L.A. Comic Con throws open its doors at the Los Angeles Convention Center starting Friday, kicking off a three-day celebration of its 15th anniversary that runs through Sunday, November 1. The 2026 lineup leans hard on star power, with Nicolas Cage, Hayden Christensen, and Rosario Dawson among the names drawing cosplayers and casual fans alike to downtown Los Angeles.
The convention bills itself as marking Oct. 30 through Nov. 1, 2026 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, according to comicconla.com, which also describes the gathering as celebrating its 15th year of comics, gaming, anime, and cosplay. Show hours are set for 3 to 9 p.m. Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, and 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, per the Wave.
One of the weekend's marquee moments is a Main Stage reunion tied to Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, featuring Aaron Paul, Bob Odenkirk, Giancarlo Esposito, and Dean Norris, as detailed by the event listing on downtownla.com. Discover Los Angeles separately notes that the broader guest roster includes Cage, Christensen, Dawson, Paul, and Esposito across the weekend.
Gaming, Anime, and a Haunted After Party Round Out the Weekend
Beyond celebrity panels, organizers point to a Gaming Hall stocked with video games, tabletop play, trading cards, tournaments, demos, and giveaways, the same downtownla.com listing states. The Gaming Stage is expected to feature appearances tied to Critical Role, Dragon Ball Z, and Emberville, according to a recent update posted on comicconla.com. NBC Los Angeles, which covered the weekend's festivities, also reported that attendees can expect Critical Role performers, the costumed group Nerd Mafia, and Star Wars-focused fan organization Saber Guild among the convention's live presences.
Anime has become a bigger part of the show in recent years, with one account noting that “One of the biggest changes I've noticed at L.A. Comic Con over the years is just how much anime has grown,” as reported by KOST 103.5. That growth shows up this year in Akiba Station, the anime and Japanese pop-culture area that first debuted at L.A. Comic Con in 2025 and is returning with larger themed environments, according to Anime News Network. Reports differ on exactly how much bigger it will be this year — KOST 103.5 says the area is nearly doubling to roughly 60,000 square feet, while downtownla.com describes an expanded 50,000-square-foot footprint.
Costumes Optional, Kids Get In Free With a Pass
Cosplay remains central to the weekend, with NBC Los Angeles reporting that attendees will show up in elaborate costume outfits, though the convention is open to anyone who'd rather skip the costume altogether. NBC Los Angeles also reported that the show includes an official haunted after party and indoor trick-or-treating for kids, a detail echoed by comicconla.com's note that children can trick-or-treat indoors on Saturday. Families get a financial break too: kids 12 and under can attend free with a Kids Pass selected alongside an adult ticket, per the KOST 103.5 report.
Ticket pricing isn't entirely consistent across listings. KOST 103.5 reports single-day general admission running from $42 to $60, while Time Out lists single-day tickets between $49 and $69 with a $119 weekend pass. The event's exhibitor count is similarly muddled between sources: comicconla.com's homepage advertises more than 800 exhibitors and vendors across three exhibit halls, while Discover Los Angeles puts the figure at more than 1,000 artists, vendors, and exhibitors alongside more than 200 panels and programming moments.
Parking near the Los Angeles Convention Center is expected to be especially tight this year because of ongoing construction, according to the same KOST 103.5 report, so attendees planning to drive downtown may want to budget extra time or look at alternate transportation into the area. With thousands of fans expected across the three-day run, organizers are promoting more than 200 panels and live programming sessions on top of the gaming and anime offerings, per comicconla.com.
