MatPat to Host BlumFest at NYCC 2026 With The Exorcist, River and More

WEPAAAA! Blumhouse Atomic Monster is bringing the horror heavyweights to New York Comic Con, and this year’s BlumFest has a host who knows a thing or two about digging way too deep into lore. MatPat, creator of The Game Theorists, will host the annual BlumFest session on Friday, October 9 at the Javits Center.

The panel will put a spotlight on several upcoming projects, including The Exorcist, River, and Curry Barker’s Anything But Ghosts. MatPat will be joined by director Mike Flanagan and star Chiwetel Ejiofor from The Exorcist, River star Jessica Rothe, multimedia storyteller Heidi Wong, Atomic Monster founder James Wan, and Blumhouse founder and CEO Jason Blum.

Blumhouse is also promising first looks, announcements, surprises, and giveaways during the session. The panel kicks off at 6:00 PM ET on the Empire Stage, with seating opening at 5:30 PM, so horror fans planning to get in should probably treat this one like a hot comic drop and arrive early.

MatPat’s connection to horror fandom runs deep, especially through his early theory videos on Five Nights at Freddy’s and the Backrooms. Pairing him with Flanagan, Wan, Blum, and the rest of this lineup gives BlumFest a wild mix of internet horror culture and heavyweight filmmaking talent.

Comic Crusaders will be on the ground at NYCC 2026, and BlumFest is now firmly on the radar. You can find the official panel information through the New York Comic Con event page.