Latest news with #UniversalHorrorUnleashed
Thrill Geek
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Thrill Geek
Universal Horror Unleashed Reveals More Frightening Details Ahead of Grand Opening in Las Vegas
Universal Destinations & Experiences is set to redefine terror with the grand opening of Universal Horror Unleashed, a first-of-its-kind year-round horror attraction debuting August 14 at the AREA15 District in Las Vegas. New details have emerged about one of the cornerstone experiences—the Universal Monsters haunted house—along with two original themed areas: Dead Storage and The Boiler, an immersive cocktail bar experience like no other. In the Universal Monsters haunted house, the legends of classic horror cinema break free from their silver screen origins and come terrifyingly to life. Guests will journey through the ruins of famed monster hunter Van Helsing's mausoleum, only to be thrust into the cursed territories of Universal's most iconic creatures. From the echoing corridors of Castle Dracula to the ancient tombs of The Mummy, and the electrified laboratory where Frankenstein and The Bride still haunt the living, this fully immersive haunted experience unites the most legendary monsters ever imagined in one continuous, spine-chilling nightmare. Before entering Van Helsing's realm, guests will first brave Dead Storage, a hauntingly atmospheric themed zone set within a forgotten section of an abandoned production warehouse. Reminiscent of Universal's earliest horror sets, this gothic graveyard of film relics is alive with nocturnal terror. Guests may encounter vampires, a werewolf mid-transformation, and other dark creatures that lurk in the shadows, all while navigating an environment filled with eerie set pieces and props lost to time. At the heart of the experience lies The Boiler, a darkly industrial cocktail bar pulsing with mechanical energy and infernal ambiance. Here, multiple horror zones converge, offering guests a space to unwind without ever truly escaping the horror. Beneath a towering, flame-spewing machine, patrons can enjoy expertly crafted cocktails and soak in the atmosphere of this uniquely twisted reprieve. Universal Horror Unleashed will feature four immersive themed areas and four major haunted house experiences, including: Universal Monsters Blumhouse's The Exorcist: Believer The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Scarecrow: The Reaping In addition to the frights, guests can explore horror-themed food and beverage offerings, specialty bars, and a retail location filled with exclusive merchandise and collectibles. Tickets are now available at For fans of fear, this is the next evolution in immersive horror entertainment—an experience that never sleeps, and never lets you forget what lurks in the dark. Clint Gamache is the owner of ThrillGeek. He started ThrillGeek to share his love of theme/amusement parks and pop culture with the world. You can find him at Halloween Horror Nights. Also, be sure to follow him on Twitter/X, Instagram @iamcg83
USA Today
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
What to expect from Universal's new year-round horror experience in Vegas
AI-assisted summary Unlike Halloween Horror Nights, Horror Unleashed offers a permanent, immersive horror experience with four haunted houses and interactive scare zones. Haunted houses include Universal Monsters, The Exorcist: Believer, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Scarecrow: The Reaping. The experience is designed for all types of horror fans, with varying levels of engagement and is not recommended for children under 13. Nate Stevenson remembers it being a big deal to rent movies as a kid and his dad bringing home a stack of VHS tapes on weekends. 'Three or four were obviously for my mom,' Stevenson recalled. 'But then he would always go, 'And then I got one creepy old movie' ... and then me and my dad would just sit and watch the horror films.' TJ Mannarino shared similar memories with his dad. 'That was a bonding thing,' Mannarino said. 'We used to sit around and watch the black-and-white Universal monster movies, and it got me excited about those strange characters.' Mannarino and Stevenson still get giddy about horror. Now, they're creating a new way for fellow fans to connect with it, as two of the masterminds behind Universal's first year-round horror experience in Las Vegas. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. In an exclusive interview with USA TODAY, they shared more about what guests can expect when Universal Horror Unleashed opens in August. How is Horror Unleashed different from Halloween Horror Nights? Universal Horror Unleashed won't just be a longer version of Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights. 'You're a little bit locked in at the parks,' said Stevenson, show director for Universal's Creative Development Group. Both he and Mannarino have worked on Horror Nights for years. 'You know what works and you go for it, and the turnaround is so fast for the next year that you're just on to the next year ... But this really gave us a chance to kind of innovate and think outside the box and say, 'How can we take this amazing thing that we've got and take it to the next level?'" With Universal Horror Unleashed, they had a chance to build a permanent home for horror, from the ground up, in a newly expanded area of the Area15 entertainment district off the Las Vegas Strip. 