The 8 Best Panels To Attend at Tampa Bay Comic Convention 2026

Image via Tampa Bay Comic Con 2026 Published Sep 2, 2026, 12:34 PM EDT David is a Senior Editor at Collider focused primarily on Lists. His professional journey began in the mid-2010s as a Marketing specialist before embarking on his writing career in the 2020s. At Collider, David started as a Senior Writer in late 2022 and has been a Senior Editor since mid-2023. He is in charge of ideating compelling and engaging List articles by working closely with writers, both Senior and Junior, as well as other editors. Occasionally, David also reviews movies and TV shows and writes episode recaps. Currently, David is also writing his second novel, a psychological horror satire that will, hopefully, be picked up for publication sometime next year. Sign in to your Collider account Comic cons are one of the best and most popular events in modern pop culture, bringing together stars and icons of sci-fi, fantasy, and genre as a whole with the hordes of devoted and passionate fans that support and love them. Multiple cons take place throughout the year, and this September it's Florida's turn to host, with Tampa Bay Comic Convention 2026 taking place in the titular city from September 4 to 6 at the Tampa Bay Convention Center. The event will bring together multiple stars of the big and small screens, from TV idols like Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder to movie stars like John Cena. With so many options, it might be difficult to decide which panels to attend; after all, you'll only have three days. Fear not, because we are here to help you manage your schedule by listing the best panels to attend while at Tampa Bay Comic Con 2026. These are far from the only options you'll have, but we think they are some of the best ways to spend your time at the con. 8 Katee Sackhoff's Panel - Friday, September 4 at 2 pm in Ballroom A Image via Lucasfilm Few figures in modern pop culture are as iconic as Katee Sackhoff. The actress has been a part of several major franchises, playing fan-favorite roles in shows like Battlestar Galactica and Longmire. However, she is perhaps best known for playing Bo Katan across different projects in the Star Wars universe, from Star Wars: The Clone Wars to The Mandalorian. Sackhoff will be the centerpiece of a panel focusing on her prolific career. Hosted by Collider's Maggie Lovitt, the panel will celebrate the actress' contributions to sci-fi, allowing her to both go in depth about her journey and enjoy the love and appreciation of her loyal fans. Attendees can expect anecdotes, memories, and perhaps even a detail or two about when we'll finally see Bo Katan again in the Star Wars universe. She has also voiced Poison Ivy in recent DC animated projects, so stay alert for developments on that front. 7 'The Vampire Diaries' Panel with Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder, and Matthew Davis - Friday, September 4 at 3 pm in Ballroom A Image via Kharen Hill / © CW / Courtesy: Everett Collection Vampire romances were all the rage in the late 2000s and early 2010s, but no show was more popular than The Vampire Diaries. Based on L. J. Smith's eponymous book series, the show chronicled the love triangle between teen Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev) and vampire siblings Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Damon Salvatore (Ian Somerhalder). The show ran for eight seasons, becoming one of the most successful teen shows of the 2010s. Tampa Bay Comic Con 2026 is welcoming both Salvatore brothers, alongside Matthew Davis, who played teacher and vampire hunter Alaric Saltzman. Hosted by Heather Bedor, the panel will focus on celebrating the show's incredible legacy (it's still a streaming smash!) and its impact on genre television as a whole. Expect all sorts of stories from behind the scenes and more than a few fun moments with the actors, who are all game when it comes to attending cons and celebrating all things Vampire Diaries. 6 Twilight Panel with Peter Facinelli, Ashley Greene, Kellan Lutz, Jackson Rathbone, and Nikki Reed - Friday, September 4 at 4 pm in Ballroom A The Twilight Saga was a massive part of 2000s culture, with the 2008 original and its four sequels becoming a worldwide sensation that inspired a teen frenzy and practically defined the millennial generation. Logically, the cast is no stranger to fan acclaim and has become regular guests at different cons. This time, however, is extra special, as five of the seven Cullens will be in attendance! Indeed, Tampa Bay Comic Con 2026 will have the presence of Peter Facinelli, Kellan Lutz, Jackson Rathbone, Nikki Reed, and Ashley Greene. The actors behind Carlisle, Emmett, Jasper, Rosalie, and Alice will discuss the iconic vampire movie, its continued impact and legacy, especially as we approach Twilight's twentieth anniversary. The Twilight Saga is still as popular as ever, which is particularly impressive considering no spin-offs or legacy sequels have come out thus far. Still, these actors will have a lot of material in the panel hosted by Collider's Maggie Lovitt. 