All articles tagged with #animatronics
Universal's Epic Universe theme park in Orlando features groundbreaking animatronics and robotics, including lifelike characters like Dr. Victoria Frankenstein and flying dragons, showcasing advanced technology that pushes the boundaries of theme park entertainment, despite the challenges of maintaining complex systems in harsh environments.
Disneyland is introducing cutting-edge robotics, including lifelike animatronics, at Tiana's Bayou Adventure and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. The new droids, known as BDX droids, can dance, coo, and interact with guests. Disney is investing $60 billion in its experiences division, with a focus on parks and resorts. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, a retheme of Splash Mountain, will feature lifelike audio-animatronics and is set to open later this year. The attraction aims to ground the fantastical story of "The Princess and the Frog" in the reality of New Orleans.
The upcoming Five Nights at Freddy's movie brings the popular video game franchise to life with impressive practical effects and suspenseful sequences featuring the iconic animatronics. While the film captures the essence of the game, it gets bogged down by a muddled side-plot and excessive flashbacks. The tension and horror could have been heightened, but the movie still serves as a solid opener for the franchise, setting the stage for future films. Fans will appreciate the game Easter eggs and the impressive animatronic performances. The film opens in theaters and streams on Peacock on October 27.
A pop-up location of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, the fictional franchise from the game and film Five Nights at Freddy's, has appeared in Hollywood. The run-down spot, closed due to mysterious activity, is only accessible for photo-ops. However, fans can encounter the animatronic characters at Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights, featuring the real Jim Henson designed puppets used in the film. The pop-up is open until the film's release on October 27.
Thomas Burns hacked together a CRT TV and a pair of moving eyes to make Amazon's smart assistant, Alexa, feel more engaging. By repurposing the TV to display a waveform that correlates to Alexa's sounds and using animatronics and 3D-printed eyes, Burns created a retro-futuristic creation that makes Alexa feel a little more personable. However, the final build is not without its creepiness, and the author would not trust it to be in charge of their smart home.
"Jurassic Park" celebrates its 30th anniversary as a groundbreaking blockbuster that changed the film industry forever. Steven Spielberg's use of pioneering computer-generated imagery and animatronics brought extinct animals to life on the big screen, making anything possible for filmmakers. Despite production challenges, including a hurricane disrupting filming, the film was a massive success, grossing over $1 billion worldwide. The film's marketing strategy took a "less is more" approach, and it had an unprecedented number of tie-ins with 100 companies.
Universal Studios' Jurassic Park: The Ride, which launched in 1996, was the most expensive theme park attraction ever built at the time, costing over $100 million. The ride was designed by Landmark Entertainment Group and featured animatronic dinosaurs created by robotics company Sarcos. The ride has since been rebranded to mirror the Jurassic World franchise, but it remains a popular attraction at Universal Studios.
Disney has reportedly removed the parrot animatronic from its iconic Pirates of the Caribbean ride after it was seen broken and unmoving by guests. The ride has undergone significant changes over the years, including the addition of characters and theming from the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise. The most controversial change came with the removal of the "bride auction" scene and the addition of a new female pirate character called Redd. Earlier this year, the pirate leaning over the bridge was also removed from the ride.
Universal Pictures has released the first teaser for the upcoming Five Nights at Freddy's movie, which will be released on October 27th. The clip features Josh Hutcherson as a night-time security guard at a family entertainment center, where the animatronics at Freddy Fazbear's pose a terrifying threat to anyone still in the building after the doors close. The movie captures the aesthetic of the jump scare-laden FNaF games well, and the animatronics look spot on, thanks to Jim Henson's Creature Shop.