Celebrate The Lunar New Year With Universal Studios Hollywood!

Universal City, CA, February 4, 2015 —Universal Studios Hollywood^SM continues its annual Lunar New Year tradition with a celebratory “Year of the Ram” event featuring a special Mandarin-speaking MEGATRON character from its blockbuster thrill ride, “Transformers™:  The Ride-3D,” taking place from Friday, February 13 through Saturday, February 28, 2015.

The celebration comes to life within Universal Plaza – a new Art Deco-inspired grand courtyard situated at the heart of the theme park – where guests will be ushered in to celebrate the “Year of the Ram” under a curtain of customary red Chinese lanterns and a stunning all-new Plum Blossom Arch. The polygon-shaped piazza will also display a dozen lampposts each featuring the twelve zodiac animal signs along with three symbolic attributes.

A highlight of the Lunar New Year program will be the Mandarin-speaking MEGATRON, who will engage guests in conversation that is characteristic of his DECEPTICON TRANSFORMER’s persona.  MEGATRON – an ominous 12-foot-tall figure – is one of the stars of Universal Studios Hollywood’s award-winning thrill ride, “Transformers: The Ride-3D” which immerses guests in the 3D-HD action-packed robotic world of the TRANSFORMERS.  In-park signage will notate times for the daily MEGATRON meet and greet.

Favorite Universal characters, including Curious George and Woody and Winnie Woodpecker, will join the celebration dressed in traditional Chinese attire to meet guests and take memorable photos in front of a customary Chinese gong.  Asian-inspired treats along with traditional music, resonating throughout the Plaza, will help in commemorating the festive Lunar New Year.

Year-round, Universal Studios Hollywood’s signature Studio Tour offers guests a revealing look at an authentic movie and television studio in select languages, including Mandarin.  Expertly-trained Mandarin-speaking guides provide insight on the world of movie-making magic as guests enjoy a front row seat and behind-the-scenes access to one of the largest film studios in the world.  The theme park also features Mandarin-speaking associates within select theme park’s retail stores and provides in-language park maps.

Lunar New Year is included in the price of admission to Universal Studios Hollywood.

Share your zodiac animal signs with Universal Studios Hollywood on Instagram and Twitter at @UniStudios and “Like” the Universal Studios Hollywood Facebook page.

Universal Studios Hollywood, The Entertainment Capital of L.A. ^SM, includes a full-day, movie-based theme park and Studio Tour; the CityWalk  entertainment, shopping and dining complex, the Universal CityWalk Cinemas and the “5 Towers” state-of-the-art outdoor concert venue.  World-class rides and attractions include the incredibly popular 3D Ultra-HD adventure, “Despicable Me Minion Mayhem” and immersive “Super Silly Fun Land,” the critically-acclaimed mega-attraction, “Transformers™:  The Ride-3D,” the intense, award-winning ride, “King Kong 360 3-D” on the behind-the-scenes Studio Tour, “Revenge of the Mummy^SM—The Ride” and “Jurassic Park® —The Ride.” As part of its milestone 50th anniversary celebration in 2015, Universal Studios Hollywood will debut a slate of dynamic new attractions including the electrifying 3D-HD thrill ride, “Fast & Furious—Supercharged” as the grand finale to the famed Studio Tour, “Springfield,” hometown of America’s favorite TV family, adjacent to the award-winning “The Simpsons Ride™” and the “Nighttime Studio Tour,” offering evening tours of the iconic movie backlot.

VIDEO: ‘Fast & Furious – Supercharged’ Commercial Has Sped To The Super Bowl! Check It Out!

The “Fast & Furious – Supercharged” ride has finally sped your way in an amazing Super Bowl pre-game ad today, February 1st! With amazing footage from the Fast & Furious film and fantastic sequences of the ride itself, you’re bound to make plans in the summer of 2015 to visit Universal Studios Hollywood to check it out!

According to Universal Studios Hollywood, “Fast & Furious—Supercharged” reunites stars from the Fast & Furious film series in a magnificent attract that can only be experienced at Universal Studios! The newest film features Vin Diesel (Dominic “Dom” Toretto), Michelle Rodriguez (Letty Ortiz), Dwayne Johnson (Luke Hobbs), Tyrese Gibson (Roman Pearce) and Luke Evans (Owen Shaw)! The ride “will catapult guests into the high-stakes underground world of fast cars in a harrowing escapade to save one of their own from an international crime cartel.”

