Over 50,000 fans expected to attend Middle East Film and Comic Con 2015

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – The Middle East Film and Comic Con continues to grow significantly with a target of over 50,000 visitors for the 2015 show and an additional 35% of space booked at the Dubai World Trade Center, with organisers looking to elevate the Dubai based event to the next level.

The headline guest for the 2015 edition which is scheduled for April 9th to 11th will be all-round legendary performer William Shatner, recognizable to several generations of cult television fans as the square-jawed Captain James T. Kirk. A number of other guests have also been revealed as well including Karl Urban, well known as Éomer in the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy in “Star Trek” (2009), and Judge Dredd in “Dredd” (2012); along with another sci-fi legend, Sam Jones, best known for his iconic role as Flash Gordon, who made one of the most talked about cameos in recent years in the smash hit “Ted”. Image Comics, the publisher of huge hits like “The Walking Dead”, will also be exhibiting for the first time with more guest and content announcements promised in the coming weeks.

More Strategic Partnerships

With a number of new partnerships to deliver the best pop-culture content from around the world, MEFCC are thrilled to be working in collaboration with Live Nation to feature fan favourites Thirty Seconds to Mars on Friday 10th April. They have sold over 5 million albums worldwide and hold the Guinness World Record for the most concerts in a tour. The band is noted for its energetic live performances including their #1 hit singles “From Yesterday”, “Kings and Queens”, and “This Is War”. The concert is sure to be a hit with convention and music fans alike.

Another key strategic alliance announced is one with LINE, the world’s leading life platform with 181 million monthly active users. It offers free text and voice messaging, voice and video calling and group chat with up to 200 people, integrated with various interactive elements such as Stickers, Timeline and Official Accounts. By opening a dedicated Official Account, LINE will offer fans at the show up-to-the-minute live updates of activities, promotions, signings, workshops and exclusive offers, ensuring that they don’t miss out on the jam-packed weekend of activities.

“Partnering with MEFCC was a natural choice for LINE given the creative, artistic and tech-savvy crowd that the exhibition has been attracting over the years. I’m sure our dynamic messaging platform and the wide array of LINE Family apps will appeal to the youth attending the event and we look forward to interacting with them at the event,” said Minho Goh, Head of Turkey, Middle East and Africa at LINE Business Development Division at LINE PLUS Corporation.

“Our promise is always Bigger, Better & Crazier than Ever,” said Managing Director, Ben Caddy. “With the overwhelming support of both our industry partners and the fan community, whether they are artists, exhibitors, sponsors or fans, people feel that they have a stake in this event and the platform it provides,” he added, “and it’s that enthusiasm which is driving the growth of the event.”
This year Dubai Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) is also playing an even bigger role in promoting the event as a global attraction.

Sally Edwards, Director of Dubai Calendar, a department of DTCM said: “A unique and intriguing event, Comic Con is a key diary date for Dubai’s year-round calendar of internationally acclaimed arts, entertainment and community events. With additional space confirmed for this year’s edition, it’s fantastic that the event will be even bigger and better than Comic Con 2014, which was a resounding success. We look forward to seeing Comic Con’s popularity continue to grow in the coming years, as we welcome the who’s who of the worlds of comics, TV, film, anime and so much more to enjoy all that our Emirate has to offer.”

MEFCC will continue to give fans from around the region the chance to celebrate a shared love of pop culture, meet international celebrities and artists, learn from industry professionals, express their own talent and enjoy a feast of activities ranging from gaming to music, art, technology and beyond.