WonderCon is back in person this year at the Anaheim Convention Center this Friday, March 24 through Sunday, March 26, 2023! The full WonderCon 2023 programming schedule is now available. We’ve gone through and identified some of the WonderCon 2023 programming highlights for you below!
Although WonderCon did not use the Arena for panels last year, it’s back this year! Most of the panels and other programming will take place in the main convention center building, where the Exhibit Hall is located, and to which the Arena is connected. However, they are also continuing to use room 200A in the newer “North” building for panels, located just across from the Arena. The two buildings are also connected by a walkway on the second floor.
Click here for a PDF brochure of the Anaheim Convention Center which shows the floor plans and room capacities.
Also note that some anime screenings and some games will take place in California Ballroom A and California Ballroom CD at the Hilton, which is right next to the convention center.
Friday, March 24
2:00pm – 3:00pm Dawn of DC, Room 207 Dawn is rising in the DC Universe. Superstar writers and artists Tom King (The Penguin), Mitch Gerads (Batman: The Brave and the Bold), Jeremy Adams (Green Lantern), Tini Howard (Harley Quinn), Dennis Culver (Unstoppable Doom Patrol), and Morgan Hampton (Cyborg) come together for a first look at their upcoming Dawn of DC titles.
2:30pm – 3:30pm New Rockstars, Room 213AB Erik Voss, Tommy Bechtold, Jessica Clemons, and Zach Huddleston (New Rockstars and Deep Dive YouTube channels) discuss big Marvel, DC, and Star Wars news, interact with the audience, and bring the fun of the New Rockstars YouTube channel to WonderCon.
3:00pm – 4:00pm Knights of the Zodiac Live Action Film Panel, North 200A Top talent from the upcoming live-action extravaganza Knights of the Zodiac —including Famke Janssen (X-Men), Madison Iseman (I Know What You Did Last Summer), Nick Stahl (Terminator 3), Diego Tinoco (On My Block), and Mark Dacascos (John Wick: Chapter 3)—discuss the film in a Q&A moderated by Dan Larson.
3:00pm – 4:00pm What Dreams May Come: Visualizing Slumberland, Room 213CD When creating the expansive dreamworlds of Slumberland, Netflix employed Halon Entertainment, a NEP Virtual Studios Company, to provide previsualization and postvisualization for key sequences. Visualization supervisor Casey Pyke and lead visualization artist Samuel Baese discuss their process of making Slumberland ’s dreams a reality. This panel is moderated by Brandon Zachary, CBR senior writer.
4:00pm – 5:00pm Comic-Con Museum, Room 211 Explore the worlds of animation, character creation, and the history of Comic-Con with Troy Carlson (creator of The Animation Academy: From Pencils to Pixels exhibit), Bill Farmer (actor and voice of Goofy, Pluto, and many more), Ron McFee (archivist for Comic-Con and curator of the Cover Story: Five Decades of Comic-Con exhibit), Rita Vandergaw (executive director, Comic-Con Museum), and moderator Eddie Ibrahim (senior programming coordinator, Comic-Con International).
4:00pm – 5:00pm True Lies: Exclusive Screening and Q&A with Cast Members, North 200A Join series stars Steve Howey, Ginger Gonzaga, and Omar Miller and showrunner Matt Nix for a Q&A, followed by an exclusive advance screening of an action-packed episode.
4:30pm – 5:30pm GAAAYS IN SPAAACE: Exploring New Horizons, Room 300C Panelists discuss creating opportunities for underrepresented communities to pursue careers in STEM and the space industry by merging inspiration drawn from sci-fi shows like The Orville and Star Trek with real-life educational experiences. Penny Johnson Jerald (The Orville, Star Trek: DS9), Mark Jackson (The Orville), Karissa Winters (Innovation Collective), Presley Winters (diversity and inclusion advocate), and Inara Tabir (The Galaxis Gal) discuss what can be done today to build a future that goes beyond inclusion. Moderated by Dan Deevy (GIS founder/president).
