Dark Universe (Epic Universe)

[quinnmac000]

yeah I can clarify or explain my point better,

it feels like universal should make a Monster Squad type movie while this land is open. that's what I was ultimately thinking. maybe there's no need and maybe they don't need a new movie or anything. maybe the land and the history of the monsters stand on their own and the original movies are strong enough.

but a new movie will always sell merch and create buzz. maybe instead of individual movies like the mummy and Dracula, they could do another movie like Van Helsing or monster squad. that's what I was thinking.
I think that a van helsing reboot was in the works?
I know that everyone is going to tell me that we don't need any new movies and the strength of this land will come from the amazing ride, which is true
but movies reach a global audience and create buzz. new movies get talked about around the world. maybe we need that new van helsing movie

Paul Feig's Dark Army was supposed to be a huge monster movie that was supposed to come out featuring all the monsters plus some new ones but the studio balked because it was way too expensive with no guarantee of return.

Paul Feig Updates on His Universal Monsters Movie ‘Dark Army’

One of the next Universal Monsters movies that was announced a couple years back is Paul Feig‘s Dark Army, which Feig has compared to the work of Bride of Frankenstein and The Old Dark House filmmaker James Whale. The film will reportedly include classic Universal Monsters plus brand new monster...

bloody-disgusting.com

 

[Disneyhead]

 

[tielo]

but a new movie will always sell merch and create buzz. maybe instead of individual movies like the mummy and Dracula, they could do another movie like Van Helsing or monster squad. that's what I was thinking.
I think that a van helsing reboot was in the works?
I know that everyone is going to tell me that we don't need any new movies and the strength of this land will come from the amazing ride, which is true
but movies reach a global audience and create buzz. new movies get talked about around the world. maybe we need that new van helsing movie

Remember the first trilogy of Star Wars? It took about 40 years for the prequals. During that non movie time Star Wars merch sold like gangbusters. Every Walmart and Super Target had huge areas with merch. High-end stuff was selling great an those characters where alive.
Disney made their sequel trilogy and after that those supermarkets had almost no SW toys anymore.
And remember Universal tried with the Mummy and it didn't go well. New movies can push the brand forwards but also taint it.
These characters are classic and will sell merch. Especially with an area looking as amazing as this and a ride that could be a blockbuster and that is what counts in a theme park.

 

[IndyRs]

Danny Elfman composing the music
How very perfect. He does amazing work. I don't care what people say, he still cranks out great scores to films.

 

[Lucky Planet]

Remember the first trilogy of Star Wars? It took about 40 years for the prequals. During that non movie time Star Wars merch sold like gangbusters. Every Walmart and Super Target had huge areas with merch. High-end stuff was selling great an those characters where alive.
Disney made their sequel trilogy and after that those supermarkets had almost no SW toys anymore.
And remember Universal tried with the Mummy and it didn't go well. New movies can push the brand forwards but also taint it.
These characters are classic and will sell merch. Especially with an area looking as amazing as this and a ride that could be a blockbuster and that is what counts in a theme park.

I guess one difference is that star wars is more family friendly and for kids, but horror is more for teens and adults, but I understand your point.
Harry Potter, star wars, avatar, hey can be watched by the whole family.

 

[jarmor]

That's what they were originally planning to use for Zelda before the land was sent back to the drawing board yet again. If they are deciding on a completely different ride system for Zelda, then using this boat ride system for a Monsters phase 2 boat ride would be ideal.

Wasn't Zelda to be a boat ride that turned into a flying boat? It looked that way according to the patent docs.

 

[TheUniC6]

Wasn't Zelda to be a boat ride that turned into a flying boat? It looked that way according to the patent docs.

I believe that was the original plan for Zelda. However, Universal got cold feet on doing suspended rides and pivoted to the most recent Mack boat ride system

 

[fryoj]

Remember the first trilogy of Star Wars? It took about 40 years for the prequals. During that non movie time Star Wars merch sold like gangbusters. Every Walmart and Super Target had huge areas with merch. High-end stuff was selling great an those characters where alive.
Disney made their sequel trilogy and after that those supermarkets had almost no SW toys anymore.

Some of that is physical toys aren't as popular as they were back in the 80's. Toy R' Us going out of business is the biggest example of that. Digital entertainment has replaced it.

 

[GAcoaster]

Some of that is physical toys aren't as popular as they were back in the 80's. Toy R' Us going out of business is the biggest example of that. Digital entertainment has replaced it.

Toys R Us was much more of a victim of online competition and private equity firms just like Sears and Kmart. Toys are still selling (with more to adults than kids).

 

[Mad Dog]

Toys R Us was much more of a victim of online competition and private equity firms just like Sears and Kmart. Toys are still selling (with more to adults than kids).

Yes, the private equity owners sucked all the money out, like they almost always do....Heh, Blackstone with Sea World. Theme park example.

 

[Ahmanet]

Every monster has a "superpower" except for Bride of Frankenstein?

Interesting how they use her in the ride and meet greet.

 

[Lucky Planet]

Every monster has a "superpower" except for Bride of Frankenstein?

Interesting how they use her in the ride and meet greet.

loud scream? like X men?

 

[RGMick77]

I would argue that Bride has the same immortality and super strength that Frankie does. Her body was constructed by Dr Henry Frankenstein, using the same methods he did to make Frankie.

In the continuity of the movies, we saw that Frankie could be burned, blown up, and dropped in a pit of sulfur, but still survive.

The only thing different about Bride is that her brain was grown in the lab by Dr Pretorius instead of stolen from a medical school.

 

[IzzyB]

Some of that is physical toys aren't as popular as they were back in the 80's. Toy R' Us going out of business is the biggest example of that. Digital entertainment has replaced it.

My house busting at the seams from all the toys in it would beg to differ with this opinion. People just buy stuff on the internet now.

 

[fryoj]

Toys R Us was much more of a victim of online competition and private equity firms just like Sears and Kmart. Toys are still selling (with more to adults than kids).

I was assuming the context was kids and toys, not adults buying stuff to put on a shelf and hoping it goes up in value or just collecting to collect, but maybe not. Online sales is certainly killing retail stores. No argument there. And the equity firms play their part. But my point was about physical toys not being as popular with ipads and video games to today's kids.

 

[Jake S]

But my point was about physical toys not being as popular with ipads and video games to today's kids.

I don’t think screens have supplanted physical toys so much as they’ve supplanted play that occurs without a “play product.” We absolutely love buying stuff in this country, and a pesky iPad isn’t going to stop us from buying mountains of toys for kids to quickly tire of and discard!

 

[Lucky Planet]

everyone ends up owning a Funko pop at some point in their lives, everyone lol. I think the nature of collecting is changing. people might not buy regular toys, but the collecting hobby is so much bigger now, you have coin banks, chibis, collecting cards, keychains, plushies, mini statues, busts, nendoroids, ( im basically describing what im looking at in my room )

 

[OrlLover]

I don’t think screens have supplanted physical toys so much as they’ve supplanted play that occurs without a “play product.” We absolutely love buying stuff in this country, and a pesky iPad isn’t going to stop us from buying mountains of toys for kids to quickly tire of and discard!

Yes kids usage of toys hasn’t really changed at all despite technology being available.

 

[IzzyB]

I grew up in the 80s, does everyone forget we had video games and TV back then? It isn't like technology is a new thing. When I was 13 I didn't have as many toys, just like my 13 year old. But I did when I was younger as do my kids. My son who is 6 plays with legos, cars, and transformers all the time. I don't know a single family who feels they have less toys in their house. We all wonder when we can finally have a house not filled with toys. Most of us talk about how our kids have MORE toys than we did!

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I was assuming the context was kids and toys, not adults buying stuff to put on a shelf and hoping it goes up in value or just collecting to collect, but maybe not. Online sales is certainly killing retail stores. No argument there. And the equity firms play their part. But my point was about physical toys not being as popular with ipads and video games to today's kids.

You were wrong dude, it's ok.