Latest news with #Comiccon
CTV News
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Trade war supercharges Montreal Comiccon attendance, spokesperson says
Robert Tremblay dressed as Darth Sidious, an alias for Star Wars villain Emperor Palpatine, as he attends Comiccon, in Montreal, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (Peter McCabe/The Canadian Press) A spokesperson for the Montreal Comiccon says the trade war with the United States could supercharge attendance at the colourful pop culture gathering. A large crowd of people, some dressed as superheroes and TV and movie characters, were already filtering into Montreal's convention centre shortly after doors opened Saturday. The crowd was thickest in the autograph zone, where Star Wars fans lined up for a chance to meet Scottish actor Ian McDiarmid, who plays Emperor Palpatine in the films. Comiccon spokesperson Jason Rockman believes the three-day fan convention will surpass its estimate of 65,000 attendees. He says the presence of Lord of the Rings stars Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd and Andy Serkis are a big part of the draw, but he also believes many people are avoiding going to the United States due to the trade war. 'I think people don't really want to travel (to the United States) now, so there are a lot of people staying here and it helps us,' he explained. He also feels like a weaker Canadian dollar means the event is more attractive for American tourists. 'We just opened our doors for regular tickets and it's busy (everywhere),' Rockman said. He suggested that Friday's attendance may have broken a participation record. One guest, dressed as the wizard Gandalf from the Lord of Rings, said he was there to see the headliners. Elsewhere, a group of friends who came dressed as characters in the Canadian animated TV series 'ReBoot' said they were there for the ambience and to meet like-minded fans. In addition to McDiarmid and the Lord of the Rings actors, the headliners include 94-year-old William Shatner of Star Trek fame as well as Famke Janssen of the X-Men franchise. Rockman said it can be a challenge to attract headliners, because there are other events happening the same weekend. 'But the fact that it's in Montreal, during the summer, there are a lot of people who want to be here,' he said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 5, 2025. Audrey Sanikopoulos, The Canadian Press
Montreal Gazette
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Montreal Gazette
Friday on My Mind: It's a circus out there with jazz, Comiccon and Montréal Complètement Cirque
Friday on My Mind is a highly subjective, curated rundown of five of the cooler things happening in Montreal during the weekend. Violent Femmes Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, Place des Arts. Brian Ritchie, bassist for the fabulous folk-punk band Violent Femmes, goes way back with the Montreal International Jazz Festival. The band, which formed in Milwaukee in 1981, headlines Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier as part of fest. Their first set will be devoted to 1984 album Hallowed Ground, considered to be one of the first Americana records. Then they'll perform the self-titled 1983 debut LP from start to finish. That's the disc they're best known for; it features Gone Daddy Gone and Blister in the Sun. On the phone this week with Ritchie, who was in Prince Edward Island mentoring local artists, I told him I'd seen them at an epic 1985 show at the Spectrum and he began talking about his history with Montreal and the jazz fest. Violent Femmes played the fest at Metropolis in 2014. 'The first time I flew on a plane in my life was to go to Montreal and I went to the jazz festival,' said Ritchie. 'I think it was '79 or '80. Carla Bley and Archie Shepp were playing that year. So it's meaningful to me to play the festival. That was my first adult festival experience. They played at the Théâtre St. Denis. So I'm a little bit tender about the Montreal jazz festival. It's kind of like a full-circle thing.' Their first album it remains far and away the most influential thing they've ever done. The trio was then made up of Ritchie on bass, singer-guitarist Gordon Gano and drummer Victor DeLorenzo. Today the group consists of Ritchie, Gano, multi-instrumentalist Blaise Garza and drummer John Sparrow. Though they don't have a big catalogue of hits, their music resonates more than 40 years later. 'We still have kids getting into us,' Ritchie said. 