4:45pm – 5:45pm Wolf Pack, Arena Series creator Jeff Davis and the cast of Wolf Pack come together to discuss the supernatural series’ first season and shocking season finale.
5:00pm – 6:00pm HBO Max’s Fired on Mars, North 200A Creators Nate Sherman and Nick Vokey join cast member Sean Wing for HBO Max’s Fired on Mars panel. Fired on Mars is an existential comedy set on the Martian campus of a modern tech company that stars Luke Wilson and is produced by Carson Mell (Silicon Valley, Tarantula). Nate and Nick will share their creative process and give an exclusive first look.
6:00pm – 7:00pm HBO Max’s Clone High Exclusive Sneak Peek Teaser, North 200A HBO Max is peeling back the curtain and offering fans an exclusive, in-room only first look at an extended teaser of the Max Original Clone High. Fans of this classic hit series, produced by MTV Entertainment Studios, will get a glimpse at some of the best moments, new clones, and story arcs to come in this modern refresh. Following the teaser, enjoy a moderated Q&A with executive producers Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Erica Rivinoja, and Erik Durbin and voice actors Nicole Sullivan and Will Forte.
6:00pm – 7:00pm X-Men Fandom Panel, Room 207 Get ready to geek out with the X-Men universe’s masterminds and the creative and fandom communities who love everything about Marvel’s mutants! Phil Jimenez (comic book artist, Astonishing X-Men, New X-Men), Sara Moni (cosplayer), Creepy Toy Guy (toy influencer), and Ron Wasserman (composer, X-Men: The Animated Series) celebrate the never-ending impact of X-Men on comic books, film/TV, collectibles, and more. Attendees receive a special giveaway. Moderated by Chandler Poling and Chris Riley (co-hosts, X-Reads: An X-Men Experience Podcast).
6:00pm – 8:00pm Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham, Arena Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment returns its fabled tradition of DC animated film world debuts at WonderCon with the World Premiere of Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham. Prepare to be among the first to witness this mystical, often terrifying Batman adventure, then stay for an entertaining panel discussion among cast and filmmakers, including Christopher Gorham (The Lincoln Lawyer, Insatiable) as Oliver Queen, David Dastmalchian (Dune, The Suicide Squad, Ant-Man) as Grendon, producer and co-director Sam Liu (The Death and Return of Superman), and screenwriter Jase Ricci (Teen Titans Go! and DC Super Hero Girls: Mayhem in the Multiverse).
7:30pm – 8:30pm Exclusive Preview: Among the Others, Room 213AB Experience the first-ever sneak peek of the world-bending science fantasy adventure Among the Others. Ebrahim A. Ebrahim (Among the Others creator), Matthew Mercer (Legend of Zelda, Attack on Titan), Taliesin Jaffe (Legend of Vox Machina, Horizon Forbidden West), Dawn M. Bennett (My Hero Academia, Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes), and members of the Among the Others crew discuss the making of their new franchise release, along with the wild world of animation: how to get an indie film off the ground, ways to grow your team, and how to transition from passion project to an indie company.
Saturday, March 25
10:30am – 11:30am All You Need to Know About the New SYFY Series The Ark, North 200A Creator and co-showrunner Dean Devlin and co-showrunner Jonathan Glassner talk about the making of SYFY’s new series The Ark, from the premise to set design, filming on a spaceship set, and more.
11:00am – 12:00pm Rhapsody PR’s 15th Annual Behind-the-Music Panel: Ultrasonic, Room 207 Music creatives join together to give you a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into creating the scores and sounds to some of today’s most popular TV series and films. Featuring panelists Jeff Russo (Star Trek: Picard), Amanda Krieg Thomas (American Horror Story), Joseph Shirley (The Mandalorian, Creed III), Joanne Higginbottom (Primal), Will Bates (Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches), and Gavin Brivik (How to Blow Up a Pipeline). Panel will be co-moderated by voice actor Aaron LaPlante (Spear on Adult Swim’s Primal) and actor Ravi Naidu (Samir on AMC Networks’ Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches).
