Chicago’s largest and longest-running horror convention, Flashback Weekend, is throwing the spotlight on four legendary horror directors and three massive cast reunions for its 2024 outing, August 2-4 at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare Chicago. Flashback Weekend is unique in the horror-convention space because it is family owned, with all net proceeds going toward the preservation and operation of the Midway Drive-In, which is located in Dixon, Ill., and is owned and operated by Flashback showrunners Mike and Mia Kerz.
The four filmmakers being saluted this year include Sam Raimi (the original Evil Dead trilogy, the original Spider-Man trilogy, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness), whose brothers, actor Ted Raimi and screenwriter Ivan Raimi, will also be on hand; Eli Roth (the Hostel films, The Green Inferno, Knock Knock, Thanksgiving, and the upcoming Borderlands); Don Coscarelli (the Phantasm films, Bubba Ho-Tep); and Charles Band (Parasite, the Trancers franchise, The Gingerbread Man, the Evil Bong films), who will be hosting the world premiere of his latest work, the pulp noir thriller Quadrant at Flashback Weekend on Saturday, August 3.
The cast reunions this year will center on three films, including John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982), bringing together cast members Keith David, Richard Masur, David Clennon, Thomas G. Waites, Joel Polis, and Peter Maloney for a panel on Saturday. Eli Roth’s Cabin Fever (2003) also brings together most of its primary cast, including Cerina Vincent, Jordan Ladd, James DeBello, and Joey Kern, all of whom will join Roth for a Q&A panel on Friday, August 2. To celebrate the 45th anniversary of director Walter Hill’s The Warriors, many of the actors in the Warriors gang will be on hand, including Michael Beck, James Remar, Dorsey Wright, Thomas G. Waites, David Harris, Terry Michos, and David Harris.
In addition, several stars of the many iterations of the Halloween series and extended John Carpenter-verse will be on hand, including Nick Castle (the original Michael Myers), Adrienne Barbeau, Tom Atkins, James Jude Courtney, Nancy Stephens, Stacey Nelkin, Rohan Campbell, and composer Alan Howarth.
Other guests who fans can meet, get photos with, and autographs from include film and TV star (and Chicago native) Michael Gross (the Tremors film and TV series, Family Ties); Brett Wagner (Leatherface in the 2003 Texas Chainsaw Massacre) and Quinn Lord (Sam in Trick ‘r Treat)
Legendary horror host Svengoolie (Rich Koz) will meet fans for autographs and photos on Saturday, as well as hosting the annual Sinister Visions Costume Contest, with separate categories for kids and adults. On Friday, Koz will be the subject of a special tribute to his 45 years as Svengoolie, featuring surprise celebrity guest appearances and hosted by Nick Digilio.
On Saturday evening at 8:30pm, composer Alan Howarth will perform the live score of Halloween III: Season of the Witch during a screening of the film. In addition, there will be a special tribute part to Howarth on Saturday after the concert at the Hyatt’s Ventanas top-floor bar where the composer will interact with fans while his classic soundtracks (Halloween II, Escape from New York, Big Trouble in Little China, They Live, etc.) play in the background. On Friday night, Ventanas will also host a Warriors costume party, during which attendees can dress as their favorite gang or character.
For more information, visit the Flashback Weekend Chicago Horror Convention; find details specifically about celebrity photo opportunities online here.
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