Six Flags Magic Mountain’s 28th season of Fright Fest is back with 24 terrifying nights of monsters, ghouls, and crazed characters ready to strike fear in anyone who crosses their path. The bone-chilling lineup of haunted attractions features two new spine-tingling scare zones, a dark and twisted photo experience, two new mind-numbing shows, and added days. Six Flags Magic Mountain leaves no tombstone unturned to deliver what guests want most…an all-out terrifying experience.
Fright Fest, presented by Snickers®, boasts a grand total of 14 electrifying mazes and dare-to-enter scare zones with nightmarish zombies lurking around every corner. To take fright to a new extreme, Six Flags Magic Mountain is also adding a sinister element to some of the park’s monster coasters by turning off the lights, leaving riders to face their fears in total darkness.
“Fright Fest is one of the top-rated theme park Halloween events in the country and we couldn’t be more excited to bring this legacy event back to the park. To enhance the fright factor this year, we are introducing two new scare zones with unexpected, dark surprises around every corner and two new shows guaranteed to make your blood run cold”, said Park President Don McCoy.
“And, to give Southern California’s thrill-seekers more opportunity to ‘find their fright,’ we’ve expanded our calendar to include 24 terror-filled Fright Fest nights with an incredible line up of hair-raising entertainment,” added McCoy.
Highlights of this year’s new Six Flags Fright Fest lineup include:
The Deadzone, located in the newest area of the park, The Underground, unleashes a new renegade group of cyberpunk zombies that feed on unsuspected visitors;
Terror Rising – Dark Developments, where everyone’s worst nightmares rise up from the depths of hell and prey on the innocent who dares to enter this haunted cemetery. Beware of the dark developments that could haunt you for all eternity;
Grave Games is a dangerous and daring show featuring acts of crossbows and fire juggling;
Dark Minds is a mentalist show exploring the deep, disturbing thoughts lurking within the darkest depths of the mind;
Popular returning mazes that incorporate state-of-the-art makeup, props, and special effects, include:
Willoughby’s Resurrected where the haunts of Ghostober take on dark visions of spirits, haunted artifacts, and supernatural investigations gone wrong. Brought to Fright Fest by Discovery+, the streaming home of Halloween;
Condemned – Forever Damned is full of horrific haunts of a dilapidated home where the walls are alive and the spirits of those who once lived there unleash their fury on anyone who dares enter;
Vault 666 Unlocked returns as the fan-favorite maze, Vault 666, only this time demonic relics are locked in a dark and sinister antique shop, casting spells and haunting those who try and steal them;
Sewer of Souls takes guests into an underground world of lost souls and terrifying tunnels where evil oozes;
Aftermath2: Chaos Rising is the region’s largest outdoor maze, covering more than 40,000 square feet where the spirits of the dead and the near-dead inhabit a post-apocalyptic city with larger-than-life props, fire, fog, and other special effects; and
Red’s Revenge, over the river and through the woods to Grandmother’s house they go, but in this “scary tale” the roles are reversed as guests and the wolf are hunted by Red and her demonic minions.
Along with The Deadzone and Terror Rising – Dark Developments, six additional scare zones around the park leave guests nowhere to hide and screaming to get out unscathed. They include:
Beware of the dark corners in City Under Siege, where the clowns are loose and running rampant through the streets;
Witches Lair returns to this year’s horror-filled offering of haunts as the City of METROPOLISTM is transformed into a haven for wicked spells and black magic;
Guests who enter the park through Demon’s Door should be prepared for their mind and body to be completely taken over by the evil spirits that await;
Steam-spewing mechanical beasts relentlessly hunt down their victims in TERRORtory Twisted;
Nightmares – A Twisted Fantasy, where childhood favorite bedtime stories take on a perverse twist; and
Freak out on Exile Hill when unimaginable sinister souls appear without warning.
Spooktacular shows include the new Grave Games located in the Golden Bear Plaza and Dark Minds in the Gearworks Theater, the ghoulish Sliders of the Night show in DC UNIVERSE, plus the very popular VooDoo Nights, where ghoul rock goes pop with today’s hits. Guests will want to dust off those thriller moves and join in the fun in the Full Throttle Plaza.
Guests can literally face their fears in the shadows when the lights go out on some of the park’s iconic coasters during Fright Fest, including Twisted Colossus, Viper, X2, Scream, Goliath, Apocalypse, and more.
For the little monsters, a Trick-or-Treat Trail and Halloween crafts round out the frightfully fun family activities during the day.
Fright Fest Operating Hours and Days:
10:30 a.m. to 1 a.m.: September 11, 18, 24, 25, October 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, 30 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.: September 12, 19, 26 October 3, 10, 17, 21, 24, 28, 31
In compliance with Los Angeles County mandates, masks are required at all indoor locations regardless of vaccination status, including indoor haunted maze attractions. For more information regarding our safety policies, visit our website at www.sixflags.com/magicmountain.
LA’s Haunted Hayride is back for 2021, bigger and better than ever. The haunt will officially open to the public on September 24th and running select nights through 10/31, Haunted Hayride is returning to LA’s Griffith Park with the traditional hayrides we know and love (no more drive through!), mazes, trick or treating, and more for the whole familyDisney+ Celebrates International Dog Day with “Dug Days”.
Tickets are now on sale. Presale of $24.99 runs through September 8th before the general ticket sale begins at noon. (Regular price is $34.99). Sign up and get the exclusive price now by clicking here.
Haunted Hayride 2021 Attractions:
Midnight Falls: Scare Zone
Midnight Falls is proudly hosting its 13th annual Halloween Festival for 1985. However, this strange town is always celebrating Halloween and it’s always 1985. But that doesn’t stop the citizens from enjoying the festival’s bizarre celebratory offerings. Visiting the Midnight Falls residents in the town square, neighborhoods and exploring the local establishments reveal more of the strange and sinister secrets behind this eerie town.
