Photo Preview: Halloween Horror Nights

Halloween Horror Nights, Southern California's most terrifying Halloween event, began a 16-night run on Friday, October 2.  Tickets are on sale at www.UniversalStudiosHollywood.com.

New "Halloween Horror Nights" attractions include "Saw: Game Over," a "live" maze experience based on the "Saw" film franchise, per an agreement among Universal Studios Theme Parks, Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures.  The interactive maze, "Halloween: The Life and Crimes of Michael Myers," per an agreement reached between the theme park and Compass International Pictures, is the first attraction based upon the "Halloween" films to be created by a U.S. theme park. The "live" multi-sensory horror experience, "My Bloody Valentine: Be Mine 4 Ever," per an agreement between the theme park and Lionsgate®, the leading next generation studio, is based on the 2009 theatrical re-make of the original 1981 Canadian slasher classic and is the most lifelike representation of film horror ever created for a Halloween maze attraction. "Chucky's Fun House" is a fresh, flesh-and-blood incarnation of one of Universal's most iconic horror franchises, and a more intense, interactive horror experience is on the new "Terror Tram: Live or Die" walk-through attraction on the historic Universal backlot.

The "Rocky Horror Picture Show: A Tribute," brings the mayhem of the classic horror spoof to life on-screen and on-stage with live performers singing and dancing in the celebrated, outrageous "Rocky Horror" costumes, which are also a part of the Halloween Horror Nights event, per an agreement between the theme park and Twentieth Century Fox's Licensing & Merchandising Division. An all-new "Bill and Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure" show is also be featured within the event.

New "scare zones" include a live staging of the 2004 Universal cult hit, "Shaun of the Dead," a "Welcome to Hell!" where the seven deadly sins are punished by stilt walking demons whose torments are punctuated by dramatic fire effects.  In "The Meat Market," fog rolls across rotting, maggot-infested animal carcasses and the whirling blades of the butchers' chainsaws will be the only noise loud enough to drown out the sound of buzzing flies.  In the final "scare zone," "Freakz," the denizens of and old carnival Freak Show have developed a taste for human flesh.

Updates on "Halloween Horror Nights" are available at www.HalloweenHorrorNights.com and also on Twitter and Facebook, as Creative Director John Murdy reveals a running chronicle of exclusive information.  Fans are invited to follow John Murdy on Twitter at: Twitter.com/HorrorNights or via Facebook at: "Halloween Horror Nights - Hollywood (Official)."

Universal Studios Hollywood's favorite thrill-ride attractions will also remain open for "Halloween Horror Nights" nocturnal affair, many with menacing twists.  Favorites include "The Simpsons Ride®," "Revenge of the Mummy – The Ride" and "Jurassic Park® In the Dark."

"Halloween Horror Nights" will continue on consecutive weekends and selected weekday nights beginning on Friday, October 2 through Halloween, Saturday, October 31.  Event dates are: October 2-3, 9-11, 15-18, 23-25, 28-31. The event begins nightly at 7:00 p.m.; closing hours vary by night throughout the event.

Universal Studios Hollywood, The Entertainment Capital of L.A., is a unit of Universal Parks & Resorts, a division of NBC Universal.  NBC Universal is one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience.  Formed in May of 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks.  NBC Universal is 80% owned by General Electric, with 20% controlled by Vivendi.

Photo credit: Special Ops Media

The "Saw" maze at Universal Studios Hollywood's Halloween Horror Nights

Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood