Ari Folman’s The Congress foresaw the rise of digital actors. Today, AI-generated “stars” like Tilly Norwood demand new guardrails. Without disclosure, consent, and compensation, real performers risk being replaced by code.
Anyone who has seen The Congress knows it was ahead of its time. Now, AI-generated digital actress Tilly Norwood brings that vision to life, almost prophetically. In Ari Folman’s film, Al (easily read as AI) represents Robin Wright in a near-future scenario where she sells her likeness to a studio; a computer system carries on her career, and she is no longer allowed to act. Today, as more actors license their faces and voices for digital reproduction, Norwood’s rise signals a turning point—raising questions about authenticity, creativity, and the future of performing arts.
Actor Eline Van der Velden calls Norwood a “creation… an act of imagination and craftsmanship, not unlike drawing a character, writing a role or shaping a performance.” Yet in a different article, she adds, “We want Tilly to be the next Scarlett Johansson or Natalie Portman… economic issues are driving the movie and TV business toward AI production.” Which is it—a harmless experiment, or a cost-cutting replacement for human performers?
Jedi Challenges promised a galaxy far, far away in your living room. A month of lightsabers later, the thrill faded—and so did the headset. There are not a lot of augmented reality games still around. Without updates, community, or real-world hooks, it’s still a tech spectacle stuck on the shelf.
The Allure of Immersion
Not everyone wants to play augmented reality games. You can’t interact with a digital environment without strapping on a headset or waving a device around to reveal what’s there. On paper, these experiences promise to blur our physical and digital lives into one seamless reality. In practice? They’ve delivered dazzling moments—Gorillaz’s virtual concerts and Hololive’s worldwide VTuber frenzy—but more often than not, they feel like flashy sideshows rather than daily habits.
At its core, AR overlays digital visuals onto the real world.
Pop culture has long imagined it in bigger, bolder ways. Back to the Future II had Marty McFly nearly leap out of his skin when a 3D Jaws lunged from a theatre marquee. Star Trek: The Next Generation gave us the holodeck, where you could wander inside the illusion and feel every detail. That’s the kind of immersion people crave—the kind that doesn’t remind you that you’re holding a phone like a glorified window.
The likelihood of when A Writer’s Odyssey 2 will be ready for release is next year. According to IMDB, this movie is in post-production. Filming ended in late Summer. And when no studio wants to rush its release because of the complex special effects, I hope the wait will not be long. One source said Lu Yang spent up to five years perfecting Lord Redmane’s demon form.
And with this returning director at the helm, he wants every frame to look as good as the original. Based on what he said to press before, namely in building a proper backstory for the big bad, evil guy’s transformation into an evil force (than Li Mu in the real world), I hope the wait is worthwhile. Although the finale of the first film felt like one hero got his wish, I suspect that may not be the case. Also, I suspect Guan Ning’s reunion with his daughter is more a dream than reality, like in The Dark Knight Rises. I prefer more than a glimmer of a confirmation than what’s teased.
It’s hard to say if season two of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters will air in 2025, but in comic book front, fans of Legendary’s Monsterverse can get their fix with the comic book Justice League vs Godzilla vs Kong 2.
Getting ready for release next month is Justice League vs Godzilla vs Kong 2. Here, Task Force X’s attempt to create hybrid Titans to rule DC’s Earth Prime universe may well involve invading the Monsterverse! Although I voiced my thoughts on the last series (review link), I’m still curious how this second series will proceed.
Although Legendary Comics is a division whose partnership with other studios has changed over the years, just how this affects the bottom line is still odd. Some departments are autonomous but still have to pitch to executives managing IPs to get the funding to move projects forward.
Here, all that’s known about the upcoming series is that the heroes have to travel into the Monsterverse to convince some titans to hide from Amanda Waller’s plan to create another Suicide Squad. My suspicion is that, and because the summary lacked detail, I had to consider her motivation for creating her own Jurassic Park.
When Greater Victoria is home to Island Fancon, can this event grow to replace the huge gap that nerds living in this region need?
When Island Fancon becomes the event for pop culture enthusiasts to congregate in the Greater Victoria region, let’s hope this show will keep on going. The convention takes place in Langford, British Columbia, and chief organizer Lonnie Eckardt is committed to keeping this celebration going. He is aware of the challenges and will do his best to make it work.
After last year’s news from Capital City Comic Con that they cannot continue, no other party with similar offerings exists. And I discussed the problems this city faces in a separate editorial. In a nutshell, this region has trouble with keeping a convention going after three or so years.
As Fan Expo Vancouver continues to get sell-out crowds, what’s the future going to be like? While part of the experience is always great, plans must be made if they want more people coming.
After looking into how other Fan Expos manage their floor plan to mitigate crowding, and spending time on various platforms like Reddit to ask around, this show has a similar map structure. Nearly everything is crammed into a single space! The delay in getting this report about Fan Expo Vancouver 2025 (FXV) is because I need to make sure my information is current. I also spoke to a few vendors who have attended this brand of shows in other cities to find out just how different it is. After a solid ten years, I’ve made friends who run booths too!
In this write up, I have lots to say. And thus, have broken up my thoughts into sections:
Overall Impressions (The Crowding Problem)
During Fan Expo Vancouver‘s busiest day, the crowds were thicker than molasses! Saturday is traditionally the busiest, and while I have the experience of knowing how to get from one end to the other reasonably fast, other folks may not. It’s best to identify where the slow and fast lanes are. It’s like driving on the highway.