The Town Square of Midnight Falls is the epicenter of the festivities. While guests walk around between attractions or hang out to soak in the atmosFEAR various townsfolk from the Midnight Falls community roam the space interacting with guests and attending to their local business.
The Haunted Hayride Experience: Spirit of Halloween
Within the foothills of Midnight Falls, The Hayride leads to a thrilling adventure of horrors afflicting the town. Out in the darkness, a portal has opened spilling hideous creatures from its rotted mouth. The spirit of Halloween comes to life surrounding helpless victims brave enough to board The Hayride.
With summer’s end, as the leaves turn brown it is said the veil between the living and the dead is at its thinnest. The witch of the woods has cast her spell to summon the spirits of the underworld to cross over and assimilate into form using various objects found among town including decorations used for celebrating Halloween. Dazed within the spell cast upon them, the Witch commands her army of crops and flesh to seek revenge on the people that have casted her out.
Additional Attractions (Haunted Mazes):
Trick or Treat
The neighborhood of Midnight Falls has sprung to life with the magic of Halloween. The various creatures and monsters have decorated their houses for trick or treaters while the mischievous little ghouls lurk in the shadows waiting to give a fright.
Midnight Mortuary
Dying to drum up more business, the local Mortuary is hosting an open house where guests can tour the property to see what offerings await their demise. Guests separated from their tour risk becoming the next customer of the sinister funeral home.
Dead End Diner
Don’t forget to Sign up and get the exclusive presale price now by clicking here.
Southern California’s largest immersive Halloween experience, Knott’s Scary Farm, returns with innovative new scares and bone-chilling thrills for its 48th frightful year. Terror comes to life as the theme park shifts into your worst nightmare, with horrifying monsters and hair-raising scares looming around every turn.
This year, guests will have to confront their greatest fears with 15 haunted attractions, including five sinister scare zones, eight mesmerizing mazes, and two seasonal ride overlays to some of your favorite park attractions. Knott’s Scary Farm returns for 27 terrifying nights from September 16 – October 31.
There is nowhere to hide as endless scares await guests around every corner, with the debut of our newest captivating maze, an all-new spine-chilling scare zone, and a frightening lineup of new shows. These new haunted experiences add to the original scares that can’t be found anywhere else.
Knott’s Scary Farm New Offerings:
Mesmer: Sideshow of the Mind (Maze) – The newest haunted maze has arrived; Mesmer: Sideshow of the Mind. Within the canvas tent lies the secret of the most potent force in the universe: the human mind. Give in and succumb to the hypnotist Mesmer and his sinister sideshow, as it preys on your hidden fears.
Release your inner thoughts and descend into a world of madness, torture, and eerie enlightenment. There you will uncover the grotesque secrets hidden as you brave through the most terrifying show ever created.
The Gore-ing 20’s (Scare Zone) – Step back into the dark decadence of a by-gone era as the newest scare zone, The Gore-ing 20’s, terrorizes even the bravest and most brutal souls.
Here gangsters run illicit hooch for the ghostly revelers as the otherworldly musicians play the music of the damned. Tell the Bouncer the secret password, and you’ll have the time of your life for as long as it lasts.
Carnaval du Grotesque (Show) – Calico Mine Stage
Grab a seat as the show is about to begin! Your mind will melt at the sights and sounds of the Carnaval du Grotesque. Live bands provide the soundtrack for the creepiest company of performers to ever disgrace the stage.
Invitation to Terror (Show) – Mystery Lodge
Invitation to terror is a digital illusion horror show which tells the story of Millionaire Tom Shackleford, he is set to unveil the secret project that he promises will change the world. Set in Calico 1986, guests are invited to the debut of Futuretronics, the world’s top technology creator, latest technological advancement. It’s going to be a killer party with plenty of terrifying surprises no one will ever see coming.
Wicked Drums (Show) – Camp Snoopy Theater
Deep within The Hollow, The Witches summon you to a percussion ritual to awaken the dead. Hosted by the evil Hag of the Hollows, Wicked Drums, high energy drumming collides with ancient witchcraft in a sensory overload sure to raise your spirits. It’s a Halloween activity worth witnessing.
Doce de la Noche (Show) – Fiesta Plaza
The night comes alive at the stroke of midnight when our electric dance group takes the Fiesta Village stage. Dressed in colorful and vibrant colors, the lively dancers dazzle all with their moves set to high-energy music, which takes over all senses and has everyone dancing their feet off.
Knott’s Scary Farm Returning Mazes:
Wax Works – Mysterious lights and strange noises have begun to emanate from the eerie abandoned wax museum. It’s rumored that blood-curdling screams can be heard echoing through the halls of Wax Works as victims are horrifyingly submerged into a scorching hot cauldron of bubbling wax. The once prominent plastic surgeon, Dr. Augustus Scratch, has been seen tinkering at night and is now ready to show off his beautiful yet terrifying life-like masterpieces of hot molten wax and bloody flesh. Take a closer look at his gruesome works of art and try to escape his deadly grip or become the newest masterpiece to add to his collection.
Origins: The Curse of Calico – Pierce the veil of time and discover the secret of the evil fog that hangs over Knott’s Scary Farm in Origins: The Curse of Calico. Unearth the sinister paranormal activity that plagues the town as Sarah Marshall is put on trial for her suspected crimes of witchcraft. All will be unveiled when the Green Witch rises and curses the townsfolk, transforming all who have accused her into a wicked horde of malicious creatures with an eternal quench for the living.
PARANORMAL, INC. – The Haunting of Hayden Hill: Paranormal Inc. maze reopens its doors one final time to those brave enough to uncover a bizarre and supernatural adventure. Guests investigate a haunted hospital where the patients were tortured for decades by deranged doctors and nurses. Demonic spirits of the murdered victims have been detected throughout the mysterious halls, while evil medical staff prowl for new patients to torture.
