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Occasional digests of what’s rising — haunts, drops, and headlines. No spam.
Occasional digests of what’s rising — haunts, drops, and headlines. No spam.
Here at Halloweenies, we love practical effects—there’s a reason why one of our categories is called “Great Graphics.” Well, consider this a full-length “Great Graphics” episode, where we talk to the effects team behind the titular puppet of Pinocchio Unstrung, in theaters this Friday. As the latest installment in the Twisted Childhood Universe, Pinocchio ups the franchise’s game […]
Freakling Bros. Horror Shows, the Las Vegas haunt that has run for more than 31 years and operates Nevada’s only R-rated haunted attraction, will not open for the 2026 Halloween season. Co-owner and creative director JT Mollner is stepping away for the year to direct his next film, and the family is pausing the entire […]
The theme park industry spent years training guests that September and October were worth a visit, and it worked so well that Halloween is now the anchor of the entertainment calendar. In this week's newsletter, we break down what that means for haunts, who's still spending, and why consumer retail is now building product for the semi-pro haunter. In this issue: - Plan Your Season with HAN's 2026 Halloween Haunt & Event Guides - HHN 35 Opens a Portal to Its Own Past With "Sideshow of Decay" - "Stranger Things: Return to Hawkins" Becomes HHN's First Single-Franchise Lagoon Show - Universal Orlando Discontinues Fear With Express Pass Products - HHN in Singapore and Japan - "Blair Witch: No Signal" Mazes Coming to Six Flags - Halloween at Tokyo Disney 2026 - HalloweenCostumes Debuts Its Biggest Animatronics Lineup Ever - Freddy Fazbear Animatronic Comes to Spirit Halloween - Scream 30th Anniversary Reunion at Midsummer Scream - Legendary Haunt Tour 2026 Lineup Read the news here
Universal Orlando has confirmed Dead Coconut Club – Harvest, the 2026 Halloween overlay of Universal CityWalk’s Red Coconut Club, tied to Halloween Horror Nights 35. The venue transforms into an alien-invasion takeover of a fictional Midwest town celebrating its 35th Annual Harvest Festival, and it stays what it has been for four years running: free, […]
Universal Orlando has confirmed two returning street experiences for Halloween Horror Nights 35 this fall: Mel’s Die-In: Zombies and Club Horror, both of which take over sections of the Universal Studios Florida streets between houses. Street experiences are the mid-level programming layer at HHN, staged along the walkways of the New York, San Francisco, and […]
Every major Halloween retailer has now revealed its 2026 animatronics lineup, and this is the largest, wildest, most licensed-IP-heavy class in years. There’s a 14-foot Lord of the Rings Balrog that costs as much as a car, a life-size Freddy Fazbear finally arriving at Spirit Halloween, a 12-foot Home Depot Skelly with app-controlled voice modulation, […]
Universal Halloween Horror Nights Japan is set to debut the event's first-ever rated 18+ haunted house, dubbed 'Afterimage'.
For their 15th annual Halloween Horror Nights, Universal Studios Japan will introduce their most extreme horror experience yet: “Afterimage,” a “hopeless, inescapable” attraction rated for guests 18+ and requiring a waiver. Universal Studios Japan has released new details about the experience. Afterimage at Halloween Horror Nights “Afterimage” is the first house in Halloween Horror Nights ... Read more
Halloween Horror Nights is bringing Fortnite, the most-played console game in the United States, into the physical event. Universal is opening a Fortnitemares scare zone at both of its US Halloween Horror Nights events this fall, tied to Epic Games’ annual in-game Halloween event of the same name. The zone opens August 28 at Universal […]
The short answer: Spirit Halloween’s flagship store opens Saturday, August 1, 2026 in Egg Harbor Township, NJ. General pop-up stores open on a rolling schedule through mid-to-late August, and the full 2026 collection is already previewable on Spirit’s site. Spirit is opening 1,575 stores across the US and Canada this year, a record for the […]
Some of the most beloved original monster mask designs of the ’90s are getting a second life. Trick or Treat […]
Red Coconut Club at Universal CityWalk Orlando will once again become “Dead Coconut Club” during Halloween Horror Nights 2026. This year, the club will be themed to a midwest harvest festival under an alien invasion. Dead Coconut Club – Harvest “Strange lights, unidentified flying objects, and folks acting abnormally…what on earth is happening at Midweston’s ... Read more
It seems every year, Universal Orlando Resort changes Stay & Scream for Halloween Horror Nights as they continue to fine-tune the offering. Here’s everything you need to know about Stay & Scream at Halloween Horror Nights 35. What is Stay & Scream at HHN? Stay & Scream allows eligible guests to remain in Universal Studios ... Read more
Epic’s Fortnite is heading for another crossover, this time with Universal Orlando and Halloween Horror Nights. The title’s annual Fortnitemares Halloween event will be coming to Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando Resort in a new scare zone, kicking off on August 28. For those not in the know, Scare zones are themed, open-air areas […]
Legendary stuntman and actor Dick Warlock has just released his official memoir, The Shape of My Career, a new book
Universal Orlando has revealed the new Fortnitemares scare zone for Halloween Horror Nights 35, marking Fortnite's first appearance at the event and sparking debate among longtime fans.
Drop into FORTNITEMARES, a new scare zone inspired by the Fortnite video game coming to Halloween Horror Nights 35 and Universal Studios Florida. FORTNITEMARES Universal said, “Trudge through this scare zone and brace for the Storm, because there’s no telling what horrors it’ll bring with it.” Other scare zones at HHN will include Infernal Carnival ... Read more
Where we droppin’, y’all? Fortnite is officially headed to Halloween Horror Nights. Universal has announced that Fortnite will make its Halloween Horror Nights debut at both Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood, inspired by Fortnite’s annual Fortnitemares event. Now, Halloween Horror Nights’ fans will have the chance to “drop in” to the world of [...]
Halloween Horror Nights is almost upon us and Universal Orlando Resort Annual Passholders can enjoy exclusive perks during the event, like a free magnet, exclusive menu items, and limited-time discounts. Specialty Magnet Giveaway The next UOAP-exclusive magnet will emerge from the fog starting October 1, 2026. Available while supplies last, Passholders can pick it up ... Read more
Universal has confirmed that Evil Dead Burn Halloween Horror Nights houses are heading to both of its U.S. resorts this fall. The attraction opens August 28 at Universal Orlando Resort and September 3 at Universal Studios Hollywood, running select nights at each park through November 1. It arrives as one of the later houses revealed ... Read more