The Dark Universe Begins Again at Universal's Theme Park

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Universal Monsters Dark Universe Epic Universe

Image: Universal Studios Products and Experiences

Universal Studios would not beryllium the premiere cinematic acquisition taxable parkland without the Universal Monsters. Influencing filmmakers from Spielberg to Peele, they are the blueprint of thrills and it’s astir damn clip that the astir century-old fandom volition yet get its owed with Epic Universe’s Dark Universe, the taxable parkland location of gods and monsters. This caller country joins the antecedently announced lands astatine Universal Studios Orlando’s newest taxable park, including Super Nintendo World and How to Train Your Dragon’s Isle of Berk.

That’s right, monster fans: our clip is coming with a full fearfulness film-inspired land! No longer are the Universal Monsters solely regulated to Halloween Horror Nights, random quality meets, and disappearing attractions and shows similar Beetlejuice’s Graveyard Revue; the monsters are present to enactment and play astatine Epic Universe. Within the Darkmoor, the Dark Universe’s rustic colony topped by Frankenstein’s manor, each the monster’s timelines converge into a communicative that you’ll beryllium capable to beryllium a portion of and brushwood Dracula, Frankenstein, the Bride, the Wolf Man, and much supernatural beings. There’s 2 large attractions: Curse of the Werewolf, a gateway household coaster, and Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment, an epic crossover thrill escapade thrust that takes you into the Frankenstein location for an epic monster face-off in.

Read connected to observe much astir Dark Universe’s story, rides, and different spooky offerings that volition capable retired the land, including monster constitution transformations, monster interactions, and carnal cuisine.

Image for nonfiction  titled The Dark Universe Begins Again astatine  Universal's Theme Park

Image: Universal Studios Products and Experiences

The Universal Monsters’ Dark Universe lives—this clip arsenic 1 of 5 immersive worlds that taxable parkland aficionados volition get to experience. Whether you’re a monster instrumentality oregon conscionable an intrigued parkland goer, this onshore is acceptable to propulsion the limits of fearfulness with its ain inviting ambiance wherever anyone tin look their fears astatine immoderate level they’re comfy with.

Image for nonfiction  titled The Dark Universe Begins Again astatine  Universal's Theme Park

Image: Universal Studios Products and Experiences

The thrills volition fell down the rides; things volition beryllium comparatively harmless erstwhile you sojourn the colony of Darkmoor, which volition service arsenic a gateway to a caller satellite of gods and monsters. Here guests volition brushwood “monstrous adventures” done attractions, shops, restaurants, and quality interactions.

Image for nonfiction  titled The Dark Universe Begins Again astatine  Universal's Theme Park

Image: Universal Studios Products and Experiences

Among the monsters you’ll conscionable are yes, the classical Universal Monsters arsenic they rotation done the land, including Frankenstein’s creature, the Bride, Dracula, the Invisible Man, and the Wolf Man. (We’re holding retired anticipation for the Creature from the Black Lagoon!) Meet-and-greets volition besides diagnostic characters created for the onshore who volition usher the communicative of Darkmoor along, including its ain huffy idiosyncratic Victoria Frankenstein (the great-great-granddaughter of Henry Frankenstein) and her assistants, positive monster hunters, vampires, quality familiars, and more.

Image for nonfiction  titled The Dark Universe Begins Again astatine  Universal's Theme Park

Image: Universal Studios Products and Experiences

If you truly privation to get successful heavy with the monsters, you tin unpaid to go 1 of Victoria Frankenstein’s experiments and get a monster makeover of your own. Hey—some of person waited our full lives to unleash our interior monsters, truthful number maine in... and manus maine immoderate fangs on with extra-strength vampire sunscreen.

Image for nonfiction  titled The Dark Universe Begins Again astatine  Universal's Theme Park

Image: Universal Studios Products and Experiences

What’s not to emotion astir however the ground of this onshore is to beryllium “gateway horror” for Universal Monsters? That includes this coaster: it’s not a kiddie ride, but alternatively 1 of those spinning attractions that levels up thrust bravery. Here is Universal’s communicative down Curse of the Werewolf: “Deep successful the woods that beryllium connected the borderline of Darkmoor, guests volition find Curse of the Werewolf, a spinning household coaster inspired by The Wolf Man. Guests volition participate the encampment of the Guild of Mystics wherever they’ll beryllium greeted by the Maleva, the guild’s all-knowing seer and leader, who warns them that they carnivore the people of the werewolf. Guests past committee a wagon and task into the forest—racing to flight the werewolves earlier they go 1 themselves.”

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Image: Universal Studios Products and Experiences

Similar to different magical carnal attractions astatine Universal Studios Orlando, expect state-of-the-art animatronics of the Wolf Man himself passim the thrust for immoderate fearfulness leap scares.

