Author - boothby

Battlefront II Beta Coming October 4

2017/07/10
boothby
Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

Get ready to be a hero in Star Wars Battlefront II! This fall, step into the boots of a trooper, pilot or your favorite iconic character in epic Star Wars battles in authentic locations and thrilling dogfights in the far reaches of space.

Today on the EA Star Wars blog, we announced that the Star Wars Battlefront II multiplayer beta will be coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Origin for PC starting on October 4 for those who pre-order the game. Players can take their favorite heroes to battle in the large scale 20 v 20 Galactic Assault mode on Theed City, joining Republic clone troopers and Separatist battle droids in a wild melee on the streets surrounding the royal palace. Also included in the multiplayer beta is a Starfighter Assault battle, where fans can jump into the cockpit of some of the most memorable starfighters from Star Wars.

Fans who pre-order Star Wars Battlefront II will be able to play the beta early, starting October 4. In addition to early beta access, they will also get bonus content including Yoda’s Epic Lightsaber Mastery Star Card, which is only available while supplies last until October 9, 2017. The beta will open to the public two days later on October 6 and end on October 9.

Nickelodeon Announces 2017 San Diego Comic-Con Exclusive Items

2017/07/06
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Geek News, News, SDCC

July 6, 2017 – With San Diego Comic-Con 2017 fast approaching, we wanted to share with you the exclusive retail items available this year at Nickelodeon’s booth (#4113).

Nickelodeon is bringing three decades’ worth of iconic characters to life at this year’s SDCC, with retail items that celebrate memorable ‘90s shows like Hey Arnold!, Rocko’s Modern Life, The Ren & Stimpy Show and Rugrats, and fan-favorite properties including SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Loud House, Avatar and Danny Phantom.

Below are descriptions of the items that will be on sale at Nick’s booth.

The Nick Box
The Nickelodeon Nick Box is back with a Summer Block Party theme. Each Nick Box comes packed with one-of-a-kind collectibles, apparel, accessories and more featuring all your favorite classic Nickelodeon shows. The Nick Box is a quarterly, subscription service that brings your most memorable Nickelodeon experiences right to your front door, but the Summer Block Party Nick Box at SDCC features a SDCC exclusive. This installment features these items and much more:

  • Arnold Bobble Head – Your favorite football-headed dreamer is now here to cheer you on as you chase YOUR dreams.
  • TMNT Vinyl – Don’t worry — unlike your childhood nightmares, these gumballs will stay in place. Oh, and also… try not to eat it.
  • T-shirt – Good news! You no longer have to cram yourself and your friends into a TV box and stroll down a random street singing to be cool. Just wear this tee instead!
  • Mickey Kaline Card – Did Mom throw out your prized baseball cards? It’s okay–now is the perfect time to restart your collection with a SDCC exclusive Mickey Kaline trading card!

SRP: $50.00

Playmates Exclusive Samurai Rabbit Usagi Yojimbo Figure
In Nickelodeon’s 2017 Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the samurai rabbit Usagi Yojimbo will reunite with the Ninja Turtles once again for a three-part story arc that begins airing July 23. The San Diego Comic-Con exclusive of the 2017 Usagi Yojimbo new character design action figure comes in a limited edition of 350.

This item features the newly designed Usagi Yojimbo action figure in a 5” scale, dressed in his classic blue robe, and comes with his traditional Samurai swords. Also included are two additional exclusive, interchangeable Usagi heads, his pet Tokage lizard, and a flag with Usagi’s signature emblem. All this is presented in a collector edition 5th panel storybook package, with a rerun of the 1987 Comic Book “Leonardo Meets Usagi Yojimbo in Turtle Soup and Rabbit Stew,” and the 1989 Comic Book “The Treaty.”

SRP: $30.00

Just Play Hey Arnold! Bean Plush Friends
Hey Arnold! is back! The collectibles fans have been waiting for since the ’90s are finally here with the Hey Arnold! Bean Plush friends. Now you can bring home Arnold, Gerald and Helga, the coolest kids from P.S. 118, and introduce them to your own cool kid. Each of these 8″ plush characters is made with super-soft fabrics and is great for taking on the go and displaying for all to see. Perfect for both kids and collectors alike. Each plush sold separately. $10/each, ages 3+

SRP: $30.00

Kidrobot Exclusive Powdered Toast Man “Wheat”
Who is this stranger from another land? Why does he walk among mortal men? What is his mission? Where can we get a pair of undershorts like his? Who is this man of toast?! Nickelodeon and Kidrobot team up to present the Powdered Toast Man Medium Figure. From the ‘90s hit The Ren & Stimpy Show and standing 8” tall, this figure is chalked full of tenacious butt clinging action. Collect yours today because he’s toast-a-ric!

