Halloween Horror Nights 2018 (USH) General Discussion

[NuteGunrayWasFramed]

Can we talk real quick on how Murdy got to keep his position while relocating to Ireland? I work in the creative field and have a creative director...I'm in his office working through project challenges at least 3 times a day. To me, it's crazy if my boss was living in Ireland with a significant time difference.

 

[Wesker69]

It was probably due to the success of 2016.... however, how he got to keep his job after last year is beyond me (probably securing Stranger Things/Trick R Treat). Even the people in charge of casting should've had the noose tightened around their necks for understaffing the mazes/scarezones. We just have to hope everyone learned their lesson after last year.

 

[HereWeGo]

I mean this in the nicest way possible (granted I know it'll sound harsh) but I kind of hope this is Murdy's last year... I'm just ready for some fresh ideas from someone new to the Hollywood HHN. Someone that isn't afraid to take some risks with original mazes.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

I mean this in the nicest way possible (granted I know it'll sound harsh) but I kind of hope this is Murdy's last year... I'm just ready for some fresh ideas from someone new to the Hollywood HHN. Someone that isn't afraid to take some risks with original mazes.

Hell, I'd be even fine if it'd be moving some people around from the Orlando team, similar to how Karen Irwin from from Orlando and moved on over to Hollywood.

 

[Wesker69]

On a completely unrelated note for this year, I wonder if we'll have the JP queue back for a maze location next year. And if Mummy might meet its demise, what about that maze location? While we all dream & hope for a better HHN with fresh blood in charge. We keep forgetting about the impending changes with the park & how it will affect the event...

 

[DJIndy49]

I have not been to as many HHN as most people here, though I did go when they had the Buffy the Vampire maze and most the offerings were just OK, not really scary at all. It was very much on par with what KSF was doing during the same time frame. Which is why they killed it off when they did. Murdy starts using IP's and the event finds a niche and it becomes a staple of Halloween season.

Since I am new to the HHN community I swallow most of my being a Murdy apologist, I like what he is doing but I get if you have been seeing the same thing since 06 it get's repetitive. However I will add that the devil I know is better then the devil I don't.

 

[rageofthegods]

I've never seen Suspiria, but I know the environments are pretty trippy and 3D worthy (and most importantly, 3D worthy that FITS the IP). With the remake out this year and possibly having a bit more material, is this an overlooked property?

(The original movie shows up on Amazon Prime, sometimes; if you can, you really should check it out.) I'm telling y'all, I mentioned Suspiria from the very beginning. Y'all are sleeping on my Italian boys, Argento and Guadagnino. Biggest problem would be who the actors are gonna be (no spoilers, but most of the "maze material" in the original happens from supernatural, unseen stuff) but it looks like the new movie might fix that.

Hereditary DID have an insane ending, I'd love to see it in a maze, preferably a mash-up maze. Maybe A24 will do a few more horror movies and we can get one in the future with stuff like The Witch, It Comes at Night, etc. [as low key and obscure as those are both in fandom and horror elements for a maze, but Hereditary is kind of a hit, so that could be the star of that attraction].

At this point, Hereditary's made just about as much as Krampus. I honestly think there's enough material in there for a full maze, even if it's the tired "Exorcist-Shining" formula of maze. Though if we're being fair, given all the crazy stuff that happens in that movie, I'm not sure I'd mind an Exorcise/Shining style maze, as long as they add a little bit more to the black wall sections.

Spoiler: Spoiler for Hereditary

Like, imagine if the walls had that weird "blue shimmer" effect from the movie. Wouldn't that be trippy? Also, if they do do the "car crash" scene, I can't imagine any other transition than a short little black wall section, maybe with a cultist horde. Iunno.
Also, a little scene surrounded by black walls, a la the Pazuzu statue scene in The Exorcist, would be kind of perfect given how the movie ends. All that dollhouse imagery, a perfect recreation of that last shot, then BAM! cultists everywhere for one, last scare!

I have high hopes and faith for Conjuring with The Nun coming out this year and Annabelle 2 being such a big hit. Luckily, if HHN doesn't do it, than WB will (but unluckily, it might be bad, so who knows).

I didn't hear glowing reviews for WB's event last year (The IT attraction was supposed to be incredibly disappointing), so honestly I'm not sure how it'd go. That having been said, I'm definitely checking out that and Arkham Asylum this year.

).
Del Toro has always wanted to do that project and has basically said it's dead as a movie. BUT he may want to make it come to life as a maze and that could be perfect (I mean, idk, I have no idea what his story actually entails). It'd be a great original maze and redeem Del Toro from Crimson Peak. Also, imagine how big that headline would be that the now OSCAR WINNING Del Toro is making a maze for HHN. Would that be a first?

