Universal's Epic Universe Wish List & Speculation

[Loki]

I know we have mostly been concentrating on the lands and possible rides but I just realized how important the cast costuming will play a part in the immersion of each land. For instance, Classic Monsters cast I imagine a mix of old fashion European villager in the town and maybe something like Haunted Mansion outfits inside Frankenstein (but less dead). And then there is HTTYD. If they don't go all out with the "viking" motif (beards, braids, animal fur & leather) I would be surprised.

 

[Freak]

You guys read the latest Screamscape drop for Universal Monsters Land? DUDE.

Apparently during peak times during the Summer, the area will transform into a year-round scarezone at Sundown. I doubt that will last from complaining moms, but that sounds AMAZING.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

You guys read the latest Screamscape drop for Universal Monsters Land? DUDE.

Apparently during peak times during the Summer, the area will transform into a year-round scarezone at Sundown. I doubt that will last from complaining moms, but that sounds AMAZING.

That's literally the most boring part when you compare it to the rest of the info! A lot of what he said lines up with what I heard and what Alicia has said. Everyone should go read it.

Epic Universe

screamscape.com

 

[Alicia]

That's literally the most boring part when you compare it to the rest of the info! A lot of what he said lines up with what I heard and what Alicia has said. Everyone should go read it.

Epic Universe

screamscape.com

Even lines up with the rumors of a great granddaughter character and the land set within modern day that were first discussed on the forum.

It’s crazy seeing patents I’ve talked about for the main ride, like the round load platform, being mentioned too.

If this is all true, it’s madness how on top of it all we all have been the last 4 years of discussion!

 

[belloq87]

That's literally the most boring part when you compare it to the rest of the info! A lot of what he said lines up with what I heard and what Alicia has said. Everyone should go read it.

Epic Universe

screamscape.com

I feel like I'm always being a buzzkill around here, and I apologize... but I don't love the story/setting details in there. Maybe I was putting way too much pressure on the land (since it's the one I was by far most excited for) to deliver exactly what I wanted, which is a bit unfair.

I hope it's good. The nighttime elements sound very promising.

 

[Magic-Man]

I kinda don't believe the summer haunt rumor. It takes a long time for the sun to go down May - July. Hiring actors for an hour or two wouldn't be worth it.

 

[Alicia]

I kinda don't believe the summer haunt rumor. It takes a long time for the sun to go down May - July. Hiring actors for an hour or two wouldn't be worth it.

More realistically, I’ve suggested the central courtyard area could be used for Monster meet and greets all day. But I bet you they have amazing lighting and even fog effects at night. But still, it’s always been a place for seeing random Monsters all day.

 

[DodgsonHere]

I feel like I'm always being a buzzkill around here, and I apologize... but I don't love the story/setting details in there. Maybe I was putting way too much pressure on the land (since it's the one I was by far most excited for) to deliver exactly what I wanted, which is a bit unfair.

I hope it's good. The nighttime elements sound very promising.

I was initially hesitant on the tourist trap aspect as well, but then I thought about how Amity in USF was basically the same concept. Gives a reason for the fun decorations and kinda goofy stuff around the land, so that the “real” story and danger is at the lands main attraction.

 

[OrlandoGuy]

I feel like I'm always being a buzzkill around here, and I apologize... but I don't love the story/setting details in there. Maybe I was putting way too much pressure on the land (since it's the one I was by far most excited for) to deliver exactly what I wanted, which is a bit unfair.

I hope it's good. The nighttime elements sound very promising.

I’m with you. I actually like the tourist trap angle and I think it’ll make the land more believable and realistic…but the rumored story for how the rides fit in is pretty bad. Hoping it’s just a case of insiders putting pieces together based on games of telephone and UO has something less lazy in mind.

 

[belloq87]

I was initially hesitant on the tourist trap aspect as well, but then I thought about how Amity in USF was basically the same concept. Gives a reason for the fun decorations and kinda goofy stuff around the land, so that the “real” story and danger is at the lands main attraction.

