Star Wars fans will be able to meet Anthony Daniels, the man who brought C-3PO to life, at the Middle East Film & Comic Con, which takes place in Abu Dhabi in March.
The only actor to have starred in all nine of the Star Wars films, Daniels is best known for his portrayal of the beloved golden robot and R2-D2's constant companion.
He has also played a part in many of the franchise's spin-offs and is the latest celebrity announced as part of the star-studded line-up heading to the capital.
Also announced to join the pop culture event is comic book artist Ken Lashley, who has worked across the industry with DC on titles including Suicide Squad, Superwoman and Batwing, and with Marvel on Excalibur, X-Men Gold and Black Panther.
Ryan Ottley, known for his comic masterpieces on Marvel titles including The Amazing Spider-Man and Hulk, will also take part.
The trio will join House of the Dragon star Matt Smith, American voice actor Christopher Sabat and Disney artists Mike and Patty Peraza on the red carpet.
Abu Dhabi cosplay winner to represent UAE in Japan
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A woman in cosplay poses with Batman at the Middle East Film & Comic Con 2022 in Abu Dhabi. All photos by Antonie Robertson / The National, unless specified otherwise -
The judging panel of the cosplay competition. -
A woman in cosplay performs on stage. -
A cosplayer with a horse head mask. -
The audience turned out in full force to watch the cosplay competition. -
A cosplayer as the Marvel superhero Iron Man. -
Symbiote x Chainsaw Man. -
A young girl participates in the cosplay competition. -
The event took place at the MEFCC Mainstage, which is outdoors. -
A girl cosplays as DC superhero Wonder Woman. -
The judging panel featured regional and international cosplayers. -
Even though not everyone entered the competition, there was still plenty of cosplay on display on day two of the Middle East Film & Comic Con. -
A cosplayer in a menacing outfit. -
The children who competed in the Kids Cosplay competition were all winners and received swag bags. -
Sylar Serag, as Bazelgeuse Armor from 'Monster Hunter', won first place in the Best Craftsmanship category. Photo: Middle East Film and Comic Con -
Ashwani Kapoor as Samurai Vegito Blue from 'Dragon Ball Z' took second place in Best Craftsmanship. Photo: Middle East Film and Comic Con -
Mohamed Farahat as Banbaro from 'Monster Hunter World' took third place in Best Craftsmanship. Photo: Middle East Film and Comic Con -
Sabie Cipriani as Nico Yazawa from 'Long Live! School Idol Project' was first in Best Performance on Stage. Photo: Middle East Film and Comic Con -
Mohammed Hasan, who goes by the cosplay name Themed Injection, won third place for Best Performance on Stage as Heath Ledger’s The Joker. Photo: Middle East Film and Comic Con
A celebration of pop culture and fandom, MECC brings together fans and stars for a fun-filled weekend that features workshops, talks, meet-and-greets, concerts, competitions and more.
Among the highlights is the annual cosplay competition, where fans dress up as their favourite characters and compete to see who is the best dressed.
There are four categories that participants can compete under, including Best Craftsmanship and Best Performance on Stage, with Dh30,000 prize money up for grabs.
The World Cosplay Summit preliminaries are also making a comeback at MEFCC 2023, with the winner heading to Japan to represent the UAE at the World Cosplay Summit in Nagoya.
Cosplay aficionados keen to take part need to enter in teams of two, perform onstage and attend a prejudging round where costumes and props will be examined by professional cosplay judges and a representative from the WCS Board.
Interested competitors need to register online by February 27.
Tickets for MEFCC are already on sale, with ultimate VIP tickets almost sold out, according to organisers.
