Permanent Universal Horror Experience Based On Halloween Horror Nights Headed To Las Vegas

Regular /Film readers should probably know by now that I'm a big fan of Universal Studios' Halloween Horror Nights event. The Orlando iteration will always be my hometown event, and I'll admit that the high-quality visuals and atmospheric worldbuilding will probably never be beaten for me. That being said, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hyped for the brand-new Horror Nights expansion coming to Las Vegas, which Universal Parks & Resorts announced today.

In a press release, Universal announced that the "new horror experience," as they referred to it, will be located in the AREA15 entertainment district in the City of Sin. The 110,000-square-foot space is expected to be home to a handful of mazes that have made Horror Nights a must-attend event. While details on these mazes have not been released, they are expected to be based on Universal's classic and modern horror output.

"Universal is known for our ability to deliver original, highly-themed and terrifying horror entertainment experiences for millions of fans every year," wrote Page Thompson of Universal in a statement. "We are excited to give our global fanbase yet another way to get scared and have fun with fear in the heart of Las Vegas, the perfect place for this type of unique concept."

Although the experience does not even have a name as of yet, there are still some interesting details we can speculate over. In a photo posted to the official Horror Nights Twitter account, fans might spot a familiar silhouette in the concept art. That figure is undoubtedly Jack the Clown, Horror Nights' unofficial mascot who debuted at Orlando's 2000 event, with his reluctant sidekick Chance not too far behind. It's not outside the realm of possibility that Jack will appear in this new Vegas experience, as he's appeared in both Hollywood and Singapore's events. Perhaps he'll be presenting a new version of his famous Carnival of Carnage?

The fact that it will pull from Universal's vast horror library also might raise some eyebrows. From the sounds of it, the Universal Classic Monsters are a shoo-in for an appearance — after all, the past few years of both the Hollywood and Orlando events have seen resurgences in mazes centered around figures like Dracula and The Mummy. The press release also specifically name-drops Jason Blum, so it's fair to expect some Blumhouse representation.

However, we likely won't know for certain until more details are released. There currently is no prospective opening date for this new experience.