'Aladdin' star Mena Massoud is coming to Comic Con Dubai

The first four celebrities coming to the ninth Middle East Film and Comic Con have been announced, and they don't disappoint

Mena Massoud plays the title role in Disney’s live-action adaptation of the 1992 animated classic 'Aladdin'. AP

What do Aladdin, Superman, Elektra and Gimli from Lord of the Rings have in common? They're all going to be in Dubai next month. Or at least the actors playing them are. The first four celebrities coming to this year's Middle East Film and Comic Con have been revealed, and it is a great line-up.

The region’s favourite Disney prince is coming to town. Canadian-Egyptian actor Mena Massoud, who played Aladdin in the 2019 live action remake of the 1992 animation, will meet fans and share anecdotes from his time as Agrabah’s prince.

Attendees will also have the chance to meet the Man of Steel himself. Brandon Routh played the titular superhero in the 2006 movie Superman Returns. He reprised the role of Superman in the 2019 Arrowverse crossover event Crisis on Infinite Earths.

Brandon Routh in Superman Returns. Courtesy Warner Bros

Also coming to the festival is Elodie Yung. The French-born actress is best known for her role as Elektra Natchios in the second season of the Netflix series Daredevil. Yung starred in the Netflix miniseries The Defenders. In 2013, she appeared on the silver screen as the ninja Jinx in G.I. Joe: Retaliation.

Elodie Yung in Marvel's 'Daredevil'. Courtesy Netflix

The fourth name to be announced is John Rhys-Davies, who is best known for his portrayal of Gimli and as the voice of TreeBeard in the Lord of The Rings trilogy. He also played Sallah in the Indiana Jones films. The Welsh actor and producer's filmography goes back to the 1970s.

Harrison Ford, Sean Connery and John Rhys-Davies 1989's 'Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade'. Alamy

According to MEFCC organisers, more celebrities will be announced in the coming weeks, fans will get the chance to get up-close with their favourite stars in meet and greets at the event.

Read More

EgyCon brings out Egypt's best cosplayers and otakus – in pictures

Social media stars to gather for VidCon Abu Dhabi

Fans will also be able to attend interactive workshops where they can explore original artworks, prints and sculptures. And a line-up of some of the world's biggest comic book artists, who have worked on biggest projects for DC, Marvel and Disney, have also been confirmed to attend the event.

Artists that are coming to the event include: Sam De La Rosa, whose credits include The Amazing Spider-Man, Black Panther, The Avengers and Star Wars. His contribution to Venom's Lethal Protector storyline helped inspire the production of the Venom movie that was released in 2018 starring Tom Hardy.

Veteran of the comic book industry, Mostafa Moussa, is also scheduled to appear at the event. Moussa is an illustrator who has worked on Batman, X-Men and Godzilla.

Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets for the star-studded event as soon as possible. The exclusive Gold VIP tickets sold out in the first week, but fans can still purchase other tickets, including Silver VIP and day tickets. There are discounted offers on family tickets and children under five are guaranteed free entry.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Mostafa Moussa (@mostafaink)

The ninth edition of the Middle East Film and Comic con will take place from March 5 to March 7 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. More information is available at www.mefcc.com