SRP: $50.00

Zwyer Exclusive Avatar Aang Chibified Character
Following several years of SDCC tradition and Nickelodeon’s Avatar series, this Chibi Avatar Aang figure will come in a convention exclusive color variant. Available only at Nickelodeon’s booth, Avatar Aang is finished in a sepia color tone, paying homage to past exclusive Avatar prints at San Diego Comic-Con.

SRP: $25.00

Nickelodeon Customized T-Shirt Station
Set against a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles New York cityscape, fans can purchase a t-shirt from the retail shop and customize it on the spot with characters and art from their choice of seven fan-favorite Nick shows: SpongeBob SquarePants, TMNT, Hey Arnold!, Rocko’s Modern Life, The Loud House, Rugrats and Danny Phantom.

SRP: $20.00

The Laika Experience Announced for San Diego Comic-Con

2017/07/06
boothby
Geek News, News, SDCC

Hillsboro, OR; July 5, 2017 — Oscar®-winning animation studio LAIKA, creators of Coraline, ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls and Kubo and the Two Strings, brings its pop-up exhibit The LAIKA Experience to the heart of San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter from Friday, July 14th to Sunday, July 23rd.  Admission is free to the exhibit, which will feature props, puppets, monsters, and sets from LAIKA’s award-winning films as well as fan art, a photo/GIF booth with LAIKA characters, daily drawings for a pair of Nike’s LAIKA-themed shoes designed by Tinker Hatfield, social media activations, LAIKA merchandise offered for sale (including a new limited edition Coraline doll and display case), giveaways, and more.  In addition to the pop-up exhibit, LAIKA’s walkaround costumed characters will appear at various locations in the Gaslamp Quarter for fan interaction and photos.

Travis Knight, President & CEO of LAIKA and director of Kubo and the Two Strings, will autograph merchandise purchased at the exhibit on Friday, July 21st at 3pm.

The LAIKA Experience, the innovative and interactive pop-up event, will be located at 520 Fifth Avenue and will feature an up-close look at the artistic detail and imagination behind LAIKA’s groundbreaking films, all of which have been nominated for Academy Awards® and numerous other honors. The exhibit will showcase the evolution of the studio’s unique blend of handcrafted stop-motion animation and visual effects magic in four imaginatively themed rooms inspired by each of LAIKA’s films.  The extensive display of original sets, puppets and props will immerse guests in LAIKA’s fantastical worlds.

“LAIKA’s films are a unique fusion of art, craft, science, and technology, commingling cinema’s history with the future of film. But our techniques are often shrouded in mystery,” says President & CEO Travis Knight.  “The LAIKA Experience offers a rare opportunity to peel back the curtain, giving fans an immersive, up-close look at our process, characters, worlds, and dreams made manifest.”

“At LAIKA we’re thrilled to take our ‘act on the road’,” says Brad Wald, CFO and Senior Vice President of Business Operations.  “Past LAIKA exhibits at Universal Studios and the Japanese American Museum  have been fan favorites and proved very successful in launching our new consumer products initiative, leading us to bring several ‘exclusive’ items with us to San Diego.  All of these exhibits, including a major eight-month long retrospective at the Portland Art Museum starting this October, are a direct response to our global fans clamoring to see more LAIKA in the marketplace. We’re thrilled to bring LAIKA directly to them where they can connect with the studio in a more intimate way.”

Some highlights of LAIKA’s San Diego presence:

THE LAIKA EXPERIENCE (July 14-23)

Location: 520 Fifth Avenue, San Diego, CA  92101

What to See and Do:

  • Sets, puppets, monsters, props from LAIKA’s films: Kubo and the Two Strings (2016); The Boxtrolls (2014); ParaNorman (2012), Coraline (2009).
  • LAIKA merchandise available for purchase.
  • Nike’s customized shoes created for each of LAIKA’s films.
  • Take a photo with the main characters from LAIKA films.

