Universal Great Britain - Speculation & Rumors

[xtpower]

I'd feel the same as you guys if we didn't just witness two gigantic franchises start struggling because people grew tired of being fed lazy and uninspired films/tv. The Marvels the most recent MCU film managed $206 million Worldwide, and Star Wars has diluted their brand so badly that the fans have become utterly apathetic to everything Star Wars.

We're a point that fans are so tired of lazy, uninspired sequels, reboots and prequels that even cast iron IP's like LOTR have no guarantee that new films will succeed. So yea maybe Rings of Power wasn't a failure, but it certainly hasn't helped and in the last 2 years since it dropped fan apathy has just snowballed.

So whilst this might be me doommongering but these new films need to succeed, both for the IP as a whole but also for UGB's chance of getting LOTR.

 

[OrlLover]

I'd feel the same as you guys if we didn't just witness two gigantic franchises start struggling because people grew tired of being fed lazy and uninspired films/tv. The Marvels the most recent MCU film managed $206 million Worldwide, and Star Wars has diluted their brand so badly that the fans have become utterly apathetic to everything Star Wars.

We're a point that fans are so tired of lazy, uninspired sequels, reboots and prequels that even cast iron IP's like LOTR have no guarantee that new films will succeed. So yea maybe Rings of Power wasn't a failure, but it certainly hasn't helped and in the last 2 years since it dropped fan apathy has just snowballed.

So whilst this might be me doommongering but these new films need to succeed, both for the IP as a whole but also for UGB's chance of getting LOTR.

“Struggling” after huge success as it relates to Marvel.

Even Star Wars is still immensely popular despite some fans mixed opinions on the new content being made.

 

[xtpower]

“Struggling” after huge success in relation to Marvel.

The Marvels did $206 million Worldwide. The Last Captain Marvel film did $1 billion, yea I call that struggling. Every movie post-Endgame but Spider-Man and GOTG has got progressively worse Box office results culminating in a complete and utter bomb in the Marvels.

That Marvels number is so bad that even if Disney got back every single penny from the box office it would've still lost them $100million+.

 

[Steeb]

Yet if they announced a new Star Wars or Marvel land tomorrow, people would still be very excited for it. Huge franchises remain huge because of the initial success.

 

[xtpower]

Yet if they announced a new Star Wars or Marvel land tomorrow, people would still be very excited for it. Huge franchises remain huge because of the initial success.

Disney Studios in Paris opened an Avenger's Campus and it's not done much to help them. Then there's Galactic Starcruiser, huge mistakes were made but the failures of the Films/TV shows also contributed to it being a failure and it's not like GS wasn't something special, for what it was it was pushing the limits of Hotel theming and immersiveness.

Those IP's have now become just part of Disney, they aren't headline making, attendance exploding IP's anymore.

I suppose my fear is just that Universal won't go ahead with LOTR if the films fail and instead go with a tried and tested IP they know brings in the people. After all it's a brand new Theme Park IP and might have it's introduction in a brand new market that requires a anchoring IP to drive attendance and we all know LOTR is huge but these days, even Marvel and Star Wars can be a risk.

 

[Jake S]

So whilst this might be me doommongering

Yes, I think you're doommongering.

 

[bedfordmassive]

Rings of Power was a solid OK - it didn’t match the glory of the films, but it wasn’t awful. Most people either didn’t watch it or were unaware of it, so I really don’t think it did much harm. I’m also pretty optimistic that season 2 will be better.

There have been plenty of ropey Bond films - however, like LOTR, the Bond franchise is way more than just the quality of the last film.

EDIT - I think the MCU and Star Wars franchises are suffering from over exposure. I fundamentally like both, but there’s just too much of it. LOTR, like Potter, has been more measured with releases - it’s a marathon not a sprint

 

[Steeb]

Disney Studios in Paris opened an Avenger's Campus and it's not done much to help them. Then there's Galactic Starcruiser, huge mistakes were made but the failures of the Films/TV shows also contributed to it being a failure and it's not like GS wasn't something special, for what it was it was pushing the limits of Hotel theming and immersiveness.

Those IP's have now become just part of Disney, they aren't headline making, attendance exploding IP's anymore.

Yet all of those things still got built. No reason LOTR wouldn't. Same for more Marvel and Star Wars rides, attractions, series and movies

 

[rob@rar]

Worth repeating the point made earlier by Alicia, Universal opened another Waterworld show in Beijing just a couple of years ago. That’s despite it being based on a 30 year film, which didn’t even cover it’s budget and was not well received by the critics, sinking without much of a trace. That lack of popularity hasn’t stopped Universal using the IP in several of their parks as the basis of their stunt show, including the most recent incarnation in China. I think you are obsessing rather too much on how popular an IP needs to be before Universal will consider it in their parks…

 

[xtpower]

Worth repeating the point made earlier by Alicia, Universal opened another Waterworld show in Beijing just a couple of years ago. That’s despite it being based on a 30 year film, which didn’t even cover it’s budget and was not well received by the critics, sinking without much of a trace. That lack of popularity hasn’t stopped Universal using the IP in several of their parks as the basis of their stunt show, including the most recent incarnation in China. I think you are obsessing rather too much on how popular an IP needs to be before Universal will consider it in their parks…

This is me venting my worries. I'm just having one of those days. I think until we get some sort of IP confirmation I'll always have a random day where I feel like LOTR isn't going to happen.