Did you miss this thrilling, speedtastic ad during the pre-game? No problem! Ready, steady, go to the video below and check it out for yourself cause this is a thrill you don’t want to miss!

 

An Exclusive ‘Fast & Furious’ Ad Will Preview During Super Bowl Pre-Game!

Universal Studios Hollywood^SM shifts into high gear with the debut of an innovative, national 30-second commercial for its summer 2015 launch of the “Fast & Furious—Supercharged” thrill ride during NBC’s Super Bowl Pre-Game coverage on Sunday, February 1, 2015.

The gripping spot will jump-start Universal Studios Hollywood’s campaign for the eagerly-anticipated opening of “Fast & Furious—Supercharged,” a high-octane, adrenaline-fueled thrill ride and new grand finale to the world-famous Studio Tour.

“What better place is there than the Super Bowl to launch a campaign where millions of viewers huddle for non-stop, edge-of-your-seat suspense,” said Larry Kurzweil, President, Universal Studios Hollywood.  “In just 30, thrilling seconds, our compelling spot resonates with the exhilaration this immersive thrill ride will deliver when it opens at Universal Studios Hollywood this summer.”

“Fast & Furious—Supercharged” will reunite stars from the Fast & Furious series in a groundbreaking mega-attraction, conceived as a new installment to the dynamic film franchise that can only be experienced at The Entertainment Capital of L.A.  Featuring Vin Diesel (Dominic “Dom” Toretto), Michelle Rodriguez (Letty Ortiz), Dwayne Johnson (Luke Hobbs), Tyrese Gibson (Roman Pearce) and Luke Evans (Owen Shaw), “Fast & Furious—Supercharged” will catapult guests into the high-stakes underground world of fast cars in a harrowing escapade to save one of their own from an international crime cartel.

The dynamic hydraulic motion-based ride will tell an original Fast & Furious story that fuses sophisticated hyper-realistic special effects with a state-of-the-art 3D audio system and 3D-HD imagery, projected onto the world’s longest and most expansive 360-degree screen.  Spanning nearly 400 feet in length to encircle Studio Tour guests within a newly constructed 65,000-square-foot structure on the legendary backlot, the sprawling custom-built screen will employ 34, 4K projectors and a sophisticated projection configuration system to fully envelope guests in unprecedented realism.

Coupled with an intense blend of thrilling visceral effects, “Fast & Furious—Supercharged” will take guests on a wild ride that begins the moment they board the Studio Tour.  Exclusive interstitial content, filmed with the cast members, will be featured on the tram monitors highlighting interactions as they engage guests en route to the ride’s climatic scenes.  Along the tram route and featured at the ride, sightings of numerous prop cars from the Fast & Furious series, including Dom’s iconic Dodge Charger, will enhance the story.

The adventure will culminate with spectacular action sequences that send guests careening through the streets of Los Angeles—at perceived speeds in excess of 120 miles per hour—aided by the elite team of unforgettable heroes.

Please click here to see Universal Studios Hollywood’s “Fast & Furious—Supercharged” Super Bowl commercial which will be accessible in conjunction with the spot’s national airing.  Join the conversation online using #FastFuriousRide, and for all the latest news, ‘Like’ us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram and Twitter at @UniStudios.

Universal Studios Hollywood, The Entertainment Capital of L.A.^SM, includes a full-day, movie-based theme park and Studio Tour; the CityWalk entertainment, shopping and dining complex, the Universal CityWalk Cinemas and the “5 Towers” state-of-the-art outdoor concert venue.  World-class rides and attractions include the incredibly popular 3D Ultra-HD adventure, “Despicable Me Minion Mayhem” and immersive “Super Silly Fun Land,” the critically-acclaimed mega-attraction, “Transformers™:  The Ride-3D,” the intense, award-winning ride, “King Kong 360 3-D” on the behind-the-scenes Studio Tour, “Revenge of the Mummy^SM—The Ride” and “Jurassic Park® —The Ride.” As part of its milestone 50^th anniversary celebration in 2015, Universal Studios Hollywood will debut a slate of dynamic new attractions, including the electrifying 3D-HD thrill ride, “Fast & Furious—Supercharged” as the grand finale to the famed Studio Tour, “Springfield,” hometown of America’s favorite TV family, adjacent to the award-winning “The Simpsons Ride^TM” and the “Nighttime Studio Tour,” offering evening tours of the iconic movie backlot.

