Fan Expo Philadelphia 2025, Part 1: The Good, The Bad, and the Controversy

Fan Expo returned to Philadelphia this past weekend with both lots of fun and a controversial guest.

This past weekend, Fan Expo Philadelphia returned to the Pennsylvania Convention Center with lots of fun booths and guests for fans to enjoy. Among the headliners for this year’s convention were wrestler/actor John Cena, voice actors from Hazbin Hotel, and actors from multiple iterations of the Star Wars and Star Trek franchises.

Though there were a variety of guests for fans to interact with, no addition was more controversial than the inclusion of actor Mel Gibson. While Fan Expo and many other conventions have previously included guests that are controversial for several different reasons, inviting the actor who is most synonymous with bigotry in Hollywood feels like a step too far. Though Gibson still drew a crowd at the convention, his presence was likely uncomfortable for many hoping for a more inclusive environment for all fans.

Despite Gibson’s frustrating presence, there was still plenty to enjoy at the convention this year. The few panels that I was able to attend were a lot of fun and the booths on the show floor had a lot of cool things to see and buy. While I was unfortunately unable to attend this year’s costume contest, the many cosplays that I saw on the show floor were impressive.

The most notable change this year in the celebrity panels that I attended was the inclusion of pre-submitted questions. On the one hand, the pre-submitted questions took away some of the awkward moments of the audience question portion. However, the inability to ask questions of the panel took away the spontaneity and the personal moments such as the guests reacting to cosplay and cute kids. I wasn’t aware that comments could be submitted beforehand as an attendee and the pre-submitted questions were likely a disappointment for any other attendee who didn’t know about it or only came up with a question at the panel. Though the lack of audience questions didn’t seem to be universal, the convention could have done a better job communicating that questions for certain panels needed to be submitted beforehand.

Despite some questionable decisions, Fan Expo Philadelphia remained a fun experience that celebrated multiple fandoms. There was a lot for attendees to enjoy, and hopefully the convention will remain an enjoyable experience when it returns to the same location next May.

Author: Jessica Wolff

Jessica Wolff is a graduate of Drexel University with a BS in Film/Video. She has a passion for entertainment and representation in entertainment. She currently resides outside of Washington, DC.

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