Posted in: Conventions, Events, Lucca Comics & Games, Pop Culture | Tagged: Lucca Comics & Games 2025, Rébecca Dautremer

Lucca Comics & Games Reveals 2025 Poster With Early Details

Lucca Comics & Games has released the art for the 2025 poster by Rébecca Dautremer, with early details of its programming

Organizers for Lucca Comics & Games have revealed the official poster for the 2025 event, as this year's theme is "French Kiss." This year they will be paying tribute to French influence on the industry with a number of different activities, events, presentations, and more. This year they got French illustrator Rébecca Dautremer to contribute the artwork you see here, bringing out the passion for art across several mediums in a single image. Wehave more of the preliminary details of what they have planned for this year's event, taking place from October 29-November 2 in Lucca, Italy.

Lucca Comic & Games 2025 – French Kiss

2025 pays tribute to France, a country with a profound influence on every art form celebrated at Lucca. Liberté, Créativité, Diversité are the three values of the Institut Français based on the great principles of the French Revolution, which perfectly match the five values of Lucca Comics & Games: Community, Inclusion, Discovery, Respect, Gratitude. Under the theme "French Kiss," the festival explores the kiss as a narrative and emotional detonator—transforming stories, relationships, and even genres. French illustrator Rébecca Dautremer captures the theme in this year's poster, presenting six fantastical characters—a werewolf, a warrior, a vampire countess, a monster, a witch, and the "Lukawa," a Lucca-inspired manga creature—in suspended moments before transformative kisses.

Dautremer's work will be on display at the new exhibition space in Palazzo Guinigi. The show will also debut her new graphic novel Ruby Rose, scheduled for release in France in 2026. Her shift from fairytale aesthetics to theatrical tableaux reflects the evolving nature of French comics. The Palais de France at Fondazione Banca del Monte di Lucca will host HEXAGONES, a curated exhibition of twelve trailblazing French comic artists including Moebius, Claire Bretécher, Jacques Tardi, and Florence Cestac. Special guests Edmond Baudoin and Cestac will discuss the evolution of the bande dessinée and its social relevance.

Éric Fouassier, author of the Valentin Verne series, will appear to talk about his historical-mystical thrillers, continuing a tradition of French fiction that blends mystery with the paranormal. The director of the Institut français Italy Florence Alibert presented the many French guests and activities.  Among the most exclusive names announced was Julien Papelier, general manager of Média-Participations, a multimedia group, active in publishing, printing, audiovisual production, video games, board games and, more recently amusement parks. The bond with Paris is also highlighted by the partnership with the French Embassy in Italy.

STREAMING SENSATIONS: NETFLIX HEADLINES WITH STRANGER THINGS 

Lucca's Movie section will shine brighter than ever with Netflix returning to celebrate the fifth and final season of Stranger Things. Curated by QMI, the meeting point for cinema and TV series fans is celebrating its 15th anniversary offering with a series of unmissable events. This year, Netflix is returning to Lucca Comics & Games to celebrate the highly anticipated fifth and final season of Stranger Things. On October 31, the festival will host a unique and unmissable event anticipating the final chapter of one of the most beloved series of all time.

Stranger Things will arrive on Netflix in three parts: Volume 1 (episode 1-4) of the final season premieres on November 27, Volume 2 (episodes 5-7) on December 26, and the climactic final episode will debut on January 1, 2026. Also returning is Cartoon Network, following last year's successful Teen Titans Go! activation. This year, fans will step into The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball in an immersive pavilion designed to capture the chaotic charm of the Wattersons. Crunchyroll will also return with a custom anime pavilion featuring sneak peeks, screenings, and exclusive merchandise.

POKÉMON TAKES OVER LUCCA: AN UNMISSABLE EXPERIENCE FOR FANS

Pokémon will make a grand return to Lucca C&G 2025, in a new totally dedicated space, even larger and richer in events! In the monographic pavilion located in Piazza Colonna Mozza, fans will be able to discover wonders from across the world of Pokémon.

VIDEO GAMES TAKE THE SPOTLIGHT: KOJIMA, TOYAMA, AND VAMPIRE SURVIVORS

Gaming takes center stage at Lucca 2025. The final stop on Kojima Productions' Death Stranding World Strand Tour 2 will occur in Lucca, showcasing Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. Hideo Kojima's vision of narrative-rich, cinematic gaming continues to redefine the medium, and Lucca is honored to be the concluding destination of this global tour. Joining him is Keiichiro Toyama, the legendary developer behind Silent Hill and Slitterhead. Toyama's work has defined psychological horror, and fans will get the rare opportunity to hear him speak about his creative journey and new studio, Bokeh Game Studio. Indie developer Luca Galante, creator of Vampire Survivors, will also be present. From a passion project to a global hit, Galante's journey resonates with Lucca's own community-first values. Expect demos, panels, and hands-on experiences across the expanded video game zones.

THE ART OF COMICS: ICONS FROM EAST TO WEST

Lucca 2025 will welcome Sensei Tetsuo Hara, creator of Fist of the North Star, for his first appearance in Italy. A dedicated exhibition at the Chiesa dei Servi will showcase more than 100 original pieces, alongside limited-edition merchandise created just for this historic visit. Hara's mythological hero, Kenshiro, continues to resonate with fans for his humanity amid brutal action. Also appearing are Kei Urana and Hideyoshi Andou, creators of Gachiakuta. Known for their dynamic blend of graffiti and manga, the duo will debut new content and participate in panels and signings.

These announcements reflect Lucca's unique position at the intersection of Japanese and Western pop cultures. On the Italian front, comics legends Zerocalcare, Milo Manara, Leo Ortolani, and Fumettibrutti return with new releases and exhibitions. Zuzu, co-winner of the 2019 Gran Guinigi award, will present new work in collaboration with Coconino Press. Guy Delisle, known for autobiographical graphic novels, will also attend with Rizzoli Lizard.

FANTASY LITERATURE: KINGS AND QUEENS OF IMAGINATION

Lucca 2025 will be a gathering of literary royalty. Rick Riordan, author of the Percy Jackson series, will promote his latest book, From the World of Percy Jackson: The Court of the Dead. Cassandra Clare and Holly Black, creators of Shadowhunters and The Spiderwick Chronicles respectively, will celebrate a decade of their Magisterium Series. Glenn Cooper will unveil The Cosmos Keys, a new epic fantasy novel.

INNOVATION IN GAMING: BOARD GAMES, ROLE-PLAYING, AND TCGs

The Games section expands with exclusive previews, tournaments, and special editions. Asmodee Italia will present Dixit with a new card by Marie Cardouat dedicated to Lucca. The Gundam Card Game launches in Europe, with interactive workshops and demo sessions at the Gametrade x Bandai Card Games stand. MS Edizioni celebrates its 10th anniversary with titles inspired by Stranger Things and One Piece. Pessime Notizie, the satirical Lercio party game, will debut with humorous, chaotic gameplay. The 30th Ruolimpiadi, Lucca's legendary role-playing tournament, returns with new adventures including Wildsea and a Dungeons & Dragons crossover with Sì, Oscuro Signore.

EXPERIENCES & MUSIC: LEGO, RED BULL, AND LIVE CONCERTS 

LEGO Italia doubles its footprint with a 300m² space combining immersive play areas and a pop-up store. Red Bull Unforeseen transforms Ostello San Frediano into a surreal Tetris playground, with the national final of Red Bull Tetris taking place on November 1. Musically, Lucca will become an open-air stage. DJ Étienne de Crécy headlines the French Choc party, supported by Venin Carmin and MC Andrea Rock. Symphonic metal from Vision of Atlantis and Nordic mythology-inspired music from Eihwar round out the lineup.

FAMILY & YOUTH: LUCCA JUNIOR, GERONIMO STILTON, AND LIBROGAME

Lucca Junior turns 20 with a program full of family-friendly exhibitions and workshops. Geronimo Stilton celebrates 25 years with creator Elisabetta Dami attending in person. Edizioni EL revives the Librogame series with new sports-themed adventures by Luca Tebaldi.

CINEMA AND DOCU-STORIES: LUCCA ON THE BIG SCREEN

There is great anticipation for I Love Lucca Comics & Games, the first film about the community, culture, and values of Lucca Comics & Games, to be launched in theatres on 10, 11, and 12 November and subsequently on IWONDERFULL, the digital platform available on Amazon Prime. The project is a collaboration between Lucca Crea and I Wonder Pictures, an independent film distribution company, which will produce the docu-films together with production partner All At Once and handle distribution. Directed by Manlio Castagna and produced by Andrea Romeo, the series aims to capture the spirit of the festival through the stories of its community, artists, and creators. The third issue of the graphic novel series The Decisive Moment, commissioned by Italy's Civil Protection Department, will also be unveiled, reinforcing Lucca's role in promoting social awareness through storytelling.

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