“Before Comic-Con, there was Forry.”
From fan to fandom…the man who turned imagination into a movement.
FORREST J ACKERMAN: BRIDGE TO METROPOLIS is an intimate portrait of Forrest J Ackerman—the pioneering fan, editor, and cultural force who helped shape modern science fiction.
As the guiding spirit behind Famous Monsters of Filmland, Ackerman inspired generations of filmmakers, writers, and artists, bridging the gap between fandom and the industry itself. Through candid interviews with Ackerman and those he influenced—including Ray Bradbury, John Landis, Joe Dante, and Brinke Stevens—the film reveals how one man’s boundless curiosity and generosity sparked a creative legacy that continues to resonate today.
Both a personal reflection and a cultural history, this documentary celebrates the power of imagination—and the community it creates.
His legacy lives wherever stories bring us together.
a JOHN SASSER film
“FORREST J ACKERMAN: BRIDGE TO METROPOLIS”
FORREST J ACKERMAN RAY BRADBURY JOHN LANDIS
BRINKE STEVENS DONALD F GLUT
REGGIE BANNISTER DANIEL ROEBUCK BILL WARREN
JASON V BROCK GEORGE CLAYTON JOHNSON
GIGI BANNISTER CAMDEN TOY JOE DANTE
and WILLIAM F NOLAN
Produced by JOHN SASSER Co-Producer BENNETT BARTHELEMY
Cinematography by TREVEN CANNON & JOHN SASSER
Music by JONATHAN BURKES Film Editor BENNETT BARTHELEMY
Directed by JOHN SASSER
From fan to fandom…the man who turned imagination into a movement.
FORREST J ACKERMAN: BRIDGE TO METROPOLIS is an intimate portrait of Forrest J Ackerman—the pioneering fan, editor, and cultural force who helped shape modern science fiction.
As the guiding spirit behind Famous Monsters of Filmland, Ackerman inspired generations of filmmakers, writers, and artists, bridging the gap between fandom and the industry itself. Through candid interviews with Ackerman and those he influenced—including Ray Bradbury, John Landis, Joe Dante, and Brinke Stevens—the film reveals how one man’s boundless curiosity and generosity sparked a creative legacy that continues to resonate today.
Both a personal reflection and a cultural history, this documentary celebrates the power of imagination—and the community it creates.
His legacy lives wherever stories bring us together.
a JOHN SASSER film
“FORREST J ACKERMAN: BRIDGE TO METROPOLIS”
FORREST J ACKERMAN RAY BRADBURY JOHN LANDIS
BRINKE STEVENS DONALD F GLUT
REGGIE BANNISTER DANIEL ROEBUCK BILL WARREN
JASON V BROCK GEORGE CLAYTON JOHNSON
GIGI BANNISTER CAMDEN TOY JOE DANTE
and WILLIAM F NOLAN
Produced by JOHN SASSER Co-Producer BENNETT BARTHELEMY
Cinematography by TREVEN CANNON & JOHN SASSER
Music by JONATHAN BURKES Film Editor BENNETT BARTHELEMY
Directed by JOHN SASSER
