Universal Studios shutting down "Fast & Furious—Supercharged" Studio Tour attraction
Universal Studios Hollywood is shutting down its "Fast & Furious—Supercharged" Studio Tour attraction to make way for a yet-to-be-announced attraction in its place.
"Fast & Furious—Supercharged" launched in 2015, with the studio tram rolling into a virtual high-speed 3D chase. It's set to close on March 10. The Fast & Furious universe will continue at the park, with high speed becoming the literal experience on the new outdoor roller coaster "Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift" -- set to open in 2026. It will be the park's first high-speed, outdoor roller coaster.
Park officials say its design leads the way with cutting-edge, innovative technology not yet used on a roller coaster.
"As Universal Studios Hollywood continues to evolve, the arrival of 'Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift' will be a powerful game changer that will infuse a new level of thrill into our already dynamic theme park, and we look forward to welcoming guests when it races onto the scene in 2026," said Scott Strobl, Executive Vice President & General Manager, Universal Studios Hollywood.
Highlights of the roller coaster include 360-degree rotation of the individual ride vehicles along a speeding track, with sound reduction technology. "These attributions will create a seamless sensation of drifting cars as guests spin in motion at furiously fast speeds," according to the park.
"Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift" will be located on the Upper Lot of Universal Studios Hollywood. Guests will queue up within a large, red brick, garage-style structure before settling into ride vehicles, modeled after several authentic cars featured in the films.
Universal Pictures' Fast & Furious films have become the studio's most profitable and longest-running franchise.
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Its DNA is present whenever a filmmaker holds back a monster reveal to build suspense or a blockbuster balances character moments with eye-popping thrills. Its cautionary themes about respecting nature, heeding warnings and science, and finding courage are as relevant as ever. And in the simple act of scaring people out of the water, Jaws achieved a kind of immortality that few works of fiction ever do. Modern viewers are still struck by how Jaws, despite launching an era of big-budget popcorn spectacle, remains a relatively modestly human-scaled thriller at heart. Compared to today's CGI-filled epics, Jaws was a mid-budget film that relied on character, suspense, and primal fear more than flashy effects. When the time for effects did come, the realism and selective use made them all the more impressive and scary. In fact, many argue Hollywood took the wrong lessons from Jaws, that studios focused on 'bigger boat' spectacle rather than what truly made the film great – its tight storytelling and craft. The real keys were suspense, relatable characters, and Spielberg's deft directing. Thus, while Jaws undeniably gave Hollywood a new formula for summer hits, it also stands apart from the very blockbusters it inspired. Jaws would thrive in any era. Indeed, the modern masterpiece Godzilla Minus One from writer-director-VFX Supervisor Takashi Yamazaki is heavily inspired by Jaws. The film reflects the best sort of inspiration from Spielberg's film, including the power of character-driven storytelling, suspense and anticipation, and a brilliant vision from its director. If you want a particularly great 50th anniversary of Jaws, the new 4K UHD edition and the gorgeous Godzilla Minus One/Minus Color make for a perfect pairing. Then watch the anniversary documentary Jaws @ 50 (either on the excellent physical home release, or when it runs on National Geographic/Hulu/Disney+) for insightful and revelatory conversations with cast and crew, including Spielberg's conversations about his own reactions and lingering traumas over the many years and decades after making Jaws. For Spielberg and the cast and crew, it probably seems astonishing that a film made under such duress could endure so powerfully. But perhaps it's precisely those challenges that made Jaws great, the creative solutions and on-the-fly brilliance born from chaos and necessity. Jaws transcended its humble 'summer thriller' origins to become a classic. Despite the great Roger Ebert's own glowing review, many of his contemporaries couldn't all see of its greatness, with many dismissing it as nonsense or mere shock entertainment. But time has vindicated Jaws. 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