Film and TV brands being transformed into location-based entertainment (LBE) is not a new concept in the attractions industry. Universal and Disney have entire theme parks based on their intellectual property (IP), as does Warner Bros. Attractions inspired by Stars Wars, Marvel, Harry Potter, Jurassic Park and The Simpsons can be found far and wide.
Then there’s Japan’s upcoming Ghibli Park, a group of Paramount-branded theme parks in Asia, and Columbia Pictures’ Aquaverse in Thailand. We’re here to discuss the most exciting film and TV-themed LBE projects from the likes of Lionsgate, Netflix and Sony. Read on to discover the more unique movie and television-themed experiences and attractions launching across the globe.
Saw immersive experience
Canadian-American entertainment company Lionsgate is lending its brands to a host of new LBE experiences. Its horror franchises are particularly popular.
There is an official Saw immersive experience opening near the Tower of London in time for Halloween. The narrative-driven theatrical attraction brings to life the Jigsaw killer.
Saw: The Experience is a partnership between Lionsgate, experiential production company the Path Entertainment Group and production company Twisted Pictures. Oren Koules and Mark Burg are Saw producers and the founders of Twisted Pictures. They said fans “can be a part of the story and uncover what Jigsaw’s twisted games have in store for them”.
LBE featuring horror brands
Jenefer Brown is Lionsgate’s EVP and head of global LBE. She said the company is “always working to offer fans exciting and authentic ways to engage with their favourite IP”. She also said the attraction is a “perfect fit, giving fans a role at the centre of the story and combining theatrical elements with Jigsaw’s iconic traps to create the ultimate Saw escape”.
The Saw franchise’s global box office passed $1 billion last year. Thorpe Park is also home to a Saw-themed roller coaster, and Las Vegas features a Saw escape room experience.
It escape room
Warner Bros. licences its Harry Potter brand to myriad LBE attractions worldwide. Now, it is also behind an It-themed escape room experience. Pennywise will be brought to life later this year in Las Vegas, thanks to a collaboration between Warner Bros. Themed Entertainment and Egan Escape Productions.
‘Escape IT’ features two multi-room adventures across more than 30,000 square feet. It is based on the highest-grossing horror film of all time, and its blockbuster sequel, It Chapter Two. Fans of the franchise will find themselves in Derry. Interactive rooms take inspiration from the iconic locations in Andy Muschietti’s adaptation of Stephen King’s original novel. These include the Losers’ Clubhouse, the haunted Neibolt House, and the town’s sewers.
“It is one of our most iconic horror film franchises and we cannot wait for fans to be able to come face-to-face with the infamous Pennywise and the town of Derry in a way they’ve never experienced before,” said Peter van Roden, senior VP of Warner Bros. Themed Entertainment.
Pennywise-branded LBE
“We’re thrilled to work with Egan Escape Productions as they are experts in the space – bringing complexity and attention to every detail to help bring our immersive horror experiences to the next level.”
The experience will feature “more than 20 interactive rooms, state-of-the-art special effects, lighting, animatronics, and live actors”, according to a press release. There will also be an It-themed retail store, with photo opportunities and exclusive merchandise.
Jason Egan is the owner of Egan Escape Productions. He says:
“Having the opportunity to work with one of the most iconic and terrifying characters of all time has been a phenomenal venture. It’s an honor to have Warner Bros. Themed Entertainment trust us with their brand and to bring this beloved franchise to life here in the amazing city.”
Escape Blair Witch
Lionsgate also collaborated with Egan Escape Productions on an LBE escape experience in Las Vegas based on the Blair Witch brand. It is located at the Fright Dome, the same venue that houses the Saw escape room experience.
“Way back in 2009 when we first worked with the Lionsgate team to bring the Saw films to life at our iconic Halloween attraction, Fright Dome, I could only have dreamed to be embarking on so many exciting projects with a world-class team,” said Jason Egan, owner of Egan Escape Productions. “To be able to offer Escape Blair Witch and the Official SAW Escape: Las Vegas all under one roof is truly amazing.”
Thrill-seekers are immersed in the village of Burkittsville, Maryland. Here, they investigate mysterious events and disappearances. Visitors work together to escape various rooms, even trekking through the Black Hills Forest.
“Fans will be able to immerse themselves like never before in the Black Hills Forest from the Blair Witch,” said Lionsgate’s Jenefer Brown. “We are thrilled to partner with Egan Escape Productions again, and by launching Escape Blair Witch alongside the Official Saw Escape, Las Vegas will become the can’t-miss destination for great Lionsgate horror experiences all year round.”
Blair Witch brand becomes LBE
“It’s not just about being an escape room,” Ryan Gallego, director of global live, interactive and LBE for Lionsgate, told blooloop. “And it’s not just about being a horror attraction like you might see in a seasonal space. Instead, we want you to feel like you are part of the film, part of the game, part of the franchise. We’re going to pull out all the stops to allow you to have fun, but also to scare you.”
