Alright, HHN fans, buckle up – we’ve got the step-by-step rundown of Universal Studios’ latest maze!

This year, Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights will introduce The Bride of Frankenstein Lives! During Midsummer Scream, John Murdy, creative director at Universal Studios Hollywood, gave fans an exclusive preview of the new maze, including concept art and a step-by-step walkthrough of what the Bride’s story will look like. Here’s what we learned during the panel.

Why the Bride of Frankenstein?

Murdy, a longtime fan of Universal’s classic monsters, has focused on bringing the monsters back to HHN for the last several years. (2018 had the Universal Monsters maze, followed by 2019’s Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man.) And he felt like it was finally time for the Bride of Frankenstein to take center stage.

“When you look back in horror history, there’s not a lot of great female monster characters,” Murdy said, going on to remind the audience how little screentime the Bride had in her own 1935 movie. 

“She deserves her own story,” Murdy added.

So, this year’s HHN maze will focus on creating that story, picking up directly where The Bride of Frankenstein film left off.

What Can Fans Expect At HHN This Year?

***MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!***

We’re about to walk you through the full story of The Bride of Frankenstein Lives. We won’t reveal every scare, but if you want the walkthrough to be a complete surprise, this is your last chance to click away.

Ok, here we go!

The Bride of Frankenstein Lives will create a new story for the Bride that immerses the HHN audience – literally. The entrance of the maze will be a giant storybook, where fans will actually step into the Bride’s story. That story is divided into different chapters, following the Bride as she comes into her own power.

Chapter 1: “Something Survived”

Set in a crumbling castle, the Bride’s HHN story picks up right where her feature film left off. Surviving the explosion, she finds the Monster dead in the ruble. He was the only one to ever show her kindness, so she decides to do whatever it takes to save him. In this first chapter, the Bride also finds her voice for the first time, letting out a guttural cry of “Deaaaaaad!”

Chapter 2: “Saving the Monster”

But the Bride doesn’t have time to linger, because danger is closing in. The Brides of Dracula begin to swarm! So she stumbles into the woods, taking refuge in the charred remains of De Lacey’s vacant cottage, where she defends herself and the Monster against the vamps with the cross on the wall. The Bride sharpens the cross into a cross stake… and just like that, she’s a vampire hunter.

Chapter 3: “The Hunted Becomes The Hunter”

Trying to figure out how to bring the Monster back to life, the Bride looks to the vampires, holders of eternal life. She establishes a new stronghold/laboratory in the ruins of an old church… and kills a few vamps.

Chapter 4: “The Creation Becomes The Creator”

In the next chapter, the creation becomes the creator. By this time, she’s captured several vampire Brides to experiment on (fondly nicknamed Stitches and Crosses by the HHN team). But they need to stay alive for her work to continue – which means feeding on human blood. Maze goers will have to weave their way past the vampire feeding cages in the catacombs, where the Bride provides sacrifices for her vamps.

Chapter 5: “Live Again”

With the Monster almost reassembled and her experiments complete, the Bride is nearly ready to bring him to life. But when the vampires break out, she’s forced to fast-track her plans. Now the Monster lives again… he’s just missing the top part of his head, leaving his brain exposed. Oh, and the Bride went a little extra on the legs. (Frankenstein is an 8 foot tall stilt walker now.) 

It’s alive!

More HHN 2021 Details

  • The Bride of Frankenstein Lives maze will exit on French Street, dropping guests into a scare zone. The Silver Scream Queenz scare zone will feature female versions of classic monsters. Look out for the mummy Acnk-Su-Namun, the She Wolf of London, and Dracula’s daughter.
  • The maze will be the fourth to feature music composed by Guns N’ Roses’ Slash.
  • The Terror Tram will return! (Theme TBA)

Get Your Tickets Now

Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights run for select nights in September and October. You can reserve your tickets online now.