So yea, don't take me too seriously when I'm like this, I have a habit of overly focusing on the negative.

 

[rob@rar]

This is me venting my worries. I'm just having one of those days. I think until we get some sort of IP confirmation I'll always have a random day where I feel like LOTR isn't going to happen.

So yea, don't take me too seriously when I'm like this, I have a habit of overly focusing on the negative.

All I can say is “good luck” as I’m guessing it’s going to be a couple of years, at least, until there is confirmation of the IP that Universal will base the park’s lands on. That’s a long time to have worries that our hopes won’t be met! At this stage, until there’s a firm indication rather than just hopeful rumours that Universal has the Middle-Earth rights for theme park use, I’m assuming there won’t be a Lord of The Rings land.

 

[xtpower]

All I can say is “good luck” as I’m guessing it’s going to be a couple of years, at least, until there is confirmation of the IP that Universal will base the park’s lands on. That’s a long time to have worries that our hopes won’t be met! At this stage, until there’s a firm indication rather than just hopeful rumours that Universal has the Middle-Earth rights for theme park use, I’m assuming there won’t be a Lord of The Rings land.

I'm of the mind that if something LOTR like is on any park specific concept art (not the bluesky art we saw in Dec) that's enough of a confirmation. Sure it's not a guarantee but it would be enough to keep those negative days at bay.

 

[rob@rar]

Has Universal released concept art? I think I missed that!

 

[BBPH]

I’m still not convinced by LOTR.

I’m honestly not sure it’s even needed, it’s a Universal park in the UK that’s insane enough for now.

edit: I am wrong

 

[Alicia]

All I can say is “good luck” as I’m guessing it’s going to be a couple of years, at least, until there is confirmation of the IP that Universal will base the park’s lands on. That’s a long time to have worries that our hopes won’t be met! At this stage, until there’s a firm indication rather than just hopeful rumours that Universal has the Middle-Earth rights for theme park use, I’m assuming there won’t be a Lord of The Rings land.

I feel very strongly that the LOTR property is being considered for this new park. It’s the one rumor that has not changed.

I also feel strongly that they cannot use Potter here.

 

[rob@rar]

I feel very strongly that the LOTR property is being considered for this new park. It’s the one rumor that has not changed.

I also feel strongly that they cannot use Potter here.

It’s the top of my wish list, especially if it includes a Warner Bros/Peter Jackson agreement to use his films in Universal’s designs. So I do hope those rumours come true! I’ll just not hold my breath until we find out…

 

[Doug88]

I would be more than happy having a studios themed park rather than an overall theme such as LOTR.

 

[Altonsky]

I think the negative wrap for Rings of Power is massively overstated tbh. It's currently sat at 7/10 on IMDB, and 83% from critic reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.

If that were enough to derail a huge franchise, then Star Wars would have died with the prequels.

Also, it doesn't stop the stronger chapters in a franchise being made front and centre in a theme park setting, regardless of how old it is compared to new material. See Fantastic Beasts and Potter.

More people in the UK watched Clarksons Farm than ROP.

So maybe we just need to bring Chipping Norton and Diddly Squat Farm to UGB ha!

Joking of course. Not a fan of ROP, LOTR I like and always will, the Hobbit should have been a 2 film deal and was stretched too thin which is why it gets a bit of flack.

But it’ll be interesting to see what they do and how they do it.

It’ll be something different to anywhere else anyway. I’m not someone who’s into Pokémon and all that jazz so if I was going to pick it’d be Potter, that’s not happening so this is the next best fantasy thing that I’d prefer.

 

[xtpower]

I would be more than happy having a studios themed park rather than an overall theme such as LOTR.

I think you misunderstand about LOTR, it wouldn't be the 'overall theme' it would be a themed area with multiple other themed areas to accompany it. Universal don't do Parks with a singular IP as the theme, that's not their bag baby.

Also I think the Studios idealogy is in the past now, Epic Universe represents Universal's concept of what a theme Park should be moving forward. So UGB is incredibly likely to have the same concept though not the EU specific portals and whatnot.

 

[rob@rar]

Also I think the Studios idealogy is in the past now, Epic Universe represents Universal's concept of what a theme Park should be moving forward. So UGB is incredibly likely to have the same concept though not the EU specific portals and whatnot.

I do hope so, the Studios theme is not my favourite. USF feels pretty sterile compared to IoA. Having seen a few videos of Universl Beijing the Hollywood theming at the entrance to the park seems distinctly second rate compared to the wonderful Port of Entry in IoA.