Universal Horror Unleashed adds new haunted house, events and anime horror experience
Universal Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas laid out its full 2026 and 2027 event calendar during a Monsterpalooza panel. The slate of new experiences is evidence that Universal continues its path to turn Horror Unleashed into a year-round “horror lifestyle destination.”
Universal Horror Unleashed, the year-round horror attraction at AREA15 in Las Vegas, will open its first all-new haunted house and a new anime horror experience in 2027.
The team behind the venue shared a full slate of events for 2026 and 2027 during a panel at Monsterpalooza, the monster and makeup-effects convention held at the Pasadena Convention Center in Pasadena, California, on May 30.
According to panelists, the goal is to give guests a reason to visit all year, not just at Halloween. “We need to be a horror lifestyle destination,” said Del Wynegar, assistant director of entertainment for Universal Horror Unleashed.
He was joined on the panel by Michael Naumann, assistant director of technical and operations, and Kim Scott, senior director and general manager for Universal Destinations & Experiences.
What’s coming in 2026
Universal Horror Unleashed opened in August 2025 with four haunted houses and four themed bars and lounges. Since then, it has filled the calendar between Halloween seasons with limited-time events like the Krampus & Kin holiday activation, the spring Feaster Grievings event, and the Food, Film, Frights dinner series.
Here is what the team has planned for the rest of 2026:
- June through August: A marquee summer event built around a major movie or TV property. Universal has not named it yet and said it will be announced on social media soon.
- June through August: A new dinner show starring Jack the Clown and Chance staged “in the round” inside Premiere House.
- September: A new edition of Food, Film, Frights, the four-course prix fixe dinner and secret-movie series, with a new character.
- September through October: The return of HamiKuma, the “scary-cute” zombie-bear mascot from Universal Studios Japan’s Halloween Horror Nights, with an all-new stage show.
- October: Two brand-new original icons debuting at the venue.
- October through November: A new Premiere House experience.
- November through January: The return of Krampus & Kin, this time in the venue’s flex space — a 7,000-square-foot room the size of one of the haunted houses.
Courtesy of Universal Destinations & Experiences
A bigger slate in 2027
2027 brings the two biggest reveals (a new haunted house and the anime experience) along with more recurring events:
- January: Food, Film, Frights returns at Premiere House.
- February: A new, month-long Valentine’s Day experience.
- March: A new Jack the Clown stage show.
- March through May: “Feaster Grievings 2,” a sequel to the 2026 spring event that introduced the original character Feaster Bunny.
- May: A new anime horror experience.
- June: Food, Film, Frights again.
- June through August: A new outdoor experience in the flex space, built around a major property.
- August: An all-new haunted house, the venue’s first new haunted house since it opened.
- November through January: Krampus & Kin returns on a larger scale, in what the team said would be its final run.
Courtesy of Universal Destinations & Experiences
Themed food at every event
Food is incorporated into nearly every event on the calendar, and the team said the menu rarely stays the same. “We don’t leave the menu standard,” Scott said.
Wynegar said the menu has changed about seven times since he joined, with the venue’s chefs building new dishes for each event and show. The new Jack the Clown show will have its own full menu, with every item themed to the production. The venue’s two dining spots — Rough Cuts, which serves small plates, and the full-service Premiere House — anchor much of that food.
Courtesy of Universal Destinations & Experiences
A ticket for guests who skip the scares
Universal also launched a ticket for guests who want the atmosphere without the haunted houses. The Fraidy Cat ticket, $29 plus tax, includes admission to the venue’s common areas, live entertainment, themed dining, and retail. It does not include the haunted houses.
Scott said the ticket grew out of guest requests to enjoy Premiere House and the shows without paying full price.
From Universal Horror Unleashed Website
Leaning into shows and local icons
Much of the new slate centers on stage shows, dining, and interactive moments. Wynegar said guests have responded to that mix. “Our guests go nuts for interactivity,” he said, pointing to a scavenger-style “rotten egg hunt” during the spring Feaster Grievings event.
To support the new shows, the venue is investing in its technical setup. Naumann said the team is installing a moving-light system on the Jack stage and adding aerial acrobatics, including silks, hoops, and a rig that flies vampires overhead.
Wynegar also wants original characters tied to the venue’s home city. He floated a Las Vegas “Lady Luck” and said the planned Chicago location should get its own local icons. “I’m definitely looking at icons that are localized to Las Vegas,” he said.
What’s next
Universal has not announced the summer marquee property, the two October icons, or several other titles on the slate. A second Universal Horror Unleashed is in development for Chicago, slated to open in 2027.
For now, Scott asked guests to be patient as the venue still finds its footing. “We’ve only been open for 10 months,” she said. “We are but a horror baby.”
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