Pumpkin Eater – Survive the wrath of the murderous 7-foot tall creature that haunts the old woods surrounding The Hollow in the Pumpkin Eater maze. The notorious creature is on the prowl, hidden within the dark confines of the haunted town he once terrorized. To escape the sinister Pumpkin Eater’s wrath, all who enter must go on a quest through the silent town of victims, face a cave of crawling insects and solve the labyrinth of thorns that blocks the way out.
Dark Ride – Journey through an abandoned carnival ride where cruel carnie folk still linger in the shadows in Dark Ride: Castle of Chaos. The carnival has become a refuge for freaks and carnies. Now those shunned performers have created a dark world of terror which they plan to unleash on those who enter. Dark Ride will lead brave visitors through a treacherous path and into the bowels of a long-neglected attraction, as sinister shadows and horrifying scenes cast the gloom over the once pleasant ride. It’s everyone’s worst nightmare, being helplessly trapped inside an abandoned carnival ride without a way out.
The Depths – A heavy fog drapes over an abandoned port village where ancient creatures lurk inside the pitch-black underground caves hidden below the seaside shores. The Nightwatch Mining Crew has mysteriously disappeared, and village rumors point to the eerie tunnels the town sits upon. But be warned, all who have entered have never resurfaced. Myths of the terrifying horrors that lurk within the cave have often been whispered but never confirmed. Did the crew meet their demise at the hand of vicious creatures that live within the cave? Journey into the ominous caverns to discover if the superstitions revolving around the cave are true or not.
Dark Entities – Teleport beyond earth into a realm where the darkness is absolute. In the depths of space, a lone station faces terror beyond all imagination. An extraterrestrial mutation has invaded the station, and it’s on the prowl for new hosts. The unearthly inhabitants’ force increases as it feeds on its unwilling victims. Escape the dark entities before their deadly force eliminates all living forms aboard the station. There’s nowhere to escape when time is running out!
Halloween Hootenanny – The Timber Mountain Log Ride residents celebrate the Halloween Hootenanny, which adds a seasonal twist to a park favorite. Mysterious creatures of Timber Mountain that live out in the woods and caverns join the citizens as they honor the season at the Halloween Hootenanny. The Ride’s interior features surprises as guests venture past the Calico Coffin Creeper band, the town’s green witch, and splash down Skull Mountain through a labyrinth of jack-o-lanterns all set to an original soundtrack by Krazy Kirk and the Hillbillies.
Knott’s Scary Farm Returning Scare Zones:
Knott’s Scary Farm is far more than a collection of haunted attractions.
Every night monsters spill out onto the streets and turn theme park midways into murderous scare zones. From the world-famous Ghost Town Streets to the Boardwalk area filled with evil clowns, there’s nowhere to hide in Knott’s Scary Farm.
Ghost Town Streets is the original and largest, most terrifying scare zone that started it all. Bands of half-human, half-animal monsters prowl the streets and inhabit the fog, and beware the notoriously stunning sliders, who lunge from fog-filled corners of the land.
On the Boardwalk, deviant clowns crave your undying attention in the CARNEVIL scare zone.
The Hollow scare zone will terrorize guests as the Witches of the Hollow, and their armies of creatures have risen once again to battle with the Witch Hunter.
The Lake underneath Silver Bullet recedes to reveal the Forsaken Lake scare zone, where gothic creatures ravaged by the dark and murky waters wander from their crypts preying on unsuspecting visitors, looking for victims to drag back to their watery graves.
Knott’s Scary Farm Returning Shows:
Puppet Up! Uncensored (Show)– The Walter Knott Theater – Returning nightly to Knott’s Scary Farm for the 2021 season, Puppet Up! Uncensored is an outrageous, off-the-cuff show featuring a combination of improvisational comedy and the magic of puppetry performed by a cast of world-class comedian puppeteers from The Jim Henson Company. Created by legendary puppeteer and award-winning director Brian Henson and directed by Patrick Bristow (Ellen, Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Whose Line Is It Anyway?), Puppet Up! – Uncensored is no ordinary puppet show.
The content is driven by audience suggestions and participation in proper uncensored form, topped with the zany antics and naughty shenanigans of the colorful and brazen puppet cast. Puppet Up! – Uncensored will be performed three times each night at Knott’s Scary Farm and is intended for mature audiences.
Conjurers (Show) – Bird Cage Theater
You won’t believe your eyes when our skilled Illusionist takes the stage in the heart of Calico. Get there early as seats have been known to vanish.
Knott’s Scary Farm Admission
– Single night tickets – Buy tickets at KnottsScaryFarm.com and save up to $39 off the regular main gate price of $89. Knott’s Season Passholders receive a discount on single-night tickets. Applicable taxes and fees apply to online orders.
– Fright & Fast Lane – Ride and scream all night long with unlimited priority access to all mazes plus priority boarding on all Fast Lane rides. Fright & Fast Lane starts at $99 and varies by night. Separate Scary Farm park admission required and not included.
– Knott’s Scary Farm Boo-Fet – Offered at Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant and Spurs Chophouse. Meals include a 2021 souvenir bottle, which gives unlimited complimentary refills on the event night and $1.00 refills for the rest of the 2021 season. After dinner, enjoy early entry into select areas of Knott’s Scary Farm a few minutes before it opens to other mortals. Boo-fet early entry will be to Paranormal Inc., Dark Entities, The Depths and Wax Works, and exclusive photo opportunities with the monsters. The Knott’s Scary Farm Boo-fet dinner is $45 + applicable taxes and fees when purchased online. Separate theme park admission is required and not included.
