'Breaking Bad' star Giancarlo Esposito joining Pensacon lineup — first of 25 announcements

Pensacon kicked off "25 Guests of Christmas" on Wednesday by announcing that actor Giancarlo Esposito will join its roster for the Feb. 18-20 fan convention in downtown Pensacola.

Esposito is widely known for his Emmy-nominated roles as the villainous Moff Gideon in the hit “Star Wars” spinoff series, “The Mandalorian,” and as Gus Fring on the acclaimed drama “Breaking Bad” and its spinoff, “Better Call Saul.” Other recent memorable roles include Stan Edgar in “The Boys,” the voice of Lex Luthor in the animated “Harley Quinn,” Adam Clayton Powell Jr. in “Godfather of Harlem,” Dr. Edward Ruskins/The Narrator in “Dear White People” and Sidney Glass/The Magic Mirror in “Once Upon a Time.”

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His lengthy film career includes multiple films with writer/director Spike Lee, including “Malcolm X,” “Do the Right Thing” and “School Daze,” as well as “The Usual Suspects,” “Waiting to Exhale,” Jon Favreau’s “The Jungle Book,” “Okja” and two entries in the “Maze Runner” franchise.

Pensacon is the Gulf Coast’s premier pop culture convention celebrating the worlds of science fiction, fantasy, horror, comic books, cosplay, animation, video games, books and more. The three-day event draws tens of thousands to downtown Pensacola and takes place across multiple venues including the Pensacola Bay Center, Pensacola Cultural Center, Rex Theatre, Pensacola Museum of Commerce and the De Luna Event Space.

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Esposito joins an already stellar guest list for Pensacon 2022 that includes “Star Trek” legend George Takei; “The Suicide Squad” cast members Michael Rooker, Sean Gunn and Steve Agee; 1980s movie icon Judge Reinhold (“Fast Ties at Ridgemont High,” “Beverly Hills Cop,” “The Santa Clause”); “Harry Potter,” “Game of Thrones” and “Doctor Who” star David Bradley; Dylan McDermott, star of “American Horror Story,” “The Practice” and “Law & Order: Organized Crime”; “Supernatural” stars Kim Rhodes, Samantha Smith and Briana Buckmaster; “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” stars Amy Jo Johnson, Johnny Yong Bosch and David Yost; *NSYNC member and actor Joey Fatone; and “Sons of Anarchy” and “The Walking Dead” star Ryan Hurst, and many more.

That list will continue to swell through the month of December, as Pensacon will announce a new guest appearance on its social media outlets and website each day through Christmas. Expect to see actors, authors, artists and more joining the guest roster throughout the month as staff reveal what they believe is the convention’s strongest guest lineup to date. You can find out more at pensacon.com or by following them on Facebook and Instagram.

During the "25 Days of Christmas" campaign, organizers remind fans that Pensacon passes make an ideal gift for the fan on your holiday shopping list. Three-day weekend passes for Pensacon are $75 through Dec. 31, after which the price will increase. A very limited number of VIP Experience passes — which include free parking while available, priority admission to all events and panels, front of line privileges and exclusive VIP merchandise — are available for $165. Single-day tickets will be made available beginning Jan. 1, 2022.

Additional fees may apply to all ticket prices. Visit pensacon.com for tickets or more information.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacon: Breaking Bad Mandalorian star Giancarlo Eposito joins roster