Late night haunts
Universal to present Jimmy Fallon-themed maze in NYC
In the old days, before TV content was available on demand or devices such as DVRs and VCRs made time shifting possible, folks used to watch the “Tonight Show” in real time before they nodded off to sleep–and hopefully experienced sweet dreams. This era’s host of the long-running late night program, however, wants to induce nightmares. And he’s enlisted the help of the horrormeisters at Universal to pour on the terror.
Jimmy Fallon’s Tonightmares, a haunted maze for the fall Halloween season, will be setting up shop at Rockefeller Center, home of the “Tonight Show” studio. The fun will begin September 20 and continue on select nights through October 31. According to NBCUniversal, the maze will include ten rooms, each of which will reflect things that terrify the comedian. The list includes killer scarecrows, zombies, and, for some reason, an abandoned gas station. (Might he be scared of who or what might be lurking there, or is he simply afraid of running out of gas in the middle of nowhere?) There will also be werewolves, mad scientists, and AI robots run amok. The company says the experience should take about ten minutes to complete.
The maze is being developed by the same Universal Creative team that crafts the haunted houses and scare zones for Halloween Horror Nights at the Universal parks. Fallon and his staff are collaborating on the project as well. It’s almost a lock that the New York maze will feature the same production values and immersive creepiness that have helped make the annual park events the best and most popular in the industry. I’m guessing that it will be loaded with scareactors, cleverly designed sets, copious theatrical fog, effects, an ominous soundscape, jump scares, and other elements designed to simultaneously entertain and keep guests off-kilter and primed to be freaked out.
I’d also imagine that the maze will include at least some of Fallon’s trademark humor. Universal often offers comedy-infused haunted houses and scare zones at its HHN events. A few years ago, it presented a wildly funny magic-themed house featuring Penn and Teller for example. It can be challenging to get the proper mix of comedy and horror so that neither suffers. It’s natural for folks snaking through a haunted house to let out a nervous laugh after an axe-wielding fiend lunges at them out of the darkness. Funny moments, therefore, can provide welcome comedic relief if done correctly.
The “Tonight Show” host has a history with Universal parks. The motion simulator attraction, Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon, is in the New York section of Universal Studios Florida. The queue for the ride takes guests through a convincing mock-up of the 30 Rock building. Fallon has also taken his show on the road to Universal Orlando for week-long residencies.
Universal has been leveraging its Halloween Horror Nights brand. In addition to the two stateside events at Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Florida, visitors at its parks in Singapore and Japan can also scream like ninnies at HHN each fall. The company is currently developing a year-round horror experience as part of the AREA15 entertainment district in Las Vegas as well.
Tickets for Jimmy Fallon’s Tonightmares go on sale August 22 and start at $36.90
Would you want to check out Jimmy Fallon’s Tonightmares? Do you think Universal should extend its HHN brand and develop more standalone haunts?