'To be on the side of creating it and envisioning it is a dream come true, or a nightmare,' said Mannarino, vice president of Entertainment Art and Design for Universal Orlando Resort. The story begins even before guests enter the building, which is set as a production warehouse where horror film props were stored, a nod to Universal's century-long legacy of horror films. "The overarching story, just for Horror Unleashed in general, is that there's kind of a parallel world that lives beside ours, and in that world – we call it the shadow world – all your nightmares are actually realities,' Stevenson said. He explained that in some areas, like Sin City and this production warehouse in particular, the veil between the worlds is thinner. 'They stuck so many spiritually charged things in this warehouse that it erupted and it broke that veil between the shadow world and our world, so when you're in the warehouse, some of those creatures and those monsters and those things have spilled out from the shadow world,' he said. How many haunted houses are there? There are four haunted houses at Universal Horror Unleashed, with a mix of intellectual property and original content, like Horror Nights. Universal Monsters: 'Guests will pass through the crumbling mausoleum of famed monster hunter Van Helsing and into the cursed domains of creatures that defined the genre,' Universal shared in a press release. 'From the shadowy halls of Castle Dracula, to the sandy tombs guarded by The Mummy, to the crackling lab where Frankenstein and The Bride still draw breath – this haunted house resurrects the most legendary monsters of all time in one continuous nightmare.' The Exorcist: Believer: Based on the latest film in the Exorcist franchise, guests will follow the journey of two girls who've been possessed, all the way to their exorcism, which includes disappearing wall special effect that reveals a hidden hellscape, according to a promo video for the house. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Guests will enter the farmhouse from the franchise's first film and, following that film closely, come face to face with Leatherface as well as parts of his world that weren't on screen. Scarecrow: The Reaping: Based on a fan-favorite, original Universal Halloween Horror Nights house, 'It's set in the Dust Bowl era, when the farmers ravaged the land, but in our story, the land has come back to life to wreak its revenge on you,' Stevenson said in a promo video. Beyond the haunted houses, there will be four immersive areas with their own themes. 'One is kind of more classic, which is where the monsters come in – the classic Universal monsters – and then one is more kind of like a slasher 80s sort of feel, and another is more of kind of like a poltergeist sort of feel, and then another is more traditional and circusy, where Jack shows up,' Stevenson said, referring to Jack the Clown, a Halloween Horror Nights icon. Getting into character Each space will also feature various characters with fully fleshed, interconnected stories that guests can engage with. 'In the parks, you have all these incredible characters out in the streets and they're running and they're scaring you, but it's kind of like a moment in time. They scare you and then they go,' Stevenson said. 'But with these characters, you can actually walk up to them and chat with them ... get a couple of fun anecdotes about their life and move on – if that's the level of immersion you want – or you can sit there and talk to them for 15 minutes and learn all about the warehouse and all about the story.' There will also be uniquely themed areas for food and drinks. 'I could see people buying a ticket and just going out there and hanging out for the night because it's such a cool environment,' Stevenson said. 'I just want a drink at the Boiler Bar that turns into a monster and becomes this really cool show moment ... and watch people get scared and have drinks with my friends and then walk over to Jack's (Alley) Bar and watch his show.' These are all opening attractions, but from the beginning, Universal has said the venue will feature continuously updated horror experiences. 'It has to evolve. It has to change. How does that change and what that cadence is, I think that's still for us to tell you, as we learn also,' Mannarino said. Halloween Horror Nights 2025: Everything you need to know Room for everyone For now, guests can expect something different each visit, depending on how they engage. 'Spend as much time, come back as many times as they want, but feel like this place also has a life and it grows and it changes, and so every time you come back, you do see the world differently,' Mannarino said. Experiences will also change depending on who guests go with. 'In your group, you might have the die hard who's always going to be the first person to line, but you always have the other person who's like, 'No, no. I'm going to be in the back, and I'm going to be hiding behind four other people,''' he said. Universal Horror Unleashed is meant for all types of horror fans, from casual thrillseekers to lore-loving super fans. 'We see ourselves in you, because that's who we are,' Mannarino said. Is there an age restriction for Universal Horror Unleashed? The destination's website warns that like Horror Nights, the 'experience may be too intense for young children and is not recommended for children under the age of 13.' How much are Universal Horror Unleashed tickets? Universal Horror Unleashed opens August 14. Tickets are already on sale and start at $69 for one-time entry to each house ($59 for Nevada residents) and $99 for unlimited access to houses.
