If you thought Universal Destinations & Experiences was done surprising theme park fans, think again.
Just days after the official confirmation that Universal is finally constructing a park in Europe, eagle-eyed fans have noticed that it’s filed a trademark that hints at another big addition to its growing empire: Halloween Horror Nights, UK edition.
Is Universal Preparing to Host Halloween Horror Nights in the UK?
X, formerly known as Twitter, user Universal Apex spotted the trademark, which was filed in November 2022 and officially registered in March 2023.
The trademark expires in November 2032, one year after the projected opening date for Universal Studios Great Britain.
HORROR NIGHTS IS TRADEMARKED IN THE UK! 🇬🇧 👀 🥹🥹
HORROR NIGHTS IS TRADEMARKED IN THE UK! 🇬🇧 👀 🥹🥹 pic.twitter.com/pceHENzecT
— Universal Apex (@universalapex) April 9, 2025
Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean that Universal will host Halloween Horror Nights at the planned Bedfordshire theme park. There’s always a chance that it’s simply registered the trademark to prevent others from using the term now that it’s expanding across the pond.
However, considering the fact that you can currently find some iteration of Halloween Horror Nights at every Universal Studios theme park across the globe – with Universal Studios Beijing using the term Scares @ Universal instead – we’d be shocked if it didn’t go all-in creating a version for its British theme park, too.
The UK’s theme park scene isn’t totally devoid of Halloween fun. Currently, the likes of Thorpe Park and Alton Towers host their own spooky festivities. Like Universal, these come complete with horror mazes inspired both by IPs such as The Blair Witch Project (1999) and original concepts, plus an abundance of scare actors.
Having attended both Scarefest at Alton Towers and Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando Resort, however, we can firmly say that the latter comes out on top and would make a spectacularly scary addition to the country’s Halloween lineup.
Notably, Universal’s biggest rival, Disney, is sorely lacking in the Halloween department in Europe. Unlike Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Paris doesn’t currently host a ticketed Halloween event. Its Halloween celebrations are also significantly shorter with fewer unique attributes, such as minimal merchandise and themed treats, as well as basic decorations at Disneyland Park. This leaves the door open for Universal to dominate the event when it arrives in the region.
What to Expect From Universal Studios Great Britain
For now, we don’t know all that much about what to expect at Universal Studios Great Britain.
The latest information released by Universal includes plans for a 500-room hotel, and a retail, dining, and entertainment complex similar to Universal CityWalk. It’s also expected to be the largest tourist attraction in the UK, generating almost $64 billion for the country’s economy by 2055. Current projections estimate 8.5 million visitors in the park’s first year.
Concept art released by Universal has confounded fans somewhat, with multiple major lands found at the majority of Universal theme parks – such as the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and SUPER NINTENDO WORLD – missing from the lineup.
But it’s not worth panicking yet, Potterheads. Plenty can change between the first concept art and the final product (just see Universal Studios Beijing for proof). The IPs currently suggested by the concept are also pretty stellar in their own right, with the likes of Back to the Future, Jurassic World, Minions, and DreamWorks Animation seemingly featured in the park’s initial outline.
Construction is expected to begin in 2026. Should the park open in 2031 as planned, it’ll be the fourth theme park opened by Universal in the space of a decade, with Universal Studios Beijing debuting in 2021, the Epic Universe opening in May 2025, and Universal Kids Resort slated to open in 2026. Universal is also opening a standalone horror attraction, Universal Horror Unleashed, in Las Vegas in August 2025.
What are your hopes for Universal Studios Great Britain?
