Forthcoming major science fiction convention and SF film (movie) listing for the year. Covers international and national SF level conventions only.
SF Film launches refer only approximately to European/UK release dates and are subject to studio change.
Although covering many countries, this convention diary lists only the major national and international SF conventions relating to the genre's literary and cinematic forms. For a more complete list of book conventions (including smaller regional ones especially in the US) then consult the Locus listing. For details of TV related SF conventions in the UK then consult SFX magazine in the UK and for conventions in countries with a significant Russian-speaking population see MIR Fantasy magazine in Russia.
For registration details see the convention's own website linked to each of the below entries.
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2012
February 2012
NORCON 26 - NORWEGIAN NATIONAL CONVENTION (10th - 12th February '12), Oslo. Guest of Honour: China Miéville.
March 2012
BENELUXCON (9th - 11th March '12), Katwijk aan Zee, Netherlands. Guests of Honour: Gwyneth Jones, Ann Halam and Jan J. B. Kuipers.
April 2012
WORLD HORROR CONVENTION 2012 (6th - 9th April '12), Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. Guests of Honour: Sherrilyn Kenyon, Mike Mignola and P. N. Elrod.
BRITISH NATIONAL CONVENTION - OLYMPUS 2012 (6th - 9th April '12), London. Guests of Honour to include Paul Cornell and George R. R. Martin.
KONTAKT - 2012 EUROCON (26th - 29th April '12) Zagreb, Croatia. Venue: Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing of the Zagreb University. See map. There is a promotional video here. This is also the 34th SFeraKon. A great chance to have a European holiday. Much of the programme will be in English and a substantial English-speaking contingent attends.
May 2012
SCI-FI LONDON 11 (1st - 7th May '12), Piccadilly, London. No GoHs but three parallel streams of films with the focus on new art-house SF releases from around the world including a number of UK premieres, some European premiers and the occasional World premiere. (Many films do not get a general cinema release so for many SFL is the big screen viewing opportunity even though many of the films go on to become cult DVD releases after a couple of years.) You book for each film (not the whole event) though bulk film tickets are available. The programme also includes talks and a few panels and a 48 hour short film competition challenge. SFL also sees the Arthur C. Clarke (book) Awards presented. With over 4,000 attending one or more films, this is Britain's largest regular SF event (outside of decadal UK-venued Worldcons).
June 2012
FANTASTICON - THE DANISH NATIONAL CONVENTION (1st - 3rd June '12). Venue: Copenhagen, Denmark. Guest of Honour: Alastair Reynolds (more to be announced subsequent to compiling this page.)
UNCONVENTIONAL - THE NEW ZEALAND NATIONAL CONVENTION (1st - 4th June '12). Venue: The Spencer on Byron in Takapuna, Auckland. No guests yet announced at time of posting. This is the 33rd NZ natcon.
CONTINUUM 8 - THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONVENTION (8th- 12th June '12) Carlton, Melbourne, Australia. Venue: the Rydges on Swanston. Guests of Honour: Alison Goodman and Kelly Link (authors), and Sue Ann Barber (fan).
July 2012
FINNCON 2012 - FINLAND's NATIONAL CONVENTION (20th - 22nd July '12) Tampere, Finland. This is Finland's national convention and is combined with an animecon. GoHs: Lois McMaster Bujold and Liz Williams.
URLAUBS-CON UND MEER (20th - 22nd July '12) Landeshaupstadt Kiel. The German SF Club's convention by the sea.
ESTCON 2012 - ESTONIA's's NATIONAL CONVENTION (July '12 dates to be confirmed). Estonia.
August 2012
FRENCH NATIONAL CONVENTION 2012 (23rd - 26th August '12) Centre Culturel des Hautes Bordes, Semoy, Orelans, Loiret, France. GoHs: Franck Ferric (author) and Thierry Cardinet (painter and illustrator). This is the 39th French natcon and also 2nd French Fantasycon. The convention is being organised by Orleans' SF group The Orleonautes.
POLCON - POLISH NATIONAL CONVENTION 2012 (23rd - 26th August '12)Warsaw, Poland. Guest of Honour: Peter V. Brett.