Thrill Geek
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Thrill Geek
Leatherface Is Coming to Vegas: Texas Chainsaw Massacre Haunted House Joins Universal Horror Unleashed -
Grab your courage and brace for the buzz, 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' is officially joining Universal Horror Unleashed, the year-round horror experience opening August 14 at AREA15 in Las Vegas. For the first time ever, guests will step through the 1974 horror classic in chronological order, from the eerie Texas cemetery and grimy gas station to the deranged family home. Every step leads you deeper into madness as you encounter Leatherface, his unsettling kin, and the unforgettable sound of revving chainsaws. But the terror doesn't stop there. The haunted house connects to Kill Vault, one of four immersive horror zones. Expect back-alley surgeons, stalkers, and slashers interacting up-close as you explore dim corners filled with rusty tools and haunted stories. Hungry for more? 'Rough Cuts' will serve chainsaw-carved small plates—just don't ask what's in the barbecue. Universal Horror Unleashed will feature four haunted houses, including: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Universal Monsters Blumhouse's The Exorcist: Believer Scarecrow: The Reaping Plus, expect themed bars, creepy cocktails, exclusive merchandise, and more immersive horror than ever before. Tickets are now on sale at Follow @ThrillGeek on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for more terrifying updates as opening night draws near.
Business Mayor
12-05-2025
- Business
- Business Mayor
Will Universal's Epic keep the ride going for US theme parks?
Universal is betting billions of dollars that thrill seekers and holidaymakers will be queueing in their thousands this month to ride rollercoasters at its latest theme park, which boasts Harry Potter's Ministry of Magic and a Super Nintendo World. But real life outside the gates of Epic Universe, and the market for theme parks, are both very different to 2019, when Universal's parent company, Comcast, started planning the massive new site in Orlando, Florida. Industry executives and analysts have begun to fear that the trade and culture wars sparked by the arrival of Donald Trump in the White House could hit demand among visitors to Florida this year. One executive expressed concern that the White House's actions could deter overseas visitors, as well as risk an economic slowdown that could sap appetite among domestic visitors for daily tickets that will be priced at more than $100. Epic Universe, which opens this month, is not the only US investment that Comcast is making in the sector. The group is also opening Universal Horror Unleashed, the first permanent year-round horror 'entertainment experience' in Las Vegas in August; and, in 2026, its first Universal Kids Resort in Frisco, Texas, marketed to families with younger children. Epic Universe is the largest ever investment by Comcast in its theme park business © Felix Mizioznikov/Alamy Rival Disney's parks and experiences business is also expanding in the US and abroad, with $60bn of investment planned over the next decade. Disney has more expansion projects around the world than at any time in its history, including new 'lands' and attractions at domestic parks in Florida and California. This week, the group revealed plans for a new theme park resort on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, albeit funded by local entertainment company Miral. Theme parks have been a crucial engine for growth for both groups, with cash flow helping support Disney's investments in other areas, such as streaming and movies. Parks and experiences is the largest source of operating income for Disney, and the second-largest revenue driver after its entertainment division. Comcast president Mike Cavanagh, meanwhile, explained last month about the importance of its theme-park business given — unlike its television arm — it is 'not at all exposed to the shift in time on screens . . . park experiences have been thrilling to people, and we think we lean into that'. Epic will be the largest ever investment by Comcast in its theme park business. The site — Comcast's fourth in Orlando — includes five different themed areas, including the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and How to Train Your Dragon. Its opening will enable the media group to offer week-long vacation destinations for tourists across its Orlando sites. But the opening of the park — the biggest in Florida for more than two decades — comes after a tougher time for the sector over the past year. Both Comcast and Disney enjoyed strong growth in 2022 and 2023 following the end of the pandemic, which sparked a boom in demand for experiences and travel as people sought to