Dragon Con once again proved why it’s one of the most beloved fan conventions in the country – heck, even the world! – as it brings together stars, creators, and fans for fun, unforgettable panels every year. From nostalgic reunions to hilarious storytelling to a few surprise reveals, this year’s programming was packed with moments that turn into core memories. Here are some of the highlights from 2024:
(But please note that while Dragon Con typically hosts a panel a day for its premier guests/shows, I am but one person and can only be in one place at a time. If you don’t see your favorite moment from the con, be sure to shout it out in the comments!)
Roswell 25th Anniversary Panel
I don’t like to be reminded that this year was the 25th anniversary of the Roswell premiere. It makes me feel way too old. Regardless, this year’s Roswell celebration was a perfect mix of nostalgia, fresh news, and fun behind-the-scenes stories.
To start, Brendan Fehr and Majandra Delfino delighted the audience with an update on their project, Baron and Toluca, confirming they have a production company in place and are simply waiting for the right studio to say yes.
Next, the cast also shared stories about their original audition experiences. Jason Behr, who was cast early on, got to read opposite multiple potential Liz and Isobel actresses and noted that Shiri Appleby was one of the last cast on the show. Fehr auditioned for Max but always wanted the role of Michael, eventually auditioning after producer/director David Nutter asked him to read for the part. He landed the role, and the rest is history!
Delfino auditioned for Liz, but played her more comedic, while Nick Wechsler auditioned for Alex before being called back for Kyle. Wechsler recalled that Appleby told him he was the only audition that made her laugh.
Behind the scenes, Behr’s single personal request for the series was the use of a Radiohead song, while Fehr got to decorate Michael’s apartment with posters of his choosing. Wechsler admitted he initially thought of Kyle as a villain until the writers took the character in a goofier direction. And in one particularly wild memory, Wechsler revealed that when he had to play drunk, he drank most of a bottle of vodka, despite never having been drunk before.
On the horizon, Fehr and Delfino teased their upcoming horror movie The Killer Café, while Nick is set to appear in The Hunting Party on NBC.
Nathan Fillion and Alan Tudyk
Few duos can command a stage like Firefly co-stars Alan Tudyk and Nathan Fillion. The two revealed that they actually met long before their Firefly days, when Tudyk was working at Harry’s Burritos in New York and Fillion stopped in. It wasn’t until years later, on the Firefly set, that they realized the connection, with Fillion musing, “Did we waste a lot of years not being friends?”
Fillion has a long history of pranking Tudyk – like leaving out shocker lighters when Tudyk would house-sit – only for Alan to eventually turn the tables and leave a shocker pen for Fillion.
In true Dragon Con tradition, they brought a “bag of crap” to share with fans, including The Rookie script sides, wallpaper scraps, a stretchy banana, and a bathroom magazine from 2010.
Later, Tudyk surprised Fillion (and the audience) by revealing he’ll be voicing a role in James Gunn’s Creature Commandos. Fillion, meanwhile, still dreams of joining the Star Wars universe and told the story of Tudyk taking a call about K-2SO while at Fillion’s house:
Fillion: “What was that call for?”
Tudyk: “Oh, just Star Wars.”
The two also received a fan question about swapping roles, with Tudyk saying he’d take Fillion’s part in Superman and Fillion saying he would have loved playing Tudyk’s role in Tucker and Dale vs. Evil.
They also shared thoughts on cosplay (Fillion would go for armor or Gryffindor robes; Tudyk would opt for The Incredibles) and fondly remembered group scenes from Firefly, with Fillion admitting he thought the show would last forever because “we had movie star Alan Tudyk.”
What We Do in the Shadows
The What We Do in the Shadows panel was so in-demand that the line stretched beyond the designated line-up area – especially since there was only one panel this year, compared to the usual daily appearances, so many fans didn’t make it into the room.
Things went hilariously off the rails almost immediately, with Kayvan Novak calling every audience member at the mic a “virgin.” One fan’s reply – “Well, you’re not wrong” – sent Novak running behind the curtain while Harvey Guillén collapsed in laughter under the table.
While the cast couldn’t reveal much about the upcoming final season, they reflected on the joy of working together and the bittersweet feelings of closing this chapter of their lives.
Final Thoughts
Dragon Con continues to strike a balance between silly fun and genuine connections between fans and actors, proving why it’s unlike any other con I’ve been to. One element I especially appreciated was the continuation of incorporating fan questions from Discord, a practice started during last year’s strike. This approach not only encourages more creative questions but also gives fans who may be too shy to approach the mic a chance to connect with their favorite stars. It’s yet another way the convention makes every attendee, whether in the front row or following online, feel like part of the experience.
I’m already counting down the days until next year’s con!
