The capes are out, lightsabers are ready and Palais des congrès has once again become the centre of the pop culture universe.
Montreal Comiccon opened Friday, welcoming fans from across Canada and beyond for three days of celebrity appearances, comic book creators, cosplay, gaming and entertainment.
The annual convention, now one of the country’s largest pop culture events, features more than 200,000 square feet of exhibitors, artists and interactive experiences spread across three floors.
This year’s event is headlined by actors Lea Thompson, Ron Perlman, Robert Englund and Tom Welling, whose careers span iconic franchises including Back to the Future, Hellboy, A Nightmare on Elm Street and Smallville.
The celebrity lineup stretches across film, television, animation and video games.
Fans will have the chance to meet Giancarlo Esposito, Diana Lee Inosanto, Tyler Hoechlin, Elizabeth Tulloch, Harry Lloyd, Chris Noth, Jaz Sinclair, Wallace Shawn, James Marsters, Robert Patrick, Steve Agee, Nhut Le, Sol Rodriguez, Kane Hodder and Tyler Posey.
Gaming and animation are also well represented, with voice actors Neil Newbon, Troy Baker, Yuri Lowenthal, Sean Schemmel, David Kaye, Nadji Jeter, Tara Platt, Maile Flanagan, Greg Baldwin, Michaela Jill Murphy, Katie Griffin, Linda Ballantyne and Brandon Rogers appearing throughout the weekend.
Fans of WWE also have a chance to meet Hall of Famers Billy Gunn, D-Von Dudley, and Mick Foley.
While celebrity guests continue to draw crowds, comic books remain the foundation of the convention.
Nearly 60 comic creators are attending this year’s event, including Jeph Loeb, Mike McKone, Tom Grummett, Rick Leonardi, Bart Sears, Ghoulish Gary Pullin and Jeik Dion.
More than 100 independent artists are showcasing original artwork and comics in Artist Alley.
Beyond celebrity meet-and-greets, Comiccon offers a full schedule of programming throughout the weekend.
The fifth floor hosts celebrity panels, Q&A sessions and workshops, along with Saturday night’s Masquerade costume competition and Sunday’s Cosplay-Eh! 2026 Grand Finale.
Gaming enthusiasts can visit the Indie Game Zone, the Asmodee Gaming Zone featuring titles such as CATAN, 7 Wonders, Star Wars and Marvel, and the G.A.M.E. Montréal tabletop role-playing area, where players can take part in adventures inspired by Dungeons & Dragons and Call of Cthulhu.
Fans can also explore CaliComiccon’s medieval village, participate in ConQuest through the ComicconNav mobile app and enjoy concerts and special performances scheduled throughout the weekend.
Ticketed events include James Marsters Live! on Friday, Galactic Empire on Saturday and Naheulband on Sunday.
Included with admission are OVMF concerts celebrating Super Smash Bros. and Arcane, along with the K-Pop Live Experience, Vocaparty and BurlesGeek.
The convention occupies multiple levels of the Palais des congrès.
The Expo Hall features more than 200,000 square feet of retailers offering collectibles, toys, manga, comics, books and exclusive merchandise, alongside Artist Alley and the celebrity photo-op area.
Autograph sessions take place on the seventh floor, while stage presentations, cosplay events and tabletop gaming are held on the fifth floor.
Since launching in 2009, Montreal Comiccon has grown from a small gathering into one of Montreal’s largest annual events, attracting more than 65,000 visitors each year.
The convention continues through Sunday at the Palais des congrès.
