Posted in: Conventions, Events, Pop Culture, san diego comic con | Tagged: brandon routh, fandom, sdcc

SDCC: San Diego Fandom Rooftop Party Had Brandon Routh As Spider-Man

SDCC: The San Diego Comic-Con Fandom Rooftop Party had Brandon Routh as Spider-Man, invading the All-American Rejects on stage

The Fandom Party at San Diego Comic-Con is always a popular spot, and Friend of Bleeding Cool, Judy Hao, popped up and let us know what was what… and who was who.

"An invite to the Fandom Party at SDCC is one of the most coveted during the convention—nearly impossible to crash unless you're on the guest list or one of about 150 lucky lottery winners (plus their guests). I've been trying to get into this party for over a decade. 2025 was finally our year.

"The party is the first of the "SDCC Most Exclusive Trifecta," the other two being the IGN on Friday and the elusive EW on Saturday. Hosted on Thursday evening at the Hard Rock Float from 7pm to 11pm, Fandom boasts a star-studded attendance plus a top musical act. This year's featured act? The All-American Rejects, best known for the emo-pop anthems that soundtracked many of our early-2000s feelings and that one movie with Amanda Bynes pretending to be a male soccer player. My boyfriend, Charles, and I, lined up for the party around an hour early with our friends Brent and Katie. Even with a guest list, Fandom is known to cap entry when capacity hits. Fortunately, the wait paid off. From the moment we stepped onto the FLOAT rooftop, we knew we were in for something special.

"This party is committed to "Fan-first experiences." Activations were placed at every corner of the venue. Upon entering the Float, you are greeted by the signature portal from Universal Epic Universe. Upon entering, guests were welcomed by the signature portal from Universal Epic Universe. To the left, just past the pool, we found a photo op with cosplayers dressed as Hiccup and Astrid from How to Train Your Dragon, set against a detailed map of the Isle of Berk. On the right, the main stage stood surrounded by several immersive activations.

"Bandai Namco's CODE VEIN II brought out a full-size replica of the in-game Motorcycle Forma, which proved popular for dramatic, action filled selfies. Giant balloon creatures on stilts floated through the crowd, followed by a balloon prince and princess. There was also an arcade and a lounge area sporting Donkey Kong plushies, many of which mysteriously disappeared overnight. Guests were encouraged to participate in a themed scavenger hunt hosted by the ever-watchful Elf on the Shelf® while sipping on beverages from the open bar—chaotic in the best way.

"The spotlight amongst all the activations was the red carpet interview, where Fandom staff was interviewing celebrity guests. We got there just in time to see our headliner band arrive.
Though we were already a few drinks deep from Geeki Tiki earlier in the evening, the open bar was hard to resist. Beverages in hand, we wandered through the crowd, catching up with familiar faces from past cons (shout out to Imogen and Holly, who traveled all the way from Cardiff) and admiring some absolutely jaw-dropping cosplays. One standout was Wolverine by SinisterPropz, who's known for his Master Chief builds from previous years. He had earned his party invite by spending the day chasing down the Elf mascot around the convention center in his full Halo Spartan suit. That dedication—and the impeccable costume—perfectly captured what Fandom is all about. Eventually, it was time to fully surrender to nostalgia. Just as The All-American Rejects took the stage, some new friends invited us into one of the VIP cabanas. I wasn't expecting to scream-sing "Gives You Hell" on a rooftop cabana with 300+ strangers—but I did. We all did. Probably off-key. No regrets.

"In the middle of the set, Brandon Routh appeared on stage, inexplicably dressed as Spider-Man. I guess someone forgot to remind him that DC and Marvel don't technically share a universe… but honestly, no one cared. We were too busy air-guitaring our way into the night as the concert carried us to the 11 PM close. As if that weren't enough, Fandom sent us home with swag: a VIP goodie bag packed with comics from Z2 and a Niffler plush from The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Luggage limitations meant we had to share the bounty with friends who couldn't make it this year—but we kept the best part for ourselves: the memories of one of the most unforgettable nights of the con."

Another friend of Bleeding Cool, Martin Weingarten, told me that the Fandom Party was the "best party that I attended. Open bar,  waitresses carrying around good appetizers (empanadas, shrimp ceviche,  pork bao,  chicken satay. The highlight was a fun performance by All American Rejects. Photo ops and plush, animated Baby Nifflers (from Harry Potter) swag". And he gave us some of the All American Rejects performances on video to follow Martin and Judy's photos below.

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