A former senior vice president of Jerry Bruckheimer Films and a Hulu founder are applying Comic-Con tactics to a very different kind of subculture: America’s military community.
That Bruckheimer executive, Jennifer Worthington, has worked on films like Black Hawk Down, The Rock and Armageddon. She and former NBC executive George Kliavkoff have teamed to launch Military Con, with inaugural events planned for next year at convention centers in San Antonio and San Diego.
The twin events, produced by Two Dice Media, Worthington and Kliavkoff’s media and hospitality company, promise visitors a journey “into the history, missions, technology and human stories of America’s military across every branch of service,” according to a press release.
The venture arrives at a fraught moment for celebrations of U.S. military might, eight months into the U.S. war with Iran. An October AP-NORC poll found that seven in 10 registered voters want Congress to prioritize ending the conflict.
“Military Con is not a political event. It’s about honoring the men and women who have served our country and the families who have supported them,” Harry Humphries, military director for Military Con, tells The Hollywood Reporter. “Our military advisory board is apolitical, just as we were in uniform. Military Con is about bringing Americans together to celebrate service, sacrifice, and the stories of the people behind the uniform.”
The conventions will take place June 4-6, 2027, at San Antonio’s Henry B. González Convention Center and Sept. 4-6 at the San Diego Convention Center.
Each convention will follow a three-day narrative — ”The Call,” “The Mission” and “The Return.” Planned attractions include interactive experiences based on real military operations, a “Hardware Alley” showcasing military aircraft, vehicles and equipment, live demonstrations, gaming competitions and Hollywood guests discussing military stories alongside the service members who lived them.
The move by the Hollywood execs to launch a military-themed live events business marks a foray into a niche media corner, where brands like Defense One hold forums for Capitol Hill insiders and Military Times partners on MCON, a large expo in Las Vegas.
Ticket information and speakers for Military Con will be announced in the coming months.