2012 WORLDCON - CHICON 7 (30th Aug -- 3rd Sept '12) Chicago, US. GoHs: Mike Resnik (author), Story Musgrave (astronaut), Rowena Morril (artist) and John Scalzi (author and toastmaster for the event). With several thousand attending and over a dozen parallel programme streams covering SF books, films and science, plus a large dealers hall and art show, there is something for everyone.
October 2012
KONTRAST: 2012 SWECON - SWEDISH NATIONAL CONVENTION 2012 (5th - 7th October '12) Uppsala, Sweden. Guests of Honour: Sara Bergmark Elfgren, Mats Strandberg and Joe Abercrombie. ( (Last year's hugely successful Swedish Eurocon review here.)
FESTIVAL OF FANTASTIC FILMS 2012 (26th - 28th October '12) Days Hotel, Manchester, Britain. International independent as well as amateur film competitions, recent inde as well as vintage SF, horror and fantasy film programme streams. Typically four or five director and actor GoHs. (Last year's fest review here.)
November 2012
WORLD FANTASYCON 2012 (1st - 4th Nov '12) Sheraton Parkway and Best Western, Toronto, Canada. Guests of Honour: Elizabeth Hand (author), John Clute (encyclopaedist), Richard A. Kirk (artist) and Gary K. Wolfe (reviewer). The con this year has two themes: 'Northern Gothic Fantasy' and 'Urban Fantasy'.
2013
March 2013
DORTCON 2013 (9th - 10th March '13) Dortmund, Germany. Only held every other year, this is one of Germany's principal conventions.
April 2013
EUROCON 2013 35th European SF Convention (exact date to be confirmed April '13) Kiev, Ukraine. Venue: University of Sport. (Last Kiev-venued Eurocon reviewed here.)
August 2013
2013 WORLDCON - LONESTARCON 3 (29th Aug -- 2nd Sept '13 ) San Antonio, Texas. GoHs: Ellen Datlow, James Gunn, Willie Siros, Norman Spinrad and Darrell K. Sweet, together with Toastmaster: Paul Cornell, and Special Guests: Leslie Fish and Joe R. Lansdale.
October 2013
WORLD FANTASYCON 2013 (31st Oct - 3rd Nov '12) Brighton, Great Britain. GoHs: Richard Matheson and China Miéville (more to be announced). NOTE: There will be limit to the number of places so early registration is advised as there will be a firm cut-off.
2014
August 2014
2014 SF WORLDCON (14h - 18th Aug '14) which currently has a UK bid for London (see below OCTOCON). With an expected 5,000+ to attend and over a dozen parallel programme streams covering SF books, films and science, plus a large dealers hall and art show, there is something for everyone. This event will take place at the new Excel conference centre in London's docklands next to the financial centre so you can discuss end-of-civilisation scenarios in the bar at the convention and then go outside to see the architects of the global financial meltdown for real.
OCTOCON 2014 - IRISH NATIONAL CONVENTION (23rd - 24th Aug' 14) Ireland. This is Ireland's national convention but not in its usual October slot as it will be a small, convivial relaxacon the following weekend after the London 2014 Worldcon should the latter win the Worldcon bid.
Concatenation supports the London in 2014 Worldcon bid to host the 72nd World Science Fiction Convention.
We understand it to be a capital adventure, what ho...
See the 2014 promotional video below of a science fiction London...
Awesome, isn’t it.
Concatenation also supports the notion that, should the London 2014 bid win, Sci-Fi London being given a budget
plus tech support, and then left alone to run the 2014 Worldcon's film programme.
Finally, Concatenation backs the New Zealand in 2020 Worldcon bid.
A great place to see the Magellanic Clouds and do science fiction.
Want a feel for whether any of the above events might be for you? Check out our reviews of past SF conventions.
Note: This list features UK/Western European dates as at January 2012 so these may change.
Also release dates in other parts of the World may vary by a few months.
2011
December 2011
Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol
Another outing for the film re-boot of the cult TV series. Director: Brad Bird. Story:
J.J. Abrams (who of course directed the recent Star Trek re-boot film).
2012
January 2012
Casimir Effect
In the year 2101 Dr Alice Sharpe is the first person to travel through time, but a mistake in the calculations leads to a paradox that could destroy time itself. Alice is thrown 100 years forward to nightmare future, the only clues to her predicament are a letter from herself she doesn't remember writing and another from her grandfather. To set things right she must travel back in time...
The Darkest Hour
US produced but with European creativity and much Russian involvement, this special effects rich SF thriler concerns an alien invasion of Moscow. Could perhaps be rather good. Directed by Chris Gorak who was art director on Minority Report.
Underworld Awakening
More vampire versus werewolf shenanigans. Stars: Kate Beckinsale, Michael Ealy and India Eisley.
The Devil Inside
Exorcisms that go wrong and a woman's search for her mother. UK horror film.
Intruders
US-UK-Spanish horror thriller concerning an invisible monster.
February 2012
Chronicle (I)
Three teenagers gain super powers. However they cannot cope with their abilities and what they can do.
Night of the Living Dead: Resurrection
This is at least the third re-make of George Romero 1968 zombie classic: there was a limp 1990 US version directed by Tom Savini. This latest version is British and independent of major studios. The makers say that they are "aiming to serve as an entertaining companion piece to the original film rather than attempting to do the impossible and improve on it." In 2012 the deceased have risen from their graves with only one instinct: to feed on the living. As academics speculate on the scientific cause of the phenomena, theologians point to the Armageddon foretold in the Book of Revelation. As the cities are overrun and civilization crumbles, a family take refuge from the undead army in an isolated farmhouse in West Wales. But the greatest threat is already among them. The film was shot on location in Carmarthenshire, Swansea and Cardiff in South Wales, Britain.
Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance
Sequel based on the Marvel comic character. Johnny Blaze comes out of seclusion to stop the devil taking human form. Stars:
Nicolas Cage, Idris Elba and Ciarán Hinds.
The Haunting of Harry Payne
A british independent horror. An ex-London gangster gets embroiled in a murder but the psychic abilities he has been surpressing with alcohol might help...
March 2012
The Hunger Games
Based on Suzanne Collins' 2008 juvenile SF novel. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, lives in the post-apocalyptic country of Panem where North America once existed. The Hunger Games are an annual televised event where the Capitol chooses one boy and one girl aged 12 to 18 from each of 12 districts for a massive televised battle in which only one person can survive...
Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters
This German-US co-production sees Hansel and Gretel become a formidable team of bounty hunters who track and kill witches all over the world.
John Carter
Based on the classic Edgar Rice Burroughs' 'Barsoom' stories it will be interesting to see if this will attract a new generation of readers to Burrough.
The Raven
A fictionalized account of the last days of writer Edgar Allan Poe's life, in which the poet pursues a serial killer whose murders mirror those in the writer's stories... But buffs may want to seek out Mark Renfield's The Death of Poe first.
Mirror Mirror: The Untold Adventures of Snow White
Comedy fantasy, loosely based on the Grimm brothers fairy tale.
Wrath of the Titans
Ares, Hades, Perseus and Zeus tangle. There will be tears before bedtime. An American production but a good few Europeans are on the cast such as Ralph Fiennes and Bill Nighy.
April 2012
Battleship
Special effects, action romp when the US navy gets caught up with an alien spaceship lurking underwater.
The Avengers
Marvel comic book capers with Iron Man, Captain America, The Hulk et al. Directed and written by Joss Whedon. Stars:
Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson.
The Device
This is a Science Fiction offering but more than that we do not know at the time of compiling this page.
May 2012
Chakan the Forever Man
A warrior, cursed to live forever, pursues his latest nemesis into our time. He finds a world he must fit into, long enough to save.
Men in Black III
More protecting Earth from alien forces in this SF action comedy starring Will Smith, Gemma Arterton and Nicole Scherzinger.
