Jeff Goldblum of ‘Jurassic Park’ added to Phoenix Fan Fusion lineup

PHOENIX — Someone who’s no stranger to adoring fans was added to the 2019 Phoenix Fan Fusion lineup this week: Jeff Goldblum.

The actor known for the “Jurassic Park” series and “The Fly” will appear at the Phoenix Convention Center on May 25.

Photo ops with the star will cost $120 and autographs $110, but they are not yet on sale.

Goldblum has also appeared in “Independence Day,” “The Grand Budapest Hotel” and “Thor: Ragnarok,” and he released “The Capitol Studios Sessions” jazz album last year.

He joins a list of nerd heroes for the four-day Memorial Weekend event, including Elijah Wood (“Lord of the Rings”), George Takei (“Star Trek”), Matthew Lewis (“Harry Potter”), Billy Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian from the early “Star Wars” films) and Chris Sarandon (Prince Humperdinck from “The Princess Bride” and Jack Skellington’s voice in “The Nightmare Before Christmas”).

🦖 Known for his iconic roles in #JurassicPark, #IndependenceDay, and #ThorRognarok, life finds a way to bring actor #JeffGoldblum to Fan Fusion!

➡️ More on @jeffreygoldbIum // https://t.co/evL6DeAkCD
➡️ Be a GRANDMASTER & grab your passes TODAY // https://t.co/QJciXdEH98 pic.twitter.com/rnkcjsDIyP

— Phoenix Fan Fusion (@PhxFanFusion) March 18, 2019

It will be the first year under the Phoenix Fan Fusion moniker. Organizers changed the name to Phoenix Comic Fest last year after San Diego Comic-Con sued a Utah event over the use of “comic con,” but it didn’t catch on.

“One of the things we’ve heard most was that Phoenix Comic Fest just doesn’t roll off the tongue,” Kristin Rowan of Square Egg Entertainment, which produces the convention, said when the latest name was announced last year. “We heard you, and we’re listening. It doesn’t sound quite right to us, either.”

Furthering the naming confusion was the existence of an offshoot called Phoenix Fan Fest held each fall, but that was discontinued after 2017.

Regardless of the name, the Memorial weekend gathering was marred by security issues each of the last two years.

In 2017, a 31-year-old man entered the facility carrying four guns and wearing body armor, allegedly planning to kill police officers.

Enhanced security procedures were put into effect in 2018, with cosplay props resembling firearms being banned.

There were no threats of violence last year, but a fire alarm resulted in the Saturday evening programming being cut short after the convention center was evacuated.

Tickets, which range from $20 for Thursday-only access to $350 for a four-day VIP experience, are available online. A regular full-event pass costs $75 until April 12, when the price will increase to a level yet to be announced.

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