Run Down on The 2026 Philadelphia Fan Expo (From The Goonies to Highlander)

While the massive convention drew thousands of attendees for its comic creators and cosplay red carpets, the absolute highlights of the weekend centered around major franchise reunions and iconic celebrity appearances. 

From legendary time-travelers to treasure-hunting kids and vampire-hunting brothers, here is how the ultimate nostalgic lineups stole the show at this year’s convention.

The spirit of 1985 was alive and well in Center City as FAN EXPO Philadelphia hosted a massive reunion for The Goonies. Headlined by Sean Astin (Mikey Walsh) and Corey Feldman (Mouth), the cast drew lines wrapping around the convention floor. Fans flooded the booths for a rare chance to catch the stars together for exclusive “TeamUp” photo ops and autograph sessions. During their panels, the cast reminisced about working with Richard Donner and how the film’s message of enduring friendship continues to resonate across generations. 

In a perfect double-feature weekend for Corey Feldman, horror fans were treated to a legendary piece of vampire-hunting history. Feldman reunited with co-star Jamison Newlander to bring The Lost Boys’ iconic Frog Brothers back together. Appearing on Friday, the duo celebrated Edgar and Alan Frog’s cult-classic status, offering fans specialized photo opportunities and sharing behind-the-scenes stories from the set of Joel Schumacher’s 1987 horror masterpiece. 

Few guests matched the raw charisma and crowd energy of the legendary Mr. T. The Rocky III and A-Team star made a triumphal return to Philadelphia, the very city where his iconic character Clubber Lang fought Rocky Balboa. Appearing across all three days of the convention, Mr. T hyped up the crowds with his trademark energy, met with thousands of fans for autographs, and dominated the conversation on local sports radio leading up to his blockbuster appearances. 

Whovians were out in full force thanks to a phenomenal Doctor Who lineup anchored by one of the franchise’s most beloved actors, David Tennant (The Tenth and Fourteenth Doctor). Tennant, who appeared Saturday and Sunday, was joined on the roster by Arthur Darvill, famous for playing the loyal companion Rory Williams. The duo’s panels packed the theater rooms as they answered questions about navigating the TARDIS, working with different iterations of the Doctor, and the enduring global legacy of the sci-fi franchise. 

Adding a touch of epic fantasy and cult action to the weekend, Christopher Lambert—the immortal Connor MacLeod himself—made a celebrated appearance. Fans of Highlander and Mortal Kombat swarmed the floor to meet Lambert, who remains a definitive icon of 80s genre cinema. Lambert participated in signing sessions and panels detailing the physical demands of sword-fighting on set and the timeless phrase that defined a generation of sci-fi cinema: “There can be only one.”