N-Day
SF thriller and a British independent. The 'N' here stands for nanobots. When nano technology runs riot everything gets eaten up. However four divers are in a decompression chamber when the event happens. The air pressure inside the chamber is keeping the nanobots out. However as the pressure slowly decreases to equalise with the outside air, the nanobots will eventually get in.
Dead of the Nite
With this British independent, a group of ghost hunters find out that someone is trying to kill them...
June 2012
Cavegirl the Movie
Fantasy. Certificate 12. Director: Sunu Gonera. Stars: Jennifer Stone and Jacob Zachar. (Based on the British TV series.)
The Hunting of the Snark
Fantasy. British animation based on the Lewis Carroll poem.
Snow White and the Huntsman
A Hollywood change to the classic tale.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II
The final outing... Nuff said.
Star Trek Re-boot follow-up
The crew of the Enterprise are back. Stars: Zoe Saldana, Chris Pine and Karl Urban.
Prometheus
The keenly awaited Alien prequel directed by Ridley Scott. Whaheeyyy!
July 2012
Spider-Man Re-boot follow-up
More Marvel comic web-slinging. Stars: Emma Stone, Andrew Garfield and Rhys Ifans.
Storage 24
Sorting out household possessions in a large storage facility, the power goes off. Suddenly there is predator to contend with...
The Dark Knight Rises
Batman's back. Director: Christopher Nolan.
August 2012
Darkest Night
Deep in the Phillipines a family reunion and marriage turns to terror as demonic forces gather...
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
US political historical documentary with a reported US$70,000,000 budget.
Total Recall
Re-make based on the Philip K. Dick classic short story.
September 2012
Resident Evil: Retribution
Alis continues to battle through a zombiefied post-apocalyptic world against the Umbrella organization that started it all.
ParaNorman
Horror. Computer animation about a little boy who can speak with the dead and who has to save his town from an old curse.
Looper
SF action thriller. A contract assassin works for criminals from the future<. All well and good until he recognises one of his targets as his future self.../P>
October 2012
Schemata
A group of students study how the mind works. However as their research continues, one of them begins to lose their own mind... A British film made on a low budget.
Gravity (I)
An SF thriller with an astronaut stuck in space following a mission to repair the Hubble space telescope. A Hollywood production with
Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, but filmed at Shepperton.
The Curse of The Buxom Strumpet
A bawdy comedy in the vein of 'Carry On...'. It is 1713 and a village is affected by a disease that turns the locals into flesh-eating zombs. Can Lord Fortitude lead a small band to safety? Stars Ian McKellen, Gillian Anderson and Mark Williams.
November 2012
Time Net
Science Fiction, low budget and filmed in Manchester. But alas we know nothing of the plot when we compiled this page. Directed and written by Jamie Havill.
December 2012
Rise of the Guardians
Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, Jack Frost and the Sandman band together to form a united front against the Bogeyman. Stars:
Hugh Jackman, Alec Baldwin and Isla Fisher.
Omni
This is a British independent film and concerns alien abduction. All we know is that a fair bit of cinematic effort has gone into this, but whether or not it will SFnally surpass the alien abduction cliche it has at its plot's centre remains to be seen.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
This is Peter Jackson's adaptation of Tolkien's Bilbo Baggins' adventure.
2013
January 2013
World War Z
Based on the post-apocalyptic zombie novel by Max Brooks, a UN reporter interviews survivors. J. Michael Straczynski (Babylon V) did the screenplay adaptation. Stars: Brad Pitt, Eric West and James Badge Dale, so expect a Hollywood feel to this one.
U.F.O.
A British offering from director Dominic Burns is about all we know of this one, other than Jean-Claude Van Damme is somewhere in the cast.
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Alternatively check out the Annual top SF & fantasy films charts
This page is updated annually in early December -- so get any additions you have to us in November. (See 'contact' below.)
Please note the guidance at the top of this page: this is a listing of primarily national level and international conventions.
There are other sites on the web for regional and more specialist SF events.
Also the film listing relates to British Isles release dates as there are many other websites covering N. American SF.
Note to bookmarkers -- This page's URL remains the same and we update the information annually.
So best cite this as a national SF convention listing and forthcoming film diary without mentioning a specific year.
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