News
iHorror Previews Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights 25
While there are dozens of haunted attractions throughout the USA, one Halloween-related event trumps them all: Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights in both Orlando and Hollywood. iHorror was privileged enough to be invited to a recent media preview night for the huge 25th annual Orlando event, and we’ve got the full low-down on what is likely to be HHN’s best line-up to date. Below you’ll find the skinny on all haunted mazes, shows, and scare zones, as well as photos designed to give the curious an early look at what’s in store.
Leading the pack of nine haunted mazes this year is Freddy vs. Jason, arguably the biggest name to grace this year’s event. According to HHN head honcho Mike Aiello, the maze will begin in Camp Crystal Lake and showcase some of Jason’s greatest kills, before heading over to Elm Street and taking guests inside some of Freddy’s most iconic moments. Then, the maze ends with the big showdown between the two icons, ending in a result some may not expect. Wanna know who wins? You’re gonna have to go to HHN and find out.
Next on the maze docket is the return of the fan-favorite maze based on an An American Werewolf in London, which is consistently cited by HHN devotees as one of the greatest ever. This year’s maze will be an almost exact recreation of that triumph, although HHN designer Charles Gray assured us that there would be even more werewolf madness for visitors to enjoy/run from.
One of the coolest mazes by far is 25 Years of Monsters and Mayhem, presented by returning Halloween Horror Nights icon Jack the Clown. As you might imagine, this attraction features characters from some of the best past mazes and scare zones ever to grace HHN’s hallowed history.
Expanding on that theme, the mazes RUN: Blood Sweat and Fears and Body Collectors: Recollections capitalize on HHN’s deep past bench by each combining ideas from two previous mazes to create one new frightening bouquet of terror. RUN combines a Running Man-style deadly game show with the population of the deadly Hellgate prison, while Body Collectors combines the titular ghouls with the residents of the Shadybrook asylum that terrorized guests as part of the Psychoscareapy series of attractions.
Also gracing HHN 25 are mazes based on popular Blumhouse Productions horror series The Purge and Insidious. Both feature iconic moments from all films in their respective franchise, with the former placing guests right in the middle of the annual event where all crime is legal. We press folk got the opportunity to tour the Insidious maze before we left for the night, and wow was it amazing. Even the most hardened HHN vets are unlikely to see some of the craziest scare moments coming. One word: shotgun.
Rounding out the list of haunted mazes are The Walking Dead: The Living and the Dead and Asylum in Wonderland 3-D. The Walking Dead maze takes guests on a journey through season five, including stops in Terminus, the basement of a flooded store that will feature underwater walkers, and the infamous revolving door where poor Bob met his doom. Asylum in Wonderland is an Alice-focused expansion of HHN’s beloved Scary Tales series of mazes, and seeks to answer the question of whether the young woman is really going on adventures in Wonderland or is just really freakin’ nuts.
Of course, monsters and mayhem aren’t only confined to the haunted mazes, as HHN 25 has created five all new scare zones full of horrific scenes ready to scare the pants off attendees. These include a section featuring the aforementioned escaped residents of the Shadybrook Asylum, a section reuniting all of HHN’s famed icons, a section putting a steampunk spin on classic fairy tales, a section focusing on the primal evils that serve as the roots of Halloween itself, and the All-Night Die-In, which alternately features appearances by classic Universal Monsters and modern boogeymen like Chucky and Freddy.
Finally, HHN guests can take in the 2015 installment of staple comedy show Bill and Ted’s Excellent Halloween Adventure, and brave The Carnage Returns, a new show hosted by Jack the Clown himself. If all that wasn’t enough, most of Universal Studios’ normal rides will be open too.
Halloween Horror Nights 25 begins Friday, September 18th and runs on select nights until November 1st. If you’ve never attended, you really need to. There’s nothing else that celebrates the horror genre quite like HHN, and there’s nothing like the breathless feeling you get when placed inside some of your favorite films of all time.
Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'
Movies
First Look: On Set of ‘Welcome to Derry’ & Interview with Andy Muschietti
Rising from the sewers, drag performer and horror movie enthusiast The Real Elvirus took her fans behind the scenes of the MAX series Welcome to Derry in an exclusive hot-set tour. The show is scheduled to release sometime in 2025, but a firm date has not been set.
Filming is taking place in Canada in Port Hope, a stand-in for the fictional New England town of Derry located within the Stephen King universe. The sleepy location has been transformed into a township from the 1960s.
Welcome to Derry is the prequel series to director Andrew Muschietti’s two-part adaptation of King’s It. The series is interesting in that it’s not only about It, but all the people who live in Derry — which includes some iconic characters from the King ouvre.
Elvirus, dressed as Pennywise, tours the hot set, careful not to reveal any spoilers, and speaks with Muschietti himself, who reveals exactly how to pronounce his name: Moose-Key-etti.
The comical drag queen was given an all-access pass to the location and uses that privilege to explore props, facades and interview crew members. It’s also revealed that a second season is already greenlit.
Take a look below and let us know what you think. And are you looking forward to the MAX series Welcome to Derry?
Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'
News
New Trailer For This Year’s Nauseating ‘In a Violent Nature’ Drops
We recently ran a story about how one audience member who watched In a Violent Nature became sick and puked. That tracks, especially if you read the reviews after its premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival where one critic from USA Today said it had “The gnarliest kills I’ve ever seen.”
What makes this slasher unique is that it’s mostly viewed from the killer’s perspective which may be a factor in why one audience member tossed their cookies during a recent screening at Chicago Critics Film Fest.
Those of you with strong stomachs can watch the movie upon its limited release in theaters on May 31. Those who want to be closer to their own john can wait until it releases on Shudder sometime after.
For now, take a look at the newest trailer below:
Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'
News
James McAvoy Leads a Stellar Cast in the New Psychological Thriller “Control”
James McAvoy is back in action, this time in the psychological thriller “Control”. Known for his ability to elevate any film, McAvoy’s latest role promises to keep audiences on the edge of their seats. Production is now underway, a joint effort between Studiocanal and The Picture Company, with filming taking place in Berlin at Studio Babelsberg.
“Control” is inspired by a podcast by Zack Akers and Skip Bronkie and features McAvoy as Doctor Conway, a man who wakes up one day to the sound of a voice that begins to command him with chilling demands. The voice challenges his grip on reality, pushing him towards extreme actions. Julianne Moore joins McAvoy, playing a key, enigmatic character in Conway’s story.
The ensemble cast also includes talented actors such as Sarah Bolger, Nick Mohammed, Jenna Coleman, Rudi Dharmalingam, Kyle Soller, August Diehl, and Martina Gedeck. They’re directed by Robert Schwentke, known for the action-comedy “Red,” who brings his distinctive style to this thriller.
Besides “Control,” McAvoy fans can catch him in the horror remake “Speak No Evil,” set for a September 13 release. The film, also featuring Mackenzie Davis and Scoot McNairy, follows an American family whose dream holiday turns into a nightmare.
With James McAvoy in a leading role, “Control” is poised to be a standout thriller. Its intriguing premise, coupled with a stellar cast, makes it one to keep on your radar.
Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'
-
Lists3 days ago
Unbelievably Cool ‘Scream’ Trailer But Re-Imagined As A 50s Horror Flick
-
News3 days ago
“In a Violent Nature” So Gory Audience Member Throws Up During Screening
-
Editorial7 days ago
Yay or Nay: What’s Good and Bad in Horror This Week
-
News5 days ago
Director of ‘The Loved Ones’ Next Film is a Shark/Serial Killer Movie
-
Movies4 days ago
A24 Reportedly “Pulls Plug” On Peacock’s ‘Crystal Lake’ Series
-
Movies5 days ago
‘The Carpenter’s Son’: New Horror Film About The Childhood Of Jesus Starring Nicolas Cage
-
Shopping4 days ago
New Friday the 13th Collectibles Up For Pre-Order From NECA
-
Movies4 days ago
Ti West Teases Idea For Fourth Film In The ‘X’ Franchise
You must be logged in to post a comment Login