11:00am – 12:00pm Scene Breakdown: Behind the Camera of Film and TV Shows, Room 213CD Have you ever wondered how your favorite TV shows and movies go from a spark of an idea to your screens? Entertainment creatives give an inside perspective on what it takes to turn a vision into a reality as they break down their work and important scenes from your favorite projects. Featuring showrunner/ executive producer Anthony Sparks (Queen Sugar, Bel-Air), VFX supervisor at FuseFX Art Codron (Outer Banks), editor S. Robyn Wilson (A Black Lady Sketch Show), production designer Cabot McMullen (Shrinking), executive producer Rachel Watanabe-Batton (Sneakerella), and composer Andrew Morgan Smith (The Old Way, The Owl House). Moderated by actor Chris Villain (Mystery Incorporated).
11:30am – 12:30pm FOX’s HouseBroken: Season 2 First Look Screening and Conversation, North 200A See a world premiere screening of an episode from the second season of FOX’s animated series HouseBroken, followed by a conversation with the cast, including actor Will Forte (The Last Man on Earth), co-creators/showrunners Gabrielle Allan (Veep) and Jennifer Crittenden (Veep), director Eric Koenig (The Simpsons), and writer Elliott Kalan (The Daily Show).
12:00pm – 1:00pm Jack Kirby Tribute Panel, Room 207 Like we do at almost every convention, we remember the man some called The King of the Comics—the man who created or co-created many of the most popular characters ever in the medium. Discussing Jack Kirby are Marv Wolfman (writer/editor), John Morrow (publisher of The Jack Kirby Collector), Paul S. Levine (lawyers for the Kirby Trust), and moderator Mark Evanier (former assistant to Jack Kirby).
12:00pm – 1:00pm 3rd Annual “It’s Alive!”: Designing Sci-Fi, Horror, and Comic Book Genre Film and TV, Room 213CD Production designers, cinematographers, editors, and other entertainment creatives share their insights on bringing these thrilling and often chilling worlds to life. Featuring production designer John Paino (The Last of Us), cinematographer Jules O’Loughlin, ASC ACS (Ms. Marvel Episodes 4 and 5), editor Tayor Joy Mason (Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story), executive producer/ co-creator Elle León Nostas (Mark of Death), composer Stefan L. Smith (Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham), and producer Christopher Kaminski (Cobalt Knight). Moderated by voiceover artist and actor Queen Noveen (Redfall).
12:15pm – 1:15pm Legend of the White Dragon, Arena The cast and crew of the Legend of the White Dragon film show exclusive behind-the-scenes video and be sure to participate in the Q&A! We will be celebrating the life of Jason David Frank, the star and co-writer of the film!
12:30pm – 1:30pm Animaniacs: A 30th Anniversary Celebration, North 200A Celebrate the 30th anniversary of the iconic cartoon show Animaniacs with series creator Tom Ruegger, series writer and voice actor Paul Rugg (Freakazoid), series writer and author John P. McCann, series composers and songwriters Steve Bernstein and Julie Bernstein, and others. Relive the creation of a cartoon classic with the Animaniacs crew! Moderated by Joey Letson from The Animanicast.
1:00pm – 2:00pm All in the Details: Costume, Makeup, and Hair Design for Film and TV, Room 213CD Costume, makeup, hair, and production designers in entertainment dive into the incredible skill and creativity that goes into making movie and TV magic. Featuring costume designer Debra Beebe (Westworld), makeup department head Rebecca Wachtel (Daisy Jones & the Six), hair stylist/ wig maker Justi Embree (Missing), costume designer Jennifer May Nickel (Gotham Knights), costume designer Carrie Grace (Doom Patrol, The Boys Episodes 1 and 2), costume designer Dominique Dawson (Swarm), and production designer James Bolenaugh (Kevin Can Go F**k Himself). Moderated by voiceover artist and actor Queen Noveen (Redfall).
