Halloween Horror Nights 32 (UOR) - Speculation & Rumors

[Disneyson1]

I mean, the musical does well enough just using the half-mask as a merch logo.

I think the only way that Phantom gets a solo house if it is based on the musical... which might sound a little stupid, considering the Universal pedigree of the character, but if you can't use the Lon Chaney makeup then the next most iconic thing would be the musical. The only reason I see this happening is if there's some sort of a Warner Bros./HBO deal this season that is getting them a deal with the movie rights, or else, like, Phantom is planned to come to Epic Universe as a musical and this is a test of the brand.

Both completely unhinged thoughts, though the partnership with WB is very, very strong. Even if the musical acts as *unofficial inspiration* and Universal decides to tiptoe the rights like they have in the past, I can immediately think of tons of moments from the show that would immediately translate to a house: the chandelier complete with opera singer victims, a dark room with stereoscopic sounds where the phantom seems to travel around your head, the journey through the mirror into the misty sewers with rats and living skeletons, dropping corpses, fireball hands, the Masquerade Skull mask, the murdered Piangi, maybe someone appearing as a full-sized Music Box Monkey...

To base the speculation in reality, I could definitely see producers from the show walking through Puppet Theatre and being promised a similar product for their IP. To me it would have more sincere scares than Beetlejuice. Even if people don't know him, I think this is a house that could fill the victorian/gothic/ghost-based horror slot that they seem to fill each year.

 

[HHN Maddux]

We got some bombshells from Legacy on the Discord regarding this tweet:



scareycaroline was talking about if it could mean an IP was lost, to which Legacy responds: 'Unless an original was lost'.

• Me: 'The anchor maybe?'
• Legacy: 'The anchor was never correct.'
• Me: '...it wasn't Devil Dogs was it'
• Legacy: '“Devil dogs” was never entirely accurate either… but yeah… that house may be out'

And then the last bombshell: 'Rumors are a bit chaotic right now. My last three clues may actually all be out now.'

 

[MikePat]

'Rumors are a bit chaotic right now.'

Oh that’s for sure.

 

[Kichkinet85]

So we r back to stage 1.

 

[reeseyNG]

Not to be vague for attention, but I’m real plugged in this year, and I can confirm that rumors are absolutely nuts right now

The next spec map is going to be VERY different

 

[DodgsonHere]

Well at least it’ll be exciting

 

[DonnieBoy]

Chances last of us stays?

 

[Tobias]

Sounds like spec season is back to its glorious chaos right now, par for the course as it's only February.

It should be mentioned time and time again, until something is officially announced by Uni themselves, don't get too attached to any rumored property.

 

[reeseyNG]

Chances last of us stays?

high, probably

 

[Kichkinet85]

Not to be vague for attention

Yet exactly what u r doing

 

[reeseyNG]

Yet exactly what u r doing

Because the attention on a theme park Halloween event board on the internet is what I need to be happy. Sure...

Was just starting my post with that as I know it can be frustrating for mods and users in general when people pretend to be "insiders" or knowledgable just because they want to.

Try again dude

 

[IHateJumpScares]

Not to be vague for attention, but I’m real plugged in this year, and I can confirm that rumors are absolutely nuts right now

The next spec map is going to be VERY different

Chucky was announced so that’s probably still “IN.”

Universal Monsters of some kind and Blumhouse have no rights issues, so they would seem safe as well (although specific properties showcased in each may change from original clues)

That leaves us with originals, “last of us,” and “guitar.”

1. Originals: I have seen enough originals to not really care what they do, they are all so good most of the time. So if originals change from spec map, it’s not really an issue for me. When we lost some kind of slaughter cinema tie in, I lost the only original I was overly geeked for anyway.
2. Last of us: above someone says it’s not dead yet
3. Guitar: we don’t know what this is anyway, so not really a change if it switches.

Unless blumhouse is out completely or totally excluding Megan/insidious? Or a couple fantastic new IPs will push out some of the earlier ones?

Curious what “the next spec map will be very different” is referring to in light of my thoughts above as I reason through the possibilities.

 

[reeseyNG]

Chucky was announced so that’s probably still “IN.”

Universal Monsters of some kind and Blumhouse have no rights issues, so they would seem safe as well (although specific properties showcased in each may change from original clues)

That leaves us with originals, “last of us,” and “guitar.”

1. Originals: I have seen enough originals to not really care what they do, they are all so good most of the time. So if originals change from spec map, it’s not really an issue for me. When we lost some kind of slaughter cinema tie in, I lost the only original I was overly geeked for anyway.
2. Last of us: above someone says it’s not dead yet
3. Guitar: we don’t know what this is anyway, so not really a change if it switches.

Unless blumhouse is out completely or totally excluding Megan/insidious? Or a couple fantastic new IPs will push out some of the earlier ones?

Curious what “the next spec map will be very different” is referring to in light of my thoughts above as I reason through the possibilities.

By my count 3 (4?) things are changing

 

[Crypt Keeper]

Not to be vague for attention, but I’m real plugged in this year, and I can confirm that rumors are absolutely nuts right now

The next spec map is going to be VERY different

People are going to be VERY surprised. If true, the merch and crowds will be INSANE.

 

[Morganxrose]

People are going to be VERY surprised. If true, the merch and crowds will be INSANE.

I have a feeling things may have just gotten very…strange.

 

[Crypt Keeper]

I have a feeling things may have just gotten very…strange.

I see what you did there, but no. lol

 

[Tobias]

People are going to be VERY surprised. If true, the merch and crowds will be INSANE.

Hmm, just wildly thinking here. For me the baseline of insane crowds is Stranger Things (2018), there's not that many properties that I can see being on that level. It has to be a truly major draw, and let's face it...it probably has to be a seemingly unobtainable property if it's going to be a surprise.

 

[Crypt Keeper]

Hmm, just wildly thinking here. For me the baseline of insane crowds is Stranger Things (2018), there's not that many properties that I can see being on that level. It has to be a truly major draw, and let's face it...it probably has to be a seemingly unobtainable property if it's going to be a surprise.

Maybe I'm over-exaggerating a bit, but I expect to see some pretty long lines if the rumors are true.

 

[Kichkinet85]

I expect to see some pretty long lines

That’s normal though now tbh

 

[Robert Bliss]

Anyone else having trouble coming up with what could be bigger than Stranger Things or The Last Of Us currently? I can't think of anything that hasn't already come to HHN. For me it would be John Carpenter's The Thing or a new Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street or Alien house, but I'm depressingly old. We've had Exorcist, Halloween, Shining, etc... Probably something super obvious I'm just not thinking of. Maybe Stephen King related? I'll shut up because I'm just vomiting things people ask about every year, but this one's a stumper.

Also, any word on Chucky being in the role the Pumpkin Lord was in last year? Master of ceremonies or whatever? Or is it pretty much just the house? Just curious since they have a bit more flexibility with Chucky than most IP characters.