All Season Long Parking is valid for Knott’s Scary Farm nights. – Knott’s Scary Farm General parking is $25 per vehicle and can be purchased online or at the parking booth upon arrival. Applicable taxes and fees apply to online orders.
Knott’s Scary Farm has welcomed millions of visitors for over 47 years and has become an institution in the Southern California theme park landscape. This year, the event returns September 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, 26, 30, October 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23, 24, 28, 29, 30 and 31. Knott’s Scary Farm is open 7:00 pm – 1:00 am on select Thursdays and Sundays, and 7:00 pm – 2:00 am Fridays and Saturdays. Due to the explicit and frightening nature of the event, it is not recommended for children under 13. This year’s Knott’s Scary Farm experience is Where Nightmares Never End!
For more information on Knott’s Scary Farm, including admission, park hours, and events, visit knottsscaryfarm.com
Disney+ is celebrating International Dog Day, and has released a new trailer and key art for Pixar Animation Studios’ “Dug Days,” a new series of five shorts that follows the humorous misadventures of Dug, the lovable dog from Disney and Pixar’s Oscar®-winning feature film “Up” whose high-tech collar translates his thoughts into speech.
Bob Peterson, the voice of Dug then and now, wrote and directed the new shorts; Kim Collins produces. It was familiar material for Peterson, who was a screenwriter and co-director on “Up,” which won an Oscar® for the best-animated feature. He has long understood why fans are so drawn to the character.
“Dug is pure of heart—he’s a good soul. I think people enjoy that part of Dug,” says Peterson. “Plus, people love their dogs. We’ve gone to great lengths to include truth in dog behavior, so they see their own dogs in Dug.”
Coming up with new adventures for Dug was not a problem for Peterson, who kept top of mind the idea that this is Dug’s first time out of Paradise Falls. “Everything is new, and he’s excited about all of it,” he says. “But the smallest things can distract Dug, never mind an actual squirrel.”
SeaWorld San Diego is excited to announce the opening of the highly anticipated dive coaster, Emperor, in March 2022. Joining other thrill rides at the park, Emperor will be the tallest, fastest, and longest dive coaster in California, as well as the only floorless dive coaster in the state.
Named after the world’s largest penguin, the new coaster will mimic this species’ amazing underwater diving ability. Climbing to 153 feet with feet dangling in the air, riders will be suspended on a 45-degree angle at the crown of the ride before plunging down a 143-foot facedown vertical drop, accelerating to more than 60 miles per hour. Riders will also experience inversions, barrel roll, Immelmann loop, hammerhead turn and flat spin as they race along the nearly 2,500 feet of track. Each of the floorless ride cars will hold 18 riders in three, six-person rows. This is the first seating configuration of its kind in North America.
“Our fans are eager to ride Emperor and we’re grateful for their enthusiasm and excitement to jump on this adrenaline-pumping dive coaster. Due to the unprecedented challenges of the last two years, the opening was delayed, we know this has been disappointing and we’d like to thank our guests for their patience for this long-awaited ride to open,” said John Dunlap, SeaWorld San Diego Park President. “Opening just in time for Spring Break, this free-falling, feet-dangling ride is going to provide even more thrills that our guests and coaster fanatics have been craving.”
SeaWorld San Diego is the only place in North America to see the amazing Emperor penguins. Guests can watch the playful antics of penguins tall and small including Emperor and King penguins, plus smaller Adelie, Gentoo, Chinstrap and Macaroni penguins at the Penguin Encounter indoor exhibit.
SeaWorld San Diego Fun Card, get 2021 FREE!
The best way to experience Emperor and all that SeaWorld San Diego has to offer is with a 2022 Fun Card. For the best value, visit again and again with a 2022 SeaWorld San Diego Fun Card and get the rest of 2021 for FREE! This incredible deal offers more than four bonus months when you buy now, for only $99.99 for a limited time*.
For more information, park hours and to purchase tickets, visit SeaWorldSanDiego.com.
The Kingsman origin story is here! Discover the origins of the very first independent intelligence agency in “The King’s Man.” As a collection of history’s worst tyrants and criminal masterminds gather to plot a war to wipe out millions, one man must race against time to stop them.
“The King’s Man” is directed by Matthew Vaughn and stars Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton, Rhys Ifans, Matthew Goode, Tom Hollander, Harris Dickinson, Daniel Brühl, with Djimon Hounsou, and Charles Dance.
Matthew Vaughn, David Reid and Adam Bohling are the producers, and Mark Millar, Dave Gibbons, Stephen Marks, Claudia Vaughn and Ralph Fiennes serve as executive producers. “The King’s Man” is based on the comic book “The Secret Service” by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons, and the story is by Matthew Vaughn and the screenplay is by Matthew Vaughn & Karl Gajdusek.
Freeform’s “Halloween Road” is putting a spell on fans yet again in Los Angeles. The event is back for a spooky, socially distant experience that you won’t want to miss. The outdoor, immersive event will feature the worlds of “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “Hocus Pocus,” “The Addams Family” and other spooktacular surprises filled with games, photo moments, live entertainment, and prizes! This year, Hyundai has joined in on the fun as a presenting sponsor to make Halloween Road come alive with tricks, treats, and a haunting photo opp.
The experience will take place at Heritage Square Museum in Los Angeles, California, and is open to the public from FRIDAY, OCT. 1, through TUESDAY, OCT. 5. Ticket prices start at $37 and go on sale next week, WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 1at 10 a.m. PDT, and can be purchased at 31nightsofhalloween.com.
“We’re thrilled to bring back our beloved ‘Halloween Road’ to the fans,” said Joe Ortiz, senior vice president, Content Marketing for Freeform. “Freeform continues to create innovative events that truly deliver one-of-a-kind fan experiences. This year, attendees will be treated to an unbelievable night where they can interact with some of the most celebrated Halloween entertainment properties in the world.”
