Universal Orlando has announced its first original concept house for this year's Halloween Horror Nights.
At the Spooky Empire convention in Orlando today, Creative Director Michael Aiello revealed El Artista: A Spanish Haunting.
"In 19th century Spain, a tortured artist moves into an isolated country manor for inspiration, but the art comes alive and possesses him," Universal said in its subsequent social media announcement of the original house.
Featuring design inspired by Catalan architect Antoni GaudÃ, El Artista will include Pepper's Ghost effects and spirits walking through walls.
Universal previously announced houses themed to Fallout and to Jason Universe for its Halloween Horror Nights events in Orlando and Hollywood. Universal also has said that Five Nights at Freddy's will be represented at this year's event, as well.
While events on both coasts share multiple outside IPs, each coast develops its own original concepts, as well. So this house appears to be an Orlando-exclusive for this year's Halloween Horror Nights, which starts August 29, running select nights through November 2.
More HHN announcements are expected next week. Keep following Theme Park Insider for more Halloween Horror Nights news by signing up for Theme Park Insider's weekly newsletter.
Love the concept and hope the execution is up to par with the idea. I'm thinking of some Goya-inspired work like "Dark Paintings", like the one where Saturn is devouring his son.
I feel like the original houses are all about ambiance and style, while the IP houses are about nostalgia and recreating scenes. The freedom that an original house offers usually produces great results, but can also backfire when UC is unable to back up the style with characters and a story that make sense as guests progress through the house. There still needs to be a beginning/middle/end, and when executed right, UC has done some of their best work with original concepts.
I do like this idea, but I worry that they will stray into the Chupacabra/Latin American concepts and styles instead of staying grounded in European themes.
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I laud UC for continuing to create original, non IP-based houses. Many are hits, occasionally a few are duds. But I respect the commitment. This sounds like a brilliant concept for some old school theatricality and spook craft.