Hours of operation:

  • Friday, July 14: 2 PM to 10PM
  • Saturday, July 15:  11AM to 10 PM
  • Sunday, July 16: 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM
  • Monday –Tuesday, July 17-18: 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
  • Wednesday, July 19: 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM
  • Thursday, July 20: 11:00 AM to 11 PM
  • Friday, July 21: 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM
  • Saturday, July 22: 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM
  • Sunday, July 23: 10:00 AM-6:00 PM

Additional Highlights:

Sunday, July 16:

  • Watch for LAIKA walkaround costumed characters at the LAIKA Photo Booth inside the gates of Balboa Park during the PRIDE Festival.   Pose for a photo withParaNorman’s “Mitch Babcock,” the first gay character ever featured in an animated film.  Customized LAIKA headbands will be distributed.
  • LAIKA will host 25 BAFTA LA students at the Giants/Padres game in Petco Park onSunday, July 16.    

Friday, July 21

  • 2-3pm:  LAIKA President & CEO Travis Knight (director of Kubo and the Two Strings) will be joined by New York Times bestselling author Tony DiTerlizzi (The Spiderwick Chronicles; Star Wars: Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight) for a Facebook Live tour of The LAIKA Experience.  Travis will share LAIKA’s unique creative process with Tony as they take FB guests on a virtual tour of the pop up exhibit.
  • 3-4:30pm: Travis Knight autograph session.  (For merchandise purchased at The LAIKA Experience.)

SyFy Announces San Diego Comic-Con 2017 Panel Lineup

2017/07/05
boothby
Geek News, News, SDCC

NEW YORK, NY – July 5, 2017 – As SYFY celebrates its 25th anniversary and its recent brand reboot, the network is headed to San Diego Comic-Con bigger and better than ever before. In addition to 15 SYFY series panels or screenings, the network is rolling out a host of events, activations and parties designed to leave no fan behind. And SYFY will once again extend the fun to fans nationwide, with a three-night live TV event, SYFY LIVE FROM COMIC-CON, hosted by Zachary Levi.

“San Diego Comic-Con is the pinnacle event of the year for sci-fi enthusiasts, and as the only network dedicated to the genre 24/7, we can’t wait to celebrate in a big way,” said Alexandra Shapiro, Executive Vice President, Marketing and Digital, USA Network and SYFY. “SYFY is going to San Diego this year with a singular focus: to put fans first.”

SYFY’s SDCC takeover includes:

PANELS AND SCREENINGS!

15 SYFY panels and screenings, including:

  • A frakking great BATTLESTAR GALACTICA reunion! With creator Ron Moore and cast from the hit series.
  • The ultimate sci-fi debate throwdown! Moderated by John Hodgman, the biggest names in the sci-fi universe duke it out over the most influential moments, milestones and people in the genre’s history. In “SYFY Hosts the Great Debate,” our expert panel will have the final word (or not!) on important topics like: “Star Trek” or “Star Wars”? Did Han or Greedo shoot first? And just who was the most influential captain of all time?
  • Panels for 11 SYFY shows! Including:
    • o SYFY’s upcoming Superman prequel series KRYPTON and the graphic novel adaptation HAPPY! (KRYPTON panel is co-hosted with Warner Bros. Television Group, and HAPPY! is co-hosted with Universal Cable Productions)
    • o Stars and creators of current SYFY hits THE EXPANSE, THE MAGICIANS and 12 MONKEYS (THE MAGICIANS and 12 MONKEYS panels are co-hosted with Universal Cable Productions)
    • o Fan favorites SHARKNADO, VAN HELSING, WYNONNA EARP, Z NATION and DARK MATTER — and upcoming new series GHOST WARS(All panels hosted by their respective studios)
  • Two big screenings! SYFY and Universal Cable Productions are screening an all-new episode of the grindhouse series BLOOD DRIVE and the premiere episode of “NO-END HOUSE,” the next installment in SYFY’s hit horror anthology CHANNEL ZERO.

EVENTS AND ACTIVATIONS!

  • SYFY fan parties! Stripping away the exclusivity of traditional Comic-Con parties, SYFY is throwing two nights of first-come-first-served bashes. Hosted at the Children’s Museum on Thursday, July 20 and Saturday, July 22, the themed parties feature photo booths, hourly surprises, live performances and more.
  • Superfan nuptials! Who says Comic-Con isn’t romantic? Actor Orlando Jones makes fans’ dreams come true, as he presides over pop-up nuptials at TBD locations throughout the weekend.
  • Trivia trolleys! Test your sci-fi knowledge and compete to win prize money and other giveaways on SYFY trolleys roaming the streets of San Diego.
  • Cosplay karaoke buses! Take the stage – and the mic – to belt out your favorite sci-fi theme songs on SYFY buses traveling throughout the city. You might even be surprised by one of your favorite stars!
  • Cosplay repair carts! Get an expert makeup touch-up or costume repair at these roaming carts, designed to ensure that all cosplaying ‘con-goers are at their camera-ready best.
  • A SYFY drumline! A drumline marching through the streets of the Gaslamp Quarter, playing sci-fi theme songs and commemorating major moments in science fiction history? Yes, please.
  • The Nerd Party lives on! SYFY is partnering with Zachary Levi to co-host his annual invitation-only Friday night party.

