Halloween Horror Nights 2022 (USH) - Speculation & Rumors

[viking_wizard_eyes]

I admit my distaste for Murdy/USH originals is a recent thing, because IMO they haven't felt truly original in a long time. Holidayz was just a re-hash of the scare zone, which just struck me as a corner-cutting "two-birds-one-stone" thing; Pandora's in 2019 was a brand new concept, but it was very weak and the do-over was even weaker (again, IMO); and now Scarecrow is just an Orlando do-over. And I know that one has a great reputation and part of me is definitely excited to have it on the West Coast, but most of me would prefer to have a brand new West Coast concept, even if it did recycle elements/materials/sets/costumes/gags we've seen before. That's unavoidable. It's just -- if you're gonna make an original, make it original.

Hopefully this hotel one fits the bill. There's some unique infrastructure in that building they can really play with.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

Hollywood and Orlando repurposing concepts from each other feels like something that should be more commonplace.

It's happened twice for Orlando, with Alice Cooper and La Llorona back the back from 2012 and 2013. Hollywood now three times with 06 and 07 having Jack and Director, and now 2022 with Scarecrow. It also seems like a lot of potential is in play with how detailed and specific Murdy got with the background info for this maze and the scene by scenes.

Bringing content from Orlando and reinventing it to make sense for Hollywood, like how Orlando did for La Llorona; is a great sweet spot that I'd be fully supportive of. Also helps that Murdy's been passionate with this one since he began talking about it earlier in the year too.

 

[Spookies n' Stuff]

I admit my distaste for Murdy/USH originals is a recent thing, because IMO they haven't felt truly original in a long time. Holidayz was just a re-hash of the scare zone, which just struck me as a corner-cutting "two-birds-one-stone" thing; Pandora's in 2019 was a brand new concept, but it was very weak and the do-over was even weaker (again, IMO); and now Scarecrow is just an Orlando do-over. And I know that one has a great reputation and part of me is definitely excited to have it on the West Coast, but most of me would prefer to have a brand new West Coast concept, even if it did recycle elements/materials/sets/costumes/gags we've seen before. That's unavoidable. It's just -- if you're gonna make an original, make it original.

Hopefully this hotel one fits the bill. There's some unique infrastructure in that building they can really play with.

Honestly in a funny way I feel like a lot of Hollywood's scarezone concepts wouldve been better executed had they saved them for a maze, especially since doing them as a maze now would feel like a rehash. For example if holidayz was never a zone, the maze probably wouldve stood better on its own, and things like Exterminatorz or Urban Inferno that really suffered as zones would have made for much more solid, original feeling originals. Kinda a shame that some fun weird concepts end up in zones where story and theming kinda takes a backseat, and only get the maze treatment after they've already proven on the streets. My hope is that this is just a factor of growing pains in terms of doing originals, and since theyre so unaccustomed to doing originals, and with time they'll be more willing to go really out there with their ideas without giving them a year as a zone beforehand.

 

[Freak]

I love how this year is fulfilling a request that many HHNH fans have been championing for years: more original content.....yet people are complaining about said original content and even complaining they're borrowing concepts from Orlando! Um, haven't we said the event should be more like Orlando for years!?

While I will agree that Orlando will definitely have stronger original content (Well, at least on paper they will), but I am thrilled to see HHN Hollywood move in the direction that its going! Scarecrow was the most intense house of HHN 28 and I'm curious to see Hollywood's take on it. La Llorona is a repeat, but it'll be cool for the next generation of HHN goers to get a sense of what it was like in 2011 and 12. Hotel Develle or whatever it's going to be called sounds like an interesting original that has another component for HHN that we've wanted since like 2010: original lore created for the event! If you have no idea what I'm talking about, go back and read the newspaper "article" regarding the burning of that made-up hotel. The lady who died in the fire, her last name was Kapawitz. She's apparently related to Harry Kapawitz....or HOLLYWOOD HARRY. HMMMMMMM. That's not even considering what they might do for the tram (Even though it's usually pretty mid).

The only blemishes to the event this year that we can see are the repeats of Halloween and Killer Klowns. Even though La Llorona is a repeat, it's been a decade so the next gen can see it. Trust me, I'm pretty critical of Murdy's creative decisions, but with rumors going around of a bigger budget and a big push for originals and backstory, it is clear that things are a-changin'. They are listening to the fans and are looking to improve the event. It has been a loooooooong time coming and I'm glad to see this event finally moving into a good direction. Oh, and you realize this will be our first year we will have two large indoor venues this year? (SS 29 and TWDA).