'A lot of music (from back then) isn't still valid. It's just nostalgia. Whereas with The Cure or the Femmes, it's not just nostalgia. It's also excellent music.' He thinks Violent Femmes have endured 'because the lyrical perspective, at least in the songs we're most known for, is universal, yet it was a kind of vulnerability that Gordon was relating at a time when rock was very macho and very artificial. I think he was ahead of the times. Then also the music itself, with the way that we played with acoustic instruments and we didn't use any production trickery of the time, which would've dated it by now. Our recordings could've been made in the '50s or they could've been made now.' Comiccon Friday to Sunday at the Palais des Congrès. Comiccon spokesperson Jason Rockman reeled off names of some of the celebs attending the pop culture festival — and it was kind of dizzying. The guest list includes Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd and Andy Serkis from The Lord of the Ring movies; Famke Janssen from X-Men; former Montrealer William Shatner of Star Trek fame; Peter Weller from RoboCop ... and the list goes on. That's why 65,000 people show up every year. 'This is their pop-culture event of the year,' Rockman said. 'This is like their Super Bowl, this is their Game 7, it's a big big deal and it's fun to be part of something that makes people happy. This is an event that brings smiles to people's faces.' There are autograph sessions and photo ops, but Rockman underlines that most of the participants also take part in panels, talking about their lives and careers. Tickets: Montréal Complètement Cirque All weekend at various venues. With the jazz festival and Comiccon in full swing, it goes without saying that our city — festival hub that it is — just has to have another major fest on the go. Montréal Complètement Cirque kicked off Thursday and continues until July 13, another reminder that Montreal is the most notable circus-arts centre in the world. There are two shows at La Tohu: The Genesis from the Copenhagen Collective and La Noce d'Alfonse from Cirque Alfonse. But if paying indoor shows is not your cup of acrobatics, head down to St-Denis St. every night for al fresco circus action between Sherbrooke and Ste-Catherine Sts. from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. You can check out the Castellers de la Vila de Gràcia, Catalonian artists who construct giant human towers on the street. There's also the Cirqu'Easy bar at the corner of de Maisonneuve Blvd. and St-Denis. It's possible your bartender might be a circus performer. Tickets and information: Demons and Wonders All weekend at Cinémathèque Québécoise. Cinémathèque has kicked off a two-month series, Demons and Wonders, devoted to the big screen world populated by giants, fairies, ghosts, dragons and monsters of all kinds. Films this weekend include the Tim Burton classic Edward Scissorhands (Friday at 7:45 p.m.) and the 1982 fantasy cult hit The Dark Crystal (Sunday at 6 p.m.). Rolling Stone Presents Amplified All weekend at Oasis Immersion at Palais des Congrès. This is an immersive exhibition presented by Rolling Stone magazine and featuring The Who, Radiohead, Janis Joplin, Tame Impala, The Ramones and many more. You're in, right? Me, all it took was mention of The Ramones.
Global News
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Global News
Captain Kirk would be ‘appalled' at state of Earth's decline, William Shatner says
Captain James T. Kirk would be appalled at the rapid acceleration of climate change on Earth, says William Shatner, the Montreal-born actor who played the head of the USS Enterprise in the 'Star Trek' franchise for decades. 'I think he would probably be as appalled as I am,' Shatner said during a recent video call from his home in Los Angeles. The actor said he could imagine Kirk 'skywriting' a message to his fellow Earthlings, urging them to take action. 2:05 Disappointment after climate change sidelined at G7 summit 'Education, education, read everything,' Shatner said. 'Everybody should acquaint themselves with the problem, and make a decision.' Story continues below advertisement The 94-year-old actor will be in his hometown of Montreal later this week for the city's Comiccon event. The three-day fan convention begins Friday at the Palais des congrès. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Shatner is scheduled to make an appearance on the second and third days of the conference. Other scheduled guests include Wil Wheaton, who played Wesley Crusher in 'Star Trek: The Next Generation.' Shatner was born in Montreal's Notre-Dame-de-Grâce neighbourhood in 1931, and he still has a deep emotional connection to the city. 