Julian Cannon
Julian Cannon
Julian Cannon is a seasoned entertainment editor with a keen eye for capturing the pulse of the industry. With a career spanning over a decade, he has become a trusted voice in the realm of TV, movies, events, conventions, and red carpets. Julian's expertise lies in delivering insightful commentary on the latest trends, exclusive interviews with industry luminaries, and comprehensive coverage of high-profile events. Twitter: @Julianexcalibur Instagram: @Julianexcalibur Contact: Julian.theknockturnal@gmail.com
With its Funkoville area at this year’s San Diego Comic Con, Funko has returned bigger than ever with its biggest booth of all time.
I have never seen an exhibit as large and elaborate as this one at Comic Con. Each booth is decorated in pastel colors and old-fashioned signage in order to mimic the appearance of small shops in a small town, each of which has its own brand and speciality. Funko’s booth has a lot of stuff to sell. As well as the Blockbuster, there are several other amenities within the mall, including a donut shop, a bowling alley, a Loungefly-themed boutique, and a Mondo gas station as well.

The Blockbuster booth, which Funko and Loungefly developed for the event, was to tap into 90’s nostalgia to appeal to the millennials and Gen Z generation that is interested in the ’90’s.
“We like to be on the pop culture edge, but also really bring that ‘oh my gosh, I remember when I was a kid and that makes me so happy’ feeling from everyone and I would say that Loungefly has always been a bit of a nostalgic company and Funko is really on the edge of pop culture,” said Derrick Baca, SVPs of Creative, Innovation & Vision at Loungefly.
Getting around the booths is pretty straightforward as far as how to navigate them. As you enter the space, you’ll find a helpful information booth on your righthand side, and the minibooth signs will be visible as you walk in. Follow the employee to the line at that shop. You’ll get a paper menu with every item on sale in that booth as you wait in line (don’t worry, they must move fast when we were there!).
My time at the booth also included making my own Funko Pop with Pop Yourself. With Pop Yourself, you can make Pop replicas of yourself, friends, and loved ones with the added benefit of customizing them to reflect your passions and fandoms. Fans are able to immerse themselves in the fandoms and magical worlds they love through unlimited birthday, graduation, wedding, etc. offerings.

“We want to make sure that the fans always have an experience with us and its been an evolution to make sure that is something that we can do for anybody,” said Johanna Gepford, SVP Direct to Consumer at Funko.
The launch is in celebration of Funko’s 25th anniversary and serves as a huge step forward for the company, as the Pop! Yourself technology accentuates Funko’s efforts to lead innovation in the consumer products market. Consumers can use Pop! Yourself in Q3 2023 via Funko.com and in-person at the Funko Hollywood + Funko Everett locations. This mass market launch and accessibility to consumers makes collecting more personal and FUN.
In collaboration with Den of Geek Magazine, Funko Games, a leading publisher of tabletop games and the home of acclaimed studio Prospero Hall, hosted Rooftop Game Night at San Diego Comic-Con as part of the company’s partnership with the Diamond Building. There was a wide variety of popular pop culture franchises and classic original games available at this event, making it a must-attend for tabletop game enthusiasts. In addition to sampling the brand’s exclusive IPA, attendees had a chance to see the new offerings for the first time.
Additionally, Funko Games hoped to introduce its games to new audiences with this rooftop. There was a lot of excitement in the air as I witnessed the attendees playing the tabletop games for the first time in the room.
“We have games for many types of players. For casual players, and hardcore players. Ultimately we have to deliver a compelling and fun experience that lives up to the expectations of players and fans,” said Chuck Blevens, director of marketing.
Stephen Curry: Underrated is a sports documentary that will be coming our way soon in case you’re a fan of Steph Curry, an NBA All-Star with a nine-year career. The film focuses on the NBA star’s underrated skills and the journey to success.
Peter Nicks, who is in charge behind the scenes, is joined by Ryan Coogler, Erick Peyton, Sean Havey, Ben Cotner and Marissa Torres Ericson in assuming production duties. Emily Osborne, Sev Ohanian, and Zinzi Coogler are respectively, executive producers and executive producers on the project.
Based on the synopsis of the sports documentary, the four-time NBA champ is described as a young man who is going through a “coming of age” phase. It will use cinema verité, archival footage, and on-camera interviews to tell the story of the player, demonstrating how he came from a small town called Davidson, North Carolina, as an “undersized college player” and how he eventually became a basketball superstar. Aside from that, we also get to see how Curry manages his life on and off the court.
We recently caught up with the NBA star as he talks about the documentary along with his impact among Gen Z basketball fans.
Official synopsis below:
The film is a “coming-of-age story” about Curry and his rise to NBA fame. The famous basketball player attended a small college, Davidson College, in the small town of Davidson, North Carolina. The real-life tale is told through cinéma vérité, archival footage and on camera interviews, per Apple TV+. And while of course there’s massive success on the court, the doc will also show Curry’s life off the court as he has to keep a balance between his career and his personal life.
As part of AMC Networks’ return to Comic-Con, AMC Networks will present a new Anne Rice Immortal Universe experience and activation at the Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter Hotel’s terrace (401 K Street). The activation was previewed by us at Comic Con, where we were given the opportunity to preview it in advance.



