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<\/a><\/p>\nRather than simply bringing guests back into the world of the\u00a0Terrifier\u00a0films, the team is giving Art the Universal Backlot to wreak havoc on with an original Christmas-themed concept.<\/p>\n
Murdy revealed that the narrative for the experience is titled \u201cEvery Day is Artmas!\u201d, which will set up the story through the video guests watch aboard the Studio Tour tram before heading onto the Backlot.<\/p>\n
Art arrives to celebrate the Holidays a bit too early, but decides he\u2019s going to celebrate the Holidays anyway, making the experience a mishmash of Christmas havoc as Art puts his own bloody spin on familiar holiday traditions and imagery.<\/p>\n
Among the areas Murdy previewed are a Nutcracker-themed section and a Christmas Tree Farm. The Bates Motel will transform into Art\u2019s \u201c12 Slays of Christmas,\u201d while another section will introduce Art\u2019s Christmas Cafe.<\/p>\n
\u201cSanta Art is Coming to Town\u201d will draw inspiration from\u00a0A Christmas Carol. Even the\u00a0War of the Worlds\u00a0plane crash is explained in the story: exactly how did Art manage to cause that much destruction?<\/p>\n
According to Murdy, Art has a flak gun to take down Santa\u2019s Sleigh.<\/p>\n
Music will also play a significant role in bringing \u201cArtmas\u201d to life. Ice Nine Kills is providing original takes on several classic holiday songs for the experience, including \u201cJoy to the World,\u201d \u201cO Christmas Tree,\u201d and \u201cCarol of the Bells.\u201d<\/p>\n Ice Nine Kills lead singer Spencer Charnas joined Murdy onstage to discuss how fans have long requested the band\u2019s involvement in the event. Charnas also shared a brief sample of their new take on the holiday classic \u201cJoy to the World.\u201d<\/p>\n Following last year\u2019s popular interactions, Murdy also announced that Art the Clown will once again stalk the streets of Universal Studios Hollywood throughout the night, so you\u2019ll never know where or what version of Art you\u2019ll encounter.<\/p>\n Killcea\u00f1era: Music by SLASH<\/p>\n Murdy then shifted the panel to Killcea\u00f1era: Music by Slash, but first took time to look back at the history of Latin American horror at Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood.<\/p>\n Over the past several years, Latin American horror at the event has largely been represented by the Monstruos series of haunted houses, which brought creatures and legends from Latin American folklore to the event. Murdy confirmed that the Monstruos series has now come to an end, with Killcea\u00f1era serving as the next chapter for Latin American horror at Halloween Horror Nights.<\/p>\n Surprisingly, Murdy revealed that a 2018 visit to Universal CityWalk was one of the inspirations for the house, particularly when he saw a large group dressed for a quincea\u00f1era enter the area.<\/p>\n Set in the Parisian Courtyard, Killcea\u00f1era centers on Lola, a 15-year-old girl preparing to host what Murdy described as the \u201cparty to end all parties,\u201d though her celebration is actually an elaborate plan for revenge against everyone who has ever wronged her.<\/p>\n Murdy shared Lola\u2019s backstory during the panel, revealing that her story begins years earlier on November 2, during the D\u00eda de los Muertos festival, which is also Lola\u2019s birthday.<\/p>\n A tragic fire destroyed Lola\u2019s childhood home and killed both of her parents. Lola survived but was orphaned at an early age and left with severe physical and emotional scars from the fire. Badly disfigured and frequently bullied, Lola found refuge in the stories her parents had once told her about malevolent spirits and supernatural entities.<\/p>\n As her 15th birthday approached, those stories became the inspiration for her revenge. Lola decides to hold her own quincea\u00f1era in the ruins of her childhood home, inviting the bullies and others who had wronged her over the years. She also plans to invite the ghosts, spirits, and other malevolent entities from her childhood stories to help carry out her revenge.<\/p>\n Lola will make her presence known before guests even enter the house, appearing on the facade\u2019s balcony.<\/p>\n Music will also play an important role in telling her story. Longtime Halloween Horror Nights collaborator Slash composed an original song for the house, titled \u201c15 Candles,\u201d with lyrics by Murdy. Lola herself will perform the song during the experience.<\/p>\n Because the performer playing Lola needs to sing while portraying the character, her design requires prosthetic makeup rather than a traditional character mask.<\/p>\n Murdy also revealed that Killcea\u00f1era will be part of another first for Universal Studios Hollywood this year.<\/p>\n For the first time, the park will offer Unmasking the Horror tours, giving guests a behind-the-scenes, lights-on look at select Halloween Horror Nights haunted houses. The Hollywood version of the tour will feature two houses, Killcea\u00f1era and Sinners.<\/p>\n Murdy quickly went over the remaining scare zones and experiences to be featured, including Hackerz, which features a group of chainsaw-wielding killers and ties into Fortnitemares, an immersive scare zone inspired by\u00a0Fortnite\u2019s\u00a0annual Halloween event.<\/p>\n After exiting Killcea\u00f1era, guests will enter El Circo de la Muerte, inspired by the circuses and sideshow acts that traveled throughout Mexico in the 1930s. Rounding out the scare zones is Blood Bog, where moss-covered monsters lurk throughout the bogs and bayous near the Studio Tour entrance.<\/p>\n Several roaming experiences will also be featured throughout the event. The popular Murder of Crowz returns with dad, mom, and baby crow, while Shriek of the Banshee introduces a carnival barker traveling through the park with his talking skeleton.<\/p>\n Obsession<\/p>\n As the panel wrapped up, Murdy made one final announcement, revealing that Nikki from Curry Barker\u2019s Obsession\u00a0will appear at Halloween Horror Nights 2026.<\/p>\n \nThe reveal drew arguably the loudest reaction of the night.<\/p>\n Nikki will appear as a roaming character during the event, and Murdy noted that the addition came together remarkably late in this year\u2019s Halloween Horror Nights development.<\/p>\n Murdy admitted it was probably the latest addition the creative team has ever integrated into the event.<\/p>\n \u201cIt really was our fans,\u201d Murdy told Inside Universal during our post-panel interview. \u201cThey sent me a video of Curry Barker talking about Halloween Horror Nights, and he said it would be his dream to have Nikki at Halloween Horror Nights\u2026 so, we really rallied really fast, of course.\u201d<\/p>\n Despite the panel\u2019s enthusiastic response, the announcement has drawn some pushback from fans because of the nature of Nikki\u2019s story and the film\u2019s horror.<\/p>\n Unlike many of the slashers and monsters that typically appear at Halloween Horror Nights, Nikki is a more complex character. While she is the antagonist in the film, she isn\u2019t the villain. The horror surrounding Nikki begins with her loss of free will after Bear uses the One Wish Willow to make her fall in love with him, and the wish ultimately drives her to increasingly disturbing extremes that are completely out of her control.<\/p>\n During our post-panel interview, we asked Murdy specifically about bringing Nikki into the event and about the decision to focus on her appearance at the film\u2019s conclusion.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a specific choice of which version of her we wanted to really focus on, and it\u2019s the version at the very end of the film where she\u2019s all bloody, she\u2019s taken her friend\u2019s dress, and she\u2019s drawn the tattoos all over her body,\u201d Murdy said.<\/p>\n While it may not ease some fans\u2019 concerns about Nikki\u2019s inclusion, both Barker and Navarrette have publicly expressed enthusiasm for seeing the character represented at Halloween Horror Nights. Judging by the reaction inside Midsummer Scream and on social media, there are plenty of fans excited to see her there, too.<\/p>\n Halloween Horror Nights 2026 begins September 3 at Universal Studios Hollywood and runs select nights through November 1.<\/p>\n Stay tuned to Inside Universal for all the latest news on Universal Parks & Resorts. Want to join the conversation? Head over to our\u00a0Forums\u00a0where fans are discussing the latest Universal news, rumors, and park updates.\u00a0Join the Discussion!<\/a> <\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
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