I'm pretty excited man. Y'all can pick apart and criticize, which is fine; I understand the apprehension, but I'm stoked for Hollywood pushing more originals and backstory. The event is pushing more towards following HHN Orlando's model and I'm all here for it! Haven't felt this excited for HHN in a LONG time.

 

[JS610]

How often has Hollywood Harry been used? Is the Hotel backstory and house creating his origin?

 

[Horror Lover]

I love how this year is fulfilling a request that many HHNH fans have been championing for years: more original content.....yet people are complaining about said original content and even complaining they're borrowing concepts from Orlando! Um, haven't we said the event should be more like Orlando for years!?

While I will agree that Orlando will definitely have stronger original content (Well, at least on paper they will), but I am thrilled to see HHN Hollywood move in the direction that its going! Scarecrow was the most intense house of HHN 28 and I'm curious to see Hollywood's take on it. La Llorona is a repeat, but it'll be cool for the next generation of HHN goers to get a sense of what it was like in 2011 and 12. Hotel Develle or whatever it's going to be called sounds like an interesting original that has another component for HHN that we've wanted since like 2010: original lore created for the event! If you have no idea what I'm talking about, go back and read the newspaper "article" regarding the burning of that made-up hotel. The lady who died in the fire, her last name was Kapawitz. She's apparently related to Harry Kapawitz....or HOLLYWOOD HARRY. HMMMMMMM. That's not even considering what they might do for the tram (Even though it's usually pretty mid).

The only blemishes to the event this year that we can see are the repeats of Halloween and Killer Klowns. Even though La Llorona is a repeat, it's been a decade so the next gen can see it. Trust me, I'm pretty critical of Murdy's creative decisions, but with rumors going around of a bigger budget and a big push for originals and backstory, it is clear that things are a-changin'. They are listening to the fans and are looking to improve the event. It has been a loooooooong time coming and I'm glad to see this event finally moving into a good direction. Oh, and you realize this will be our first year we will have two large indoor venues this year? (SS 29 and TWDA).

I'm pretty excited man. Y'all can pick apart and criticize, which is fine; I understand the apprehension, but I'm stoked for Hollywood pushing more originals and backstory. The event is pushing more towards following HHN Orlando's model and I'm all here for it! Haven't felt this excited for HHN in a LONG time.

Agreed with all of this.. I'm glad that HHN Hollywood is finally getting more original houses and finally some lore to go with the event..

 

[viking_wizard_eyes]

I love how this year is fulfilling a request that many HHNH fans have been championing for years: more original content.....yet people are complaining about said original content and even complaining they're borrowing concepts from Orlando! Um, haven't we said the event should be more like Orlando for years!?

Some people feel this way but definitely not everyone. I’ve had pretty much the exact opposite opinion for years, and I know plenty of people who feel the same way. I’d love to see Hollywood have the same budget and infrastructure of scale as Orlando, but I don’t think it should start doubling down on original content (especially this “unoriginal original” approach); that would be a mistake.

One of the things that makes USH and Hollywood HHN unique is their relation to the film studio, which remember isn’t just any film studio — it’s the one that helped invent cinematic horror. The genre is crucial to the studio’s history, which also means it’s crucial to the theme park and HHN (at least IMO). The Hollywood event is at its best when it’s bringing movies and TV to life, using the same methods and materials the studio itself used to bring those properties to life in front of the camera.

That’s special, if you ask me. Being on the backlot is special; standing on the steps of the Psycho house is special. The more we can celebrate this legacy of cinematic horror at HHN, the better. An abundance of originals just kinda takes away from that, especially when the team doesn’t execute them very well, IMO.

But like I said, I know this is a pipe dream because IPs don’t just fall off trees, and securing rights is only getting more expensive and competitive as time goes on. So I don’t wanna dwell on it, and obviously I’ll keep an open mind about any original content, but I still stand by what I’m saying.

 

[Horror Lover]

Oh and let's not forget that based on the facades we've been seeing, we're finally getting that push back into pre-2017 quality in terms of scenic.. Properly designed, detailed and executed facades.. and hopefully very little to no black walls..

 

[chris.g]

Some people feel this way but definitely not everyone. I’ve had pretty much the exact opposite opinion for years, and I know plenty of people who feel the same way. I’d love to see Hollywood have the same budget and infrastructure of scale as Orlando, but I don’t think it should start doubling down on original content (especially this “unoriginal original” approach); that would be a mistake.

One of the things that makes USH and Hollywood HHN unique is their relation to the film studio, which remember isn’t just any film studio — it’s the one that helped invent cinematic horror. The genre is crucial to the studio’s history, which also means it’s crucial to the theme park and HHN (at least IMO). The Hollywood event is at its best when it’s bringing movies and TV to life, using the same methods and materials the studio itself used to bring those properties to life in front of the camera.

That’s special, if you ask me. Being on the backlot is special; standing on the steps of the Psycho house is special. The more we can celebrate this legacy of cinematic horror at HHN, the better. An abundance of originals just kinda takes away from that, especially when the team doesn’t execute them very well, IMO.

But like I said, I know this is a pipe dream because IPs don’t just fall off trees, and securing rights is only getting more expensive and competitive as time goes on. So I don’t wanna dwell on it, and obviously I’ll keep an open mind about any original content, but I still stand by what I’m saying.

I'll back you up here - Its HHN and completely agree. The reason it got so famous in Hollywood was because you could immerse yourself in these IPs and movies that often are amusing to us because of how outrageously impossible they may seem to exist in the real world, yet, here they are. Admittedly, I have changed my tune on originals over the past couple of years and have become more open to them, especially if they're done right, and this year looks to finally be a step in the right direction for that to be a possibility. What I hope DOES NOT happen is compromising IPs for purely originals to the point IPs are on the back burner, which is the thing I fear the most. Universal has the power to acquire terrifying IPs, so they should go out and get them when they are available. That being said, if what they can create on their own is incredible in its own right, then perhaps, I can see the reason for a shift in status quo.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

How often has Hollywood Harry been used? Is the Hotel backstory and house creating his origin?

2 times. 2016 and 2018 respectively (both even years, heh).

There seems to be a potential connection to him by family name for Hotel of Horrors, so it could be something to consider.

 

[DTH]

I agree on both sides of this debate.

I love IPs. It's what I came to HHN in the first place for in 2007 when I was SO EXCITED to see Jason, Freddy, and Leatherface come to life for the very first time. That first TCM maze is still my number 1 favorite.

I also love the originals. La Llorona, El Cucuy, and Holidayz in Hell are my JAM. This stuff is necessary for evolution and innovation of the event for years to come. La Llorona is in my top 5 of all time.

I don't split hairs and try to say "oh it was at Orlando/a scarezone first, so..." Like...C'MON. Give them some credit!

The only thing I have a bias for is the musician mazes, which have all been fairly bad, in my opinion. That's why I have zero excitement for The Weeknd, but also, I am willing to be proven wrong.

My ideal lineup would be half IP and half originals. This lineup is kinda sorta that.

I love that Universal has grown to utilize its own history. The Universal Monsters should've been a staple from the beginning.

And even Blumhouse, it's basically all of Universal's modern day horror history. It needs to be represented as well. Vol 1 was meh, but I loved Vol 2. I'm willing to give this one a chance, even though I'm not excited about Freaky.

I do wish Universal would expand out and try to grab more IPs that we've missed, but also it's understandable that companies like Warner Bros, Disney, and etc are doing their own thing now or are attempting to.

In a weird way, The Weeknd is the biggest IP this year, but that can go so many ways, especially if it'll be UV light galore (semi-confirmed) like Pandora or This Is The End. And on top of it being musician based, that's already spelling out "bottom of my rank."

I'm waiting to hear about Killer Klownz before having an official opinion on this year. If it's an exact repeat, my enthusiasm leans more towards meh-ness. If it's an all new sequel, I lean toward more interested.

My opinion is this year is missing one big cool IP...er, at least one that 100% fits.

We've had Halloween quite a lot now, I wouldn't classify Freaky or Black Phone as big, Legends Collide I was hoping we'd get Creature from the Black Lagoon, and so it all comes down to Killer Klownz and what they do with it, for me. We've had it once, but that was my favorite of the year, so if they can recapture that magic AND make it a completely brand new maze at the same time? I'd be thrilled.

But that's just level of anticipation. We could have the world's best lineup and if execution sucks, all the debate is for nothing lol. It's great to go in very excited and leave even more excited, but it's almost pointless to debate what should be or shouldn't be until actually finding out the quality of the content.

Either way, with the increased budget, I think we're in for at least a good year. Will it be great? Maybe not. But I don't think it'll be BAD. And after last year, and having no event in 2020, I honestly just need it to be good to be satisfied. Not everything has to be 2016 again.

 

[viking_wizard_eyes]

I'll back you up here - Its HHN and completely agree. The reason it got so famous in Hollywood was because you could immerse yourself in these IPs and movies that often are amusing to us because of how outrageously impossible they may seem to exist in the real world, yet, here they are. Admittedly, I have changed my tune on originals over the past couple of years and have become more open to them, especially if they're done right, and this year looks to finally be a step in the right direction for that to be a possibility. What I hope DOES NOT happen is compromising IPs for purely originals to the point IPs are on the back burner, which is the thing I fear the most. Universal has the power to acquire terrifying IPs, so they should go out and get them when they are available. That being said, if what they can create on their own is incredible in its own right, then perhaps, I can see the reason for a shift in status quo.

Yeah. At the end of the day, I just want the event to be fun and successful. Original mazes can be both; they’re just not my preference.

 

[Spookies n' Stuff]

I love how this year is fulfilling a request that many HHNH fans have been championing for years: more original content.....yet people are complaining about said original content and even complaining they're borrowing concepts from Orlando! Um, haven't we said the event should be more like Orlando for years!?

While I will agree that Orlando will definitely have stronger original content (Well, at least on paper they will), but I am thrilled to see HHN Hollywood move in the direction that its going! Scarecrow was the most intense house of HHN 28 and I'm curious to see Hollywood's take on it. La Llorona is a repeat, but it'll be cool for the next generation of HHN goers to get a sense of what it was like in 2011 and 12. Hotel Develle or whatever it's going to be called sounds like an interesting original that has another component for HHN that we've wanted since like 2010: original lore created for the event! If you have no idea what I'm talking about, go back and read the newspaper "article" regarding the burning of that made-up hotel. The lady who died in the fire, her last name was Kapawitz. She's apparently related to Harry Kapawitz....or HOLLYWOOD HARRY. HMMMMMMM. That's not even considering what they might do for the tram (Even though it's usually pretty mid).

The only blemishes to the event this year that we can see are the repeats of Halloween and Killer Klowns. Even though La Llorona is a repeat, it's been a decade so the next gen can see it. Trust me, I'm pretty critical of Murdy's creative decisions, but with rumors going around of a bigger budget and a big push for originals and backstory, it is clear that things are a-changin'. They are listening to the fans and are looking to improve the event. It has been a loooooooong time coming and I'm glad to see this event finally moving into a good direction. Oh, and you realize this will be our first year we will have two large indoor venues this year? (SS 29 and TWDA).

I'm pretty excited man. Y'all can pick apart and criticize, which is fine; I understand the apprehension, but I'm stoked for Hollywood pushing more originals and backstory. The event is pushing more towards following HHN Orlando's model and I'm all here for it! Haven't felt this excited for HHN in a LONG time.

Worth noting that even though we're getting 3 repeats, if what was discussed for Halloween is any indication, they're gonna change things up fairly significantly. Not to mention teeeeechnically its been more time since Michael Myers Comes Home in 2015 and this year than it was between that and Life and Crimes of Michael Myers. Granted the fact we've had michael in other forms, many of which more or less being more like the original film than the one theyre based on, kinda diminishes that.

Either way, especially following 2021, I'm extremely excited and glad to see how well the event has been able to bounce back. Hopefully as we slowly continue dragging ourselves out of the pandemic, we'll see even greater growth in the next few years.

 

[Wesker69]

I'm too tired to give my longer detailed responses.... BUT..

in regards to the whole "SZ to Maze" complaint. That's dumb. Orlando has proven that SZs can become mazes & Vice-Versa. Most notably 2010- Saws n Steam SZ & 2011- Saws n Steam house. I'm too lazy to point out others.

There was nothing wrong with Holidayz becoming a maze after being a "themed passageway". If you want to complain (or throw shade) about it, at least point out that it came AFTER Orlando had it as a house & Singapore had it as a SZ. So you could say we swiped the concept from TWO different parks, but made it our own (with a Z)

 

[Freak]

Some people feel this way but definitely not everyone. I’ve had pretty much the exact opposite opinion for years, and I know plenty of people who feel the same way. I’d love to see Hollywood have the same budget and infrastructure of scale as Orlando, but I don’t think it should start doubling down on original content (especially this “unoriginal original” approach); that would be a mistake.

One of the things that makes USH and Hollywood HHN unique is their relation to the film studio, which remember isn’t just any film studio — it’s the one that helped invent cinematic horror. The genre is crucial to the studio’s history, which also means it’s crucial to the theme park and HHN (at least IMO). The Hollywood event is at its best when it’s bringing movies and TV to life, using the same methods and materials the studio itself used to bring those properties to life in front of the camera.

That’s special, if you ask me. Being on the backlot is special; standing on the steps of the Psycho house is special. The more we can celebrate this legacy of cinematic horror at HHN, the better. An abundance of originals just kinda takes away from that, especially when the team doesn’t execute them very well, IMO.

But like I said, I know this is a pipe dream because IPs don’t just fall off trees, and securing rights is only getting more expensive and competitive as time goes on. So I don’t wanna dwell on it, and obviously I’ll keep an open mind about any original content, but I still stand by what I’m saying.

Totally understandable! I agree that the main focus should be IPs and if you were to ask everyone who posts regularly on the forums, I would imagine most of them would agree. I think the ideal structure for the line up should be half IPs half originals, which is pretty close to what this event is going to be this year. 2/3 IPs and 1/3 originals are totally fine with me as well! I just think with this apparent drought of available IPs, I don't think it would hurt to expand their original content roster. Bare in mind the only reason we have three originals this year was due to the fact we lost an IP (Evil Dead).

I'll back you up here - Its HHN and completely agree. The reason it got so famous in Hollywood was because you could immerse yourself in these IPs and movies that often are amusing to us because of how outrageously impossible they may seem to exist in the real world, yet, here they are. Admittedly, I have changed my tune on originals over the past couple of years and have become more open to them, especially if they're done right, and this year looks to finally be a step in the right direction for that to be a possibility. What I hope DOES NOT happen is compromising IPs for purely originals to the point IPs are on the back burner, which is the thing I fear the most. Universal has the power to acquire terrifying IPs, so they should go out and get them when they are available. That being said, if what they can create on their own is incredible in its own right, then perhaps, I can see the reason for a shift in status quo.

I doubt it will get to that point. I think we will see a little more focus on originals, especially since they will get to save $$$$ on licensing fees, and they will have full creative liberty to be as extensive or reuse as much as they want. Again, HHNH should primarily focus on IPs and I think they will always do that. That's already kind of what they're known for.

 

[DTH]

Yeah. At the end of the day, I just want the event to be fun and successful. Original mazes can be both; they’re just not my preference.

I guess I just don't understand what this means. I understand level of anticipation not being as high, but what about the actual quality of the mazes? If they're not your preference, are you just stating they're somehow not as good as an IP? Like...where does that disconnect come from to not be able to appreciate something just because it's an original idea? If you walk into an original room that's more detailed and has a bigger scare than an IP room, does that IP room still just automatically win simply because it's an IP?

 

[Legacy]

This clue relates to the hotel house, BTW >

 

[Banshee]

This clue relates to the hotel house, BTW >

Ice cream section of the hotel /s

 

[AlexanderMBush]

Honestly given this year's share of IP-Originals, and the notion that Legends Collide is a test makes me hope that if the trend continues of IP-Originals, that it would allow Universal to create a more blended story that can allow certain characters from the horror spectrum to be given new lights that haven't been done the Original-IP treatment for Hollywood.

Imagine what they could do with an original story for Freddy or Chucky/Tiff, there's a lot I think that has potential with IP-Originals that I hope continues properly.

 

[Wesker69]

Imagine what they could do with an original story for Freddy or Chucky/Tiff, there's a lot I think that has potential with IP-Originals that I hope continues properly.

We don't even have to imagine because both have happened in some form whether it be maze, SZ, or Tram

(.....and "show" for Chucky)