ROUND-THE-CLOCK COVERAGE!

  • Levi will host SYFY LIVE FROM COMIC-CON, a three-night live television event that allows fans across the country to experience the best Comic-Con has to offer, dissect breaking ‘Con news, and hear from their favorite stars and creators. Airing Thursday, July 20 through Saturday, July 22, the live event is produced by Wilshire Studios.
  • SYFY WIRE’s intrepid reporters and correspondents are providing 24/7 coverage of all the breaking news from the ‘Con, online via www.syfy.com and on air on SYFY (including SYFY LIVE FROM COMIC-CON).

AOC and Studio FA Porsche Unveil New Displays

2017/07/05
boothby
Geek News, News, Tech News

Fremont, Calif. – July 5, 2017 – Renowned display specialist AOC and legendary design house Studio F. A. Porsche have collaborated to bring two incredible-looking monitors to the market. The new 24” AOC PDS241 and 27” AOC PDS271 come equipped with an almost frameless IPS panel, an asymmetrical metal stand and ultra-slim, premium design.

Innovative, sleek and elegant design

The design philosophy behind these monitors was inspired by the principals of Ferdinand Alexander Porsche: His approach was “If you analyze the function of an object, its form often becomes obvious.” In its purest sense, a monitor is just a screen. But the screen is meant to provide a beautiful visual experience, and that experience is often marred by unsightly cables hanging down from the monitor’s ports. The new AOC PDS series revolutionizes the traditional approach to monitor design.

“The expressive shape of the monitor stand emphasizes the simple idea of integrating the cables into the stand,” said Henning Rieseler, Head of Studio F. A. Porsche Berlin. “The form not only follows the function, but celebrates it through its asymmetrical shape in an elegant and sophisticated way.”

With the first modular input/output design on a monitor, the PDS241 and PDS271 combine power and HDMI outputs into a single cable coming out of the stand itself, adding to its beautiful minimalist design. Underneath their outstanding appearances, their full HD IPS panels provide great performance enhanced with AOC SuperColor Technology, which augments the color spectrum to cover a wider color gamut and provide excellent viewing angles of 178°. These monitors cover 100 percent of the sRGB and 90 percent of the NTSC color spaces. The PDS series is also equipped with AOC’s LowBlue Mode and FlickerFree technologies, providing a healthy and enjoyable viewing experience even during long periods of use.

The PDS 241 and PDS271 is available now, exclusively at Amazon for $199 MSRP and $249 MSRP respectively.

Castlevania Netflix Original Series Soundtrack Out on July 7th

2017/07/05
boothby
Geek News, Movie News, News

June 30, 2017 Los Angeles, CA: Lakeshore Records in conjunction with Frederator Studios will release the CASTLEVANIA—NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES SOUNDTRACK digitally on July 7th. Featuring an original score composed by Trevor Morris (The Tudors, Immortals) and produced by Morris and Trey Toy, the music is inspired by the classic video game series Castlevania –a dark medieval fantasy following the last surviving member of the disgraced Belmont clan, trying to save Eastern Europe from extinction at the hand of Vlad Dracula Tepes himself. The animated series is from Frederator Studios, a division of Frederator Networks, Inc., a Wow! Unlimited Media company, written by best-selling author and comic book icon Warren Ellis and executive produced by Warren Ellis, Kevin Kolde, Fred Seibert and Adi Shankar. Castlevania debuts globally on Netflix July 7th.

Trevor Morris is a Canada-born Los Angeles-based two-time Emmy® Award-winning composer. He’s collaborated with Jerry Bruckheimer, Neil Jordan and Tony and Ridley Scott and has over fifteen feature film credits including Immortals & London Has Fallen, and has been involved in twenty five Prime Time television series including The Tudors, The Borgias. Morris has also worked as a composer on a number of video games including SimCity Societies, Army of Two, Need for Speed: Carbon and most recently the epic third installment of Dragon Age: Inquisition video.

Says Morris: “Being asked to contribute to Castlevania was such a great call to get. As a composer it’s just a cool, colorful and interesting world to get into, and provides endless inspiration for music. It was just such a fun and cool project to work on, I could score Castlevania for years and years”

Says Warren Ellis: “Trevor is a master of his art: hugely innovative, yet with a deep understanding of early music, combined with a love of electronics, creating something weirdly primal but completely contemporary.”

Castlevania is Executive Produced by Warren Ellis, Kevin Kolde, Adi Shankar, Fred Seibert, and Ted Biaselli and Larry Tanz for Netflix. Production services are provided by Austin, Texas based Powerhouse Animation with Brad Graeber Supervising Producer, Jason Williams as Producer, and Sam Deats as Director.

www.LakeshoreRecords.com

ELEX E3 2017 Impressions

2017/07/03
boothby
E3, Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, PlayStation 4 Preview, Previews, Windows PC News, Windows PC Preview, Xbox One News, Xbox One Preview

During my visit to the 2017 E3 Expo, I stopped at THQ Nordic’s meeting room for a look at ELEX, their upcoming open-world RPG. Set in a post-apocalyptic world where fantasy meets science fiction, ELEX puts players into the role of a wanderer who will have great impact on the game world. One of the first things I noticed about the demo was that the game looked beautiful. It reminded me a lot of those single player RPGs like in the Gothic series. This might have been because ELEX is being developed by Piranha Bytes, the same developer! These guys have been making single player RPGs for a long time and know how to do it.

The planet Magalan has been ravaged by an extinction level meteor strike and four factions have risen out of the chaos. Each of these factions has a very specific aesthetic and preferred weapon set. For instance, there is the Outlaw faction which looks like they came straight from a Mad Max film and uses tinkered weapons. In contrast there is the Berserkers, a group of people who use magic to fight. Whether it is your jump jet pack or the Berserkers’ magic, it is all powered by a substance called ELEX, which came bubbling up after the impact event. There will be magic, ranged, and melee combat and it all seemed rather smooth in what I saw of the game.

Choosing which faction to join is supposedly a VERY important part of the story, and will have severe repercussions for the game world. ELEX will allow a huge number of hours of gameplay and there are a multitude of quests to undertake, equipment to collect and craft, and places to explore. What I am most interested in finding out is how many hours of play the game provides the average player in their testing. While they didn’t give exact numbers, it sounds like it could rival the Gothic series in scope and breadth of quests. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see too much of the game in the twenty minute demo, but we saw enough to know that it will be one that we purchase when it comes out.

ELEX is set for release this Fall for the PlayStation 4, Windows PC, and Xbox One platforms.

San Manuel Casino Now Has The Most Slots On The West Coast

2017/07/01
boothby
News

San Manuel Indian Nation, Calif (July 1, 2017) – The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians is unveiling a new expansion to their San Manuel Casino.  As part of its commitment to All Thrill®, San Manuel Casino premieres an exciting expansion of its gaming floor with the unveiling of an additional 500 slots, which brings the total to over 4,700 slots.

“By staying at the forefront of gaming and player experiences, we ensure that more jobs, business partnerships, investments and brand concepts come here to the Inland Empire,” San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Chairwoman Lynn Valbuena said.

“Our goal is to provide our guests with an incredible gaming experience unlike anything else on the West Coast,” said San Manuel Casino General Manager Loren Gill. “The additional 500 slots will add to the excitement on the gaming floor.  We’re proud to announce Aristocrat’s Tim McGraw slots are part of the additional 500.”

A special Opening Ceremony will take place on Saturday, July 1 at 2 pm.

KRYTAC Begins Shipping KRISS Vector AEG

2017/06/30
boothby
Airsoft News, Geek News, News

June 30, 2017 – Brea, California, USA – Today KRYTAC®, KRISS USA’s brand of premium performance airsoft and training products, launches the first and only officially licensed KRISS® Vector AEG. The all-new AEG is the first of its kind, and an exact replica of the KRISS® Vector SMG Submachine Gun. The KRYTAC® KRISS® Vector AEG is shipping now to KRYTAC® distribution partners.

The dimensions of the all-new KRYTAC® KRISS® Vector AEG are a 1:1 scale to its firearms counterpart. Additional external features include the side folding stock, ambidextrous safety and selector switches, MIL-STD 1913 picatinny top rail, MIL-STD 1913 picatinny bottom accessory rail, and a Trident flash hider mounted to the 14mm counter clock wise threaded barrel.