Although the convention center layout determines the best placement for the various sections–the main stage, photo booths, and panel rooms–it’s also true that not all shows can use the building at its utmost. The upcoming Calgary Fan Expo will use the BMO Centre’s newly added space, and I will pay attention to reports when it starts! In the meantime, I’ll be fondly remembering the best years when the Terminal City show used two floors of the West Convention Center Building. I feel those were the best FXV years.
I wish coat check, a feature of past events, had been brought back. On rainy days, no one has the backpack space to store or wants to wear their jacket indoors; The organisers really need to spend the money to rent a room for this offering and tell staff to only accept coats. That way, this offering to lighten the load can’t be abused.
Will Fan Expo Vancouver Change Dates?
While the early years often saw FXV shift dates around a lot, I doubt anyone noticed this year was not on a holiday weekend. Technically, there was Valentine’s and BC Family Day on the same weekend, but no explanation was ever announced. In 2026, they will return to their traditional date.
No matter what, the event will always take place two weeks before Emerald City Comic Con. I’ve heard from one representative from Tsukino Con who says some folks skip their show in favour of the big city one. There are better opportunities for fun. I can vouch for that as I saw the ferry terminal filled with youths coming home on a late Sunday night, with expectant parents there to pick them up!
Comic Con or Carnival?
Back when these shows were about comic books, the focus was awesome. But ever since San Diego Comic Con defined this century’s popular culture landscape because of the huge entertainment media presence, it’s tough to call some events a comic con at all. Not every publisher wants to market outside where their headquarters are based. Also, some writers and artists who live in Vancouver are more interested in promoting themselves at a proper Comic Arts Festival instead.
For Fan Expo Vancouver to bring that comic book vibe back with an after event party with three artists (out of the dozen who attended) got to graffiti an art board, not even I was particularly excited. Although it went off okay, when one of them admitted to me he’d rather draw than attend (he was in the billing), that’s an issue. While they do not entertain on the same level as William Shatner and Rhys Davies, it’s still worth checking out.
But for main events, the organisers stick to inviting who are popular. Both Q&As, featuring the Supernatural supporting cast and Hazbin Hotel group of voice talents discussing their on-set experiences, were packed!
I also got a good seat to check out the Avatar: The Last Airbender partial cast team up and enjoyed this Q&A the most. Aside from the excitement that Michaela Jill Murphy (Toph from the cartoon) expressed about going to meet her live-action counterpart, all this event offered for news is that season two is deep into filming and fans can expect great things when it finally debuts.
Exhibit & Merchandise Floor
It’s possible to find something cool, but when I’ve been collecting for over two decades, trying to find something new at a generalized pop culture convention is tough. While nothing surprises me these days, the fact there were five vendors selling nearly exactly the same stock of lightsabers was numbing. I wanted to get an upgrade, but am glad I waited. Next week, I will post a guide on how to shop for one, and my advice is to not always buy at conventions. It’s not just about haggling, but knowing exactly if you like what you impulse bought.
By luck, I found Studio Ghibli (mostly Totoro) merchandise. While I could’ve gone for broke, I instead risked hoping to get a particular Stitch in the mystery Cosbi Box. I had no luck, but I at least got the baby fuzzball with a huge drink mug as a picture!
I think this toy line is way cooler than Funko by miles because they resemble anime versions of various popular franchises! I’m sick and tired to seeing these dotty eyed statues. They’re neat to have, but honestly, there’s no long term safe investment value at all. As for Hottoys, the parent company who manufactures Cosbi, the variety is miles above what the Washington based company offers! They catering to those rich nerds who can afford those life-size models to place in their man (or woman) cave!
Final Thoughts
Unlike other North American Fan Expos, these events don’t all squeeze every activity zones into one arena. These events space put certain aspects of the program to another area, and the dining options remain the same. The Calgary show fully uses the space; its larger size makes navigation easier. Also, it was an independent operation before being acquired by Informa. I suspect this company had to sign a contract with the previous operators who insisted some aspects of the celebration must not change in before they took over.
In Toronto, which had always been with the brand, Fan Expo Toronto uses both the North and South Buildings. However, crowding is still a problem, and people still say they feel like they’re trapped in a sardine can. It’s a persistent problem no matter what the spectacle, and while some folks get used to it, others claim to never want to return. While being stuffed into a vast place is no different at San Deigo Comic Con, folks either have to live with it or not.
While VP Andrew Moyes said FXV will stay in the West building, in order to use the full space will mean still looking at final attendance numbers and what the profit margin is. Whatever that number is, I believe it’s time to consider either changing dates or booking space at the hotel next door. Since having it in the same building is not possible because there is another event happening (I asked building security about that this year), someone has to budge.
Anyone who has seen The Congress knows it was ahead of its time. Now, AI-generated digital actress Tilly Norwood brings that vision to life, almost prophetically. In Ari Folman’s film, Al (easily read as AI) represents Robin Wright in a near-future scenario where she sells her likeness to a studio; a computer system carries on her career, and she is no longer allowed to act. Today, as more actors license their faces and voices for digital reproduction, Norwood’s rise signals a turning point—raising questions about authenticity, creativity, and the future of performing arts.
The Allure of Immersion
Getting ready for release next month is Justice League vs Godzilla vs Kong 2. Here, Task Force X’s attempt to create hybrid Titans to rule DC’s Earth Prime universe may well involve invading the Monsterverse! Although I voiced my thoughts on the last series (
When 
After looking into how other 