catch up on lost time under enforced lockdowns. But this bounceback faded in 2024, leaving attendance at the Florida parks still well short of 2019 pre-pandemic highs, according to Aecom, which supplies data on the industry. Revenues for Comcast at its parks division fell from $8.9bn in 2023 to $8.6bn in 2024, driven by a fall in park attendance, with earnings down from $3.3bn to $2.9bn. In the first quarter of this year, Comcast's parks division saw revenues fall again, which it blamed on the Hollywood wildfires. Disney's experiences business last year fared better — including cruise vacations — with revenues up 5 per cent to $34.1bn, but still much slower than the 16 per cent growth the year before. A note by Rothschild & Co's Redburn Atlantic analysts in October warned that the Florida theme park market was 'not healthy', with 2023 attendances about 13 per cent below 2019 levels. It blamed over-aggressive pricing strategies that have hit affordability, particularly for foreign visitors. Read More Female artists drive music sales boom in UK 'While Epic could well attract new visitors to Florida,' Redburn Atlantic wrote, 'given how Florida attendance has not recovered to pre-pandemic levels, with affordability in part to blame, we suspect it is more likely to take share from Disney.' Giant park operators like Disney and Comcast — followed by mid-level operators such as SeaWorld and Six Flags — have been pushing up per capita revenue through steep price increases. They have been willing to sacrifice high attendance as a result, said Chris Yoshii, global director of leisure and culture services at Aecom. People walk through the Dark Universe at Epic Universe. Comcast is hoping the park's new attractions will drive consumer demand © Thomas Simonetti/Bloomberg This was in part to give 'a premium experience' for those who can financially afford to visit, he explained, without needing them to wait in line too long. Parks in Orlando and California last summer were supported by wealthy foreign visitors, according to Yoshii. 'It questions whether [a theme park] is really a middle-class activity any more . . . family budgets are stretched and they're really pricing [these consumers] out,' he said. 'They are getting up to a point where this is about as much as they can do in terms of pushing prices. Going forward growing prices and profitability will be challenging in economically uncertain times,' Yoshii added. Analysts are also asking whether Trump's trade war will add to that uncertainty for the US theme parks. Airlines and hotel groups have warned that domestic travel is waning, while overseas visitor numbers could be hit by the threat of tougher, less welcoming border controls. Craig Moffett, an analyst at MoffettNathanson, last month pointed to the 'very significant drops in international travel to the United States . . . and some anti-American sentiment' when asking Comcast's management about its theme park business. But so far, both Comcast and Disney say that US consumer demand remains strong for their amusements. Comcast's Cavanagh said in the analyst call that both advance ticket sales and hotel bookings were 'strong for the overall parks and for Epic'. Sales 'continue to be tracking well' and there was 'continued steadiness in the backdrop for parks', he added, with 'a lot of folks from the US' who do not have to fly to get to Florida. He admitted 'there may be a delayed effect between what the airlines are starting to report on and what we see' but so far 'no real sign of that in our business as we sit here now'. Comcast and Disney are confident that their new parks and experiences will bring in new audiences. Executives claim that one reason for slower growth last year was the lack of any major new attractions, which tend to drive demand. Comcast is hoping that Epic will change that — this year at least. Analysts at JPMorgan forecast that Comcast's slate of new openings should 'tap into new demographics and geographies — capturing latent demand'. Recommended Disney expects its experiences division to be up 6 per cent to 8 per cent on the year, and reported a strong first half of the year. It told analysts this week that bookings at Walt Disney World were up 4 per cent in the third quarter against a year ago, and 7 per cent in the fourth, making the company 'very optimistic' about its prospects in the US. Johnston acknowledged that foreign visitors to US parks were down slightly in a call with analysts, but added that this had been more than offset by growth in US attendees. 'We've seen a bit of an impact, but it's literally like in terms of the mix one to one-and-a-half per cent. And what I would expect going forward is something similar to that. The good news is we're clearly more than making up for it with domestic attendance.'
