Universal Epic Universe (South Expansion Complex) - Now Open!

[lazyboy97o]

Didn't the Great Movie Ride have an Oz segment?

Storybook Land Canal Boats at Disneyland Paris also had an Emerald City vignette until its recent removal.

I think Oz/Wicked may end up as a land in the new UK park. Possibly where the big green coaster is in the concept art. And they can't use Potter to sell $$$ interactive wands, so...

Don’t get too hopeful. They’re trying not to spend a lot right now.

 

[networkpro]

Storybook Land Canal Boats at Disneyland Paris also had an Emerald City vignette until its recent removal.


Don’t get too hopeful. They’re trying not to spend a lot right now.

You know if you flip the Bull's logo 180 degrees on its x axis, you get a much different picture.

 

[MrPromey]

Sounds like the same thought after Avatar made so much money...

Is it?

Avatar already had multiple sequels with contracts signed.

After the second half of this movie comes out this year, does this?

I mean, I like Universal and all but I think they are worse than Disney when it comes to the IP mandate which is why I'd be skeptical of them investing in anything intended to last more than a decade that wasn't part of a "franchise".

 

[MrPromey]

It is already a part of pop culture...that is baked in. Wicked opened on Broadway in 2003. It can definitely support an attraction if they continue down the IP route. Can it support its own land/portal? I dunno...Isle of Berk can...

And Burk has a half a dozen animated movies behind it, a live action that is out now and presumably plans for a number of follow-up live action with the same version of these characters.

Will Wicked have the same?

That's not a rhetorical question, btw - does anyone here know if they have plans beyond this first/second half movie pair to keep pushing this on as a franchise?

 

[JT3000]

And Burk has a half a dozen animated movies behind it, a live action that is out now and presumably plans for a number of follow-up live action with the same version of these characters.

Will Wicked have the same?

That's not a rhetorical question, btw - does anyone here know if they have plans beyond this first/second half movie pair to keep pushing this on as a franchise?

If the story is complete, does it need any more chapters? This sounds like we're asking for continuation just for continuation's sake, which can hurt a franchise just as easily as it can produce longevity.

Speaking of franchises, Wicked is just a spin-off of Wizard of Oz, a franchise that's been embedded in American pop culture for over a century. Perhaps they would be better off doing a general Oz theme for a land, although that might require securing the rights to the original film likenesses, as that's the version everyone knows. Either way it has legs.

 

[Rich Brownn]

And Burk has a half a dozen animated movies behind it, a live action that is out now and presumably plans for a number of follow-up live action with the same version of these characters.

Will Wicked have the same?

That's not a rhetorical question, btw - does anyone here know if they have plans beyond this first/second half movie pair to keep pushing this on as a franchise?

Yes, the authors of the musical have expressed they hope to do additional projects in the same universe.

 

[lazyboy97o]

If the story is complete, does it need any more chapters? This sounds like we're asking for continuation just for continuation's sake, which can hurt a franchise just as easily as it can produce longevity.

Wicked is the first of four alternate Oz books written by Gregory Maguire.

 

[JT3000]

Wicked is the first of four alternate Oz books written by Gregory Maguire.

So do they plan to continue with the stories in the other books? Because the movie is an adaptation of the musical, which in turn is apparently based only on the first of these books.

 

[MrPromey]

If the story is complete, does it need any more chapters? This sounds like we're asking for continuation just for continuation's sake, which can hurt a franchise just as easily as it can produce longevity.

Speaking of franchises, Wicked is just a spin-off of Wizard of Oz, a franchise that's been embedded in American pop culture for over a century. Perhaps they would be better off doing a general Oz theme for a land, although that might require securing the rights to the original film likenesses, as that's the version everyone knows. Either way it has legs.

I'm not asking them to run anything into the ground but that's what studios do today if they think there's a penny to be made and I don't think Universal is going to build a "permanent" theme park attraction for a popular Broadway musical no matter how much the niche audience of people who both have the means and access to experiencing them and also love them might want.

I say that as someone who very much enjoys the touring version of shows like this.

This will live or die with Universal on the popularity of the movie IP and if the height of that ends this coming winter, I just don't see it happening.

I mean, look at Harry Potter. They ran out of original story for the original characters and now it's all "The world of..." because they need to do everything they can to keep the movie IP current to try to keep their investments paying off.

 

[MrPromey]

Yes, the authors of the musical have expressed they hope to do additional projects in the same universe.

Then that's how they'll keep it going and how it might be possible to see Universal invest in more permanent attractions, I think.

I know there is more to the "The Wicked Years" series that is the source the musical is based on but you hardly ever hear anyone talking about the books - or at least I never do - so it makes me a little uneasy letting Hollywood churn out new songs the way they do, to adapt more books as a venture gone down not because it's a good idea* but because it might be a lucrative one... but that'll of course, be what they do.



*And it may also be a good idea but we know from movie sequels, they don't really care if it is or isn't when they decide to do that.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I know there is more to the "The Wicked Years" series that is the source the musical is based on but you hardly ever hear anyone talking about the books - or at least I never do

My local Barnes & Noble still has a small aisle table dedicated to Wicked with the novels and other merchandise. Unless they’ve reversed themselves, a few years ago Barnes & Noble handed a lot of power to their store managers to determine what each store sells and stopped doing things like forced, company-wide promotions paid by publishers. Even if Universal was paying, it seems odd that they’d keep it up during this lull between the movies.