I’m with you. I actually like the tourist trap angle and I think it’ll make the land more believable and realistic…but the rumored story for how the rides fit in is pretty bad. Hoping it’s just a case of insiders putting pieces together based on games of telephone and UO has something less lazy in mind.

The village trying to make money off its infamous past is a fine idea (provided it's not handled in a way that's too silly). The Frankenstein descendant opening a tourist attraction, however, seems like a step too far for me. I think it would be a much better idea if she were coming to town to continue her ancestor's experiments, and the source of friction with the townsfolk could then be that they're concerned she'll scare off the tourists by resurrecting "the real thing," instead of just cashing-in on stories like the town has been. It's worth noting that the town citizenry in the later FRANKENSTEIN sequels hate the Frankenstein family, for the most part.

My other concern (which is a strong word, but I'll use it) is this: with the modern setting, I think you run the risk of the whole thing feeling vaguely like a fan-fiction-y, off-brand imitation sort of thing. But that's dependent on other design factors. Is the land going to look like the European Streets set from the Universal Hollywood lot, where most of the town exteriors for the old films were shot? Are the Monster character designs themselves going to be identifiable as the Universal versions of the characters, or will they be more generic interpretations? What is the overall "tone" of the land going to be like -- campy or straightforward?

 

[DodgsonHere]

The village trying to make money off its infamous past is a fine idea (provided it's not handled in a way that's too silly). The Frankenstein descendant opening a tourist attraction, however, seems like a step too far for me. I think it would be a much better idea if she were coming to town to continue her ancestor's experiments, and the source of friction with the townsfolk could then be that they're concerned she'll scare off the tourists by resurrecting "the real thing," instead of just cashing-in on stories like the town has been. It's worth noting that the town citizenry in the later FRANKENSTEIN sequels hate the Frankenstein family, for the most part.

My other concern (which is a strong word, but I'll use it) is this: with the modern setting, I think you run the risk of the whole thing feeling vaguely like a fan-fiction-y, off-brand imitation sort of thing. But that's dependent on other design factors. Is the land going to look like the European Streets set from the Universal Hollywood lot, where most of the town exteriors for the old films were shot? Are the Monster character designs themselves going to be identifiable as the Universal versions of the characters, or will they be more generic interpretations? What is the overall "tone" of the land going to be like -- campy or straightforward?

The vibe I picked up is that Victoria is reclaiming the mansion primarily to continue experiments and honor her ancestors, the tourist attraction aspect is more of an excuse for us as the guests to be inside. Or she wants to show up the phony tourist traps in the village in a dangerous mad scientist way with REAL monsters.

I have no insider info, this is all mostly baseless speculation. I absolutely love every detail leaked(?) so far and could not be more excited.

 

[OhHaiInternet95]

Here's the thing: unless they wanted to go the GMR route with the CMs, they needed an in-story justification as to why they were all together.

 

[belloq87]

The vibe I picked up is that Victoria is reclaiming the mansion primarily to continue experiments and honor her ancestors, the tourist attraction aspect is more of an excuse for us as the guests to be inside.

If that's how it's framed, that's better.

Here's the thing: unless they wanted to go the GMR route with the CMs, they needed an in-story justification as to why they were all together.

Without knowing the full roster of characters that are going to be involved in the ride (I'm assuming Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster, the Bride, and the Wolf Man, at minimum), there's plenty to draw from in the original movies. For example, in FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLF MAN, Larry Talbot (the Wolf Man) tracks down a Frankenstein descendant because he believes Frankenstein's old notes and papers may hold the key to curing him.

So you could have had an angle like that, where the Wolf Man has come seeking a cure, Dracula shows up wanting to revive the Frankenstein Monster to be his slave (a dynamic seen in ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN), and you're off to the races as guests are caught in the middle. Any additional characters that might be included (the Creature, the Invisible Man, etc.) could be justified similarly to how the Screamscape report says it's being handled: Frankenstein captured them at one point to experiment on them.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

The conflict sounds like it's between the honest villagers trying to make a buck off of tourists but then the whole thing turns out to be real in the castle. Comparing it to Jaws makes total sense. One version of this I heard was really based on the Dark Universe (including the name) but that switched to this concept. That's why I bet the theater was axed. As Belloq said it's just too telephone game-y and early to really draw a real conclusion.