Lionsgate has produced several blockbuster brands. For instance, The Hunger Games, The Twilight Saga and Rambo, as well as films like Now You See Me. These all feature at the studio’s largest LBE project to date, Lionsgate Entertainment World on Hengqin Island in China.
“We have a saying here at Lionsgate that good IP lives forever,” Brown told Blooloop. “The shared experience and the emotional connection that guests have to live events and location-based entertainment is truly irreplaceable.
Lionsgate coasters
The entertainment studio has coasters, too. Motiongate Dubai’s Lionsgate area has expanded with two new coasters inspired by John Wick and Now You See Me. John Wick: Open Contract is the world’s first coaster based on the Keanu Reeves action thriller film. Now You See Me: High Roller is the fastest single-car spinning roller coaster in the world.
“This exciting expansion makes the Lionsgate Zone at Motiongate Dubai the epicentre of immersive blockbuster thrills in the region,” Brown said. “For the first time ever, it will offer fans the opportunity to experience the poetic action of John Wick and masterful misdirection of Now You See Me through exhilarating coaster experiences.”
Now You See Me LBE
“The heart-pounding thrill of the new world’s-first rides are delightfully counterbalanced by rich storytelling, deeply immersive interior spaces, and vibrant environments,” said Jerry Sabatini, vice president, creative of global live and location-based entertainment at Lionsgate. “In collaboration with our partners at Motiongate Dubai and FORREC, we developed clever ways to weave interconnected storylines in and around a dazzling-built world that is both grandiose in spectacle and intimate in detail.”
Motiongate Dubai, the largest Hollywood-inspired theme park in the Middle East, has four zones – Columbia Pictures, DreamWorks Animation, Smurfs and Lionsgate. These house rides and attractions inspired by movies including Shrek, Madagascar and Ghostbusters.
Chessington’s Jumanji land
Chessington World of Adventures Resort and Sony Pictures recently announced the world’s first Jumanji-branded land. This will open in spring 2023. The £17 million ‘World of Jumanji’ LBE attraction will be “a world-first experience that deep dives into the adventurous, action-packed stories seen in the box office hit Jumanji films”.
Based on Sony Pictures’ $2 billion film franchise, it will be home to a roller coaster that wraps around an enormous ‘Jaguar Shrine’ structure amid overgrown jungles. The original Robin Williams movie premiered in 1995. It was then followed by Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017) and Jumanji: The Next Level (2019).
“What could be more exciting than bringing the global hit Jumanji film franchise to life within the single largest development Chessington has ever seen,” said Tim Harrison-Jones, divisional director at Chessington.
Jumanji brand’s LBE plans
“After being entertained by the films for so many years, fans now have the chance to experience Jumanji in a whole new dimension and we are thrilled to be going on this exciting adventure with the creative team at Chessington as Jumanji further expands with its very own themed land,” added Jeffrey Godsick, EVP of global partnerships and brand management and head of LBE at Sony Pictures.
Merlin Entertainments announced its partnership with Sony Pictures earlier this year. The company plans to add Jumanji-branded rides, lands and hotel rooms to its LBE destinations across the globe.
Jumanji at Gardaland
The Jumanji brand has already been turned into an LBE experience at Gardaland in Italy. Part of the Merlin family, it is the world’s first theme park to boast a Jumanji ride. Jumanji – The Adventure is a family-friendly dark ride where guests encounter pitfalls, surprises and threats in the jungle. Godsick said guests are “transported far beyond their imagination, deep into the jungles of Jumanji”.
Riders find themselves inside the Jumanji game while audio and video effects simulate an off-road experience. Animatronics in the attraction include the head and hand of the ‘Stone Giant’. There is also a huge hippo and supersized spider.
“Gardaland continues on the winning path of licensing agreements with leading global brands,” said Aldo Maria Vigevani, CEO of Gardaland. “Synonymous with adventure, fantasy, fun, action, play and imagination, Jumanji blends seamlessly with Gardaland’s founding values.”
Tim Burton’s Labyrinth
Tim Burton’s Labyrinth is an immersive experience that takes guests through the director’s creative universe. It is located at Espacio Ibercaja Delicias, a performing arts theatre in Madrid, Spain. Each room transports visitors to a unique Burtonesque environment. Guests choose their own path, deciding which doors to open as they go.
“We are excited to announce a brand new immersive exhibition opening in Madrid, Spain this autumn,” says a statement on the website. “Tim Burton Laberinto takes you through a labyrinth of rooms filled with original artworks by Tim Burton, specially created sculptures, animations and more.”
Burton is known for films such as Beetlejuice (1988), Batman (1989), Batman Returns (1992) and Edward Scissorhands (1990). He also directed Ed Wood (1994), Mars Attacks! (1996) Sleepy Hollow (1999), Big Fish (2003) and Alice in Wonderland (2010). The filmmaker’s stop-motion movies include the cult classic The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993). This was followed by 2005’s Corpse Bride and 2012’s Frankenweenie.