1:30pm – 2:30pm The Walking Dead: Dead City, Arena AMC Networks presents the upcoming spinoff in The Walking Dead Universe. Panelists include cast members Lauren Cohan and Gaius Charles, along with executive producer and showrunner Eli Jorné. The panel will be moderated by Chris Hardwick.
1:30pm – 3:30pm World Premiere of Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen, Part One, North 200A Celebrate the union of DC’s Justice League and Rooster Teeth Animation’s RWBY as the two heroic factions join forces to battle an evil entity attacking Remnant at the world premiere of Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen, Part One. Panelists include voice cast members Natalie Alyn Lind (Big Sky, The Goldbergs, Gotham) as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince, Jeannie Tirado (Soul, Saints Row) as Green Lantern, Tru Valentino (The Rookie, The Cuphead Show!) as Cyborg, and David Errigo Jr. (Ridley Jones) as The Flash/Barry Allen and Rolf, alongside RWBY’s long-running cast: Lindsay Jones (Camp Camp) as Ruby, Kara Eberle (RWBY: Ice Queendom) as Weiss, Arryn Zech (The Detective Is Already Dead) as Blake, and Barbara Dunkelman (Blood Fest) as Yang, as well as producer and director Kerry Shawcross (RWBY franchise) and writer Meghan Fitzmartin.
2:00pm – 3:00pm Saint Seiya & Knights of the Zodiac 101, Room 300E Anime expert and megafan Dan Larson presents an in-depth look at the history of the blockbuster anime and manga franchise, featuring exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and a special appearance by superstar action director Andy Cheng (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings; the Rush Hour series) and his action team.
2:30pm – 3:30pm Fear the Walking Dead Season 8, Arena AMC Networks presents the eighth and final season of Fear the Walking Dead. Panelists include cast members Kim Dickens, Jenna Elfman and Karen David, along with executive producer and co-showrunner Ian Goldberg. The panel will be moderated by Chris Hardwick.
2:30pm – 3:30pm Her Universe Fashion Show Update, Room 300C Ashley Eckstein (Her Universe founder) moderates a discussion with industry professionals from Her Universe and Hot Topic and 2022 Her Universe Fashion Show winners Cindy Guillermo Heselton and Michael Burson. They will discuss the winner’s process for designing the Marvel Studios’ The Marvels collection by Her Universe for Hot Topic. They will also discuss the upcoming 2023 Her Universe Fashion Show at San Diego Comic-Con.
3:30pm – 4:30pm 30 Years of Power Rangers: Fandom Celebration, North 200A Jessica Tseang (The History Channel/ pop culture historian) discusses the long-lasting legacy of this renowned franchise with talents spanning three decades of Power Rangers. Panelists include Dan Southworth (Power Rangers Time Force), Selwyn Ward (Power Rangers Turbo, Power Rangers in Space), and Andrew Gray (Power Rangers Megaforce).
3:45pm – 4:45pm NBC’s Quantum Leap, Arena This panel will be a moderated conversation with an exclusive sneak peek at the penultimate episode of the sequel to the beloved series. Panelists include cast members Raymond Lee, Caitlin Bassett, Ernie Hudson, Mason Alexander Park, and Nanrisa Lee, as well as executive producers Dean Georgaris and Deborah Pratt.
5:00pm – 6:30pm Funko: Pop Talk LIVE!, Arena Funko hosts Brian Mariotti and Mike Becker take over The Arena for a live session of Pop! Talk. Via their recurring YouTube shows Pop! Talk and Funko Fun Chat, they’ll interview celebrity guests and learn about their pop culture influences. A special giveaway will be available while supplies last.
