- Universal Studios is starting to release information about its 2023 Halloween Horror Nights, and the first two announced haunted houses will be based on The Last of Us and Stranger Things.
- Halloween Horror Nights will take place in September and October in both Orlando, Florida and Los Angeles, California.
- Tickets are already on sale for the event.
Of all the places someone would want to travel to after watching a TV show β the luxury hotel chains from The White Lotus comes to mind β there are some that fans would probably try their hardest to avoid. The Pittsburgh Quarantine Zone from The Last of Us comes to mind, or maybe Creel House from Stranger Things. And yet, Universal Studios has announced that horror fans can visit those exact locations at its upcoming 2023 Halloween Horror Nights.
Stranger Things fans can try to escape "Vecna's Curse."
It's time to break out the old Hellfire Club t-shirt and get ready for a trip to Hawkins, Indiana β or at least the upside-down version of it.
According to a press release from Universal Studios, the Stranger Things-themed haunted house will have fans re-living the evil Vecna's assaults on the town. Guests will have to travel to places like the infamous Creel House, the nefarious Hawkins Lab and even Vecna's all-red Mind Lair. "Along the way, guests will confront their deepest fears and come face to face with otherworldly creatures like demobats and even Vecna himself," it says. Here's hoping you have your Kate Bush all cued up on your Walkman.
The Last of Us-themed haunted house brings guests into the world of Joel and Ellie.
The Last of Us was the first haunted house theme announced for this year's Halloween festivities, and Universal says in a press release that visitors will be entering "a world of carnage and mayhem" as they navigate a labyrinth full of Runners, Stalkers, Clickers and Hunters.
This version of The Last of Us seems more inspired by the video game than the television show. Fans of the show who haven't played the PlayStation version certainly won't feel left out though, since the show hews so closely to the game: Both focus on the relationship between Joel and Ellie as they try to navigate a post-zombie-infected world. But Naughty Dog, the video game studio behind The Last of Us, is developing the park attraction in celebration of the game's 10th anniversary. The attraction will also include iconic video game locations, like The Hotel Grand. βAs a massive fan β and frequent attendee β of Halloween Horror Nights, we are honored to have The Last of Us included in this yearβs lineup," Naughty Dog co-president Neil Druckmann said in a statement. "It has been an incredible thrill for us at Naughty Dog to collaborate with Universal, bringing the world of the game to life, focusing on even the tiniest details that our fans know so well."
Chucky makes a return.
Last year, Universal announced there would be a Chucky-themed attraction based on the hit Syfy show β and they're as good as their word. While he's been seen around Universal in years past, the horror icon will star in a haunted house β Called "Chucky: Ultimate Kill Count" β for the first time. "Chucky has been mired in the agony of disrespect he feels from his peers at not being taken seriously," Universal said in a press release. "Thus begins his quest to turn his haunted house into a living slaughterhouse by killing every person who enters."
Other haunts have been announced, including haunted houses based on The Exorcist: Believer and the classic Universal Monsters.
That second one is a no-brainer (no zombie puns intended), seeing as the Universal Monsters are expected to be a focus of Universal's upcoming Epic Universe theme park. In "Universal: Monsters Unmasked," guests will head down to catacombs where they might run across classic haunts, including The Phantom of the Opera, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and The Invisible Man. Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash is providing an original soundtrack to the labyrinth.
But if you're looking for a newer scare, there will be another house themed to the new Exorcist movie, The Exorcist: Believer. There, park guests will run afoul of two possessed 12-year-old girls, and their own souls will be in danger.
Tickets are already on sale.
The haunted houses will be available at both Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando Resort. What's more, tickets are already on sale for the event. Halloween Horror Nights runs select nights from September 1 β October 31 in Florida and from September 7 β October 31 in California. Ticket prices start at $74 β $79 dollars, but then you have the options to buy add-ons like early admission, express passes, special tours and even vacation packages, depending on the park.
Is protection from being infected by the dreaded Cordyceps "zombie fungus" included? No β that's all on you, so you better practice your evasive maneuvers before you go.
