, Action Figures - Toys - Collectibles, Fandom

3:00pm PDT

Set Decoration of Marvel's Wonder Man

Saturday March 28, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT

Room 300A

Marvel dropped its newest show in January, set in the weird world of Hollywood and the MCU. Set decorator Lizzie Boyle, SDSA and members of the set decoration department (assistant set decorator Nicole Riley and set dec buyer Avery Ferguson) talk about the sets of this stylish show. Moderated by Rae Deslich, SDSA and Michelle Hall, SDSA. Part of the Set Decorators Society of America's series of panels on film and TV set decoration.

Saturday March 28, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
Room 300A

1: Programs, BIPOC, Comics, Cosplay, Education, Movies, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Superheroes, Television

4:00pm PDT

Strange Love: Writing Romantic SFF/H

Saturday March 28, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT

Room 300A

Genre-blending in books is booming, and mixing the speculative and the swoony offers opportunities for engaging readers, from monster romance to paranormal paramours, from touches of fabulism to full-out fantasy. Leanne "L. A." Schwartz (A Prayer for Vengeance, My Kind of Trouble), Mallory Marlowe (Love and Other Conspiracies, Love at First Sighting), Shelly Page (Brewed with Love, Charmed and Dangerous), Megan Jauregui Eccles (Sing the Night), Justine Pucella Winans (How to Survive a Slasher, Your Boyfriend Needs an Exorcist), and Gretchen Schreiber (All the Stars Align, Ellie Haycock Is Totally Normal) discuss their newest and most anticipated books.

Saturday March 28, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT
Room 300A

1: Programs, Books, Horror and Suspense, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Writers & Writing

5:00pm PDT

The Business of Animation Careers: Agents, Managers, Lawyers and How Creators Build Teams

Saturday March 28, 2026 5:00pm - 6:00pm PDT

Room 300A

Behind every successful animation career is not just artistic talent, but a smart professional team helping navigate opportunities, contracts, and long-term growth. Talent manager Sam Goff joins her clients—Malia Jennings (Iyanu, Charlotte and Buckingham Park), Karen Drastal (Maxxie LaWow), Sam King (DuckTales, Overwatch), and John Rauschelbach (Outer Scouts)—to break down what agents, managers, and entertainment attorneys actually do, how they work together, and what that means for creators. Through real-world experiences, the panel demystifies representation and talks about when it makes sense to build a team and how to approach it strategically.

Saturday March 28, 2026 5:00pm - 6:00pm PDT
Room 300A

1: Programs, Animation, Seminars & Workshops

6:00pm PDT

Career Paths into Game Development

Saturday March 28, 2026 6:00pm - 7:00pm PDT

Room 300A

As the business of video games now surpasses the annual revenues of both film and music combined, public interest in pursuing a career in the game industry has staggeringly increased in recent years. This has spawned a wide variety of educational and vocational options for individuals to pursue game development, but how exactly can someone get the knowledge they need and then find a job in this very competitive industry? Veteran game industry professionals discuss what it takes to launch a game development career and how there are many paths into the industry.

Saturday March 28, 2026 6:00pm - 7:00pm PDT
Room 300A

1: Programs, Games, Video Games

7:00pm PDT

How Video Game Films Git Gud

Saturday March 28, 2026 7:00pm - 8:00pm PDT

Room 300A

There was once a time when fans would hear of a video game being adapted into another medium and forums would be ablaze with skepticism, jeers, and outright doubt. But with adaptations like Super Mario Bros., The Last of Us, and Sonic the Hedgehog filling theater seats, what has led to the change in fan perspectives? Derick McDuff (host of Underrated Movie Podcast), is joined by Tricia Aurand (award-winning screenwriter and podcast host), Thomas Craig (podcast host of Sick Burn Podcast), Kurosh Jozavi (games journalist and host of Savepoint Stories), Austin Olivia Kendrick (Emmy-nominated film/TV sound editor), and Jeremy "Jaymo" Strauss, (host of The Old Switcharoo) to address the fall and rise of video game adaptations, the tangible creative changes made to the adaptation process, and the growing trust fans are putting back into this industry.

Saturday March 28, 2026 7:00pm - 8:00pm PDT
Room 300A

1: Programs, Animation, Education, Fandom, Games, Historical, Movies, Podcasts, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Video Games, Web

8:00pm PDT

The Psychological Journey of The Lord of the Rings

Saturday March 28, 2026 8:00pm - 9:00pm PDT

Room 300A

The Lord of the Rings is an epic, high-fantasy tale that centers on fellowship, bravery, and good against evil. What does Aragorn's reluctance to become king say about him? Does the One Ring symbolize addiction? Does Gollum have multiple identities? How (and why) does fantasy storytelling improve mental health? Media psychologist Drea Letamendi, Ph.D. (The Arkham Sessions, UCLA), Miranda (host, Tolkien Tuesdays), and Todd Stashwick (actor, Marvel's VisionQuest; co-founder, ProgCore Fantasy) explore and explain the psychology of Middle-earth's riveting and unforgettable characters—both from the page and on-screen. Moderated by Brian Ward (The Arkham Sessions).

Saturday March 28, 2026 8:00pm - 9:00pm PDT
Room 300A

1: Programs, Action/Adventure, Animation, Books, Education, Fandom, Movies, Podcasts, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Television, Writers & Writing

9:00pm PDT

Psychology of Horror

Saturday March 28, 2026 9:00pm - 10:00pm PDT

Room 300A

Why do we pay to be terrified? From the nostalgic chills of Nightmare on Elm Street to the modern-day blockbuster of Stranger Things to the sinister streets of Derry, the horror genre has captivated audiences on the big and small screens alike since even before the penny dreadfuls. From Frankenstein's gothic angst to the moral shadows of Sinners, horror keeps us coming back for more. This panel rips the mask off fear to reveal what is underneath: how monsters mirror cultural anxieties and why horror thrives when the world feels uncertain. Expect jump-scare science, pop culture deep dives, and a few surprises that will make attendees rethink what is lurking in the dark. Featuring Dr. April Fugett (executive director, Center for Teaching and Learning, Marshall University), Dr. Britani Black (assistant professor of psychology, Marshall University), and Dr. Keith W. Beard (professor of psychology, Marshall University). Ready to face your fears? They promise . . . probably . . . nothing will follow you home.

Saturday March 28, 2026 9:00pm - 10:00pm PDT
Room 300A

1: Programs, Books, Education, Fandom, Horror and Suspense, Movies, Television

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