Warner Bros IPs in Universal Parks? (Blue Sky)

[TheUniC6]

Ever since rumors broke of Warner Bros Discovery and NBCUniversal merging due to the formers financial and structural challenges (they are many signs over at WBD that hint at a merger like cancellations and content being removed from HBOMAX for tax write offs which is done usually to trim the fat for a takeover/merger) One thing Comcast and the Universal Parks and Resorts division is likely thinking and maybe talking about right now if this rumor is true is what WB IP can be used in the Universal parks. What WB IP could work in the Universal parks and what types of attractions would you like to see created?

 

[Legacy]

My god… so many. Unlike Universal which doesn’t have a ton of “park-friendly” IPs, WB has loads. They can be used for dark rides, coasters, stunt shows, all sorts of stuff. For example -

- DC Comics
- Beetlejuice
- Looney Tunes
- Hanna Barbara
- Clash of the Titans
- Blade Runner
- Fame (stage show)
- Harry Potter
- King Kong
- Lord of the Rings
- Mad Max
- The Matrix
- Neverending Story
- Nightmare on Elm Street
- Police Academy
- Scooby Doo (separate from Hanna Barbara)
- Space Jam
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
- Willy Wonka
- Friday the 13th
- Lethal Weapon
- Tom and Jerry
- Wizard if Oz
- Westworld
- Terminator
- (Frickin’) ALF
- Babylon 5
- Captain Planet
- Dukes of Hazard
- Get Smart
- Man from UNCLE
- Supernatural
- Nikita
- Thundercats

 

[TheUniC6]

My god… so many. Unlike Universal which doesn’t have a ton of “park-friendly” IPs, WB has loads. They can be used for dark rides, coasters, stunt shows, all sorts of stuff. For example -

- DC Comics
- Beetlejuice
- Looney Tunes
- Hanna Barbara
- Clash of the Titans
- Blade Runner
- Fame (stage show)
- Harry Potter
- King Kong
- Lord of the Rings
- Mad Max
- The Matrix
- Neverending Story
- Nightmare on Elm Street
- Police Academy
- Scooby Doo (separate from Hanna Barbara)
- Space Jam
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
- Willy Wonka
- Friday the 13th
- Lethal Weapon
- Tom and Jerry
- Wizard if Oz
- Westworld
- Terminator
- (Frickin’) ALF
- Babylon 5
- Captain Planet
- Dukes of Hazard
- Get Smart
- Man from UNCLE
- Supernatural
- Nikita
- Thundercats

While I do see DC comics being used at some point if Universal buys the rights from Six Flags, I do wonder if Hanna Barbara and Looney Toones are relevant enough to get theme park attractions. If they did something Scooby doo related that could work as Scooby Doo is hands down the most well know HB property. Maybe they would do a Midway Mania style attraction with all HB characters as they were planning on that at one point with SCOOB.

 

[Nico]

I want to see Universal do Batman and Scooby Doo.

 

[TheUniC6]

I want to see Universal do Batman and Scooby Doo.

That would be cool. While I don't think Hanna Barbara is popular enough to get a full on land, A single catch all ride featuring all the characters could work. It could be you the guests teaming up with Blue Falcon from SCOOB and chasing down Dick Dastardly through out time.

 

[GAcoaster]

My god… so many. Unlike Universal which doesn’t have a ton of “park-friendly” IPs, WB has loads. They can be used for dark rides, coasters, stunt shows, all sorts of stuff. For example -

- DC Comics
- Beetlejuice
- Looney Tunes
- Hanna Barbara
- Clash of the Titans
- Blade Runner
- Fame (stage show)
- Harry Potter
- King Kong
- Lord of the Rings
- Mad Max
- The Matrix
- Neverending Story
- Nightmare on Elm Street
- Police Academy
- Scooby Doo (separate from Hanna Barbara)
- Space Jam
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
- Willy Wonka
- Friday the 13th
- Lethal Weapon
- Tom and Jerry
- Wizard if Oz
- Westworld
- Terminator
- (Frickin’) ALF
- Babylon 5
- Captain Planet
- Dukes of Hazard
- Get Smart
- Man from UNCLE
- Supernatural
- Nikita
- Thundercats

While many of those things are under the Warner umbrella, there are always lots of licensing issues with others having signed agreements for development or authors/creators also having to sign off on agreements and development. Not impossible, but if Universal suddenly merged with or acquired all or part of Warner (which is just a rumor at this point), they don't automatically get to break ground on something the next day, or rebrand Toothsome to Willy Wonka, or anything else. There's a long, drawn out process for Universal using things they "own" now, let alone something they acquire.

It's fun to think "blue sky" about these things (and I'm sure the Universal Creative team does as well), but you have to temper any expectations.

Also, while they would have rights to those IPs, how many are still relevant and would have any drawing power? Do you want to spend millions on something that a few people know/love or spend that on something evergreen and (pardon this) universally known and loved and part of the pop-culture fabric?

 

[Jerroddragon]

Restaurants
Blade Runner
Wizard of Oz
Matrix
Beetlejuice

Lands
LOTR
Batman/DC comics
Looney Tunes

Rides
TMNT
Batman
Looney Tunes
Scooby Doo

 

[Brian G.]

Realistically, you're probably looking at LOTR, DC Comics (if they wanna move on from Marvel), Scooby, Looney Tunes, and the MonsterVerse aka Godzilla/Kong. That's not to say each will get a land, but those are the properties that they'd probably want to look into adding to the parks in some shape or form.

And then obviously, the HHN implications - which means IT and Conjuringverse have a good shot.

 

[joerodriguez]

If Universal creative could somehow recreate an e ticket boat ride based off of the 1971 Willy Wonka movie or the more recent Johnny Depp film, that would be incredible. Universal would finally have their own version of a boat ride as good as Pirates of the Caribbean. Willy Wonka and candy will always be something that's relevant.

 

[TheUniC6]

Realistically, you're probably looking at LOTR, DC Comics (if they wanna move on from Marvel), Scooby, Looney Tunes, and the MonsterVerse aka Godzilla/Kong. That's not to say each will get a land, but those are the properties that they'd probably want to look into adding to the parks in some shape or form.

And then obviously, the HHN implications - which means IT and Conjuringverse have a good shot.

Do you lump Scooby Doo in with Hanna Barbara in general? I would like them to take the SCOOB approach with a Scooby Doo attraction and reference all HB properties in a Midway Mania like attraction. But the MM format could also work with Looney Toones. another Idea for a Scooby Doo attraction could involve you escaping a haunted theater. This could use the stacked dark ride patent or just be another MM type ride.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Realistically, you're probably looking at LOTR, DC Comics (if they wanna move on from Marvel), Scooby, Looney Tunes, and the MonsterVerse aka Godzilla/Kong. That's not to say each will get a land, but those are the properties that they'd probably want to look into adding to the parks in some shape or form.

And then obviously, the HHN implications - which means IT and Conjuringverse have a good shot.

Also DC, Scoob, and LT all are tied up in existing domestic parks rights with other operators. So we'll see....

 

[TheUniC6]

Also DC, Scoob, and LT all are tied up in existing domestic parks rights with other operators. So we'll see....

I think some Scooby Doo rides were rebranded to Boo Blasters. You also have Warner Bros parks overseas. What would happen to those? Maybe Universal could acquire the license and rebrand at least some of them to those kid friendly Universal parks?

 

[TheGentTrent]

Also DC, Scoob, and LT all are tied up in existing domestic parks rights with other operators. So we'll see....

Hasn't there been shared rights? At one point, Funtastic World existed alongside the various Scooby Doo shooter rides at Six Flags/Paramount Parks. And then we had Nicktoon Blast at the same time as the various rides at Paramount and Mall of America.

 

[quinnmac000]

Universal doesn't need WB for Godzilla rights for the parks....they need it from Toho. And Kong ancillary rights are under Legendary not Warner bros. So Monsterverse they will have to go another route than Warner Bros even if the companies merged.

 

[Viator]

Cartoon Network replacing Toon Lagoon with little neighborhoods would be a great option.

Adventure Time for Popeyes, ScoobyDoo at Toon Lagoon Ampitheater and around there, and StevenUniverse replacing Dudley fee like extremely strong choices IMO.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I think some Scooby Doo rides were rebranded to Boo Blasters. You also have Warner Bros parks overseas. What would happen to those? Maybe Universal could acquire the license and rebrand at least some of them to those kid friendly Universal parks?

Hasn't there been shared rights? At one point, Funtastic World existed alongside the various Scooby Doo shooter rides at Six Flags/Paramount Parks. And then we had Nicktoon Blast at the same time as the various rides at Paramount and Mall of America.

I'm not sure on the rights issues now, those Paramount parks rides were removed like 16 years ago!

 

[Legacy]

Cartoon Network replacing Toon Lagoon with little neighborhoods would be a great option.

Adventure Time for Popeyes, ScoobyDoo at Toon Lagoon Ampitheater and around there, and StevenUniverse replacing Dudley fee like extremely strong choices IMO.

I’ve been pitching this for years. Although Adventure Time needs to replace Dudley. I’d turn Popeye’s into Gumball.

 

[shiekra38]

I don't care about DC, but I do care about Gotham City

Imagine Universal's take on Gotham

My god… so many. Unlike Universal which doesn’t have a ton of “park-friendly” IPs, WB has loads. They can be used for dark rides, coasters, stunt shows, all sorts of stuff. For example -

- DC Comics
- Beetlejuice
- Looney Tunes
- Hanna Barbara
- Clash of the Titans
- Blade Runner
- Fame (stage show)
- Harry Potter
- King Kong
- Lord of the Rings
- Mad Max
- The Matrix
- Neverending Story
- Nightmare on Elm Street
- Police Academy
- Scooby Doo (separate from Hanna Barbara)
- Space Jam
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
- Willy Wonka
- Friday the 13th
- Lethal Weapon
- Tom and Jerry
- Wizard if Oz
- Westworld
- Terminator
- (Frickin’) ALF
- Babylon 5
- Captain Planet
- Dukes of Hazard
- Get Smart
- Man from UNCLE
- Supernatural
- Nikita
- Thundercats

OMG I hope Universal does a Harry Potter attraction someday

 

[TheUniC6]

I don't care about DC, but I do care about Gotham City

Imagine Universal's take on Gotham


OMG I hope Universal does a Harry Potter attraction someday

They are already plans for MMOM at EU. Based on the plot of the MMOM ride, It sounds like it will be the flagship ride in all of EU. Forget MK, this MMOM ride is the one.

 

[Mad Dog]

One thing to look at when discussing buying other companies. There's no cheap money out there like there was before covid. Rising interest rates, everywhere in the world, is making the
likelihood of acquisitions much less than they were during the low interest rate days.