The music of The Weeknd will be the inspiration behind a Halloween Horror Nights haunted house at Universal Studios this year, the park announced Tuesday.
The Weeknd: After Hours Nightmare is the fourth maze announced for the event, which launches Sept. 2.
“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,” Charles Gray, senior show director for Entertainment Creative Development at Universal Orlando Resort, said in a news release.
“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,” said The Weeknd, whose birth name is Abel Tesfaye. “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!”
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The Canadian singer-songwriter’s current album also is named “After Hours.” It’s his fourth consecutive No. 1 album with hits such as “Too Late,” “Heartless,” “In Your Eyes” and “Blinding Lights,” which is ranked as the #1 Greatest Hot 100 Hit of All Time by Billboard. “Blinding Lights was the first song stay in Billboard’s top 10 singles chart for an entire year, and it was in the Hot 100 for 90 weeks.
Universal described the HHN house as featuring the sounds of “After Hours” and “grotesque characters” inspired by The Weeknd’s music and short films. Also look out for slashers, toad-like creatures and “other unfathomable horrors from the mind of the artist.” A video released teases a selfie queen in a bathroom scene threatened by bloodied and bandaged characters with various sharp objects.
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There will also be a Weeknd house at Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood. Its event debuts Sept. 8.
Orlando’s HHN had previously announced three of its planned 10 haunted houses. They are themed to Universal Classic Monsters, the 1978 horror film “Halloween” and two Blumhouse movies merged into one house. The fright fest also will include five scare zones, which have yet been indentified, and two live shows, which also have not been revealed.
Tickets, including the multinight Frequent Fear passes, are now on sale. Go to halloweenhorrornights.com/orlando.
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