(Interview) How ‘Obsession’ went from breakout hit to Halloween Horror Nights in weeks
Halloween Horror Nights is planned well in advance, but sometimes a horror phenomenon arrives too late to fit neatly into that schedule.
That could have been the case with “Obsession,” the breakout horror movie that opened in theaters May 15 and quickly became one of 2026’s biggest surprise hits. Now Nikki Freeman, played in the film by Inde Navarrette, is part of Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood. To some it seems an odd fit, considering the character is not actually a villain; in the end she is a victim. Perhaps hearing from the event’s creative director will help.
In an interview with Attractions Magazine, Halloween Horror Nights creative director John Murdy revealed just how quickly Universal moved to bring “Obsession” into this year’s event — and offered some rare insight into how far ahead Horror Nights is planned.
Halloween Horror Nights is already planning 2027
The process normally begins pretty early. “Last January we all got together in Orlando, in Japan and Singapore, like every Universal entity that does anything related to Horror Nights,” Murdy told Attractions Magazine.
The meeting took place in January 2026, and the subject was already Halloween Horror Nights 2027. “We’re like, ‘OK, let’s start talking about 2027,’” Murdy said.
You read that right; Universal’s Horror Nights teams around the world can be discussing an event nearly two years before guests actually experience it. But Murdy said those plans intentionally aren’t completely locked down.
“You plan it, but you leave yourself a little bit of flexibility because there’s always things that blow up,” he said.
His prime example: “Obsession.”
“Obsession” changed the plan
Written and directed by Curry Barker, “Obsession” follows Bear, who uses a supernatural object to wish for his friend Nikki to fall in love with him — with increasingly horrific consequences. The movie became a remarkable box-office success after its May release.
Murdy saw something else that caught his attention: Barker was talking about Halloween Horror Nights.
“As soon as that movie blew up and people started sending me videos of Curry Barker talking about Horror Nights and what a big fan he is, and how he really wanted Nikki to be at the event, I was like, ‘Right. Who do I know at Focus Pictures? Let me call them. I want a meeting. Let’s go.’”
Photo by Philip Hernandez
From there, things moved fast. “Like a week later, [I’m] on the phone talking with him,” Murdy said.
Murdy pitched Barker on what he had in mind for Nikki at Halloween Horror Nights. “‘Hey, here’s what I’m thinking. Are you cool with this?’” Murdy recalled asking.
Barker’s answer was an enthusiastic yes. “‘Yeah, this would be great. It’d be my dream come true,’” Murdy recalled Barker saying.
How HHN made room for ‘Obsession’
The story provides an interesting look behind the curtain at Halloween Horror Nights.
Universal’s creative teams can sometimes respond when a new horror property suddenly becomes part of the cultural conversation. “Sometimes we’re able to react really, really fast in the moment,” Murdy said.
The fast turnaround worked because the people behind “Obsession” were ready to play along. Director Curry Barker called bringing Nikki to Horror Nights a “dream come true,” and actress Inde Navarrette is on board with seeing her character step off the screen and into Universal Studios Hollywood.
Now horror fans get to see that wish come true for themselves when Halloween Horror Nights begins — no One Wish Willow required.
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