Falcon’s Creative Group, the entertainment design firm, presents Falcon’s Beyond Global, a fully integrated development enterprise for IP-driven parks, resorts, media and merchandise. This new venture brings the proprietary Katmandu and partner IPs to global markets, through theme parks, resorts, feature films and more.
The joint venture with Meliá Hotels International also brings access to prime real estate and a global operating presence in key tourist destinations in 40 countries.
Vertically integrated entertainment enterprise
Falcon’s Beyond Global will be the only vertically integrated entertainment enterprise, bringing story-driven, experiential entertainment to new locations around the globe, potentially transforming the $440 billion hospitality and entertainment category.
It was created this May when Falcon’s Creative Group united with the Katmandu Group. Together with Meliá, which has over 390 properties in 40 countries, Falcon’s Beyond will develop theme park and resort combos at flagship properties around the world.
Falcon’s Beyond can provide simultaneous entertainment IP activation, from streaming media development to theme park site acquisition, and from master planning to brick-and-mortar projects. The group can also provide immersive ride & attraction design, merchandise creation and operate world-class parks & resorts.
One initial focus will be to apply Falcon’s IP Expander model to the evolution of its original Katmandu IP which has already proved successful at the Sol Katmandu Park & Resort in Mallorca, Spain, as well as at many Katmandu-branded kids camps in Meliá’s Sol Hotels. Katmandu is a timeless universe of intertwined tales where visitors can immerse themselves in the adventure.
Now, as well as the addition of new characters, a streaming video series and merchandise, the IP will enjoy a bricks-and-mortar expansion as Falcon’s Beyond works to create a theme park where each attraction is tied to both a central story and the personal, digital guest experience.
Storytelling potential
“Falcon’s Beyond Global represents the ultimate combination of unlimited storytelling potential, agile and flexible real estate scalability, and imaginative expansion into a multitude of categories,” says Cecil D. Magpuri, CEO of Falcon’s Beyond Global and founder of the original Falcon’s Creative Group (pictured, top right).
“We develop inclusive, story-driven experiences that we can bring to market with unprecedented speed, removing all the massive challenges IP franchises and developers face when attempting this feat on their own.”
“We are truly enabling the impossible,” says Scott Demerau, Executive Chairman of Falcon’s Beyond Global and co-founder of Katmandu Group (pictured, top left). “Through our partnership with Meliá, we have created a new playbook for building cost-effective, ‘Big-Experience, Small-Footprint’ theme parks, from beach resort communities to mixed-use entertainment spaces.
“Falcon’s Beyond Global brings a full complement of technology, design, and media expertise to the equation. Together, we are offering something that’s simply never been accessible to companies before. This is a huge benefit to developers, emerging IPs, and even entertainment giants.”
Big experience, small footprint
In 2012, Meliá Hotels and Katmandu Group launched Sol Katmandu Park & Resort in Mallorca as a joint venture. This concept of providing ‘entertainment with rooms’ lead to the attraction being named as the number one hotel in Europe for innovation in service, over 100,000 competitors.
Trivago Global has named the park and resort as the #1 Hotel in Spain for Traveling with Kids, while TripAdvisor named Katmandu Park in the top 3 parks in Spain three years in a row, and as a Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best 2020.
Falcon’s Beyond will elevate this proven model of ‘Big-Experience, Small-Footprint’ theme parks for Katmandu and other IPs around the world. The rights to additional important IPs have already been secured, and Falcon’s Beyond is in discussions with others to deploy complete transmedia expressions.
While a large theme park needs years of planning, as well as billions in investment and complex real estate, planning and infrastructure processes, Falcon’s Beyond offers a new alternative. Its rides and attractions are cutting-edge and story-driven, and its unique technologies mean that it can create mega-park experiences in ‘Big-Experience, Small-Footprint’ parks — which leverage underused land on existing resorts in dense tourist hotspots.
Enhanced experiences
“Meliá is committed to bringing extraordinary experiences to our guests around the world,” says André Gerondeau, Chief Operating Officer of Meliá Hotels International.
“Katmandu-themed parks and resorts will be a vital part of our story moving forward, and we feel this initiative puts us five years ahead of the rest of the hospitality industry in delivering ‘entertainment with rooms.’ Everyone at Meliá is thrilled to be working with the creative minds and experienced development experts at Falcon’s Beyond.”
“Falcon’s Beyond and its unprecedented, imaginative, and already-deployed IP activation model completely shifts the established entertainment industry paradigm,” adds industry leader Ken Faier, founder of Epic Story Media, a full-service, creator-driven kids entertainment company.
“We have seen first-hand what Falcon’s is creating and we are really excited to explore an epic collaboration. There is a big demand for families looking for exciting experiences around great IP.”
Last year, Falcon’s Creative Group designed and implemented a turnkey augmented reality (AR) experience for Brevard Zoo in Melbourne, Florida.