 

[MrPromey]

My local Barnes & Noble still has a small aisle table dedicated to Wicked with the novels and other merchandise. Unless they’ve reversed themselves, a few years ago Barnes & Noble handed a lot of power to their store managers to determine what each store sells and stopped doing things like forced, company-wide promotions paid by publishers. Even if Universal was paying, it seems odd that they’d keep it up during this lull between the movies.

I don't think Universal even has anything to do with the books, do they?

Besides paying out royalties to someone?

It seems like if anything, the publisher would maybe be trying to ride the popularity of the movies to promote the books considering that the movies are only indirectly sourced from the books to begin with.

... and I'm not saying that's what's happening here (anyone paying). Certainly not denying the manager of your B&N might be a big fan of the books or feel that there is an audience that's eager start reading them.

 

[Rich Brownn]

Then that's how they'll keep it going and how it might be possible to see Universal invest in more permanent attractions, I think.

I know there is more to the "The Wicked Years" series that is the source the musical is based on but you hardly ever hear anyone talking about the books - or at least I never do - so it makes me a little uneasy letting Hollywood churn out new songs the way they do, to adapt more books as a venture gone down not because it's a good idea* but because it might be a lucrative one... but that'll of course, be what they do.



*And it may also be a good idea but we know from movie sequels, they don't really care if it is or isn't when they decide to do that.

Considering he musical is very loosely based on the books, I imagine they'll pick and choose just pieces to build a new story on (Glinda and Elphaba's friendship is like 2 chapters in the book).

 

[MrPromey]

Considering he musical is very loosely based on the books, I imagine they'll pick and choose just pieces to build a new story on (Glinda and Elphaba's friendship is like 2 chapters in the book).

I admit I've not read the books (or been able to see the Broadway version of the musical*) so I'll take your word as a subject matter expert, here.

*Don't keep an eye on tour dates so by the time I realize it's heading to town it's always sold out unless paying crazy prices in the aftermarket.

 

[Gusey]

I think what Wicked has going for it compared to other movie musicals is the sets being very fantastical and mostly practical. That way, if they built a Wicked land, there is already a visual representation of the Oz settings. Compared to the Japan Wicked land, which was largely flat and based on the limited sets of a theater show.

Also, Mark Woodbury back in February said that when he saw Wicked, he thought "This is a theme park waiting to happen". They're at least floating the idea around of Wicked attractions at one Universal Park, it just might not be Epic (My bet is Lost Continent replacement to keep the literature theme of the park)

Universal keeps teasing Wicked attractions

 

[JT3000]

I'm not asking them to run anything into the ground but that's what studios do today if they think there's a penny to be made and I don't think Universal is going to build a "permanent" theme park attraction for a popular Broadway musical....

They already did, in Japan. A Cliff's Notes version of Wicked. It ended up only lasting a few years, but they did it. They also have experience adapting other musicals for a theme park environment. An entire land might be a bit of a stretch, but they'll do anything if they can be convinced of its profitability.

 

[MrPromey]

They already did, in Japan. A Cliff's Notes version of Wicked. It ended up only lasting a few years, but they did it. They also have experience adapting other musicals for a theme park environment. An entire land might be a bit of a stretch, but they'll do anything if they can be convinced of its profitability.

A stage show that ran for 5 years is not what I'd call permanent. If anything, that's what I'd expect them to do here.

If it doesn't need to be indoors. they already have three unused open-air theaters on property ready for a makeover.

 

[Tom Morrow]

Getting reports of LOTS of effects broken on most of the rides. Monsters, for instance, running with no pre-show and half the animatronics frozen.

There is one thing I firmly believe Universal has been doing better than Disney since Potter, and that is keeping the effects on their attractions working. So to hear reports of lots of effects broken on almost every ride at Epic is... concerning.

 

[JT3000]

A stage show that ran for 5 years is not what I'd call permanent. If anything, that's what I'd expect them to do here.

If it doesn't need to be indoors. they already have three unused open-air theaters on property ready for a makeover.

Nothing is actually permanent in a theme park, and many hypothetically "permanent" attractions don't last as long as others. Just ask the creators of Superstar Limo, another "permanent" attraction.

None of the currently unused theaters would be appropriate for a Wicked show, unless they retheme all of Lost Continent in the process.

 

[MrPromey]

Nothing is actually permanent in a theme park, and many hypothetically "permanent" attractions don't last as long as others. Just ask the creators of Superstar Limo, another "permanent" attraction.

None of the currently unused theaters would be appropriate for a Wicked show, unless they retheme all of Lost Continent in the process.

Seriously?

You're really going to go this way with it and pretend like you don't know what I mean?

Fine, we'll say "semi-permanent' or perhaps "long-term" by which I mean, intended to not be temporary or short-lived.

I would call a takeover of the Hello Kitty store and a green paint-job that can be changed to any other color in a day or two to likely not be a semi-permanent/long-term change, for instance - sort of like all the popup tribute stores they do.

I could see that going back to Hello Kitty or being redone for the next big thing Universal wants to promote in late 2026 or early 2027 after the second half has gone through theatrical and home releases.

Or are you saying the show in Japan was intended to be there longer but was a flop which is why it only made it five years?

The Lost Continent theater is right on the edge of that Island, they'd hardly have to retheme everything to make it work.

It would seem a pretty stupid move both in cost and land to build a fourth theater when they already have three unused.