Social media accounts let us know to expect some Friday the 13th-related announcements today – which makes a lot of sense, because not only is today a Friday the 13th, but it also happens to be June 13th, just like in the original Friday the 13th film. The first announcement was a confirmation from NECA that they will be working with the F13 rights holders to bring new collectibles into the world, including a figure based on the Jason Voorhees re-design we saw last month. Now, it has been revealed that a Friday the 13th-themed haunted house called Jason Universe will be part of the Halloween Horror Nights event at Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood this year! A press release lets us know that this house will take “guests back to the summer camp where the gruesome legend was born. The reckoning begins on Friday, August 29 at Universal Orlando Resort and Thursday, September 4 at Universal Studios Hollywood. This fall, the twisted, creative minds behind Halloween Horror Nights pay homage to the machete-wielding slasher in a horrifying haunted house that re-awakens the legend to terrify old and new fans alike.”
President of Horror, Inc. Robert Barsamian provided the following statement: “For 45 years, Jason Voorhees has terrified and thrilled audiences globally. With Jason Universe at Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights, we’re celebrating that legacy in an immersive way that honors the character’s brutal mythology while giving fans the chance to experience it like never before. It’s a visceral homecoming for one of horror’s most enduring icons.“
Jason Universe will take Halloween Horror Nights guests on a vengeance tour throughout the summer camp to see where it all began, from the creaking floorboards of Jason’s ramshackle cabin to the decaying main lodge and the eerie forest that offers no refuge for his victims. Around every corner, fans will be inundated with infamous killer moments from Jason’s heinous homicidal career as he taunts and stalks his victims who learn too late that the legend is real.
Horror Inc.’s CMO Sheri Conn said, “Bringing Jason Voorhees to Halloween Horror Nights in an all-original haunted house is a major moment for fans and for us. Jason Universe taps into four decades of horror legacy and reinvents it for a new generation—combining immersive storytelling and cinematic detail that only Universal Studios’ teams can deliver. This is more than a haunted house—it’s a full-on tribute to one of the most iconic slashers in pop culture.“
Here’s some more information from the press release: Guests can purchase tickets and event-inclusive vacation packages for Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights, which will run 48 select nights from August 29 through November 2, and feature 10 terrifying haunted houses, scare zones, live shows and more. Products on-sale now include single-night tickets and event upgrades such as Halloween Horror Nights Express Passes, the R.I.P Tour and the Behind the Screams: Unmasking the Horror Tour. Guests can also stay, scream and save up to $200 on a special vacation package that includes hotel accommodations, one-night admission to Halloween Horror Nights, daytime admission to enjoy Universal’s theme parks – including the all-new Universal Epic Universe theme park, exclusive benefits and more (package savings vary based on length of stay). A variety of Halloween Horror Nights ticket options for Universal Studios Hollywood, which runs select nights from September 4 through November 2, are now available, including General Admission, Universal Express, After 2 P.M. Day/Night, the Early Access Ticket, which provides entry to select haunted houses beginning at 5:30 p.m. (subject to change), the R.I.P. Tour and popular passes, Frequent Fear Pass and Ultimate Fear Pass, which enable guests to experience the scares again and again. Available now at Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood, fans can collect new merchandise and limited release items, including a t-shirt and camping mug, inspired by the “Jason Universe” haunted house. Additionally, a new graphic puzzle piece for “Jason Universe” is available to fit into the collectible Halloween Horror Nights frame. The pieces from this year’s killer line-up will come together to create a framed mural within the frame. Beginning Saturday, June 14, fans also can purchase Halloween Horror Nights items online at Shop.UniversalOrlando.com.
Last year, the Friday the 13th franchise rights holders at Horror Inc. announced that they were launching the Jason Universe, which would encompass “new Friday the 13th activations that will span a wide range of platforms from entertainment, games, immersive experiences, merchandise and more to be announced @JasonUniverse13 on social media or by visiting the official Jason Universe website.” As you can tell from the name of the haunted house, this Halloween Horror Nights collaboration is part of that endeavor.
Are you glad to hear that a Friday the 13th / Jason Universe haunted house is coming to Halloween Horror Nights? Let us know by leaving a comment below… and stick around as this Friday the 13th continues, because we’re hoping to hear some Crystal Lake news today as well.
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