This past spring Spooky Empire was filled with retro horror celebrity guests with many returning favorites, as well as some new ones!  Topping off the guest list was Clockwork Orange star Malcolm McDowell, Strangeland’s Dee Snider, Addam’s Family Values actress Joan Cusack, Hatchet trilogy star Kane Hodder, and and Rob Zombie’s Michael Myers Tyler Mane.

Despite the change in venue, moving from its usual autumn location at the Orange Convention Center to the beautiful and accommodating Wyndham Orlando Resort on International Drive, fans came out in droves to worship their favorite horror idols.  Many of them cosplayed as their favorite characters from the genre.  In addition to zombies, vampires, and ghouls there was an overwhelming amount of Disney characters zombified, as well as Disney villains represented in their true form.  Yet what else would you expect from a horror convention located just miles from the happiest place on earth?

 

The first panel to kick off the Saturday of Spooky Empire was by legendary Kane Hodder, star of Friday the 13^th 7, 8, 9, and Jason X.  He officially announced the release date for the long awaited Friday the 13^th video game by Gun Media on May 26, which happens to coincide with his oldest son’s birthday.  In the game you can choose to play either a camp counsellor trying to evade the infamous killer, or Jason himself.  Hodder, who is not one to be phased by violence and gore, was impressed by the level of brutality this game pushed on its viewers.

As the day continued each panel was packed with eager fans awaiting to hear from their heroes.  Perhaps the most anticipated panel of the day was by former front man of Twisted Sister, Dee Snider.  Always the entertainer, Dee captivated the crowd with stories from his career, which he joked relied heavily upon reality television as of lately.

As eager as the crowd may have been to hear news regarding the long awaited Strangeland 2, now nearly twenty years in the making, the rock star remained tight lipped.  His only comment was it finally felt like the right time for Captain Howdy’s return.

Another fun panel was the cast reunion of Rob Zombie’s Halloween.  Cast members Tyler Mane, Scout Taylor Compton, Kristina Kelebe, Daeg Faerch, and Hanna Hall were all in attendance.  Even though fan favorite Malcolm McDowell, aka Rob Zombie’s Dr. Loomis (originally made famous by the great and late Donald Pleasance,) was in attendance at the convention, he was not a member of the panel for unknown reasons.

The cast reminisced about their days of filming the cult classic, not knowing how its success would fare when compared to John Carpenter’s original.  Mane and Compton exchanged on set accidents that could have gone horribly wrong and ended production on day 1!  Be sure to watch our coverage of the panel to hear their accounts.

No Spooky Empire would be complete without spending your hard earned money, and believe me, there were many ways you could have done so this past weekend!  If autographs and pictures with the celebrities don’t float your boat, two ballrooms of vendors and tattoo artists clamored for your green.

Each vendor room was packed to the brim with talent!  Whether you were looking for new ink, artwork, gifts, toys, or movies you would find it here!

Closing out the spring convention of the hottest horror convention in town, Spooky announced its newest creation; Spooky Day in the Parks.  Based on the little bit of information that has been released, we gather this new event is a horror themed convention that is taking place at, believe it or not, Walt Disney World!

While this is not a Walt Disney World sponsored event, Spooky Empire has rented convention space at the Coranado resort, which will also serve as their host hotel.  Spooky will also be holding events around the park itself!  One of these events will be at the ever so fitting and infamous Tower of Terror!  Be sure to keep an eye on their webpage here, and we will be sure to bring you more news once more is available!