Ernie Hudson, Ivan Reitman Appearances Among 'Ghostbusters' Activities At Wizard World Chicago

ROSEMONT, Ill. - Aug. 21, 2018 - PRLog -- August 21, 2018 – Wizard World Comic Con Chicago will be GhostbustersHeadquarters for fans of the classic movie franchise, with appearances by the film's producer/director Ivan Reitman (Saturday) and star Ernie Hudson (Friday through Sunday) highlighting a stream of activities during the event, August 23-26 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center. In addition to the Windy City Ghostbusters fan group, who will be on hand with a massive presence, fans can take part in special programming, photos with a giant inflatable Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, replica Ecto-1 vehicle and more.

The celebration is part of the lead-up to the 35^th 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.

Some of the Ghostbusters-themed activities at Wizard World Comic Con Chicago include:

• Autographs and photo ops (Friday through Sunday) with Hudson
• Free autographs and photos with Reitman), as well as a fan Q&A panel
• Fan Q&A panel (Saturday, 2:45 p.m.) with Reitman and Hudson
• Appearance by Violet Ramis Stiel, daughter of the late writer and star Harold Ramis, signing copies of her new book Ghostbuster's Daughter, participating in a Q&A panel and other themed activities
• Maurice LaMarche, voice of "Egon" on "The Real Ghostbusters," will sign autographs, meet fans and do a fan Q&A along with other activities
• Erik Burnham, Ghostbusters comic writer will appear in Artist Alley and participate in panels and comic-based demos
• Photos with a giant 30-foot inflatable Stay Puft Marshmallow Man and Ghostbusters Logo
• Windy City Ghostbusters fan group booth with: Ecto-1; Ghostbusters games, raffles, fan-made props; "Haunted Chicagoland" panel; "Slime Dive Trivia"; Kids Zone activities including reading, dance parties, arts & crafts
• Dan Schoening, artist for the Ghostbusters comics from IDW Publishing, will be drawing an exclusive Ghosbusters-themed cover for the Wizard World Chicago collectible program guide.
• Renowned comedy group The Second City will have a booth featuring a variety of themed entertainment, highlighting their Harold Ramis Film School
• Fans can play the first two episodes of the virtual reality experience, "Ghostbusters VR: Now Hiring," on Playstation®VR at the Wizard World Gaming area
• "Nerd-Prov" and "Nerd-Off" panels
• Ghostbusters manga in the Manga Library

Next June, Ghostbusters Fan Fest presented by Wizard World will be the ultimate celebration of the film, which starred Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, Rick Moranis and Ernie Hudson and was directed by Ivan Reitman and written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. For the 35^th anniversary, fans will participate in exclusive panels, meet the Ghostbusters creators, talent and crew and experience Ghostbusters augmented reality and virtual reality games.

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.

Wizard World Comic Con Chicago, celebrating its 20^th anniversary in 2018, 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.

For more on the 2018 Wizard World Chicago, visit http://www.wizardworld.com/comiccon/chicago.

About Wizard World (OTCBB:WIZD)

Wizard World, 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 World 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 World at www.wizardworld.com and on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and other social media services.

The 2018 Wizard World convention schedule is available at: http://www.wizardworld.com/comiccon.