Squid Game attraction
Streaming giant Netflix is the provider of several branded LBE experiences. The company has approved an attraction inspired by Squid Game at several Immersive Gamebox venues in the US and UK. Players navigate challenges based on the Korean survival drama TV series. These include ‘Red Light, Green Light’, ‘Marbles’, ‘Dalgona’, ‘Tug of War’, and ‘Glass Bridge’.
“In this 60-minute immersive, digital adventure, grab your friends, put on a visor and prepare for Squid Game,” reads a description on the Immersive Gamebox website. “You will participate as a contender in Squid Game and have to survive all six challenges from the show. Using our 3D motion tracking visors and touch screens around the room, you will need to survive each challenge to advance in the game.”
Will Dean is CEO of Immersive Gamebox. He said (via THR):
“People are constantly seeking new and different ways to remain invested in their favorite content. To reimagine Netflix’s most popular show in an entirely new format offers customers more ways to stay connected to Squid Game.”
Netflix at KidZania
Netflix has also opened the first LBE experience at KidZania in Fukuoka, Japan. This is based on its upcoming animated brand Rilakkuma’s Theme Park Adventure. The Netflix-sponsored edutainment attraction will allow children to experience the career of a stop-motion animator. It will also bring to life characters from the series. Kids will be immersed in the world of Rilakkuma’s Theme Park Adventure.
Masato Shimoi, Netflix’s director of business development for Japan, said visitors will “feel closer to Netflix and have the unique experience of seeing what it’s like to work at a production studio”.
Kids work together in teams to create an original story by putting characters Rilakkuma and Korilakkuma in Nakasugi Land. They produce a short video using the same stop-motion technique used in the new series. Then, their finished videos are shown on a big screen in the theatre room.
Stranger Things LBE
Netflix’s biggest brand, Stranger Things, is inspiring LBE experiences too. After the release of season 4, a new immersive attraction in the ǝpᴉsdn uʍop opened in London. Previously launched in New York and San Francisco, Stranger Things: The Experience brings to life iconic locations in Hawkins. It boasts immersive sets, special effects, a new storyline, photo opportunities, exclusive merchandise and F&B.
Guests meet the Demogorgon at Hawkins Lab. Here, they “volunteer as a test subject and take part in an interactive journey full of strange surprises,” according to the website. After this, visitors head to a 1980s-inspired area called the Mix-Tape, a recreation of the Starcourt Mall. Here, guests can check out the Palace Arcade. They can even get ice cream from Scoops Ahoy or a slice of pizza at Surfer Boy Pizza.
Brand LBE in the ǝpᴉsdn uʍop
Greg Lombardo is head of experiences at Netflix. He says:
“We know our Stranger Things fans will embrace the chance to be the heroes of the story, working alongside Eleven, Mike and the rest of the gang to fight the evil threatening to consume Hawkins. Fans love losing themselves in the world when they watch the show. Now, for the first time, they will be able to live out an episode from the series in real life.”
Last year, Netflix launched its first-ever Stranger Things retail pop-ups in New York City and Los Angeles. These came after Stranger Things: The Drive Into Experience in LA. At the themed retail outlets, shoppers can play games at the Palace Arcade and check out the Starcourt Mall. They can also answer the yellow phone at Joyce’s house and visit the infamous Russian Lab. Guests can even take part in the Snow Ball at Hawkins Middle School.
Prime Video’s The Boys
Meanwhile, Swamp Motel, a creative agency and production house, has joined forces with Prime Video’s The Boys. Together, they developed an “explosive and gory” immersive experience called ‘Get the V’ in London. In celebration of the third season of The Boys launching on Prime Video, a temporary live experience “that might just literally blow your head off” was available in early June.
Only 2,000 tickets were available for ‘Get the V’, which took 45 minutes in total. Visitors helped Butcher and The Boys “infiltrate Vought’s London HQ to smuggle out some Temp V”. Prime Video and Swamp Motel also streamed Get the V live on Prime Video EU Twitch channels.
Game of Thrones sets
Another popular brand to become an LBE experience is the Game of Thrones Studio Tour. This opened earlier this year in Banbridge, Northern Ireland. HBO’s mythical world of Westeros is brought to life through authentic sets, from the Great Hall at Winterfell to Dragonstone’s Throne Room.
“Knowing you are in the very same spot where some of the series’ most memorable moments were filmed is an incredible feeling and we know fans of the franchise will feel the same when they see the rich detail in the sets, costumes and props up close and personal,” said Warner Bros. Themed Entertainment’s Peter van Roden.
Warner Bros. brands LBE
The studio tour includes props, costumes and more behind-the-scenes attractions. There is also a pre-show experience and retail area selling Game of Thrones merchandise. Plus, visitors can enjoy a restaurant, terrace and café area.
The Game of Thrones visitor attraction comes after Warner Bros Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter. In 2023, Warner Bros Studio Tour Tokyo is launching on the grounds of Toshimaen amusement park.