Halloween lovers will get to enjoy some never-before-seen activations with exciting new attractions that include the following:
Extended “Hocus Pocus” Drag Show – Fans will be treated to an in-depth drag show featuring scenes from “Hocus Pocus” and starring the Sanderson Sisters.
Beer and Wine Garden – Guests 21+ will now have the option to indulge in spooky drinks at the new beer and wine garden. Ghouls and goblins who purchase these tickets will have access to VIP placement for the drag show.
Finkelstein’s Lab From “Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas” – This iconic scene will return for the first time since Freeform’s inaugural Halloween event. Beware of Sally’s green soup!
“The Addams Family” Mansion – Step up to the creepy, kooky, mysterious and spooky mansion and pose for a photo in Pugsley’s new electric chair.
Twice as Many Trick-Or-Treat Stations – Because it wouldn’t be Halloween without candy, we have more trick-or-treat options than ever before! Attendees will collect a complimentary trick-or-treat bag before encountering twice the stations as last year — double the candy, double the fun!
Halloween Characters IRL – Interact with your favorite characters, including Sarah and Winne Sanderson, Billy Butcherson, the Ghostbusters, Uncle Fester, Wednesday Addams, and more!
In addition to the new activations, coming back are classics from fan favorites, such as the Sanderson Sisters’ Cottage and Billy’s grave in Old Burial Hill from “Hocus Pocus”; Spiral Hill, Halloween Town Hall, Oogie Boogie’s Lair, and Lock Shock and Barrel’s Treehouse from “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas”; Stay Puft Marshmallow Man and the Ecto-1 from “Ghostbusters” and so much more that shouldn’t be missed! Catch them all on “Freeform’s 31 Nights of Halloween” starting on Oct 1.
Freeform’s full “31 Nights of Halloween” schedule is coming soon!
Check out the exciting new trailer and poster for Marvel Studios’ “Eternals” and get an upfront look at the MCU’s newest team-up, featuring a group of heroes from beyond the stars who had protected the Earth since the dawn of man. When monstrous creatures called the Deviants, long thought lost to history, mysteriously return, the Eternals are forced to reunite in order to defend humanity once again.
About Marvel Studios “Eternals”
The outstanding ensemble cast includes Gemma Chan as humankind-loving Sersi, Richard Madden as the all-powerful Ikaris, Kumail Nanjiani as cosmic-powered Kingo, Lia McHugh as the eternally young, old-soul Sprite, Brian Tyree Henry as the intelligent inventor Phastos, Lauren Ridloff as the super-fast Makkari, Barry Keoghan as aloof loner Druig, Don Lee as the powerful Gilgamesh, with Kit Harington as Dane Whitman, with Salma Hayek as the wise and spiritual leader Ajak, and Angelina Jolie as the fierce warrior Thena.
Chloé Zhao directs the film, and Kevin Feige and Nate Moore are the producers, with Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso and Kevin de la Noy serving as executive producers. The story is by Ryan Firpo & Matthew K. Firpo, and the screenplay is by Chloé Zhao and Chloé Zhao & Patrick Burleigh.
Marvel Studios’ “Eternals” opens in theaters on November 5.
The Winchester Mystery House has been around for nearly 100 years and is a must-see experience if you are in the San Jose area. New this year for the Halloween season is several options – including a family-friendly attraction! Beginning select nights September 10th through All Hallows Eve Night October 31st, you can experience an opportunity to explore the Winchester Mystery House in a whole new way. The Lost in the House Tour will take you on a theatrical paranormal investigation where you will be joined by an investigator as your tour guide.
According to the Winchester Mystery House “For the 98 years that the house has been open to the public, it has hosted paranormal investigators, mediums and even master magicians who came looking for proof of the paranormal. During the Lost In The House Tour, brave guests will be guided through the dark & dizzying hallways of the Winchester Estate in search of answers for themselves. Will they find them. or will they too be lost in the house?” Are you curious about more? Tickets for this tour are on sale now and are expected to sell out.
The Lost in the House Tour is not the only event coming this Halloween season. All new this year will be the Jack O’ Lantern Trail featuring amazing scenes and decorations made entirely of pumpkins – real and artificial. There will also be nightly carvings happening so you may want to visit more than once to see it all! The ticket for this trail is included in the Lost in the House Tour or it can be purchased as a separate event for those who may not feel comfortable inside the house at night.
The Winchester House will also light up at night in a new way with a projection mapping show on the front façade. This 8-minute show will project some of the spirits of the House including Sarah Pardee Winchester (heiress to the Winchester Repeating Arms fortune). The cutting-edge show will play multiple times throughout the night and is sure to be something visually stunning.
But wait – There’s even more!
For an additional fee, you can attend Sarah’s Attic Shooting Gallery, Axe Throwing at the Stables, as well as the all-new Houdini’s Spirited Escape. While the Axe Throwing is subject to closure due to weather, it is a fun experience for parties of 1-5 individuals to try their hand at throwing an ax at a target. Sarah’s Attic Shooting Gallery features classic arcade games and of course a shooting gallery with 38 different targets – one for each year of the House’s construction.
Last but certainly not least is the brand new experience of Houdini’s Spirited Escape – the escape room. If you have done an escape room before, you may know what to expect but this exciting escape will leave you wondering if this was magic or the spirits. There will also be some fall-flavored foods including apple cider available for purchase.
As we all know, the Covid-19 pandemic kept Halloween from entertaining us in 2020 so we are very excited to see the return of some of our favorite haunts. One of our favorite entertainment experiences takes place at Universal Studios Hollywood – Halloween Horror Nights! This event is scheduled to return select nights September 9th – Halloween Night October 31st this year. To say we are DYING to see this is an understatement.
We were invited to attend Midsummer Scream – Awaken the Spirits at the Pasadena Convention Center, where we were treated to a sneak peek of this year’s offerings for Halloween Horror Nights (HHN). Our host was none other than the Creative Director of HHN, John Murdy. While not too much was revealed, we did get an in-depth discussion of one of the newest mazes to come to Hollywood – Universal Monsters: The Bride of Frankenstein LIVES. This maze (or house for all of you on the East Coast) will be featured on the Parisian Street on the Upper Lot of Universal Studios Hollywood and will be one of the 5 announced mazes for the event this year.
The others include The Exorcist, The Curse of Pandora’s Box, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House. We also learned of a new Scare Zone and the return of a fan favorite – only available at Universal Studios Hollywood!
John took us through a detailed account of the new maze all about one of his favorite female monsters while reminding us all “The Monster always LIVES”. While this maze will differ from the one in Orlando for 2020, (and returning this year at Orlando’s HHN), there are some similar scenes, sights, and smells we are told. The goal of this maze is to immerse you in the finale of the Bride of Frankenstein movie where we last left off.
The setting of this maze is influenced by the classic tale and we will enter this maze through a large book featuring all-new artwork. John described this entrance as the precursor for what was to see as each scene would feature a new chapter and with each new chapter, a twist we may not expect!
WARNING – SPOILERS AHEAD!
The Prologue: Something Survived
The end of the Bride of Frankenstein film ends with the castle crumbling around Frankenstein’s Monster and the Bride. This scene will feature the Bride trying to rescue the monster from the rubble of the castle by lifting a beam of burning wood. She screams in agony “Deeeaaaaaaaaaad” and we move into the next chapter of our story.
Chapter 1: Saving the Monster
The Bride is being stalked by 3 shadowy figures while carrying the body of her loved one through the woods towards an unknown location. It is revealed the 3 figures are actually the Brides of Dracula coming for the Monster and his Bride. Make sure you look for the distinct differences between all three of the Brides of Dracula, according to John. They will each feature a special identification or marking. The Bride of Frankenstein is able to evade these creatures by retreating to our next location.
Chapter 2: The Hunted becomes the Hunter
After evading the Brides of Dracula (possibly by using you as bait) she finds herself in the Blind Man’s Cottage from the original Frankenstein movie. This cottage has long been abandoned but you’ll notice a familiar object is missing from the wall: a cross. This cross is now being handled by the Bride to fend off the Brides of Dracula.
This prop was described by John as a cross on fire with embers emitting from it. The rest of the cottage will have signs of the fire as well. The Bride is now a Vampire Huntress and will make sure to end the lives of the other Brides – or maybe harvest the blood of the vampires to bring The Monster back to life.
Chapter 3: The Creation becomes The Creator
We now move forward in our story and the Bride of Frankenstein is attempting to reanimate her beloved Monster through transfusions of human and vampire blood. We see a church transformed into a laboratory filled with vials and jars of what we can only assume is fresh human blood as well as the fresh “kill” of one of the Vampires. Trying to piece together her loved one she knows she will need to find the rest of the Vampires.
Chapter 4: The Blood is Life
We now enter another area of the church/lab where the Bride has compiled more Vampires and other creatures to experiment on. The only issue is to keep them alive – they need blood! To feed their lust, the Bride needs to find humans to feed to them. You will walk through this feeding cage before heading into the next area of the story where somehow a second of the 3 Brides of Dacula is stabbed through the heart.
Chapter 5: Live Again!
We are in another portion of the lab and upgrades have been made throughout to assist with the vampire blood transfusions. Frankenstein’s Monster once again will be featured in this scene with some new modifications according to John. We will see his brain exposed and catheters where his bolts once were. all of this will be happening while the Bride frantically attempts to restore her loved one to live. The other fun fact from John is the Monster will be a stilt walker 8 feet tall! We will also hear the classic line “It’s Alive” – this time uttered by the Bride herself.
Chapter 6: The Monster Reborn
There is still one more vampire left. The Bride (and Monster?) hunt down the final remaining Bride of Dracula to end the torment and protect themselves. John didn’t want to ruin the ending for us but did let us know the third vampire will be finished. Although he did end with saying “The Monster ALWAYS Lives” so who really knows…
After you exit this maze, you will be entering the first announced Scare Zone for HHN Hollywood – Universal Monsters Silver Scream Queenz. This area will feature some of the famous women of the Universal Monsters including Anuk-Su-Namun from The Mummy Franchise, The She-Wolf of London, and Dracula’s Daughter. While we were told there will be two versions of each character throughout the Scare Zone meaning it will not be the same throughout the evening’s festivities.
The last announcement from John is one we all loved to hear – the return of the Terror Tram! This Universal Studios Hollywood exclusive is unlike any haunt experience you are used to. If you are familiar with the Studio Tour during the day, this will be similar except at one point you’ll have to get off the tram and find your way (fight your way?) back to the park. We know from previous HHN experience, we will be walking past the Bates Motel and the War of the Worlds set. No other details have been announced… yet. Stay tuned for more info as we get it!
Tickets are now on Sale for Universal Studios Hollywood “Halloween Horror Nights.” Kicking Off on Thursday, September 9, and Running Select Nights through Sunday, October 31. Click Here to Purchase Tickets.
Legoland is magical world of toy building blocks (photo by Greg Aragon)
It’s been two years since my last visit to Legoland and I couldn’t wait to get back to that magical world of toy building blocks. So when me and the family finally got our chance to revisit the theme park after its 13-month-long closure, we knew we were in for a memorable day of fun and adventure.
With more than 60 rides, shows, and attractions celebrating the iconic Lego toys, the park is an interactive, hands-on experience for families with children ages 2 – 12. The Resort is also home to SEA LIFE Aquarium, the world’s first LEGOLAND Water Park, and the brand new The Lego Movie World, an immersive new land based on the hit movies.
The two-acre Lego Movie World was designed after the two blockbuster movies The LEGO Movie and The LEGO MOVIE 2 The Second Part. The new attraction takes the movies to another dimension with an elaborate recreation of Bricksburg, complete with the flagship ride Emmet’s Flying Adventure, which is staged on a triple-decker flying couch. Kids of all ages can tap into this thrill-seeking virtual escape ride featuring cutting-edge technology, 180-degree turns, and flights above Middle Zealand, Cloud Cuckoo Land and Pirates Cove.
The Lego Movie World attraction takes Lego movies to another dimension
The expansive new world also includes Benny’s Play Ship, Unikitty’s Disco Drop, Queen Watevra’sCarouse, Build Watevra You Wa’Na Build zone, and a meet-and-greet with the films’ favorite characters at Emmet’s Super Suite. Additionally, the land boasts plenty of new restaurants such as a place called Everything is Ramen, where we devoured a delicious homemade ramen bowl. For dessert, we then tried a tasty crepe filled with Nutella at Cloud Cuckoo Crepes.
After experiencing The Lego Movie World, we entered MINILAND USA, where roughly 32.5 million Lego bricks have been turned into incredible mini-recreations of some of America’s most beloved locations. Highlights include the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, the capitol building in Washington D.C., Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Grand Central Station in New York, the Las Vegas strip, and Griffith Park in Southern California.
MINILAND also includes a Star Wars section, featuring a floating Death Star and seven different LEGO Star War scenes, made of more than 1.5 million LEGO bricks, featuring one scene from each of the movies.
Miniland recreates some of America’s most beloved locations with legos (photo by Greg Aragon)
From MINILAND, we hopped on a helicopter ride called Sky Patrol that is perfect for toddlers. The ride has a control that allows you to fly up and down about 15 feet in the air, giving kids and their parents a great view of the park. Near here, we signed up our little one for his own driver’s license and he rode his tiny car by himself around a race track with other toddlers at Drivers School. This is a fun attraction for kids 3 – 5 years old.
Another fairly new adventure at the park is DUPLO Playtown, a colorful LEGO town geared towards children five and under. The area features more than ten whimsical playhouses with hands-on activities, slides, and interactive elements that encourage kids to use their imagination and creativity while playing. Children can explore a barn, fire station, grocery store, hospital, and maze complete with an interactive scarecrow.
A kiddie helicopter ride offers great views of the park (photo by Greg Aragon)Toddlers can race around a track at a driving school (photo by Greg Aragon)
One of the most colorful attractions at Legoland is the SEA LIFE aquarium, a multi-level aquarium with over 350 different species and more than 6,000 real creatures swimming around in 16 different interactive zones. There are jellyfish, octopi, seahorses, sharks, rays, a hand-on touching pool, and lots more. SEA LIFE Aquarium admission is an extra $25 with a LEGOLAND ticket.
Another fun attraction is Coastersaurus, a roller coaster that takes guests through a prehistoric jungle of LEGO brick dinosaurs. Riders circle around a 1,100-pound Brachiosaurus and whiz by a ten-foot-tall Parasaurolophus scavenging for food.
Other fun things to do include taking a tiny train ride, building your own lego creations in an interactive Imagination Zone, and Dig Those Dino, where kids can practice their paleontologist skills and dig for fossils in a large sandpit.
Kids can build their own legos in an Imagination Zone (photo by Greg Aragon)
The last time we visited the park we stayed at the park’s mystical Castle Hotel. The hotel features 250 LEGO Castle-themed rooms with your choice of Knights & Dragons, Royal Princess, or Magic Wizard.
The entire hotel is decorated just like a medieval castle and offers many surprises for kids. There are talking portraits and musical seats located throughout, the lobby has a giant “Lego pond,” and there is a new themed restaurant called Dragon’s Den Restaurant & Bar, where the hotel serves free breakfast for registered guests each morning.
All rooms come with a separate kids’ area with bunk beds and LEGO building tables, a treasure chest, and a scavenger hunt. They also boast a big TV, comfortable bed, coffee maker, refrigerator, free WiFi, and a large bathroom with a shower and tub. Just outside the hotel is an Entertainment Courtyard with play zones for kids of all ages, and a pool area. But the hotel’s best feature is its location next to LEGOLAND’s main entrance. This was a great feature, as we were able to have breakfast and then stroll into the park within five minutes.
The Castle Hotel features themed rooms with a choice of Knights & Dragons, Royal Princess, or Magic Wizard (photo by Greg Aragon)
LEGOLAND California is located in Carlsbad, CA. For more information and current ticket prices, visit www.LEGOLAND.com or call 760.918.LEGO.
Marvel Studios’ “What If…?” flips the script on the Marvel Cinematic Universe, reimagining famous events from the films in unexpected ways. Creating a multiverse of infinite possibilities, “What If… ?” features fan-favorite characters, including Peggy Carter, T’Challa, Doctor Strange, Killmonger, Thor, and more. Debuting exclusively on Disney+ on Aug. 11, 2021, “What If… ?” features the voice of Jeffrey Wright as The Watcher.
Marvel Studios’ first-ever animated series also features the voices of a host of stars who reprise their iconic roles in the MCU—though their characters’ journeys promise to be wildly unique. “It’s an anthology,” says executive producer Brad Winderbaum. “The Watcher introduces us each week to these alternate storylines— each a kind of cautionary tale in the spirit of ‘The Twilight Zone.’ We bounce around genres and tone—some episodes will be dramatic; some will be tragic or comedic.”
Marvel Studios veteran Bryan Andrews was called on to helm the series. “He’s boarded many of our major action sequences over the years,” says Winderbaum. “He’s an animation director and has been behind some of the best-animated shows, ‘Samurai Jack,’ ‘Sym-Bionic Titan’ and the original ‘Star Wars: Clone Wars.’
During a recent press conference, we learned more about this new Marvel series from Bryan Andrews (Director), AC Bradley (Head Writer), Brad Winderbaum (Exec. Producer), and Jeffrey Wright (voice of the “The Watcher”).
Q: What inspired “What If…?” and why is now the time to dive into an animated multiverse story like this, on Disney+?
Brad Winderbaum: I mean, it’s, to be honest, was a stroke of inspiration that happened on the drive home from work one day. And I found myself in my driveway just texting with Kevin Feige, back and forth, about what this show could be. And by the next day, the wheels were in motion and we were on our way to making this thing. And I think that and it was obvious from the beginning that it needed to be animated because of all the-of all the locations and sets and characters and elements from the MCU we were gonna revisit it, it had to kind of be in a medium that would allow us an infinite scope of whatever we could conceive of.
AC Bradley, the writer on that show, had come in to pitch for ‘Captain Marvel,’ which didn’t work out due to some other obligations, and producer Jonathan Schwartz recommended her for ‘What If…?’ We brought her in and she understood what we wanted to do immediately. She came back and pitched this emotional character-focused version of the Captain Carter story.
For Andrews, the opportunity allowed him to summon everything he knew about animation, the MCU and storytelling. “We’d get together and basically nerd out,” says the director. “We had an embarrassment of riches in terms of characters, storylines, twists—the sky’s the limit, really.”
Q: Jeffrey, I’m gonna turn to you. Your character, quite famous in the Marvel Comics lore. Introduce us to who you’re playing in “What If…?” and what his role is in-in the series overall.
Jeffrey Wright: Yeah, I’m, playin’ The Watcher, who is, described in his first appearance in Marvel Comics, I think it was in 1963, something like the most dramatic being in all the known universe. This is something like this.
He’s a fairly dramatic guy. He’s a fairly powerful guy. He’s kind of overseeing, the entire, MCU. He’s overseeing the multiverses, and he plays somewhat of a Rod Sterling role. Kind of narrating, kind of not. In some ways, as may be the biggest Marvel fan, there is. Watching all that transpires and dealing with, certain temptations to involve himself.
“The Watcher views humanity as simple, lowly, disgusting,” Bradley continues. “But at the same time, he’s fascinated by what he’s seeing. And the more he sees, the more his understanding of humanity evolves.”
Bryan Andrews: It’s like, you never know what you’re gonna get, you know. You might get an episode that’s a comedy, you might get an episode that’s kind of dramatic and serious, like, super emotional, full of action. Brad, myself, Kevin, Victoria, it’s like, we all love cinema. We all love movie-we love everything in it, whether it, you know, all the genres. And this gave us an opportunity to apply a little taste of a variety of genres into the Marvel cinematic universe, you know what I mean? So, one can maybe go a little bit darker.
About What If…?
Inspired by Marvel Comics’ “What If…?” comic book anthology series, which debuted in 1977, the new animated series introduces new scenarios based on characters from the vast world of the MCU, which launched in 2008 with “Iron Man.” “That gave us a broader brush to paint with, so to speak,” says Andrews. “It’s immediate in to a massive audience, many of whom aren’t familiar with the comics, but just loved the movies.”
According to Andrews, the look of the series is illustrative. “We reached back in time and looked at classic American illustrators,” says the director. “There’s a certain kind of heroic, hyper-realized, super-idealized look that feels iconic. There’s a style to it but it’s not pushed or cartoony.”
“What If… ?” features the voices of more than 50 MCU cast members who reprise their roles, including Andy Serkis, Angela Bassett, Benedict Cumberbatch, Benedict Wong, Benicio Del Toro, Bradley Whitford, Carrie Coon, Chadwick Boseman, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Sullivan, Clancy Brown, Clark Gregg, Cobie Smulders, Danai Gurira, David Dastmalchian, Djimon Hounsou, Dominic Cooper, Don Cheadle, Emily VanCamp, Evangeline Lilly, Frank Grillo, Georges St-Pierre, Hayley Atwell, Jaimie Alexander, Jeff Goldblum, Jeremy Renner, John Kani, Jon Favreau, Josh Brolin, Karen Gillan, Kat Dennings, Kurt Russell, Leslie Bibb, Mark Ruffalo, Michael B. Jordan, Michael Douglas, Michael Rooker, Natalie Portman, Neal McDonough, Ophelia Lovibond, Paul Bettany, Paul Rudd, Rachel House, Rachel McAdams, Samuel L. Jackson, Sean Gunn, Sebastian Stan, Seth Green, Stanley Tucci, Taika Waititi, Tilda Swinton, Toby Jones, Tom Hiddleston and Tom Vaughan-Lawlor.
As Marvel Studios’ first-ever animated series, “What If…?” ventures into uncharted territory. “What struck me was how limitless animation is,” says executive producer Brad Winderbaum. “You have to determine your artistic code and set parameters early.”
Filmmakers rooted the look of the series in classic American illustration, leaning into renowned artists like J.C. Leyendecker, a pioneer known for his iconic ads and magazine covers including The Saturday Evening Post. “Leyendecker inspired Norman Rockwell,” says director Bryan Andrews, who also looked at artists including Tom Lovell and Mead Schaeffer, the latter whose family actually posed as models for Rockwell’s Saturday Evening Post illustrations.
“Their work included a lot of mood and atmosphere. Disney’s ‘Lady and the Tramp’ was also something we looked at because there’s not a lot of harsh line work—it’s always beautifully painted.”
Ultimately, the team developed a specific and unique style that embraced their reference material, as well as that within the Marvel world.
Chapter 5: Live Again!
