Fans Wage War As Kevin Spacey Books First Comic Con After Sexual Assault Scandal

Kevin Spacey may have been acquitted of multiple sexual assault charges. However, fans are still calling for his removal from the spotlight.

The 64-year-old actor has kept a low profile after his life came crashing down in 2017, but he is ready to reconnect with the world at the upcoming Mad Monster Party.

The horror movie convention's organizers are excited to have Spacey on board, but their usual attendees would rather skip than be in the same room with the disgraced entertainer.

The Mad Monster Party Film Festival is a three-day event that brings horror, sci-fi, and fantasy genre celebrities and vendors together with their fans. This year's convention is scheduled to be held from February 16 to 18 with an array of stars like Spacey.

Showrunners confirmed the “House Of Cards” star's attendance on Instagram, raving about his achievements and noting he would attend all three days of the event. They also shared a video of him echoing similar sentiments about the upcoming con.

Spacey declared he was “looking forward” to his first appearance at the event before thanking his fans for their unyielding support and imploring them to join him at the horror con in North Carolina. "I just want to take a moment and thank all my fans for all your support through all these years. It's meant so much to me," the "House of Cards" star stated.

The video generated less than 500 likes, while the comment section was turned off. Despite showrunners’ attempt to stop the backlash, displeased fans aired their grievances on X, formerly called Twitter.

Many slammed Mad Monster organizers for accepting an alleged sexual predator and declared they would boycott the show.

“MAD MONSTER knows exactly what they’re doing by giving Kevin Spacey a platform. They want the controversy cause it brings free press,” an X user theorized. “They literally marketing it as ‘first ever convention appearance,’ which is gross on so many levels.”

“You gotta be strapped for cash or being threatened to book Kevin Spacey at your show,” another echoed, while a third drew attention to the poster announcing the actor's participation. Spacey's hands were covered in blood on the digital flyer, a poor choice per the fan, who wrote:

“Carolina convention hosting Kevin Spacey as a guest. Bad choice to use a promo photo of him with blood on his hands, all things considered.”

More X users criticized the horror con's choice, with someone lamenting how their beautiful memories with Mad Monster have officially been ruined. “Mad Monster has meant so much to me. I tell my cancer patients the story of how Elvira helped me during chemo,” the individual wrote, referencing the actress Cassandra Peterson's iconic fictional character.

“It was the one con I never missed. Their decision to bring in Kevin Spacey, delete all comments objecting, and block those seeking refunds breaks my heart. So long,” the grieving fan concluded. Another echoed similar sentiments about organizers’ unfair antics, writing:

“The creeps over at @MadMonsterMag booked Kevin Spacey at their next convention, and when people began expressing their complete disgust, they turned off comments, blocked people, and deleted anything negative. But you can still leave a 😡 on their FB post.”

One X user alleged the event was a set-up, noting: “#KevinSpacey. Hmm, looks like somebody's strapped for cash...And I daresay Kevin Spacey appearing at something called the Mad Monster Party is a little too on the nose...How many attendees is he going to grope there?”

Meanwhile, a fellow theorist joked that fans could physically avoid Spacey at the upcoming con by paying an extra fee. “If you want a photo with Kevin Spacey without him touching you, it's an extra $50,” the social media user tweeted.

Last October, Spacey made an unexpected comeback to the spotlight with a sterling Shakespeare performance at a theatre in Oxford. The gig marked his first public appearance since the sexual misconduct scandal.

The 64-year-old delivered a scene from Timon of Athens during a lecture at the Sheldonian theatre, held in memory of the late conservative philosopher Roger Scruton. His performance received a standing ovation, a shocking reaction given the significant backlash he received following the allegations.

The scandal began in 2017 when actor Anthony Rapp accused Spacey of making unwanted sexual advances toward him when he was just 14 years old. The alleged victim filed for $40m in damages, but Spacey was found not liable in 2022.

However, the case grew bigger when more alleged victims popped up and accused the veteran actor of inappropriate sexual behavior. This legal drama ended in July 2023 when he was acquitted of all wrongdoings after more than 12 hours of deliberation by the jury.