5 'X-Men '97' Panel with Alyson Court, Adrian Hough, and Chris Potter - Friday, September 4 at 5 pm in Ballroom A Image via Marvel Studios Animation X-Men '97 recently wrapped up its second season, but a third and fourth season are already in development, meaning fans of Marvel's iconic mutants can expect a lot more action to come. In the meantime, the talented voice cast is incredibly active in the con scene, with various combinations appearing in most major cons throughout the year. At Tampa Bay Comic Con 2026, cast members Alyson Court, Adrian Hough, and Chris Potter will appear in a panel hosted by Collider's Maggie Lovitt. The actors behind the voices of Abscissa, Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler, and Nathan Summers/Cable, respectively, will be there to talk about the show's success and what fans can expect from the upcoming seasons. Potter and Court are also veterans of the original X-Men: The Animated Series, having voiced Gambit and Jubilee, so attendees can also expect some mentions of that seminal '90s cartoon. 4 Tim Downie Panel - Friday, September 4 at 6 pm in Ballroom A Image via Peacock English actor and writer Tim Downie is one of the most reliable performers in movies, shows, and video games. You might recognize him from his work in shows like Toast of London and Outlander, movies like Paddington and The King's Speech, and video games like Baldur's Gate 3. Downie will have a panel of his own at Tampa Bay Comic Con 2026, hosted by Collider's Maggie Lovitt. Their conversation will surely cover every major part of his long and versatile career, from his recurring roles in recent hits like Good Omens and Half Man to his celebrated work as Gale Dekarios in the Game of the Year-winning sensation Baldur's Gate 3. Cons are always a great time to spotlight talent like Downie, so make sure to catch his panel! 3 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' Panel with Ethan Peck and Christina Chang - Saturday, September 5 at 2 pm in Ballroom A The Star Trek franchise is one of the most versatile in the business, spawning multiple movies and television spin-offs, including Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, currently airing its fourth season. Set before the events of Star Trek: The Original Series, it follows Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and the crew of the starship Enterprise as they traverse the galaxy looking for adventures. At Tampa Bay Comic Con 2026, Collider's Maggie Lovitt will host a panel featuring two key cast members of the show, Ethan Peck, who plays the iconic Spock, and Christina Chong, who plays La'An Noonien-Singh, a descendant of the villainous Khan. The panel will surely cover behind-the-scenes stories about shooting the show, anecdotes from the cast and crew, and maybe even a detail or two about the show's upcoming series finale. Trekkies everywhere won't want to miss this one! 2 Ernie Hudson Panel - Saturday, September 5 at 5 pm in Ballroom A Image via NBC Who doesn't love Ernie Hudson? The beloved actor has had a prolific and highly successful career across movies and TV for over four decades. Although best known for his role as Winston Zeddemore in the long-running Ghostbusters franchise, Hudson has appeared in many other hits of the big and small screen, including Miss Congeniality, Oz, and Quantum Leap. Hudson will have a panel of his own at Tampa Bay Comic Con 2026, hosted by Tom Corless. The conversation will function as both a celebration of the icon's incredible career and his contributions to the sci-fi genre. Hudson will also have the chance to share some anecdotes with his audience and perhaps even a tip or two. Expect plenty of Ghostbusters stories that only the iconic Winston could share. 1 Christopher Mintz-Plasse Panel - Saturday, September 5 at 6 pm in Ballroom A Image via Sony Pictures Releasing Millennial fans will surely recognize Christopher Mintz-Plasse for his role in the generation-defining comedy Superbad, opposite Michael Cera and Jonah Hill. From there, he went on to have a successful career throughout the late 2000s and early 2010s, in movies like Role Models and Kick-Ass. More recently, he's had memorable appearances in movies like Promising Young Woman and shows like The Boys. Mintz-Plasse will appear at Tampa Bay Comic Convention 2026 to have a panel of his own, hosted by Craig Price. It's not always that a millennial icon has a spotlight like this one, so this panel will be an absolute must for anyone who's a fan of the actor and his work. Mintz-Plasse will also be available for photo-ops throughout the convention, so you better bring your best Red Mist cosplays! Superbad Release Date August 17, 2007 Cast Michael Cera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Bill Hader, Seth Rogen, Martha MacIsaac, Emma Stone, Aviva Baumann, Joe Lo Truglio, Kevin Corrigan, Clement Blake, Erica Vittina Phillips, Joe Nuñez, Dave Franco, Marcella Lentz-Pope, Scott Gerbacia, Laura Seay, Roger Iwami, Clint Mabry, Stacy Edwards, Mark Rogen, Charlie Hartsock, Dona Hardy, Charley Rossman, Carla Gallo Runtime 113 minutes Director Greg Mottola Writers Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg