Halloween Horror Nights 33 (UOR) - Speculation & Rumors | Page 274 | Inside Universal Forums

Halloween Horror Nights 33 (UOR) - Speculation & Rumors

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Not necessarily, to use some anecdotal evidence Exorcist Believer was an absolutely atrocious movie but the house last year alternates between my first and second favorite of the year
I second this thought. The movie/show/game has nothing to do with how the house will turn out. I assumed Exorcist Believer would suck, yet it turned out to be one of my favorite houses. I also didn't like Haunting of Hill House on Netflix, yet loved the house. I never get worked up about what is announced or not announced for the event, I just reserve judgement until I go through the house. I don't let the event description get my hyped, I am just always hyped to go no matter what is at the event.
 
I second this thought. The movie/show/game has nothing to do with how the house will turn out. I assumed Exorcist Believer would suck, yet it turned out to be one of my favorite houses. I also didn't like Haunting of Hill House on Netflix, yet loved the house. I never get worked up about what is announced or not announced for the event, I just reserve judgement until I go through the house. I don't let the event description get my hyped, I am just always hyped to go no matter what is at the event.
On the flip side of this:

The Last of Us was hands down my #1 most wanted IP for the event, by far.

I really liked the house, but it barely cracked my top 5 for the year lol
 
I don’t wanna get all conspiracy theorist here, but with Ghostbusters (classic) now in the parade, and the parks have the license back, you have to wonder if Sony wanted the next HHN house to be based on the current film, even though UOR is always all about the original. You gotta make the rights holders happy. Okay, taking off my tin foil hat now.
 
"Universal marketing is so stupid, they won't give us announcements (for houses we already know), they don't know what they're doing!"

Announcement drops

"Quick, let's all crap on the announcement we've been crying about not getting! It sucks! It's not what I wanted! I'd have done it differently and blown $5m on a 30sec video for a themepark event as if it was a Superbowl commercial!"

Followed shortly by

"Where are the multinight tickets? Uni really dropped the ball not releasing them with this announcement. Idiots! Nobody is going to buy tickets if they wait much longer!"

Followed by (after the event starts)

"The event is too packed, they need to not be so popular! They need to limit crowds. And, of course, tickets are too expensive."
 
"Universal marketing is so stupid, they won't give us announcements (for houses we already know), they don't know what they're doing!"

Announcement drops

"Quick, let's all crap on the announcement we've been crying about not getting! It sucks! It's not what I wanted! I'd have done it differently and blown $5m on a 30sec video for a themepark event as if it was a Superbowl commercial!"

Followed shortly by

"Where are the multinight tickets? Uni really dropped the ball not releasing them with this announcement. Idiots! Nobody is going to buy tickets if they wait much longer!"

Followed by (after the event starts)

"The event is too packed, they need to not be so popular! They need to limit crowds. And, of course, tickets are too expensive."
I agree. People have been some real pouty pants this year. The house lineup seems great this year. It was great last year. If they can just hold serve with the houses and improve the scare zones this year, its gonna be a badass season
 
"Universal marketing is so stupid, they won't give us announcements (for houses we already know), they don't know what they're doing!"

Announcement drops

"Quick, let's all crap on the announcement we've been crying about not getting! It sucks! It's not what I wanted! I'd have done it differently and blown $5m on a 30sec video for a themepark event as if it was a Superbowl commercial!"

Followed shortly by

"Where are the multinight tickets? Uni really dropped the ball not releasing them with this announcement. Idiots! Nobody is going to buy tickets if they wait much longer!"

Followed by (after the event starts)

"The event is too packed, they need to not be so popular! They need to limit crowds. And, of course, tickets are too expensive."

Honestly, fair roast.

Watching the announcement video for this again, I think I was a bit harsh. The visuals (particularly the effects) are actually pretty slick. I think what took me out of it was the dialogue/acting, which felt forced/a bit corporate. I rewatched the 2019 reveal video, which has no dialogue, and felt like that overall played better (and featured an actual "appearance" from the Ghostbusters) despite the lack of more extensive VFX this bit offers. It's really the out-of-nowhere ending moment that sucks all the tension out of it for me.

At the end of the day, though - and to your point - what matters most is the actual event. I do think this house has a ton of potential, and I'm really looking forward to it.
 
OK… it doesn’t matter much and won’t harm the overall event, which still looks great, but…

This is, in fact, a pretty bad IP lineup.

Originals make or break HHN, and this year has some really strong looking originals. I do wish Insidious’s location were swapped with Sweets or Goblins or even Uni monsters and that Blumhouse wasn’t getting the prime scarezone spot. Feels like execs overreacting to a lack of top IPs.
 
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I don’t wanna get all conspiracy theorist here, but with Ghostbusters (classic) now in the parade, and the parks have the license back, you have to wonder if Sony wanted the next HHN house to be based on the current film, even though UOR is always all about the original. You gotta make the rights holders happy. Okay, taking off my tin foil hat now.
I don't even think this is a theory, I think it's just outright fact lol
 
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With the increasing difficulty of securing top flight IPs and an exponentially weaker competitor like Six Flag’s Halloween event having a much stronger IP lineup (that they can’t begin to do justice), it’s increasingly clear that the success of HHN depends on the quality of its originals - which is great, because that’s always been the event’s overwhelming strength. I suspect what we’re seeing is a period of adjustment as execs obsessed with film-centered synergy panic about an emerging new reality and but too much emphasis on IPs that can’t handle the weight of expectations. The event should emerge from the shift all the stronger.
 
Honestly, fair roast.

Watching the announcement video for this again, I think I was a bit harsh. The visuals (particularly the effects) are actually pretty slick. I think what took me out of it was the dialogue/acting, which felt forced/a bit corporate. I rewatched the 2019 reveal video, which has no dialogue, and felt like that overall played better (and featured an actual "appearance" from the Ghostbusters) despite the lack of more extensive VFX this bit offers. It's really the out-of-nowhere ending moment that sucks all the tension out of it for me.

At the end of the day, though - and to your point - what matters most is the actual event. I do think this house has a ton of potential, and I'm really looking forward to it.

Mom randomly being a Ghostbuster at the end plays like a joke. It undercuts the scary darkness the video has been building to. Which is fine for a movie trailer for a comedy but not all that effective for a haunted house.

Honestly I think it’s a better lineup than 31’s and roughly equal to 30’s.

You conveniently left off 32, which I think gen pop would consider the most obvious comparison, and which blows all three of those years out of the water.

Still 33 has a seemingly still popular movie series but also a underperformer of a PG-13 movie that killed its franchise and an ongoing decade-old series that feels past its prime. 30 had an iconic classic in BJ, an iconic slasher in TCM, and a fairly popular Netflix show. 31 had arguably an even more iconic slasher, a current top 10 musical artist, and the best received horror film of the year (admittedly paired with one flop). Of the three, in terms of "box office" and "street cred," I rank this year last.
 
Mom randomly being a Ghostbuster at the end plays like a joke. It undercuts the scary darkness the video has been building to. Which is fine for a movie trailer for a comedy but not all that effective for a haunted house.
Could be worse- They could've gotten extra heavy on the family aspect & it be Vin Diesel with a proton-pack instead :scream: