Multi award-winning artist The Weeknd is teaming up with Universal Studios for a first-of-its-kind collaboration with the theme parks’ annual Halloween Horror Nights fright-fest.
Graphic courtesy of Universal
Using the singer-songwriter’s record-breaking “After Hours” album, both Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Hollywood will create all-new haunted houses based on The Weeknd’s music, which is renowned for its provocative lyrics, innovative sounds, and ominous undertones.
The dark under-current behind his persona will also provide the introduction to the mysterious world of “The Weeknd: After Hours Nightmare,” with select tracks from his 2020 chart-topping album being reimagined as a horror movie soundtrack.
With the eerie sounds reverberating through the houses at both Universal destinations, guests will step into a surreal nightmare populated with grotesque characters, including menacing slashers, bandaged maniacs, gruesome toad-like creatures, and other horrors dredged from The Weeknd’s warped mind.
The Canadian singer-songwriter insisted, “I always wanted my own Halloween Horror Nights haunted house, as Halloween has always been significant to my music. So this is a total dream come to life. I feel like my music videos have served as a launching pad for a collaboration like this, and I cannot wait for people to experience this madness.”
Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights creative team is also excited to be working on this unique creation. John Murdy, executive producer of HHN at Universal Studios Hollywood, said, “We are thrilled to take guests inside the mind of The Weeknd, who is a Halloween Horror Nights fan himself.”
Charles Gray, senior show director for entertainment creative development at Universal Orlando, added, “This is an unprecedented haunted house that is going to shatter the expectations of our guests and immerse them in an unforgettable experience that is equally unexpected and terrifying.”
Other houses already announced for HHN include Universal Monsters: Legends Collide, Horrors of Blumhouse, and the classic Halloween.
Halloween Horror Nights runs on select nights from September 2 at Universal Orlando and September 8 at Universal Hollywood, concluding at both resorts on October 31, 2022.