DC FanDome

DC FanDome is an entertainment and comic book convention held virtually online in DC Comics's online website under the dominion of the convention's name. The convention was created and announced in June 2020, as Warner Bros. and DC's response to San Diego Comic-Con's cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The convention featured information about DC-based content including the DC Extended Universe film franchise, the Arrowverse television franchise, comic books, and video games.

The main convention was held online as "DC FanDome: Hall of Heroes" on August 22, 2020. The second convention entitled "DC FanDome: Explore the Multiverse" followed on September 12, 2020.

Development
Development for a DC Comics-centric fan event was first conceived in April 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of E3 2020 and the eventual cancellation of San Diego Comic-Con 2020. On June 14, 2020, with Comic-Con replaced by a virtual Comic-Con@Home, Warner Bros. announced a separate DC-themed online-only convention. Dubbed as DC FanDome, the free "immersive virtual fan experience" was a 24-hour-long event held on August 22, 2020. The hosts and many of the panelists were sent production kits from DC to capture their full bodies on green screens so they could appear in the virtual Hall of Heroes stage designed by DC chief creative officer Jim Lee. Some of the larger panels that need to happen over video conference used unique backgrounds. The content for the event was shot over a two-week period at the end of July 2020, and was completed by August 15, 2020.

On August 19, 2020, FanDome was announced to be split over two different days. The main presentation, entitled "DC FanDome: Hall of Heroes", was held as scheduled on August 22. The remaining programming was provided through a one-day video on demand experience, "DC FanDome: Explore the Multiverse", on September 12. Lisa Gregorian, Warner Bros. TV group president and chief marketing officer, and Blair Rich, president of worldwide marketing for Warner Bros. Pictures Group, revealed the decision to split the event into two dates came after hearing fan feedback from the initial schedule announcement saying there was too much content to consume in 24 hours.

Fans and global audiences were able to log in freely without any usage of badge tags or financial purchasing much like the Comic-Con convention, and see new announcements and trailers for a variety of upcoming DC films, TV series, comics, and video games, including details on the Arrowverse television franchise. Virtual panels featured interviews from the cast and creators of many current and upcoming DC projects such as The Batman, Black Adam, The Suicide Squad, Zack Snyder's Justice League, Wonder Woman 1984, Shazam!: Fury of the Gods, The Flash, and other major film projects set in the DC Extended Universe franchise. The event was broadcast in English, Spanish, Traditional Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, French, German, and Italian. DC Comics plans to produce another iteration of a virtual event in the future, with Gregorian adding it could coexist with physical, in person events such as Comic-Con.

Cast of hosts and participants
In August 2020, DC Comics released a large list of hosts and participants including Matt Reeves, director of 2021's The Batman; its star Robert Pattinson; directors Zack Snyder, Patty Jenkins and James Gunn; and others from the DC Extended Universe film franchise. Thirteen global hosts from 14 countries were also used.

Attendance and engagement
DC FanDome: Hall of Heroes was viewed by 22 million people in 220 countries over its 24-hour live stream. "DC FanDome" also trended on Twitter and YouTube in 53 and 82 countries, respectively. Gregorian spoke to this, saying, "We reached a lot of fans around the world that we wouldn't normally be able to reach. We were able to have questions from India answered, or artwork looked at from the Philippines or South Africa, by the talent."