7:00pm – 8:00pm Twilight Zone: Behind the Scenes, Room 211 Jeffrey Ashkin (technical support, The Credits Movie) and Marc Scott Zicree (Mr. Sci-Fi YouTube Channel) discuss all the behind-the-scenes stories of the original anthology series, which Zicree detailed in his guidebook The Twilight Zone Companion, joined by series original cast member Morgan Brittany (Gypsy, Dallas).
8:00pm – 9:00pm Selling the Hit: What You Always Wanted to Know About the Stunt Industry (In Memory of Eric Cajiuat), Room 213CD Stuntmen and stuntwomen from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Avengers: Infinity War, Captain Marvel, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Walking Dead, Agents of Shield, MacGuyver, and many more, discuss their experiences and offer advice in getting into and navigating the stunt industry in movies and TV, as well as how the industry has changed and is changing. Panelists include Esteban Cueto, Janeshia Adams-Ginyard, Brian Danner, Joette Orman, and Tammie Baird. Moderated by Justin T. Bowler.
8:30pm – 11:00pm The 2023 WonderCon Masquerade, North 200A Our annual onstage costume competition returns, celebrating costuming in the popular arts and the cosplay creativity and talents of our attendees! Not a dance or party, but a series of onstage presentations of terrific fan-crafted costumes set to special music and lighting, and with trophies and generous cash and other awards. The guest MC is Ashley Eckstein (founder of the Her Universe fashion and lifestyle brand, and the voice of Ahsoka Tano on Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars: Rebels, and Star Wars: Forces of Destiny). There will also be special entertainment during the judging break with a return performance by the talented Corps Dance Crew, and then a new show by the amazing Saber Guild lightsaber group. Doors will open at 8:00 for audience seating but the line for choice seating will start forming earlier. No flash photography, please.
Sunday, March 26
10:00am – 11:00am 31st Anniversary X-Men: The Animated Series, Room 207 Larry Houston (producer/director X-Men TAS & Captain Planet; consultant on the new X-MEN ’97 for Disney+), X-Men writers Brooks Watchel (“Dark Phoenix Part 4,” “MojoVision”), David McDermott (“Weapon X Lies & Videotape,” “Sanctuary Part One”), Len Uhley (“Nightcrawler,” “Cold Comfort”), and X-Men artist Mark Lewis (character design, revisionist) discuss behind-the-scenes production on the X-Men series.
10:00am – 11:00am The Illustrators of the Star Trek Universe, Room 213CD Senior illustrators from the series Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, and Star Trek: Discovery will demonstrate and share their process for creating illustrations and storyboards used to create the Star Trek universe sets, vehicles, etc. Panelists will include members of the Art Directors Guild/IATSE Local 800 Dan Caplan, Andrea Dopaso, John Eaves, Neville Page, Aaron Sowd, and Daniel Hyun Lim. Moderated by Tim Burgard.
10:00am – 12:00pm Animation Show of Shows’ Best!, Arena Ron Diamond (founder, curator, and producer) offers a special presentation of the best-animated shorts from the Animation Show’s first 21 years. Arrive early for a special pre-panel photo montage of directors and their colleagues at festivals and at Studio screenings.
10:30am – 11:30am 30 Years of Power Rangers: A Fan Celebration, Room 300C Celebrate with some of your favorite Power Rangers actors from across the years, including Roger Velasco (Power Rangers in Space), Brennan Mejia (Dino Charge), Ciara Hanna and Cameron Jebo (Super Megaforce), and Peter Sudarso (Ninja Steel), Abraham Rodriguez (Beast Morphers), and more! Talent subject to change—more Rangers are on the way! Moderated by comedian and podcast host Ben Kliewer (TheConGuy.com).