As part of the event, guests were invited to take a tour along “The Street of Immortality,” which is an immersive experience inspired by New Orleans, with several opportunities to capture photos and videos along the way. In addition to this, attendees recognized some of the iconic locations from Interview with the Vampire (such as Hotel Iberville and Nawlins Records), and they also immersed themselves in Anne Rice’s universe, made up of characters drawn from Interview with the Vampire and Mayfair Witches.
There was also a walking street tour where attendees were able to collect exclusive souvenirs as well as limited-edition premiums, such as “The Elixir of Immortality”, a mocktail prepared by POM Wonderful. Aside from that, fans can expect some surprise and delight moments inspired by the universe, and costumes are encouraged.


With its activation, AMC is doubling down on the Immortal Universe as Interview With The Vampire’s first season had a positive reception. The fanbase of the series continues to grow as the network giant would look into tapping into this audience while the iron is hot.
The event is free and for all ages, and open Thursday, July 20, Friday, July 21 and Saturday, July 22 from 11am – 7pm.
Karina Ortiz is a newcomer to the universe of The Walking Dead as she plays Amaia on Dead City.
The New York native made her debut on the second episode of the show where she played the role of Amaia, who was left behind in New York with the rest of the survivors when the apocalypse began. In particular, when the military bombed the bridges that connect NYC with the other states, people suffered. Having that in mind, it’s not a surprise that they are in NYC with the walkers.
As a Dominican-American actress born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Karina Ortiz appeared on numerous successful shows prior to The Walking Dead: Dead City, such as “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” “Blue Bloods,” and “Orange is the New Black.” After graduating from The City College of New York in 2009 with a BA in Theatre, she began pursuing an acting career full-time. In her first job out of college, she portrayed Angelita in the play “Platanos and Collard Greens” on Off-Broadway stages throughout NYC.
In this exclusive interview, we catch up with Ortiz as she talks about The Walking Dead: Dead City.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
How did you approach Amaia prior to when your scenes were shot on Dead City?
Well, my approach was first. I wanted to make sure that everything was very personalized for me. and that I was very aware of the things that she has gone through, the people that she’s already lost in her life. What she had to do to become a leader of this group in New York. I was very aware of the things that she has gone through, the people that she’s already lost in her life. What she had to do to become a leader of this group in New York. I really wanted to honor her story and what she went through. So a lot of the work had to do with creating her and I wanted to make sure that she was really a 3 dimensional character. While she’s tough, there’s a lot of vulnerability underneath there.
What is your favorite memory on the set?
One of my favorite moments was teaching some of the production crew and cast the slang “Yerrr” and they were questioning like ‘What is that?’ It was hilarious, and we were doing a take where we were taking a very serious approach, Jeffrey Dean Morgan walks by and yells right before they yell cut. It was hilarious.
Can you describe the hand weapons your character and group has? To me, it reminded me of the hookshots from The Legend of Zelda.
They’ve been altered. They were like the nail guns, and they’ve been altered to shoot out and then open up to cause a lot of damage, and then retract. And you retracted by quickly winding it up. it’s something that they needed. Obviously, guns were not easily accessible. So they needed to create something that could shoot long range, and also something that they can keep using over and over again. So that was, that’s kind of like the behind that.
Why was it important to honor the lost ones on that dinner scene?
I feel that in The Walking Dead, you don’t often get to see people just have a moment to truly honor the people they lost. And in that world, and that city world with everything that they’ve gone through and everything that they’ve lost, it’s very important for them to still do things and ceremonies that humanize them that remind them there’s hope. and we’re gonna honor the people that we loved, and we’re gonna make time for that. I thought it was really beautiful.
Frankenstein, or, The Modern Prometheus, which was first published in 1818, has been adapted for the screen for more than a century. Now you can see Bomani J. Story’s reimagining of The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster.
Exclusive: Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Lauren Cohan, and more Talks The Walking Dead: Dead City at Tribeca
The cast of The Walking Dead: Dead City arrived at the Tribeca Film Festival this week for the world premier.
I am not the first one to admit that the idea of Negan and Maggie being paired up for a Walking Dead spinoff is farfetched due to the circumstances of Glenn’s death. After watching The Walking Dead: Dead City’s first season, I came away feeling this was one of the best franchise decisions to date.
This week’s Fear The Walking Dead went beyond stupidity that it made an episode of the previous season look like a masterpiece by comparison.
In celebration of the 25th anniversary of Sex and the City as well as the upcoming premiere of the second season of And Just Like That, Max will give fans the chance to experience one of the most fabulous franchises on television through the And Just Like That…It’s Been 25 Years, A Sex and the City Experience” event.







