Dark Universe Is Making an Unexpected Return

Dark Universe is making a surprising return. The branding for Universal Pictures' failed attempt at launching a shared universe around modern versions of the Universal Monsters characters will be repurposed for an "immersive world" featured at Universal Epic Universe, opening at Universe Orlando in 2025. The press release for Universal Epic Universe describes Dark Universe as an attraction "where guests encounter everything from the experiments of Dr. Victoria Frankenstein to the shadowy landscape where monsters roam in a world of myth and mystery." You can get an idea of what Universal Studios is trying to do with Dark Universe in the Universal Epic Universe announcement video below.

According to Universal's press release, Epic Universe's focus is on immersion, "transporting guests to expansive worlds featuring more than 50 awe-inspiring attraction, entertainment, dining and shopping experiences that come together to create an unforgettable adventure that is nothing short of epic." The hope is that Epic Universe will turn Universal Orlando into a destination for week-long family vacations.

Epic Universe will include five "immersive words." Universal's press release lists them as:

• Celestial Park: At the heart of the park and the first world guests will encounter is Celestial Park. With acres of rolling gardens, chasing waterways and strolling pathways, Celestial Park will put the "park" back in "theme park." Universal Orlando revealed even more detail about the wonders to enjoy while exploring this world. Celestial Park will also be the gateway to explore the four additional worlds of Epic Universe through a set of majestic portals.
• The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, where guests will discover a different era of the wizarding world in an all-new land that blends 1920s wizarding Paris from Warner Bros. Pictures' Fantastic Beasts films with the iconic British Ministry of Magic from the Harry Potter series. 
• SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, where guests will enter the iconic green pipe and discover a new way to play as they step into the worlds of beloved characters like Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach and Donkey Kong.
• How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, where guests can soar with dragons in a colorful world filled with Viking adventures based on the wildly popular How to Train Your Dragon film franchise.
• Dark Universe, where guests encounter everything from the experiments of Dr. Victoria Frankenstein to the shadowy landscape where monsters roam in a world of myth and mystery.

Epic Universe will also add three new hotels to Universal Orlando. They are Universal Stella Nova Resort, Universal Terra Luna Resort, and the Universal Helios Grand Hotel. The Helios is located inside the park.

What is Dark Universe?

Announced in 2017, Dark Universe was Universal's big cinematic universe swing. Johnny Depp, Tom Cruise, Sofia Boutella, Russell Crowe, and Javier Bardem were attached to the project.

Universal's planned Dark Universe movies included The Invisible Man starring Depp, The Wolf Man, Van Helsing, and others. However, the poor performance of the first Dark Universe movie, Cruise and Boutella's The Mummy, led to Universal scrapping the entire project.