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
If You Love John Wick, Las Vegas Has The Totally Perfect Place For Fans Until Chapter 5 Comes Out
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: Lionsgate I am a massive fan of the John Wick franchise. As somebody who thinks John Wick is the best modern action franchise going today, I'm stoked that we're seeing the universe expand with multiple spinoffs, and even, down the road, a proper John Wick Chapter 5. Even though I thought the ending of Chapter 4 was perfect, if somebody wants to give me more, I am here for it. Unfortunately, that next proper installment is probably a few years away. While we'll have three other movies in the next few years, including the upcoming Ballerina with Ana de Armas, the Donnie Yen-led Caine, and an animated prequel, I have been in desperate need of a John Wick fix of late. Luckily for me, I found just the place to scratch that itch when I checked into The Continental Hotel… in Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Continental Hotel Brings The World Of John Wick To Life Credit: Dirk Libbey Area15 in Las Vegas is an entire immersive entertainment venue. It's where you'll find the mind-bending Omega Mart, as well as later this year, Universal Destinations & Experiences' full-time horror establishment, Universal Horror Unleashed. It's also home to the John Wick Experience. The experience only opened last month, but since I was planning on spending a few days on vacation in Las Vegas anyway recently, I added it to the itinerary. I had to leave the family behind, as I was pretty sure an immersive experience based on a violent movie wasn't going to be the best place for my toddler, but honestly, that just made the whole thing better, as I could focus on the world around me. From the moment I approached the building, the story began. The doorman makes sure you're somebody who belongs before letting you in. Once he does, you're welcomed at the front desk of the Continental Las Vegas. I checked in early, was directed to the bar, and was told I would be texted when my "room" was ready. I honestly could have spent the next hour just sitting in the bar, and you can, as the bar isn't limited to those doing the experience. I had enough time, so I ordered a drink and took a seat in the lounge. The bar alone transports you from the Las Vegas outside to the World of John Wick perfectly. Then my phone buzzed, and I had received a text that my room was ready. Credit: Dirk Libbey You Can Play Along Or Just Watch The Story Unfold I met my party, all strangers to me, and a bellhop at the elevator to be taken up to my room. However, part of the way up, the bellhop received a call that the hotel manager wanted to see us. So, instead, we entered a room that resembled the switchboard area seen in the John Wick sequels. She spoke to us briefly, mostly setting the stage for the story to come. On the wall, we saw the ticker board of current contracts, including one for Mr. John Wick. After the Accountant leaves, a pneumatic tube fired up, and my group had to solve a simple puzzle. Upon doing so, the contract board changed, revealing the names of everybody in the group. I saw my own name now on the board, with a $1.5 million bounty attached to it. Apparently, my night was about to get interesting. I won't go into too much detail from here about the story itself, other than to say it's set somewhere during the events following John Wick: Chapter 2. Our hero has a contract out on him, and I, and the rest of my party, are all guilty of aiding and abetting his escape. As such, the protection of the Continental has been rescinded. We're being given a head start, but people are going to be coming from us. Credit: Dirk Libbey What follows is a combination of role-playing and an escape room. Most of the rooms you enter have an actor playing a role, and some sort of activity to engage in. Interacting with the actors isn't necessary, and playing along isn't required. You can just stand back and watch it all play out. I enjoyed playing my part as a hunted assassin and had some fun exchanges with the Casino Dealer and the Tailor. Though I was the only one who seemed interested in playing along. Fans of escape rooms will likely be disappointed if they go into this looking for puzzles to solve. There are only a couple of times that anything resembling that is required, and both are exceedingly easy. This is by design, both to keep the pace of the game going and to keep the players moving, as there are only about 10-20 minutes between groups, so things will stall for latter groups if those in front move too slowly. Eventually, you'll escape from the Continental and find yourself at a second bar, with a second cocktail menu, while the first bar is formal and classy, the second feels a bit rougher, which, as the beverage above shows, goes for the drinks as well. Credit: Dirk Libbey There Was Only One Thing Missing From The Standard John Wick Experience If I have a major complaint about the experience, it's that when buying a drink at the bar, I had to use a credit card like some sort of normie. While gold coins are available in the merch store, and are also provided as part of the more expensive VIP experience, and can be used as part of the story, I would have loved to have been given the option to purchase a couple of gold coins when I checked in. They're little more than glorified drink coupons at that point, but it would have made the experience of feeling like I was inside the Continental Hotel that much more real if I had been able to slide one of those coins across the bar rather than my credit card. Credit: Lionsgate Las Vegas' John Wick Experience Is A Must For Franchise Fans If you want to be John Wick, this isn't quite what you're looking for. However, I'd argue that the thing that makes the John Wick movie franchise truly unique is the incredibly creative world that it gave us. The John Wick Experience makes that world feel as real as it ever has by placing you inside it with characters that feel like they belong, and for that, it's something I'd wager all fans should check out. It certainly scratched my itch for all things John Wick. And while a return trip likely wouldn't be much different, if I had the right group of friends, and if we all brought our suits, I'd likely go back and do it again. For an experience that's barely an hour long, and starts at $50 per person (and can be more expensive based on time of day and the level of package you want) it's perhaps a bit on the steep side if you're simply breaking down the amount of money spent and the time allotted. But if you're a fan, I'm not sure you can put a price on walking into the Continental Hotel. Just remember, no business may be conducted on hotel grounds.