'That's my whole childhood,' he said, adding that he has a 'vast' number of relatives living there, including a sister. He began acting when he was a small child, and he continued even after graduating from McGill University in 1952 with a commerce degree. The school's university centre is known to students as the Shatner Building, though the university confirmed it is not the building's official name. He first played Captain Kirk in the 'Star Trek' TV show in 1966. His last appearance in the franchise was in the 1994 film 'Star Trek Generations,' where Kirk is killed off. 1:50 Hundreds of Montreal students hold walkout, call for awareness on climate crisis He also starred in the shows 'Boston Legal' and 'T.J. Hooker.' He wrote several books, including 'Star Trek' novels and a memoir about his friendship with the late actor Leonard Nimoy, who famously played Spock in the original series. And he recorded more than a dozen albums, from 1968's 'The Transformed Man,' a collection of dramatic readings of popular songs, to last year's children's album, 'Where Will the Animals Sleep? Songs for Kids and Other Living Things.' Story continues below advertisement Last month, he was onstage in Seattle with astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson talking about space and life in a show they called 'The Universe Is Absurd.' He went to Antarctica last year, with deGrasse Tyson, and he went to space in 2021, aboard Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin shuttle. Always curious and hungry for knowledge, Shatner said he is inspired and fascinated by the capabilities of artificial intelligence and applications such as ChatGPT. 'I was researching a speech I was making, and I could use ChatGPT immediately, (instead of) going down to the library, trying to find the book, read what the book says, come back home and realize I had a question I didn't ask,' he said. 'Artificial intelligence has been a revolution in mankind's acquisition of knowledge.' Even still, Shatner said he was frustrated by how little one man can ever really know. 'I'm going to die very unhappily because I don't know anything,' he said. 'There's so much glorious information out there that it's impossible to acquire. But what little bits and pieces the human brain can contain in a lifetime are fascinating.'
The Province
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Province
Captain Kirk would be 'appalled' at state of Earth's decline, William Shatner says
Published Jun 29, 2025 • 2 minute read William Shatner Photo by Gary Marschka / Sun Media Files Captain James T. Kirk would be appalled at the rapid acceleration of climate change on Earth, says William Shatner, the Montreal-born actor who played the head of the USS Enterprise in the Star Trek franchise for decades. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors 'I think he would probably be as appalled as I am,' Shatner said during a recent video call from his home in Los Angeles. The actor said he could imagine Kirk 'skywriting' a message to his fellow Earthlings, urging them to take action. 'Education, education, read everything,' Shatner said. 'Everybody should acquaint themselves with the problem, and make a decision.' The 94-year-old actor is in his hometown of Montreal later this week for the city's Comiccon event. The three-day fan convention begins Friday at the Palais des congres. Shatner is scheduled to make an appearance on the second and third days of the conference. Other scheduled guests include Wil Wheaton, who played Wesley Crusher in Star Trek: The Next Generation, and Kane Hodder, who starred in the Friday the 13th franchise as the deranged hockey-masked killer Jason Voorhees. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Shatner was born in Montreal's Notre-Dame-de-Grace neighbourhood in 1931, and he still has a deep emotional connection to the city. 'That's my whole childhood,' he said, adding that he has a 'vast' number of relatives living there, including a sister. Recommended video He began acting when he was a small child, and he continued even after graduating from McGill University in 1952 with a commerce degree. The school's university centre is known to students as the Shatner Building, though the university confirmed it is not the building's official name. He first played Captain Kirk in the Star Trek TV show in 1966. His last appearance in the franchise was in the 1994 film Star Trek Generations , where Kirk is killed off. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. He also starred in the shows Boston Legal and T.J. Hooker. He wrote several books, including Star Trek novels and a memoir about his friendship with the late actor Leonard Nimoy, who famously played Spock in the original series. And he recorded more than a dozen albums, from 1968's The Transformed Man , a collection of dramatic readings of popular songs, to last year's children's album, ' Where Will the Animals Sleep? Songs for Kids and Other Living Things. Last month, he was onstage in Seattle with astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson talking about space and life in a show they called The Universe Is Absurd. He went to Antarctica last year, with deGrasse Tyson, and he went to space in 2021, aboard Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin shuttle. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Always curious and hungry for knowledge, Shatner said he is inspired and fascinated by the capabilities of artificial intelligence and applications such as ChatGPT. 'I was researching a speech I was making, and I could use ChatGPT immediately, (instead of) going down to the library, trying to find the book, read what the book says, come back home and realize I had a question I didn't ask,' he said. 'Artificial intelligence has been a revolution in mankind's acquisition of knowledge.' Even still, Shatner said he was frustrated by how little one man can ever really know. 'I'm going to die very unhappily because I don't know anything,' he said. 'There's so much glorious information out there that it's impossible to acquire. But what little bits and pieces the human brain can contain in a lifetime are fascinating.' Vancouver Canucks BC Lions Vancouver Canucks News News
Vancouver Sun
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Vancouver Sun
William Shatner says Captain Kirk would be 'appalled' at pace of climate change
Captain James T. Kirk would be appalled at the rapid acceleration of climate change on Earth, says William Shatner, the Montreal-born actor who played the head of the USS Enterprise in the 'Star Trek' franchise for decades. 'I think he would probably be as appalled as I am,' Shatner said during a recent video call from his home in Los Angeles. The actor said he could imagine Kirk 'skywriting' a message to his fellow Earthlings, urging them to take action. 'Education, education, read everything,' Shatner said. 'Everybody should acquaint themselves with the problem, and make a decision.' Get top headlines and gossip from the world of celebrity and entertainment. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sun Spots will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. The 94-year-old actor is in his hometown of Montreal later this week for the city's Comiccon event. The three-day fan convention begins Friday at the Palais des congres. Shatner is scheduled to make an appearance on the second and third days of the conference. Other scheduled guests include Wil Wheaton, who played Wesley Crusher in 'Star Trek: The Next Generation,' and Kane Hodder, who starred in the 'Friday the 13th' franchise as the deranged hockey-masked killer Jason Voorhees. Shatner was born in Montreal's Notre-Dame-de-Grace neighbourhood in 1931, and he still has a deep emotional connection to the city. 'That's my whole childhood,' he said, adding that he has a 'vast' number of relatives living there, including a sister. He began acting when he was a small child, and he continued even after graduating from McGill University in 1952 with a commerce degree. The school's university centre is known to students as the Shatner Building, though the university confirmed it is not the building's official name. He first played Captain Kirk in the 'Star Trek' TV show in 1966. His last appearance in the franchise was in the 1994 film 'Star Trek Generations,' where Kirk is killed off. He also starred in the shows 'Boston Legal' and 'T.J. Hooker.' He wrote several books, including 'Star Trek' novels and a memoir about his friendship with the late actor Leonard Nimoy, who famously played Spock in the original series. And he recorded more than a dozen albums, from 1968's 'The Transformed Man,' a collection of dramatic readings of popular songs, to last year's children's album, 'Where Will the Animals Sleep? Songs for Kids and Other Living Things.' Last month, he was onstage in Seattle with astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson talking about space and life in a show they called 'The Universe Is Absurd.' He went to Antarctica last year, with deGrasse Tyson, and he went to space in 2021, aboard Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin shuttle. Always curious and hungry for knowledge, Shatner said he is inspired and fascinated by the capabilities of artificial intelligence and applications such as ChatGPT. 'I was researching a speech I was making, and I could use ChatGPT immediately, (instead of) going down to the library, trying to find the book, read what the book says, come back home and realize I had a question I didn't ask,' he said. 'Artificial intelligence has been a revolution in mankind's acquisition of knowledge.' Even still, Shatner said he was frustrated by how little one man can ever really know. 'I'm going to die very unhappily because I don't know anything,' he said. 'There's so much glorious information out there that it's impossible to acquire. But what little bits and pieces the human brain can contain in a lifetime are fascinating.'