I'm pretty sure he's trying to make the movie now that he has oscar clout, but a preview house with all the old snow sets from the Shining and the Thing would be right up my alley. There's a lot of concept art of Del Toro's version of Mountains that's awesome to look at and see in a maze. And universals was, up until it was cancelled, prepared to make it. Hopefully we'll see it in the future!

As for Oscar winning properties, I see no way that they won’t do Get Out if a Blumhouse 2 happens. It was a big hit and Universal owns it

Here we are talking about Oscar properties, and no one even mentions Silence of the Lambs? For shame! Remember, Murdy was planning a Hannibal tv-show maze up until the show was cancelled; with recent news of a revival, I think that Hannibal Lecter might be something to look out for in the future.

 

[horrornights789]

Here we are talking about Oscar properties, and no one even mentions Silence of the Lambs? For shame! Remember, Murdy was planning a Hannibal tv-show maze up until the show was cancelled; with recent news of a revival, I think that Hannibal Lecter might be something to look out for in the future.

Completely forgot about Silence of the Lambs. I still don’t get how people say it can’t be a stand alone maze considering off the top of my head there’s already

- Prison Hallway
- Hannibal’s Cell
- Ambulence Scene
- Hannibal’s Cage with the cut open guards
- Buffalo Bill’s house
- Bathtub Scene
- The Well
- Mannequin Room
- Nightvision Scene

Would easily fit the Mummy Queue or Metro Tent depending if they wanted multiple facades

 

[rageofthegods]

Completely forgot about Silence of the Lambs. I still don’t get how people say it can’t be a stand alone maze considering off the top of my head there’s already

- Prison Hallway
- Hannibal’s Cell
- Ambulence Scene
- Hannibal’s Cage with the cut open guards
- Buffalo Bill’s house
- Bathtub Scene
- The Well
- Mannequin Room
- Nightvision Scene

Would easily fit the Mummy Queue or Metro Tent depending if they wanted multiple facades

Reminds me of Lost Boys or even the Exorcist and the Shining, where a majority of the horror action happens towards the end.

Imagine walking through an ending scene like a cross between Crimson Peaks I 2015 and Halloween 2 back in 2016, with a bunch of moths flying around and a bunch of cocooned dead bodies around, and Dr. Lecter overhead saying "do you still hear the screaming of the lambs?"

There's actually a lot you can do with Silence, maybe make the final night vision scene a blacklight section or something, with Clarice "shooting" a Bill actor, or maybe have someone spray "scent" at you in the prison hallway (yuck).

Though I have to admit, the Hannibal series just has me more excited. I want Mason Verger eating a nose, dangit!

 

[horrornights789]

Reminds me of Lost Boys or even the Exorcist and the Shining, where a majority of the horror action happens towards the end.

Imagine walking through an ending scene like a cross between Crimson Peaks I 2015 and Halloween 2 back in 2016, with a bunch of moths flying around and a bunch of cocooned dead bodies around, and Dr. Lecter overhead saying "do you still hear the screaming of the lambs?"

There's actually a lot you can do with Silence, maybe make the final night vision scene a blacklight section or something, with Clarice "shooting" a Bill actor, or maybe have someone spray "scent" at you in the prison hallway (yuck).

Though I have to admit, the Hannibal series just has me more excited. I want Mason Verger eating a nose, dangit!

The more that I think about it the more I want a Silence of the Lambs/Hannibal franchise maze. Hopefully next year or 2021 since that’ll be the 30th anniversary

 

[Wesker69]

I didn't hear glowing reviews for WB's event last year (The IT attraction was supposed to be incredibly disappointing), so honestly I'm not sure how it'd go. That having been said, I'm definitely checking out that and Arkham Asylum this year.

Because you've got people going expecting an event like Knotts, HHN, Dark Harbor or Fright Fest... even though it was NEVER once promoted as a full blown haunt event last year. So of course you're not going to hear "glowing reviews". It was the same "Horror Made Here" tour that was introduced the previous year with some extra fluff.

And people really need to lay off the s**t talk in regards to the Neibolt House. It was a FREE attraction WB set up in Hollywood to promote the movie, nothing more nothing less. Just FYI, it was NOT disappointing. It was impressive for what they did in regards to free publicity (hell they spent more to promote Ready Player One in Hollywood this year). Since they already had it, they decided to rebuild it on the backlot for their "Horror" tour. Never once claiming it to be anything different from what people saw in Hollywood.

This year however, WB is going full haunt. And they are advertising it as such complete with scarezones. They even stated they'd be adding things for IT's Neibolt House. Last year must've been successful enough to decide to go "full haunt" this year. Midsummer Scream is coming up at the end of the month & they have a panel on sunday (before HHN)

 

[chris.g]

Just FYI, it was NOT disappointing.

Just FYI, youre not the opinion king. I honestly thought it sucked. I'm looking forward to what WB will do this year.

 

[horrornights789]

It’d be funny if at MSS WB announced a Conjuring Universe maze and then we announced The Purge lol. I still love HHN but I’m hoping this year pull’s a 2016.

Back to speculation, judging by the FDTD Tent facade, it’s pretty obvious that it’s Blumhouse 2.0. There’s quite a bit of reused Sinister walls in there and Murdy has already ruled out Get Out & Insidious, so what would go in this maze? Ouija has rights issues, Paranormal Activity is co-owned by Paramount, and Split is somewhat owned by the Mouse. Could we potentially see a return of Sinister with properties like Oculus, Truth or Dare, Green Inferno, & The Visit since those were all relatively successful?

 

[HHNManics]

Could we potentially see a return of Sinister with properties like Oculus, Truth or Dare, Green Inferno, & The Visit since those were all relatively successful?

Green Inferno only made 2 million more world wide than it's 5 million dollar budget and was critically panned. And Truth or Dare was a totally flop critically.

Universal isn't that dumb.

 

[Freak]

Green Inferno only made 2 million more world wide than it's 5 million dollar budget and was critically panned. And Truth or Dare was a totally flop critically.

Universal isn't that dumb.

Will Uni stop doing the Purge as the new one was panned and isn’t doing too well?

 

[HHNManics]

Will Uni stop doing the Purge as the new one was panned and isn’t doing too well?

Well there is a difference between those properties and the Purge.

Those properties did bad box office wise and critically panned but there is one thing those properties don't have that the Purge does...

The ability to take almost every prop/set/costume in the department and make a maze on the latest film without spending a dime because they have been doing it for 5 years straight.

 

[horrornights789]

Well there is a difference between those properties and the Purge.

Those properties did bad box office wise and critically panned but there is one thing those properties don't have that the Purge does...

The ability to take almost every prop/set/costume in the department and make a maze on the latest film without spending a dime because they have been doing it for 5 years straight.

But little to nobody wants The Purge since it’s been so overused and the new film isn’t that great.

And not to defend or want Truth or Dare but it did do well at the box office.

 

[MacMillian Crew]

Plus I think if they did make Truth or Dare masks, similar to the Jack and Ash masks of last year, I think they could genuinely look disturbing up-close irl, as opposed to CGI.

 

[Wesker69]

Just FYI, youre not the opinion king. I honestly thought it sucked.

No, I'm just the one that doesn't expect something more from a FREE attraction. And of course you thought the Neibolt house sucked, you went in expecting something on the same level as a haunt event even though the FREE attraction (something you didn't actually have to pay for) was only meant to introduce the world of the movie to people. Guess what? There were people in line that had never even heard of the movie (original or new), let alone knew it was a book. Besides the obvious point that today's generation is stupid, the FREE attraction was not meant for you, someone who attends haunt events regularly.

Plus I think if they did make Truth or Dare masks, similar to the Jack and Ash masks of last year, I think they could genuinely look disturbing up-close irl, as opposed to CGI.

You wouldn't even need to do a full mask. You can easily get away with a prostethic or half-face mask. With a maze being dark, it doesn't have to be the best quality in regards to the mask. Think of the clown from AHS Freakshow, he wore a half-face mask over his mouth. So you could have something similar.

 

[rageofthegods]

Will Uni stop doing the Purge as the new one was panned and isn’t doing too well?

Just wanted to chime in and say the new one isn't doing bad at all. It's set to make slightly less than Election Year after the first weekend, but that's also while the First Putge opened up against a marvel superhero movie. Sure, it's Ant man and not The Avengers 4, but Election Year opened up against notorious flops like the Legend of Tarzan and the BFG. And the number for the First Purge wasn't even that bad; it was huge for a horror film. It made $31m in its by its first weekend; for reference, Truth or Dare made $40m in its entire theatrical run. Critically speaking, First Purge is only one point behind Election Year in Rotten Tomatoes. The audience score is a lot lower, granted, but I chock that up to the fact that it was designed to be politically divisive.

Point is, I really don't think this franchise is gonna die anytime soon, especially not with a USA series coming (God, if it's as bad as the Mist...)

The ability to take almost every prop/set/costume in the department and make a maze on the latest film without spending a dime because they have been doing it for 5 years straight.

See, having now watched the First Purge, the costumes, props, etc, are actually the biggest reason why I don't think it's coming, or at least that it won't be entirely based off of the new one. The entire climax of that movie revolves around people wearing blackface masks.

Holy crap. They better be careful with it, 'cause if they aren't, Universals would wish they only had to deal with the AHS: Asylum controversy.