San Diego Comic-Con is right around the corner, and the cast for the upcoming Comic-Con-inspired heist comedy Supercon is shaping up. According to /FILM, John Malkovich has jumped on board the project from Zak Knuston, whose previous credits include a handful of Kevin Smith specials and a couple Marvel specials. Supercon will follow washed-up television stars and comic book artists who relentlessly work the fan-convention circuit because it’s all they have left. The former fan-faves end up rallying together to plan to rob the convention and exact their revenge on a crooked promoter and an insufferable former TV icon. It sounds about as chaotic, high-stakes, and conflict-ridden as real-life Comic-Con. But as anyone who has ever waited in line for Hall H knows, there is no true justice at Comic-Con.
Malkovich joins Ryan Kwanten and Maggie Grace, who are also co-starring in Rob Cohen’s upcoming disaster thriller Category 5. Again, we’d place the line for Hall H at approximately a category 5-level disaster, but also, let’s not get too carried away with Comic-Con metaphors like certain movie stars have. Kwanten—best known as Jason Stackhouse on True Blood—will play a voice actor who hatches the plan. He’s a charismatic, bold leader who mostly just flies by on dumb luck but charms nonetheless (sounds perfect for Kwanten, who’s quite good at playing those hunks who turn out to be more than anyone bargained for). Kwanten and Grace aren’t exactly known for comedy, but Malkovich’s casting bodes well for the project. His role has not been announced yet, but he seems best suited for either of those two villain roles. Or maybe he’s playing a personified version of the Hall H line (now, that sounds terrifying). Or maybe he just gets to be John Malkovich in the movie. Mike Epps, Russell Peters, Clancy Brown, and CariDee English round out the cast.
Knuston co-wrote the film with TripTank writer Andrew Sipes. It’s currently filming in New Orleans.