11:00am – 12:00pm UFOs in Comics and Popular Media, North 200A UFOs are in the skies and on everyone’s minds these days and they have been in comic books, movies, and television for decades. This panel of researcher-author enthusiasts, well-known in the UFO community, come together to present an entertaining and informative depiction of strange objects in the skies through the years. Walter Bosley (Ancient Aliens), Clydene Nee, Earl G Anderson (MUFON), Tessa Dick (Philip K. Dick: Remembering Firebright), and Greg Bishop (Project Beta) offer a fascinating and fun retrospective.
11:30am – 12:30pm Women in VFX: Bringing TV’s Top Series from Script to Screen, Room 213AB Female filmmakers from VFX studio Crafty Apes including Laura Hill (visual effects supervisor of Barry) and Molly Pabian (head of studio/visual effects producer of Star Trek: Picard Season 3) discuss the creation of TV’s top action, adventure, and drama series. The filmmakers will provide a behind-the-scenes look into the art and craft of filmmaking as it pertains to visual effects, as well as offer perspectives on working as women in the industry. Laura and Molly will partake in a Q&A session moderated by Max Geschwind (host of The Hollywood Podcast).
11:30am – 12:30pm World Building: Stranger Things, D&D, and Paranormal, Room 300C Christian Ganiere (Stranger Things, actor as Ten), Rebekah R. Ganiere (USA Today bestselling author, Emmy-nominated producer), Angel Payne (bestselling author), and James Ganiere (Emmy-nominated director/producer) discuss the universe of Stranger Things, D&D, the ’80s, world building, magic systems, and more.
12:00pm – 1:00pm The Dragon Prince: Building a Scene, North 200A The cast, crew, and creators of The Dragon Prince take you on a journey from storyboard to the streaming screen—and everything in between. Moderated by Jack De Sena (Callum), the panel will break down a fan-favorite scene from season 4 of the hit Netflix series, sharing insights into their animation pipeline and creative process . . . plus some of the usual Xadian hijinks and an open Q&A, of course!
12:30pm – 1:30pm The Psychology and Celebration of Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, Room 300C The hosts of The Arkham Sessions celebrate the 30th anniversary of the beloved animated film Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. Podcast hosts Brian Ward and Dr. Drea Letamendi (Fandom) will treat the audience to a conversation with the film’s co-director, Eric Radomski (Batman: The Animated Series), as well as with Londyn Jackson (History of the Batman) and Ashley Victoria Robinson (Geek History Lesson) as they “unmask,” explore, and pay tribute to the storytelling of Batman, the Joker, and of course, the Phantasm!
1:00pm – 2:00pm Freakazoid! How One Show Changed the World as We Know It, North 200A The Freakazoid! series creative team gives a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the making of this Emmy Award-winning cult classic. Featuring series writer/producer/voice actor Paul Rugg, series senior producer and writer Tom Ruegger, producer and writer John McCann, series producer/designer/director Mitch Schauer, and composers Steve Bernstein and Julie Bernstein. Moderated by Joey Letson from The Animanicast.
2:00pm – 3:00pm Game On: Writing Music for Video Games, Room 207 Grammy-nominated Austin Wintory (Journey, Aliens: Fireteam Elite), BAFTA-winning Garry Schyman (Bioshock franchise), and award-winning Nami Melumad (Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond) will speak to their experiences of writing music for video games and where they draw inspiration from. These composers will speak to how they collaborate with the game developers to make it the best audio experience for fans around the world. Moderated by Chandler Poling (White Bear PR).
3:00pm – 4:00pm Spotlight on Marv Wolfman, Room 211 Marv Wolfman (New Teen Titans) started writing comics in 1967 and hasn’t stopped since. Writer/editor Barbara Kesel (Meridian) will conduct Marv’s Spotlight interview and Q&A, discussing his work, his many creations, and much more.
These are just some of the highlights of the many panels that will take place at WonderCon this year! Click here for the full programming schedule for WonderCon 2023.
We also recently posted an article on what you should know about WonderCon 2023, so if you missed it, click here!