Internally, the AEG is powered by a vertically oriented mechbox, with V2 compatible gears, piston, piston head, and cylinder. A short type motor pulls the AEG main spring, which is guided by a quick detach metal ball bearing spring guide. Semi, two round burst, and fully automatic fire modes are controlled by a micro-switch trigger and electronic control board with integrated 3034 MOSFET. Additional internal features include the famous KRYTAC® rotary hop up, bucking, and a 155mm inner barrel. Feeding the KRISS® Vector AEG is a 95 rounds mid capacity magazine.

Accessories
Factory standard accessories include the DEFIANCE® front and rear folding polymer sights, a 7-slot MIL-STD 1913 picatinny side rail section, and one magazine. Initial deliveries of the KRYTAC® KRISS® Vector AEG will ship with one (1) additional free mid capacity magazine.

Pricing and Availability
The KRYTAC® KRISS® Vector AEG is shipping now to the United States and is available for a suggested retail price of $449.00 (US). Other international markets including Asia, Europe, and South America will receive initial shipments by the end of July. First deliveries to Canada will be made by the end of August.

Additional magazines are available individually for $24.95 (US), or as a three-piece value package for $69.95(US). International pricing varies by region.

Midsummer Scream Announces Full Lineup of Attractions and Panels

2017/06/30
boothby
Geek News, Halloween, News

LONG BEACH, CA – Attracting more than 8,000 fans for its debut last summer, Midsummer Scream Halloween Festival is set to return bigger and more terrifying to the Long Beach Convention Center July 29 and 30. Drawing lovers of all things Halloween and horror to Southern California, Midsummer Scream delivers a stunning array of industry icons, more than 100,000 square feet of artisan vendors, live entertainment, specialty workshops, makeup demonstrations, short film screenings, haunted attraction previews, and an enormous dark zone known as the Hall of Shadows. Midsummer Scream is a joint production from the teams behind CreepyLA and Theme Park Adventure.

“We are thrilled to return to Long Beach this summer after such an exciting first year in 2016,” says David Markland, Midsummer Scream’s Executive Director. “Halloween and horror go hand-in-hand, and nowhere is the fan dedication to both more intense and heartfelt than right here in Southern California. Building on everything we learned from last year’s convention, our team has worked tirelessly over the past 12 months, preparing to take Midsummer Scream to a whole new level for this community. In just a few weeks, the Halloween season officially begins here on the West Coast; Long Beach has proven to be the perfect home for us, and we’re incredibly excited to lead the charge with the best fans in the world.”

One of the hallmarks of Midsummer Scream is its lineup of world-class panel presentations. This year, the Terrace Theater becomes the convention’s main stage, with a capacity to seat more than 3,000 fans at a time. The biggest tourist attractions on the West Coast are set to return to the main stage, unveiling their Halloween 2017 plans throughout the weekend, along with a stunning lineup of presentations that include:

  • Beyond the Fifth Dimension: Creating The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror – Sure to thrill theme park fans, Midsummer Scream will welcome key members of the attraction’s design and development team who will discuss Tower’s inception for Walt Disney World, and each iteration that followed. Mark Silverman, renowned as the voice of Rod Serling in the attraction, will join the discussion, thrilling fans by reciting the famous soundtrack narration live on stage.
  • Submitted for Approval: Are You Afraid of the Dark? – Midsummer Scream is taking it back to the ‘90s to discuss the Nickelodeon sensation that sparked the imagination – and nightmares – of kids everywhere. Co-Creator/Executive Producer D.J. MacHale will be joined by other Are You Afraid of the Dark? alumni on stage to discuss their work on the show and what fun it was keeping viewers cowering behind their blankets all night.
  • Master Creature Makers: From Dinosaurs to Fantasy Worlds – Hosted by Jeff Tucker of 91 Reasons podcast, this fascinating discussion will take a close look at some of the world’s best practical creature makers, and the challenges their companies face in an increasingly digital world. Jeff will be joined on stage by Erich Grey Litoff from the Stan Winston School of Character Arts, Emmy award-winning creature designer and filmmaker Kirk R. Thatcher, themed entertainment icon Garner Holt of Garner Holt Productions, and John Criswell of Jim Henson’s Creature Shop.
  • 45 Years of Knott’s Scary Farm – Independent of the Scary Farm’s official main stage presentation, this is a special 90-minute look at the past 45 years of the Halloween event that started it all in 1973. Hosted by author/historian Ted Dougherty, this presentation will feature a rotating panel of individuals who were, and are today, responsible for creating what is considered the granddaddy of all theme park haunt events. Panelists include early Halloween Haunt legend John Waite, former Entertainment Design Manager at Knott’s Todd Faux, world-renowned magician and entertainer Ed Alonzo, current Knott’s Berry Farm Vice President of Entertainment Ken Parks, and current Knott’s Scary Farm Design Specialist Jon Cooke.