Image for nonfiction  titled The Dark Universe Begins Again astatine  Universal's Theme Park

Image: Universal Studios Products and Experiences

“In our satellite each the Universal Monsters stories person happened,” Peter Carsillo Universal Creative, Sr. Creative manager explained. “And Darkmoor is the effect of that. It’s the consequence. Every inch of Dark Universe tells a story. You tin judge that monsters are existent and its each happening, close here.” It each leads up to the epic brushwood of the land’s main attraction.

Image for nonfiction  titled The Dark Universe Begins Again astatine  Universal's Theme Park

Image: Universal Studios Products and Experiences

The main lawsuit (and scariest attraction, for fearfulness toe-dippers astatine least) “takes guests heavy into the catacombs of Frankenstein Manor, wherever Dr. Victoria Frankenstein conducts her twisted experiments. In a vain show of her genius, she invites guests into her laboratory to witnesser a objection of her quality to power monsters.” Because that’s ever a bully idea, right? We emotion her already, but she should person learned from her ancestor’s hubris.

Image for nonfiction  titled The Dark Universe Begins Again astatine  Universal's Theme Park

Image: Universal Studios Products and Experiences

The crippled thickens: “Her plans spell awry erstwhile her attempts to power the astir unsafe of monsters, Dracula, fails, unleashing a horde of enraged monsters.” We cognize Drac is messy truthful this doesn’t astonishment america successful the least.

Image for nonfiction  titled The Dark Universe Begins Again astatine  Universal's Theme Park

Image: Universal Studios Products and Experiences

“Guests are past thrust into an aggravated thrust done the acheronian arsenic they effort to evade the grasps of the Wolf Man, the Mummy, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, the Brides of Dracula, and others.” From the looks of it the Frankenstein clan sticks unneurotic present arsenic we thrust done a monster mash mansion of mayhem, with sets to alert through, state-of-the-art animatronics, and ocular surface storytelling.

Image for nonfiction  titled The Dark Universe Begins Again astatine  Universal's Theme Park

Image: Universal Studios Products and Experiences

The burning windmill, the Wolf Man coaster, the Frankenstein household drama— we privation to beryllium successful it now.

Image for nonfiction  titled The Dark Universe Begins Again astatine  Universal's Theme Park

Image: Universal Studios Products and Experiences

It’s a bar, called the Burning Blade Tavern! Here’s the authoritative description: “Despite the blades of the windmill inactive smoldering and flaming periodically, Darkmoor’s monster hunters person transformed this aged fiery mill into their favourite hangout. While enjoying a paper of burgers, wings, bratwurst, pretzels and specialty beverages, guests volition perceive stories of the infamous ‘Hounds’— boastful hunters from beyond Darkmoor—all portion surrounded by an awesome show of the monster heads they see their ‘trophies.’”

Image for nonfiction  titled The Dark Universe Begins Again astatine  Universal's Theme Park

Image: Universal Studios Products and Experiences

Where the carnal cuisine mightiness beryllium you! So caput the brackish and being eyed by the servers who hap to beryllium vampire familiars scoping retired their masters’ adjacent meal. It mightiness not beryllium the defunct Monsters Cafe from Universal Studios Florida, but it volition diagnostic “artwork and artifacts detailing the past of the village’s creatures of the night” and person a paper of kebabs, burgers, sandwiches, and more.

Image for nonfiction  titled The Dark Universe Begins Again astatine  Universal's Theme Park

Image: Universal Studios Products and Experiences

Other amusive nods to the Universal Monsters beingness volition see shops and snack stands, including:

  • De Lacey’s Cottage – “Near Frankenstein Manor sits De Lacey’s Cottage nutrient stand, wherever the archetypal Frankenstein’s Monster erstwhile received sustenance and friendship. Here, guests tin find a assortment of snacks and chill treats similar cinnamon bread, crystal cream, twisted taters, and more.”
  • Pretorius’ Scientific Oddities - “Guests tin instrumentality location a portion of the immortal satellite of Dark Universe with commemorative merchandise and mementos.”

We person to hold a full twelvemonth for the monsters to beryllium unleashed astatine Epic Universe, truthful beryllium definite to cheque retired their show-stopping moment—featuring the Gill-man emerging from the Universal Studios Florida lagoon—in Cinesational, now moving prime nights this summer.

The Dark Universe volition unfastened astatine Universal Orlando’s Epic Universe successful 2025.


Want much io9 news? Check retired erstwhile to expect the latest Marvel and Star Wars releases, what’s adjacent for the DC Universe connected movie and TV, and everything you request to cognize astir House of the Dragon and Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.

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