Universal Studios Hollywood Announces 2014 “Eyegore Award” Recipients

Universal Studios Hollywood sets the stage for the eagerly-awaited arrival of Halloween Horror Nights on Friday, September 19, with the annual “Eyegore Awards,” honoring influential entertainment professionals for bringing the horror genre to life within the movie, television and music industries. And, for the first time ever, Universal Studios Hollywood is offering 500 Halloween Horror Nights fans a chance to attend the coveted “Eyegore Awards,” which will feature a roster of today’s leading Hollywood horror icons.

The 2014 “Eyegore Award” recipients include multiple Emmy® Award-winning filmmaker and Special Effects Make-Up Supervisor Greg Nicotero (“The Walking Dead,” “Galyntine,” “ Sin City:  A Dame to Kill For,” “Breaking Bad,” “Pain & Gain,” “Django Unchained,” “Predators,” “The Chronicles of Narnia,” “Piranha 3D”), with the award presented by Chris Hardwick, comedian and host of AMC’s “Talking Dead” and Robert Kirkman, Creator and Executive Producer of “The Walking Dead” and “Outcast.”

Immediately following the “Eyegore Awards” presentation, SLASH, who composed an original score for the “Clowns 3D Music by SLASH” maze, will be joined by Myles Kennedy, to perform the title song from “Nothing Left to Fear,” the first-ever motion picture he co-produced from Slasher Films, his film/TV production company.

McKenzie Westmore, host of Syfy’s hit TV series, “Face Off,” will serve as the event’s emcee, as she joins Universal Studios Hollywood in celebrating the “Eyegore Awards” for a third consecutive year.

Add-on tickets to attend the “Eyegore Awards” will be made available to the first 500 Halloween Horror Nights fans who purchase online at http://halloweenhorrornights.com/hollywood/2014/eyegore_awards.php.  The special commemorative add-on ticket will also include a one-time front-of-line access to the “Terror Tram.”  Attendees must also purchase separate admission tickets to the Halloween Horror Nights event on Friday, September 19 at www.HalloweenHorrorNights.com/hollywood.

Halloween Horror Nights 2014 at Universal Studios Hollywood will be “More Dead Than Ever” as it brings together the sickest minds in horror to immerse guests in the living, breathing, three-dimensional world of the most notorious and terrifying creatures ever.

Grammy Award Winner Slash Composes First-Ever Original Score For Halloween Horror Nights

Celebrated Grammy® Award-winning musician, SLASH, hailed as one of the 10 best electric guitar players of all time by Time magazine, is joining forces with Universal Studios Hollywood to compose an original score for the theme park’s hypnotizing new 3D maze, “Clowns 3D Music by SLASH” at “Halloween Horror Nights,” beginning Friday, September 19, 2014.

While partnering with top recording artists has become a signature of “Halloween Horror Nights,” this collaboration with prolific guitarist, SLASH, marks the first time a musician has created an original maze score for the popular event.  This inspired effort comes at a demanding time for SLASH, whose new album “World on Fire” debuts on September 16, 2014, on the heels of his “Let Rock Rule” World Tour performing with Aerosmith.

Infused with the rocker’s hell-raising electric guitar riffs, the ominous new “Clowns 3D Music by SLASH” haunted attraction is no laughing matter as it unmasks the psychological disorder known as Coulrophobia, a disturbing condition affecting those with an extreme and irrational fear of clowns.

The psychedelic 3D maze will horrify guests, taunting and tempting them with terror and treats as they parade through “Sweet Licks Frozen Clown Pops Family Amusement Center,” a dilapidated roadside attraction and one-time thriving ice cream factory run by deranged siblings and their mad clown father, Sweet Licks. As this demented trio schemes to restore the family business by luring visitors with free ice cream, guests will soon find themselves on the menu as the key ingredient of a sick new high-protein ice cream concoction.

“I’m a HUGE fan of ‘Halloween Horror Nights’ and was inspired to partner with Universal Studios Hollywood because they are the founders of creating extreme horror,” said SLASH.  “I’ve been composing music for as long as I can remember and jumped at the chance to be an integral part of this year’s event and create the original score for this creepy clown maze.  I can’t wait to see the fans’ reactions and will be first in line to experience the maze myself.”

“Clowns 3D Music by SLASH” completes the lineup for HHN 2014, which includes:

• “The Walking Dead:  The End of the Line,” based on AMC’s critically-acclaimed, Golden Globe®-nominated and Emmy® Award-winning television series
• “From Dusk Till Dawn,” inspired by Robert Rodriguez’s cult film and El Rey network’s TV series
• “Dracula Untold: Reign of Blood,” based on Universal Pictures’ upcoming epic action-adventure
• “AVP:  Alien vs. Predator,” based on the Twentieth Century Fox film franchise
• “An American Werewolf in London,” based Universal Pictures’ Academy Award®-winning and genre-defining film, written and directed by John Landis
• “Face Off:  In the Flesh,” based on Syfy’s hit TV series
• “The Purge: Anarchy,” a new scare zone inspired by Universal Pictures’ blockbuster thriller

HHN is set to open this fall. 

Harry Potter Cast Reunites For Diagon Alley VIP Premiere!

 

The big day is album here! On July 8th, the Diagon Alley section of Universal Studios Orlando’s Wizarding World Of Harry Potter theme part is set to open to the public!

Yesterday, someone of the wonderful cast members of the film got to experience a VIP premiere of Diagon Alley early! Cast members including some of your Harry Potter favorites such as Tom Felton, Helena Bonham Carter, and more had a wonderful time enjoying the new section and festivities. They even took time to snap photos on the red carpet all while catching up with one another.

Check out more photos of the HP cast in Diagon Alley here! http://www.eonline.com/photos/12819/harry-potter-reunion-at-the-vip-preview-of-diagon-alley-at-the-wizarding-world-of-harry-potter/391959 Who is your favorite Harry Potter character? Let us know in the comment box below!

 

Austin Mahone Is All Smiles, Winks, + Hugs On ‘EXTRA’ Set — Check Out The Adorable Pics!

Austin Mahone smiles a lot — and for good reason! He’s talented, successful, handsome, and has some of the best fans around! So it was no surprise when that awesome smile was out in full force when he stopped by the set of EXTRA at Universal Studios in Universal City, CA early on Monday morning (April 28) to promote safe teen driving for the Allstate Foundation’s #GetThereSafe program, and was greeted not only by host Mario Lopez but a ton of his much-loved Mahomies.

Austin handed out hugs to fans and hammed it up for the cameras who snapped away, looking cool in the Publish ‘Alberta Feather Print’ t-shirt (available here), black leather pants, and the truly wild Snakeskin-Print Leather High-Top Sneakers from Giuseppe Zanotti (available here). He topped the look off with a navy beanie, a simple gold chain, and silver link bracelet.

Check out the adorable pics in the gallery below now:

Ian Somerhalder Shows Love To His Fans At ‘Extra’ Taping In LA

Ian Somerhalder is always so gracious to his fans. The Vampire Diaries star made an appearance on the TV show Extra today which films at Universal Studios/Universal City Walk in Los Angeles, California. Ian took time to sign autographs and take photos with the fans who were waiting for him. Check out the video clip of Ian below!

Miranda Cosgrove Helps Open ‘Despicable Me’ Minion Mayhem Ride At Universal — See The Cute Pics!

Miranda Cosgrove, who voiced the character Margo in both Despicable Me films, was on hand to help open the film’s New 3D Ultra HD digital Animation Adventure ‘Minion Mayhem’ ride at Universal Studios Hollywood in Universal City, CA on Friday (April 11)!

She wasn’t the only star of the film there, either – she posed with Gru, Margo, Edith, and Agnes on the custom Minion-yellow carpet – and later joined Mario Lopez on stage, too, for the official of Universal’s newest attraction.

Miranda was looking fresh and flirty in a white knit top with half-sleeves and abstract-print shorts with woven platform wedge sandals — super cute!

Check out all the pics of Miranda’s fun day out at Universal in the gallery below now:

Cody Simpson’s Single “Surfboard” Is Available For Pre-Order On iTunes

Cody Simpson has been hard at work in and out of the studio, and his latest single to hit the airways “Surfboard” has already created a buzz throughout social media. The original price was $1.29, but Cody tweeted – “all of the $1.29 pre-orders have been refunded. #SURFBOARD is now available for .69 cents until Tuesday”.

Although Cody has been preparing for a performance at Universal Studios in Orlando, FL; its nice to see that he’s thinking about his fans, and doing what he can to help us save a few “dollars”.

Cody’s new track “Surfboard” comes out on Tuesday, March 18th, be sure to pick up a copy on iTunes.

I need all of my incredible fans to go back on @itunes and pre-order #SURFBOARD again at the new .69 cent price! https://t.co/K7sUaBqfD4

— Cody Simpson (@CodySimpson) March 13, 2014