Midsummer Scream’s second stage will offer seating for up to 750 guests at a time, featuring its own blockbuster lineup of presentations that include:

  • Shock Waves Live! – From your ear buds to the stage, Blumhouse.com’s hit horror podcast comes to Midsummer Scream for the first time. Hosts Rebekah McKendry, Robert Galluzzo, Ryan Turek, and Elric Kane will record an episode before a live audience, bringing with them an insightful and playful discussion about the world of horror films. Spend an hour with them, and maybe you’ll walk away with some great film recommendations!
  • Tales and Tribulations: The Delusion Retrospective – Internationally-recognized as a pioneering phenomenon in horror theater, Delusion returns to Midsummer Scream with a 90-minute retrospective of its past 5 productions and a glimpse into the future as creator Jon Braver and Skybound Entertainment discuss their new collaboration, Delusion: Lies Within – VR.
  • Winchester Mystery House: “Explore More” of Hallowe’en and Other Surprises – The Winchester Mystery House will host a 60-minute presentation on Sunday, July 30, featuring a look at never-before-opened areas of the mansion that are now featured on the new Explore More Tour, a sneak peek at the wildly-popular Hallowe’en Candlelight Tour – expanded for 2017, plus an exciting update on the upcoming Winchester motion picture, starring Helen Mirren. Doug Barnes of The Season Pass Podcast will lead the on-stage discussion with Walter Magnuson, General Manager of the Winchester Mystery House, and Tim O’Day, the company’s Director of Communications.
  • Stage & Scream: Immersive Horror Theater – Noah Nelson of No Proscenium is set to host this fascinating discussion amongst several very different performance group visionaries that each have their own approach and following in the exceptionally popular world of immersive horror theater on the West Coast and beyond. Joining Noah on stage are Jonathan Josephson of Unbound Productions/Wicked Lit, Zombie Joe of Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre Group, Anna Mavromati of Shine On Collective, and Landon Zakheim, Co-Director of the Overlook Film Festival.
  • Into the Black: First Look – Fans will get their first look at one of Southern California’s most-anticipated new haunted attractions for 2017, Into the Black. Hosted by Shawn Marshall of Parks and Cons Podcast, Into the Black: First Look will screen the attraction’s backstory film, as well as a teaser for the haunt’s “making of” documentary which will debut after the end of this year’s Halloween season, followed by a discussion and Q&A with Larry Bones, Creator, Executive Producer, and Director of Into the Black; actress Claire Dunlap; actress Aubree Garman; and Ted Dougherty, the Director and Co-Writer of Into the Black’s VR film.
  • Ben Cooper Costumes: Past and Future – This fascinating and nostalgic panel will focus on the history and future vision of Ben Cooper Costumes, founded in 1937. In the years to follow, the company would go on to produce Disney character-based Halloween costumes, as well as several from the Star Wars franchise. Moderator Rebekah McKendry from Blumhouse.com will be joined on stage by Shifra Cooper, Project Manager and Social Media Manager at Ben Cooper Costumes; Micheline Pitt, artist and designer; and Jon Miller, writer and Ben Cooper Costumes historian.

Theme Park Panel Presentations

One of the biggest draws to Midsummer Scream are major presentations by leading tourist attractions. During these blockbuster appearances, representatives of the greatest Halloween events in the world take to the main stage, connecting with their fans to discuss what each has in store for the Halloween season – from behind-the-scenes design details, to exciting announcements about new mazes and attractions. Joining Midsummer Scream 2017 are Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights, Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor, Six Flags Magic Mountain Fright Fest, and Knott’s Scary Farm.

Fans should expect dramatic surprises, fast-breaking announcements, monsters, and more throughout the weekend in the Terrace Theater!

Unique Theatrical Experiences

Featured this year as part of Midsummer Scream’s robust live entertainment selection, guests will have access to two unique productions by Los Angeles-based theater companies Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre Group, as well as Force of Nature Productions.

For those daring and curious – and 18 years of age or older – Zombie Joe’s will present a special Midsummer Scream 2017 version of its wildly-popular Urban Death show. Urban Death is a series of disturbing, frightening, graphically mature vignettes involving violence, death, and all things taboo; this adults-only production will leave guests laughing nervously, wincing, applauding, and wanting to see more Zombie Joe shows throughout the year.

Force of Nature will make its Midsummer Scream debut with Fallen Saints: Dia De Los Muertos, an immersive theatrical experience that will take guests deep into a cemetery late at night, where they witness the origin story of one of Mexico’s greatest folklore legends. This special engagement at Midsummer Scream is an exclusive “story bridge”, which will then continue this fall in Los Angeles during the group’s Halloween production.

Dark Harbor’s Sinister Circus at the Queen Mary

Once Midsummer Scream completes its activities for the evening at the Long Beach Convention Center on Saturday, July 29, the party continues just across the bay aboard one of the most haunted places in the world – the Queen Mary. Halloween fans don’t have to wait until October to mix and mingle with their favorite Dark Harbor characters; they’re going to populate the upper deck of the world-famous ocean liner all night long while Midsummer fans dance the night away – many in elaborate costumes, as Sinister Circus is also a costume ball featuring prizes and surprises! Tickets and hotel packages are now on sale for Dark Harbor’s Sinister Circus at www.queenmary.com/events/sinister-circus.

Hall of Shadows

Hall of Shadows is a massive dark zone that occupies over one third of the convention’s 90,000 square-foot show floor, giving thousands of fans the opportunity to preview more than a dozen stand-alone home and professional haunt experiences each day. In addition to terrifying haunted attractions, the Hall of Shadows will feature an elaborate Sleepy Hollow-themed entry portal designed and built by CalHauntS, a talented group of haunters based in Los Angeles. Walking through the creepy cemetery, guests will encounter eerie special effects and theme park-quality props and scenery.

High-energy performances by the Decayed Brigade slider team will take place three times each day; “sliding” is a scare tactic created more than 40 years ago at Knott’s Scary Farm, where performers push their bodies and the laws of gravity to the limit, creating a heart-stopping fright.

Once inside the Hall of Shadows, guests will experience more than a dozen “mini haunts” – a sampling of home and professional haunted attractions that can be found across the Southland this coming Halloween season. Each haunt in the Hall of Shadows will have a General Admission line, and a Front of Line lane. All haunts within the Hall are included with paid admission to Midsummer Scream.

Celebrity Guests

Halloween and horror fans will be able to meet celebrity guests throughout the weekend, including Sid Haig (House of 1000 Corpses, The Devil’s Rejects), Cassandra Peterson (Elvira, Mistress of the Dark), actress/model LeeAnna Vamp; Kane Hodder (“Jason Voorhees” from four Friday the 13th films); and more!

Screaming Room Presented by HorrorBuzz.com

Presented by HorrorBuzz.com, this screening room will feature a full two days of programming that includes short film submissions, Etheria Film Night selections, various haunted attraction flow-through videos by Theme Park Adventure, Trick R Treat select clips with recorded commentary by Michael Dougherty for Midsummer Scream, and BuzzFeed Unsolved hosted by Ryan Bergara and Shane Madej.

Family-Friendly Fun

Midsummer Scream recognizes that Halloween is a holiday that is enjoyed by people of all ages, including small children. The show floor will feature a large children’s area, complete with arts and crafts, friendly monster meet-and-greets, and the whimsical fun of Buster Balloon, entertainer and master balloon artist.

For more information regarding dates and times for panels and events, and to purchase tickets, log on to MidsummerScream.org. Fans may sign up on the site for email notifications and announcements, including discounts and other special offers.  Follow Midsummer Scream on social media –Twitter/Periscope: @MidsummerScream, Instagram: @MidsummerScream, and Facebook:facebook.com/midsummerscream.

Former producers of ScareLA, Midsummer Scream creators are David Markland, Executive Director; Gary Baker, Executive Producer; Rick West, Creative Director; Johanna Atilano, Producer; and Claire Dunlap, Supervising Producer.

About Midsummer Scream Halloween Festival

Midsummer Scream is a large-scale summer festival celebrating the spirit of Halloween and horror, drawing thousands of guests to Southern California for a weekend of thrills and chills. Featuring a massive show floor of vendors and exhibitors, haunted attractions and experiences, live entertainment and world-class panel presentations, Midsummer Scream is the West Coast’s premier Halloween/horror event, offering something for fans of all ages. More information can be found at MidsummerScream.org.