Produced by Entertainment Industry Leaders Collider, Kaleidoko, Legion M and XLEVELENT, Virtual Fan Expo Safely Recreates the Con Experience with Live Panels, Celeb Appearances, Social Opportunities and Exclusive Access to Merchandise From More Than One Hundred Exhibitors

            LOS ANGELES (April 06, 2020) – With mandated social distancing shuttering large-scale events worldwide, the future of pop culture conventions has arrived: Virtual Fan Expo (VFE). Event producers Kaleidoko, Experience Level Entertainment (XLEVELENT), Legion M and Collider announced today that VFE 2020 is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, May 2-3; a jam-packed, two-day event offering fun, fandom and the ultimate celebration of the pop culture community in a safe, inclusive virtual environment.

“We’re launching Virtual Fan Expo as an exciting, revolutionary con experience that best replicates ‘being there’ without compromising anyone’s health, well-being or need to leave home,” said Bernie Bregman, director of business development and talent acquisitions, Experience Level Entertainment. “Above all, we’re enabling a deep, inclusive and meaningful sense of community for pop culture fans hungry for fun and engaging social opportunities currently stolen by the global pandemic.”

VFE promises to be an integrated fan experience featuring exciting panels, Q&A’s and celebrity appearances, including actor Joe Manganiello (“Magic Mike,” “True Blood,” “Rampage”) and “Maltin on Movies” podcast co-hosts Leonard and Jessie Maltin, as well as interactive gaming rooms, online happy hours, and a cosplay “ball.” An event centerpiece will be a seamless virtual exhibitor floor featuring more than one hundred exhibitors and vendors offering the hottest merchandise typically found at well-known Cons. Attendees will have exclusive access to vendors on the exhibitor floor via Auxxit, an innovative virtual marketplace that will feature special shopping segments including limited edition and VFE-exclusive merch. The platform also gives the community unparalleled ability to communicate with exhibitors and each other throughout the weekend.

Kaleidoko Director and Community Engineer Jenny Stiven added, “Virtual Fan Expo fills a tremendous void that many communities are feeling with the cancellation of major Cons around the world. VFE’s integrated environment will not only elevate the Con experience for fans, but it will deliver a seamless ‘exhibitor floor’ that enables vendors a phenomenal opportunity to engage with consumers and showcase their inventory that would have otherwise gone untouched during this uncertain time.”

Amplifying the Con’s reach across fandom, VFE producer Legion M–the world’s first fan-owned entertainment company–will mobilize its highly-engaged community of more than 100,000 members leading up to and during the event, as well as provide programming support for the weekend’s schedule. The Con’s media partner Collider will stream VFE segments and feature exclusive content on its website.

More details will be announced soon. To stay informed about Virtual Fan Expo, including panel and Q&A schedules, celebrity appearances, as well as fan experience and exhibitor details, please visit VirtualFanExpo.com. Follow Virtual Fan Expo at Facebook.com/virtualfanexpo and Twitter/Instagram at @virtualfanexpo.

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ABOUT KALEIDOKO

Kaleidoko Ltd. is a global think tank and advisory focused on the future – helping individuals, organizations and communities see things differently and position themselves for growth in an ever-changing world. Based in both London and Los Angeles and comprised of global market experts and connectors, they cultivate cultural change, technological evolution and social transformation to guide society forward. For additional information, visit www.kaleidoko.com.

ABOUT EXPERIENCE LEVEL ENTERTAINMENT (XLEVELENT)

Experience Level Entertainment (XLEVELENT) is an event production company that specializes in creating immersive pop culture experiences. Founded by entertainment insiders and media experts with deep roots in pop culture fandom, XLEVELENT has set out to revolutionize the industry recognizing that fans crave elevated experiences. Blending their expertise in conceptualizing and executing large-scale conventions, concerts, parties, pop-ups, and immersive experiences, the XLEVELENT team takes production dreams from concept to completion.

ABOUT LEGION M

Legion M is the world’s first fan-owned entertainment company that is revolutionizing the way entertainment is made in Hollywood by uniting a growing fan community of 100,000+ members including more than 25,000 fan-owners. Through its Fan-Owned business model, Legion M invests in a diverse slate of original projects in various stages of development, including the epic fantasy The Emperor’s Blades, comic book and feature film Girl With No Name, and documentary Memory: The Origins of Alien; multiple original television series including Evermor, Airship Cowboys, and Malice; as well as interactive and VR-based projects, including ICONS: Face to Face starring the late Stan Lee and Kevin Smith. Legion M also invests in partner productions, including Kevin Smith’s feature film Jay and Silent Bob Reboot, as well as the critically acclaimed Colossal, starring Anne Hathaway and Jason Sudeikis, and directed by Nacho Vigalondo, the cult hit Mandy starring Nicolas Cage and directed by Panos Cosmatos, the upcoming gritty, hard-edged epic Archenemy starring Joe Manganiello, and Bad Samaritan starring David Tennant and directed and produced by Dean Devlin.  Legion M and its fan community has produced high-profile events honoring some of the industry’s biggest names, including the Stan Lee hand and footprint ceremony at Hollywood’s TCL Chinese Theatre in 2017.  To learn more about Legion M and become a member of the Legion for free, visit www.legionm.com.

ABOUT COLLIDER

Collider is the ultimate source for impactful entertainment news. Delivering the biggest, most important industry happenings; provide a deep analysis and sharp commentary through interviews, reviews, live screenings and much more!