 

[Alicia]

The conflict sounds like it's between the honest villagers trying to make a buck off of tourists but then the whole thing turns out to be real in the castle. Comparing it to Jaws makes total sense. One version of this I heard was really based on the Dark Universe (including the name) but that switched to this concept. That's why I bet the theater was axed. As Belloq said it's just too telephone game-y and early to really draw a real conclusion.

I know if at least THREE versions of this land designed prior to the park being officially announced in 2019 that were called ‘Dark Universe!’

I’m sure the weirdly large outdoor amphitheater graphic being slapped into the concept art and not matching the actual submitted site plans a few months later is because they were still working on the non-Dark Universe version when the park was about to be actually announced.

It seems like we went from movie characters ala Great Movie Ride concept, to an immersive haunted forest filled with monsters, to old world style European Village filled with monsters, to finally an old world village but set in modern day.

Rumor has it the modern day element was partly to help separate it from 1920’s Paris at the land across the park.

 

[PerceptiveCoot]

Here's the thing: unless they wanted to go the GMR route with the CMs, they needed an in-story justification as to why they were all together.

The justification is it's cool.

 

[HHN Maddux]

Some wish list spec here:

With its sorta close proximity, what are the chances Universal cuts a deal to buy the Holiday Inn Suites & Waterpark, and rethemes it back to Nickelodeon, or gives it a DreamWorks makeover?

(Note- This is primarily the inner child in me that loved Nickelodeon Suites begging for it to return or at least get fun theming again... please.)

 

[Eckert]

I think the tourist trap idea is fun and could totally work, but I was also hoping to see the first truly dreary and miserable theme park land, contrasting with Super Nintendo World right next to it. Dead trees, dark muted colors, depressed and unpleasant TMs...would've been fun in its own way!

 

[quinnmac000]

i would argue the story with the Victoria isn't canon which is the biggest issue. So first three monster films took place in Dr Frankenstein Castle main place near Darmstadt. That was destroyed by the town. Ygor and the monster moves to Ludwig Frankenstein home in Visaria which also was destroyed and then in later films in the ruins of the Castle Baroness Elsa Frankenstein after almost being murdered abandons the remaining ruins in Visaria (Frankenstein meets Wolfman). Thus the story of Dr Frankenstein collecting Monsters makes no sense.

I'm not surprised though....this is why Dark Universe didn't work...they don't even understand the canon of their own novels.

If they were smart they should've made it Dr Edelmann's daughter who collected the monsters as he was the last to have Frankenstein monster, Dracula, and Talbot (Wolfman) all in his home in the last non comedic monster film (House of Dracula)

 

[DodgsonHere]

i would argue the story with the Victoria isn't canon which is the biggest issue. So first three monster films took place in Dr Frankenstein Castle main place near Darmstadt. That was destroyed by the town. Ygor and the monster moves to Ludwig Frankenstein home in Visaria which also was destroyed and then in later films in the ruins of the Castle Baroness Elsa Frankenstein after almost being murdered abandons the remaining ruins in Visaria (Frankenstein meets Wolfman). Thus the story of Dr Frankenstein collecting Monsters makes no sense.

I'm not surprised though....this is why Dark Universe didn't work...they don't even understand the canon of their own novels.

If they were smart they should've made it Dr Edelmann's daughter who collected the monsters as he was the last to have Frankenstein monster, Dracula, and Talbot (Wolfman) all in his home in the last non comedic monster film (House of Dracula)

If it’s a good story, I could care less if it’s cannon or not, and I think most others would agree with the classic monsters.

We don’t want another Galaxy’s Edge situation.