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Universal Studios Hollywood never sleeps. It’s not even summer yet, the theme park’s Fan Fest Nights—an immersive after-hours event introduced last year that prioritizes fandom over frights—only wrapped up last Sunday, and already preparations are underway for Halloween Horror Nights.
On Thursday, the amusement park announced the theme of the first haunted house from this year’s upcoming event: Sinners. Fans will be invited into the Ryan Coogler–helmed blockbuster’s world of blues and vampires beginning this September.
The commercial and critical favorite from 2025 is a natural fit for Horror Nights. Guests will be transported back to Club Juke in 1930s Mississippi and have to survive the night while dodging vampires Remmick, Bert and Joan—as well as the warring Smoke and Stack. The Warner Bros. film won four Oscars this year—for screenplay, best actor, cinematography and original score—so I can’t wait to be immersed in the blues soundtrack (with the sound of screams in the background).
“Partnering with Halloween Horror Nights gives fans the chance to step even deeper into the world of the film—to feel the music, the atmosphere and the tension all around them. Watching it come to life on this scale has been really special for all of us,” Coogler and fellow Sinners producers Zinzi Coogler and Sev Ohanian said in a joint statement.
Following this first announcement, we can expect a steady stream of them throughout the summer, leading up to the start of Horror Nights. Last year’s event saw fresh haunted houses based on franchises including Fallout, Five Nights at Freddy’s and Terrifier, as well as throwbacks like Poltergeist and Jason Universe, based on Friday the 13th—which was the scariest but also the most fun, in my opinion.
Before Horror Nights season, though, there’s still all of summer to look forward to, and with it the debut of the eagerly anticipated Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift—the park’s first high-speed outdoor coaster. Construction on the ride has been in progress for the past three years—the track literally passes over the escalators you take to the lower lot—building visitors’ excitement for the ride. The exact opening date is yet TBA, though we do know that select ticketholders—those with day/night tickets, after 2pm day/night tickets, Universal Express tickets and R.I.P. Tour tickets—will be able to ride the coaster during Horror Nights.
Tickets for the Halloween time attraction—which opens September 3 and runs select nights through November 1—are already on sale. General admission costs $77 to $107, depending on the night; with Express Pass add-ons, options range from $249 to $399. You can also opt for early access or the R.I.P. tour, if you have the desire (and funds).