Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights Creative Director John Murdy closed out Midsummer Scream on Sunday by unveiling the final additions to the 2026 Halloween Horror Nights lineup. Speaking to a packed Grand Ballroom, Murdy revealed that Art the Clown will host this year’s Terror Tram, alongside a Slash-scored original haunted house and a surprise movie tie-in.
Terror Tram Starring Art the Clown
Art the Clown from the “Terrifier” film franchise will hijack the iconic studio backlot tour for the 2026 season. The storyline follows the silent killer arriving at the historic Universal backlot with his blood-soaked bag of presents. When he realizes it is too early for Christmas, he transforms the tram route into a holiday nightmare. Guests will travel through distinct zones—including Art’s Christmas Tree Farm, Art’s Christmas Cafe, and Art’s Workshop—while encountering franchise characters Vicki Heyes, The Little Pale Girl, and Sienna Shaw, alongside twisted holiday figures like Jack Frost and the Snow Queen.
In addition, guests who think they escaped Art’s chaos on the backlot may find themselves encountering him in the theme park as he lurks in the most unsuspecting of places.
New Haunted House: Killceañera
Murdy also detailed Killceañera, an original house continuing the tradition of showcasing Latin American folklore. This year, the house centers on Lola, a troubled orphan with a dark and tragic past, who turns her quinceañera into a bloody festival of revenge. Bullied following a tragic Día de Muertos fire that took her parents and left her disfigured, Lola invites her cruel classmates as her “Court of Dishonor” alongside vengeful spirits from Mexican folklore whom she enlists to help her carry out her revenge.
Grammy Award-winning guitarist and songwriter SLASH composes an original score for the house featuring Spanish guitar and an exclusive track titled “15 Candles,” which Murdy debuted in its entirety during the presentation.
The all-new haunted house will exit into a new scare zone, “El Circo de la Muerte,” which is inspired by the 1930s circus and sideshow acts that traveled across Mexico – but with a terrifying twist.
As a tie-in to the previously announced Fortnitemares scare zone, Murdy shared that the chainsaw troop at the front of the park would be getting a thematic makeover to help tie into the zone and introduced Hackerz. The new character designs will make the characters feel more natural up against the Fortnitemares scare zone.
Guests will also need to survive “Blood Bog,” where moss monsters roam the bogs and bayous. Adding to the chaos, fans can stumble upon several chilling interactions throughout the theme park. The ever-popular “Murder of Crowz” returns to Halloween Horror Nights with dad, mom, and baby crow flocking to the nest, plus guests will encounter “Shriek of the Banshee,” a wagon run by a carnival barker and his talking skeleton.
Daytime Tours and Surprise Addition
For the first time, Universal Studios Hollywood will introduce the Unmasking the Horror Tour Add-On. The guided, lights-on daytime walkthrough offers a behind-the-scenes look at the design process for the Sinners and Killceañera mazes, complete with select photo opportunities. Tickets for this add-on experience are available now.
Closing the panel, Murdy dropped a final surprise reveal: Nikki, the iconic main character from writer-director Curry Barker’s breakout horror hit “Obsession,” will roam the streets of Universal Studios Hollywood as an interactive walk-around character throughout the event.
Halloween Horror Nights runs on select nights at Universal Studios Hollywood from Sept. 3 through Nov. 1. For full details, ticket options, and more, visit HalloweenHorrorNights.com.
