Superheroes, Killer Robots, Cosplayers & Anime Icons Join Forces With A Scooby Snack At Wintergeddon On King’s Birthday

This King’s Birthday Weekend, 31 May to 2 June, the Auckland Showgrounds will transform into a pop culture playground as Wintergeddon jumps in from the multiverse, bringing together superheroes, killer robots, cosplayers, and anime legends for a long weekend of pure fan-fuelled fun.

At the heart of this year’s star-studded lineup is Ioan Gruffudd, the charming Reed Richards from Fantastic Four and hero of Horatio Hornblower. He’s joined by international stars Jeff Ward (One Piece, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.); T.J. Thyne (Bones); Kim Rhodes (Supernatural, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody); and Australian voice actor Neil Fanning, the voice behind Scooby-Doo himself!

Kiwi fans are in for a very special treat with Lucy Lawless and Renee O’Connor, the iconic Xena and Gabrielle duo, reuniting on stage for a nostalgic deep dive into Xena: Warrior Princess (Sunday only).

Rounding out the guest list are lineup is New Zealand’s own Amie Donald (M3GAN, M3Gan 2.0) the actor/dancer whose unsettling moves terrified audiences worldwide. Plus anime voice stars Natalie Van Sistine (SPY x Family,Attack on Titan), Reagan Murdock (Chainsaw Man, One Piece), Jason Douglas (Dragon Ball, The Walking Dead), and Pete Capella (voice of Silver the Hedgehog).

Together, they’ll bring panels, signings, and unforgettable fan moments to life across the weekend.

Cosplay fans are in for a treat too, with an all-star lineup of international cosplayers set to inspire with their craft and creativity. Alyson Tabbitha, master of transformations from Wonder Woman to Jack Sparrow, will appear alongside vintage crossover queen Rachel Maksy, Australia’s own Vera Chimera, and international cosplay superstar Ridd1e – one of the main cast members on both season of the reality show, Heroes of Cosplay, and feature of two award winning cosplay documentaries.

And it wouldn’t be Wintergeddon without some crazy contraption to surprise and delight. This year marks the world debut of CARmageddon, a fully-drivable, fan-built supercar inspired by all those legendary cars from the likes of Batman, Nightrider and Back to the Future. This one-of-a-kind 1975 Cadillac Eldorado is packed with gadgets including a scissor-lift turret machine guns, missile launchers, smoke screens, voice warnings, and even a working flux capacitor - pure pop culture madness brought to life on four wheels.

For fans of Stranger Things, costume designers Amy Parris and Daniel Selon will present an exclusive display of original costumes from the hit show, giving attendees a rare glimpse at the looks that defined the characters of Hawkins, Indiana - the fictional American town where all the supernatural events unfold.

Amy has worked on television series and movies across various genres and time periods, including HBO’s Westworld, Showtime’s Yellowjackets, and Netflix’s Stranger Things. And Daniel was an assistant costume designer on WandaVision, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and Thor: Love and Thunder, and the head costume designer for Agatha All Along.

Wintergeddon also brings epic gaming action, with two massive esports tournaments - League of Legends and Marvel Rivals - a Minecraft VR zone, an Airsoft shooting range, X-Shot battle arena, Spookers horror hall, Just Dance disco, a Catan board game library, and live performances by the Auckland Wind Orchestra.

Fans can also look forward to cosplay parades, author panels, anime screenings, wargaming displays, D&D sessions by Questbook, and a pop culture shopping paradise across Artist Alley and the retail floor.

Wintergeddon runs Saturday 9am-6pm, Sunday 9am-5pm, and Monday 10am-5pm at the Auckland Showgrounds. Tickets and the full event schedule are available at www.armageddonexpo.com.

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