HHN 35: Most Anticipated Haunted House?

[GlitterandGloom41]

Just realized I still had to do this: took me some to figure out and write this out. This is what I landed on. Overall seems like a really good lineup. Couple IP’s and concepts aren’t for me, but hopefully they’ll still make great houses.


1. Ozzy Osbourne: big fan of him and his music. I love the aesthetic. Also I love that it’s… I guess an original IP? Not sure what to call it but not being a movie or show there’s not so much direct stuff to adapt so much as it’s inspired by stuff. It’s quite literally more original and creative despite still being an IP. I love that. Can’t wait to see what they did with it!
2. Evil Dead Burn: I thought the movie was great! The 2013 movie is straight up in my top 10 movies of all time & the 2013 house for it would be up there too. Not the same, but still, the series has made a great house in the past and yeah I did love the movie, albeit not as much as the 2013 one, but still. I think it could make a fantastic house and I have no doubt it will. Could be really brutal and scary. Can’t wait to see it
3. HR Bloodengutz: I do remember and love the original HR house. The concept of this one focusing on Halloween is fantastic too. I love the couple movies I’ve heard are things from the past and the other ones sound great too.
4. Jack and Oddfellow: I am still very excited for it becuase it’s basically the main signature original icon house and I have faith they’ll want it to be amazing then, but it’s not higher becuase I am kinda done with Jack. I like him but think he’s really overused. I know pretty much all the icons are there this year somewhere but jacks always the main one and again he’s the one getting a house while the others are just in a scarezone. I want them to give more years for the other icons to really shine again as main character with their work houses. Like give us a Caretaker year with his house again, etc. anyway, yeah Jacks cool and all but kinda overdone so I’m not as excited as I could or maybe should be
5. Stranger Things 5: putting it here in the middle, becuase I do just love the show, but the fact that it’s the 4th time it’s been at the event does make the hype less. Also the last house at least was kinda disappointing. So was this season, but maybe it’ll be a better house? Regardless it’s still cool and fun on some level to see so it’s not lower cause I do love the show.
6. Invasion: I like the concept of aliens more than the things at the bottom of the list but still it’s not a concept I really love either. Think the article about it sounded cool and sounds like it uses some cool technology and effects
7. Hellraiser: the movie is really badly done, but a decent idea. I think the cenobites look really cool, I’ll give them that. I don’t have much hype for this because I really didn’t care for the movie, but I do think it’ll look cool. Also I appreciate the enthusiasm from creative about it.
8. Sinners: movie is good but very overhyped. I’m sure this will be good but I just don’t have much enthusiasm for the movie and I actually think Hellraiser will make a better house despite this absolutely being a better movie
9. Cybergoria: just not a big fan of this flavor of sci-fi or the concept. I do appreciate how gory it apparently is. Apparently it’s pretty scary. Idk, I’ll have to experience it for it to really change my mind, the concept just doesn’t do very much for me.
10. Madlands: similar to what I said about about Cybergoria but even more so. Concept does nothing for me. Haven’t heard as much good about it so far. Worry it could be kinda generic.

 

[DOOMBOT]

Here's some light thoughts going into this year's lineup.

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10. Sinners
Very much enjoyed the film, but I know how these go. "We've got Darkest Deal at home".

9. Ozzy
Very happy for the fans, but I have no connection. Feels a lot like the Wyatt spot last year. A placement this low often doesn't mean that I dislike a house concept, but mainly that I have no active interest.

8. Jack and Oddfellow
I thought Oddfellow's house was the best in a decently strong season, but I really disliked Icons Captured. Anniversary / Lore stuff can be hit or miss, and I worry about Circus-theme oversaturation. High ceiling, low floor.

7. Cybergoria
The theme itself doesn't do very much for me on its' own. Stirs very little internal conversation. It's truly all in the execution here. I'm not counting it out.

6. Madlands
A zoo house is a terrific concept, but this isn't quite that, and I've been burned before by similar concepts. Creatives seem to be very passionate about this, so I'll have to trust them that the "Cannibal" angle was the right call.

5. Stranger Things 5
Strangely, a wild card this season. The final chapter of the show ended with an aura-deflating dud, but bad media ≠ bad house, and the show actually sets up for a return to form here; pushing closer to the original 2018 house, with constant and intense Demogorgon scares amidst the '80s vibes.

4. Hellraiser
While I've discovered I'm not huge on this trilogy, there is more than enough here for a solid and unique house. The strengths of Hellraiser fit the criteria for a solid haunt, and its' weaknesses are easy to lean away from in this medium too. Hoping for lots of hooks and SIF, prominent sexual undertones, engaging transitions to other worlds, and effective use of great monster designs.

3. Blood-n-Gutz
Hoping for Slaughter Sinema 1, with a heavy Classical Halloween vibe. I love when the event digs into the traditional spooky tropes. Without something like that in the lineup, the feeling of it being a "Halloween" event feels disjointed. Hopefully not reference-overloaded, like Welcome to Scarey.

2. Evil Dead Burn
This would've been much lower on the list, but I loved this film after watching in preparation for the event. Great expansive setting, lots of monsters and kills to work with, and just enough snark to keep from becoming tedious in this format. I'm very interested to see how they do this, especially after they lost Rise last-minute so many years ago. This has the potential to surprise in a very similar way to Exorcist: Believer, which had no right being as strong of a haunt as it was.

1. Invasion
I love these tropes of Horror Sci-fi and rural Americana, and I'm very excited to see how the team works with them. Especially being in an Old Sprung, I really hope this hits. As I said before, some of the best offerings come from when A&D tackles a really well-worn and traditional horror / spooky concept.

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I'll have more thoughts in each of the specific house threads as they come.