• George A. Romero: the director of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, DAWN OF THE DEAD, DAY OF THE DEAD, LAND OF THE DEAD, DIARY OF THE DEAD, CREEPSHOW, MARTIN, KNIGHTRIDERS and THE DARK HALF will have the first news and footage from his latest zombie flick

• Tobe Hooper: director of TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, POLTERGEIST, EATEN ALIVE, ’SALEM’S LOT, THE MANGLER, CROCODILE, LIFEFORCE, TOOLBOX MURDERS, INVADERS FROM MARS and two episodes of MASTERS OF HORROR

• Masters of Italian Horror panel: with Ruggero Deodato (CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST, CUT AND RUN, HOUSE ON THE EDGE OF THE PARK), Lamberto Bava (DEMONS 1-2, GHOST SON, MACABRO) and FX artist/director Sergio Stivaletti (WAX MASK, CEMETERY MAN/DELLAMORTE DELLAMORE, MOTHER OF TEARS)

• Marilyn Burns: actress from EATEN ALIVE, FUTURE-KILL and TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE: THE NEXT GENERATION• Caroline Williams: TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 2, STEPFATHER II and LEPRECHAUN 3

• Doug Bradley: HELLRAISER’s Pinhead, NIGHTBREED, PUMPKINHEAD: ASHES TO ASHES, PROPHECY: THE UPRISING, THE COTTAGE and new Clive Barker film BOOK OF BLOOD

• Bill Moseley: star of HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES and THE DEVIL’S REJECTS, plus NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, REPO! THE GENETIC OPERA and TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 2; his latest films include BABYSITTER WANTED, BLOOD NIGHT, DEAD AIR and THE GRAVES

• Ashley Laurence: actress from HELLRAISER, HELLBOUND: HELLRAISER II and HELLRAISER: HELLSEEKER, plus LIGHTNING BUG, RED, WARLOCK III and LURKING FEAR

• Herschell Gordon Lewis: the Godfather of Gore and director of BLOOD FEAST, TWO THOUSAND MANIACS!, WIZARD OF GORE and many others will be conducting a special low-budget filmmaking and marketing seminar (separate admission required)

• Tom Savini: makeup FX legend and fan favorite from DAWN OF THE DEAD, MARTIN, CREEPSHOW, FRIDAY THE 13TH, MANIAC, DAY OF THE DEAD, TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 2, FRIDAY THE 13TH: THE FINAL CHAPTER and many more; also a director (1990’s NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD) and actor (KNIGHTRIDERS, FROM DUSK TILL DAWN, GRINDHOUSE)

• Lloyd Kaufman: the Troma president and director of POULTRYGEIST: NIGHT OF THE CHICKEN DEAD, TERROR FIRMER, TROMEO & JULIET and the TOXIC AVENGER films will be conducting a special DIRECT YOUR OWN DAMN MOVIE seminar on Sunday (separate admission required)

• Gary Sherman: the director of RAW MEAT, VICE SQUAD, DEAD & BURIED, POLTERGEIST III and 39: EPITAPH FOR A SERIAL KILLER will conduct a filmmaking seminar on Saturday (separate admission required)

• Shannon Lark: our reigning FANGORIA’s Weekend of Horrors Spooksmodel; also a director, dancer and actress (WALKING DISTANCE) best known for her work with the Living Dead Girlz troupe

• Raine Brown: cult actress from BARRICADE, AUNT ROSE, 100 TEARS, DARKNESS SURROUNDS ROBERTA and new ANGEL’S BLADE: ASCENSION and BEAST (signing in dealers’ room)

• Joe Zaso: tough guy actor from BARRICADE, ANGEL’S BLADE, 5 DEAD ON THE CRIMSON CANVAS, RED MIDNIGHT, DARKNESS SURROUNDS ROBERTA and BEAST (signing in dealers’ room)

The Chicago convention will also host a costume contest, a cocktail/dessert party (free for Gold and Silver customers), a giant dealers’ marketplace, a jam-packed indie-horror-movie festival and advance previews and/or guests from such films as THE WOLF MAN, CASE 39, DRAG ME TO HELL, LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT, 25/8, PIRANHA 3D, THE DESCENT 2, ORPHAN, CIRQUE DU FREAK, SCAR and many more!

This is just the tip of the Fango celeb iceberg; expect tons more fan fear favorites in the months ahead. For additional information and tickets to our national 2009 Weekend of Horrors tour, produced by Creation and FANGORIA Entertainment, go here. Watch this space for exciting updates regularly.