Michael Myers and the 'Halloween' Film Franchise Will Add Cutting Edge to Universal Studios Hollywood's(SM) All-New 'Halloween Horror Nights'

Michael Myers and the 'Halloween' Film Franchise Will Add Cutting Edge to Universal Studios Hollywood's(SM) All-New 'Halloween Horror Nights'

'Halloween: The Life and Crimes of Michael Myers(SM)' To Be Featured At This Year's 'Halloween Horror Nights' Event, Beginning October 2

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., Aug. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Studios Hollywood's(SM) "Halloween Horror Nights," beginning a 16-night run on October 2, will present an all-new "live" attraction based on the classic horror/slasher film franchise, "Halloween," and the film series' murderous antagonist, Michael Myers, per an agreement reached between the theme park and Compass International Pictures.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090817/LA61957)

"Halloween: The Life and Crimes of Michael Myers," an interactive horror walk-through experience, will be the first attraction based upon the "Halloween" films to be created by a U.S. theme park. A replica of Michel Myers' house will be constructed for the attraction and his most memorable atrocities will be brought to life.

Larry Kurzweil, President and Chief Operating Officer, Universal Studios Hollywood, said: "The addition of the classic 'Halloween' film franchise to this year's Halloween Horror Nights event underscores our intent to break new creative ground with outstanding horror icons and raise the intensity level of our Halloween experience. This year's Halloween Horror Nights will be the most impactful live horror event ever to be presented in a theme park environment."

Malek Akkad, President of Trancas International Films, and producer of the new "Halloween II," due in theaters August 28th, said: "We are thrilled to bring the classic Halloween icon, Michael Myers, to Universal's Halloween Horror Nights this year. It will be a great treat for fans to experience 'Halloween' in the haunted house setting that Universal does best."

The masked figure of Michael Myers is well-known to horror audiences as the archetypical slasher, a maniacal and relentless killer. By the time of Halloween Horror Night's 2009 opening, the infamous character will have appeared in nine films, beginning with John Carpenter's 1978 "Halloween," and continuing through the new "Halloween II," written and directed by Rob Zombie. The film has additionally been a central figure in novels, in the video gaming world and in comic books.

Also new to this year's "Halloween Horror Nights" is a "live" maze experience based on the "Saw" film franchise, per an agreement among Universal Studios Theme Parks, Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures. Characters, themes and live action recreations of the infamous "traps" from the entire "Saw" horror franchise will be featured in the experience, in multiple "scare zones" and aboard the park's signature "Terror Tram."

Halloween Horror Nights will also feature the "Rocky Horror Picture Show: A Tribute" per an agreement between the theme park and Twentieth Century Fox's Licensing & Merchandising Division. The tribute will bring 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.

This year's "Halloween Horror Nights" event will feature four all-new mazes as well as terrifying new "Scare Zones."

Updates on "Halloween Horror Nights" are available at www.HalloweenHorrorNights.com/Hollywood and on Twitter, where 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, The Entertainment Capital of L.A., includes a full-day, movie-based theme park and Studio Tour; the CityWalk entertainment, shopping and dining complex; the Universal CityWalk Cinemas; and the Gibson Amphitheatre concert and special event venue. The theme park features such groundbreaking attractions as "The Simpsons Ride ," "Revenge of the Mummy - The Ride," "Shrek 4-D(TM)," "Jurassic Park - The Ride," and the world-renowned Studio Tour, which takes guests behind-the-scenes of such landmark TV and movie locations as Steven Spielberg's "War of the Worlds." More information please visit: www.UniversalStudiosHollywood.com.

online, Trana Pittam, +1-818-622-5985, trana.pittam@nbcuni.com, all of
Universal Studios Hollywood
First Call Analyst:
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Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090817/LA61957
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Source: Universal Studios Hollywood

CONTACT: Eliot Sekuler, +1-818-622-6896, eliot.sekuler@nbcuni.com, or
domestic, Audrey Eig, +1-818-622-2962, audrey.eig@nbcuni.com, or int'l

Web Site: http://www.universalstudioshollywood.com/
http://www.halloweenhorrornights.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment