Halloween Horror Nights (Hollywood) 2013 Speculation/Predictions

[AsylumSB]

Since this is a speculation thread, let me throw my ideas in for "Name Game"

Ok

-"The first name you are looking for is a member of a famous boy band. Something about this individual's career is a hint." Davy Jones from the Monkees

-"The 2nd name your looking for is a cast member of a famous NBC TV show that debuted in the 90's." Friends

-"The sitcom in question was an "ensemble" cast. Meaning there was multiple stars...not just one...something about HIS career" David Scwimmer

-"A famous make up artist...something about his career is also a hint..." David LeeRoy Anderson worked on Cabin in the Woods.

-"This maze is also new, in that it has never been featured at HHN. Its been a tough one to design...some complicated effects The final moments of the movie are pretty out of control to say the least.

Thus my idea for Name Game will be the shared IP between Orlando & Hollywood, Cabin in the Woods.

Great out of the box thinking.....however, the first two do not really indicate anything about their careers other than their first name. Maybe the clues are much more simplistic than we think and it is in fact CITW. Based on past history, CITW may be a property for HHN but for another codename!

[StraightEdge]

Fingers crossed their alliance ends, cuz there's some good Sony properties we're missing out on.

like what? Besides evil dead.

Finally, some easier hints Boston is a town in England which is also the setting for AHS. If that's not it, this should help narrow it down http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_places_in_the_United_States_named_after_places_in_England

I kind of don't want AHS to be at HHN, I need to catch up on that too since I haven't seen one episode of it. Lol, and would HHN really have 2 tv show properties? Or am I making it sound like it's a big deal?

[ferox]

Yeah, the NBC star/Makeup Artist/Boy Band members share a connection with a name that leads to the property. The NBC star regretting knowing the name and the boy band member not regretting the name. Not that their names mean anything.

It could very well be CITW, but not because of those hints.

But I like the Davy Jones angle. The Monkees were a boy band.

I kind of don't want AHS to be at HHN, I need to catch up on that too since I haven't seen one episode of it

Well that's just silly. You don't want it because you haven't seen it?

As for the TV thing...like Murdy said last year when he introduced TWD and Silent Hill...horror changes. As he didn't say but I am saying now, TV shows have a way of capturing an audience that movies can't. You can watch a movie for 90 minutes and that's it. You've moved on with your life. But a TV show becomes a sort of ritual. It becomes something you plan. Most of my friends are die hard horror fans. I saw them talk about AHS more last year than any single horror movie. My friends who are just casual horror fans also fell in love with it and discussed the details of each episode. Not only does the serial aspect of AHS make for more material, but if the viewing audience is forced to remember concepts and characters over an extended period of time. That's the stuff awareness is made of. If the best IPs to fit the criteria are on TV...well that's where they are.

OH OH NEW TRICKSTER HINT.

Q: Is Trickster a movie maze?

Oh please please be Lovecraft.

Edited April 21, 2013 by ferox

[Mr.HHN]

like what? Besides evil dead. I kind of don't want AHS to be at HHN, I need to catch up on that too since I haven't seen one episode of it. Lol, and would HHN really have 2 tv show properties? Or am I making it sound like it's a big deal?

Well there are more than one movie property every year at HHN why couldn't there be two TV properties? You really need to get busy and start watching more stuff not just the usual F,J,L. You will never understand HHN until you start watching more things.( Watch the ORIGINAL Evil Dead, TrT, AHS, The Omen etc.)

[DTH316]

... you really want me to name all of the Sony IPs? Off the top of my head, the obvious ones are The Grudge, Candyman, Resident Evil, Underworld. Not that I would want to see any of those specifically, nor would some of those fit exactly, but there's at least a dozen big ones by Sony.

[Psycho_Bates]

DTH Sony doesn't own Resident Evil Capcom does.

[ferox]

I think Murdy's hint about the John having something in common with with (not originally but now) is that this "John" is a dad. Just a hunch.

[ferox]

Also...I found something that might be a huge hint by omission.

Fan: at monsterpalooza you said you featured 6 of the 10 top horror movi franchises of all time, what were the four not featured?

Murdy: Paranormal...forget the rest.

Forgets the rest? Well the top 3 grossing movies that weren't featured at HHN or Paranormal Activity are The Exorcist, Amityville Horror, and The Omen. I couldn't see The Omen working as a maze (amazing movie, but wouldn't translate in my eyes) but it seems odd Murdy would forget about the existence of The Exorcist and Amityville.

[Batwithtusks]

How many IPs from last year do you guys believe will be returning? Last year we had a re-make of La Llarona and a 'new' Alice Cooper maze brought back from the previous year. It has been traditional for at least one property to be brought back, so are we all kind of banking on The Walking Dead coming back again this year? It was such a huge hit and turned out to be an excellent maze, as well. Other than TWD I don't know what would be brought back...Silent Hill? No. La Llarona would not be brought back a 3rd year in a row. Texas Chainsaw will not come back this year as last year was the third time and it was a replacement maze. I think Alice Cooper has a chance to be brought back to fill Murdy's 'trilogy' of Alice mazes, but for some reason I don't think it'll happen this year. With all my babbling said, I just think TWD is returning and I'll wait to presume it's one of the codenames until they're all released. I think American Horror Story seems like a really obvious choice for another 'new' IP to HHN, but I'm very excited about the 'trickster' maze. By the way, Birmingham is a famous city in England that is also in Alabama.

[CreatureFeature]

First, hello all. Been lurking for a bit and working on this year's clues, and after the most recent clue updates/recap, I thougth I'd offer another angle on the Name Game maze clues:

-"The first name you are looking for is a member of a famous boy band. Something about this individual's career is a hint." [i.e. not just his first name re: Davy Jones]

As mentioned, Joey Fatone from boy band N'Sync played 'Wolfie' in Universal's Beetlejuice Graveyard Review.

-"The 2nd name your looking for is a cast member of a famous NBC TV show that debuted in the 90's."

-"The sitcom in question was an "ensemble" cast. Meaning there was multiple stars...not just one...something about HIS career" [i.e. not just his first name]

David Schwimmer from FRIENDS also appeared in the horror film WOLF (1994) early in his career.

[For that matter, David Hyde Pierce from FRASIER also appeared in WOLF, and indeed John Lithgow (3rd ROCK) appeared in the TV movie MOM, THE WOLFMAN AND ME as noted]

-"A famous make up artist...something about his career is also a hint..."

- "here's a new hint. Only 2 of them are living...1 is deceased....????"

Since both of those men are alive, then it would have to be the makeup artist who isn't... so I select Jack Pierce who did makeup for both WEREWOLF OF LONDON (1935) and THE WOLF MAN (1941) of course.

All three men have WOLF in common as a significant name in their careers, either as a character name or the name of a film. (not the strongest connection, I admit, but the subject matter is right on)

-"This maze is also new, in that it has never been featured at HHN. Its been a tough one to design...some complicated effects The final moments of the movie are pretty out of control to say the least."

AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON has never been featured as an HHN maze, though it was rumored as a maze possibility for 2012 -- a pre-developed idea but a new maze.

It certainly contains many complicated makeup/character effects between David's werewolf transformations and the gruesome victims including Jack's progressively rotting corpse, and the ending if the film is very much out of control with David destroying Piccadilly Circus in typical John Landis mayhem fashion.

AWIL also meets the three criteria Murdy says all their IPs must meet in order to become HHN mazes:

*Awareness - the title is well known and liked by horror fans, yet it also fits the clue (I think?) that the film was not greatly received upon release but has gained a classic reputation since.

*Environments - the film contains a ton of memorable and 'iconic' settings for the maze including : the moors, the pub, the hospital, the zoo, the Nazi werewolf house invasion, the porn theater (let's see Murdy try that!), and Piccadilly Circus.

*Characters - AWIL has several notable and memorable characters including David, Jack, nurse Alex, the pub crowd, the London victims, etc.

Of course I can't guarantee this is the solution at all, especially if future clues we don't know contradict the findings, but it's an idea I put out for discussion. Maybe some of you will think of better or stronger connections per the clues to arrive at AWIL as the theme? Or not. Food for thought, courtesy of The Slaughtered Lamb.

Edited April 21, 2013 by CreatureFeature

[behemothman08]

Also...I found something that might be a huge hint by omission.

Fan: at monsterpalooza you said you featured 6 of the 10 top horror movi franchises of all time, what were the four not featured?

Murdy: Paranormal...forget the rest.

that's not just any fan, that's me

[ferox]

I'd put money on Cooper coming back, and it being announced when Alice Cooper performs at Universal. June 6th. With HHN being as successful as it is under Murdy's direction I'm pretty sure that they are going to let Murdy finish up his pet project. I'm a huge Alice Cooper fan, so I'm personally pretty excited. My lesser prediction is that "John" is the latest Cooper maze. All of the hints for Cooper mazes have been name related (Steven, Dante, Vincent) so there's that. Murdy also said that this one is going to be harder to guess, which would make sense for a Cooper maze since we have no idea what the concept is going to be beyond it involving Alice Cooper in some way.

The AWIL theory is well thought out, but it doesn't match up to the clues. It's missing the element of a name they have in common that would explain the maze. It's a complex methodology for sure.

Edited April 21, 2013 by ferox

[Ridesandstuff]

First, hello all. Been lurking for a bit and working on this year's clues, and after the most recent clue updates/recap, I thougth I'd offer another angle on the Name Game maze clues:

-"The first name you are looking for is a member of a famous boy band. Something about this individual's career is a hint." [i.e. not just his first name re: Davy Jones]

As mentioned, Joey Fatone from boy band N'Sync played 'Wolfie' in Universal's Beetlejuice Graveyard Review.

-"The 2nd name your looking for is a cast member of a famous NBC TV show that debuted in the 90's."

-"The sitcom in question was an "ensemble" cast. Meaning there was multiple stars...not just one...something about HIS career" [i.e. not just his first name]

David Schwimmer from FRIENDS also appeared in the horror film WOLF (1994) early in his career.

[For that matter, David Hyde Pierce from FRASIER also appeared in WOLF, and indeed John Lithgow (3rd ROCK) appeared in the TV movie MOM, THE WOLFMAN AND ME as noted]

-"A famous make up artist...something about his career is also a hint..."

- "here's a new hint. Only 2 of them are living...1 is deceased....????"

Since both of those men are alive, then it would have to be the makeup artist who isn't... so I select Jack Pierce who did makeup for both WEREWOLF OF LONDON (1935) and THE WOLF MAN (1941) of course.

All three men have WOLF in common as a significant name in their careers, either as a character name or the name of a film. (not the strongest connection, I admit, but the subject matter is right on)

-"This maze is also new, in that it has never been featured at HHN. Its been a tough one to design...some complicated effects The final moments of the movie are pretty out of control to say the least."

AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON has never been featured as an HHN maze, though it was rumored as a maze possibility for 2012 -- a pre-developed idea but a new maze.

It certainly contains many complicated makeup/character effects between David's werewolf transformations and the gruesome victims including Jack's progressively rotting corpse, and the ending if the film is very much out of control with David destroying Piccadilly Circus in typical John Landis mayhem fashion.

AWIL also meets the three criteria Murdy says all their IPs must meet in order to become HHN mazes:

*Awareness - the title is well known and liked by horror fans, yet it also fits the clue (I think?) that the film was not greatly received upon release but has gained a classic reputation since.

*Environments - the film contains a ton of memorable and 'iconic' settings for the maze including : the moors, the pub, the hospital, the zoo, the Nazi werewolf house invasion, the porn theater (let's see Murdy try that!), and Piccadilly Circus.

*Characters - AWIL has several notable and memorable characters including David, Jack, nurse Alex, the pub crowd, the London victims, etc.

Of course I can't guarantee this is the solution at all, especially if future clues we don't know contradict the findings, but it's an idea I put out for discussion. Maybe some of you will think of better or stronger connections per the clues to arrive at AWIL as the theme? Or not. Food for thought, courtesy of The Slaughtered Lamb.

To add to this, London is a city in Texas as well as England. AWIL could possibly be the name game

[CreatureFeature]

The AWIL theory is well thought out, but it doesn't match up to the clues. It's missing the element of a name they have in common that would explain the maze. It's a complex methodology for sure.

Thanks, and I did attempt to account for the 'name' they all have in common as I stated ("wolf"). Per Murdy's clue: "Its something in common with their careers."

I admitted it wasn't the strongest connection, but simply linking three matching first names has nothing to do with their careers, which Murdy insists is key to solving the connection. ex: IMDB finds no career connection between David Schwimmer or David LeRoy Anderson, let alone Davy Jones.

At least Fatone, Schwimmer and Pierce all worked on wolf-based projects in their careers. Again, I'm not saying this is the definite solution, but it's closer matching by comparison. Indeed, better names and connections could be found working ahead.

[Grindhousehero13]

I think it may mean that Knotts will do a full fledged maze... or neither. At this point, I don't see why Sony would switch allegiances unless (hopefully) they've come to their senses and have seen first hand that HHN puts on a better quality show. Fingers crossed their alliance ends, cuz there's some good Sony properties we're missing out on.

Remember Sony orignaly shoped The Evil Dead to Universal but Murdy wanted to wait a year till it was released, then Sony went behind Murdy's back to knotts who just basicly shoved the book and and basment hatch scene into the log ride, if the ED remake don't happen I doubt it's because alliences it's because of betrayal.........

raises a few questions hmmmmmmmm

Welcome to the forum and way to go on the name game!

well it was rumored that AWIL was supposed to be on both coasts last year and was suspected be AMOK that was scraped, maybe Murdy held it off for a year, they might actualy find a use for David instead of just sticking in a random scarezone every year.

So Im gonna call..........

The Walkin Dead

An American Werewolf In London

Alice Cooper 3

.......as sure bets for my guesses, The paranormal Activity comment Murdy said to behemothman08 spark uped my theorys about PA again, and its not that I have faith in Evil Dead as I have a wish for it (with or without being mixed with the rest of the franchise).

[CreatureFeature]

re: · "A book strangely inspired Trickster"

The Phantom Alice discussion was most interesting, but the more I read it, the less I thought that Murdy meant the maze theme would have a novel as it's IP source... or even an adaptation of a novel into a film, for that matter.

Combining a book (not a novel) clue with "something Murdy grew up with" and it's "very dark subject matter", I'm thinking that the book is the Bible.

In the Murdy childhood scares video, he says in his childhood he was "plagued by recurring, demonic nightmares from the book of Revelations" about walking to the gates of Hell across a bridge over a lake that was boiling like lava with hands reaching up. His family even brought in priest to possibly exorcise Murdy (he doesn't seem to remember exactly), but the dream eventually went away.

Now Murdy used that nightmare as a jumping off point for designing part(s) of Alice Cooper Goes to Hell last year, and while the entire maze was clearly designed from Alice Cooper's music, Murdy might easily say it was also "strangely inspired" by those scenes in the Bible as well. Not directly, but indirectly on a related theme.

I'd fully expect for Murdy to draw on his own experiences in designing HHN mazes whenever he can, and since what scared him as a child is not going to change from year to year as he signs new IPs, he will return to those same inspirational sources in his life again and again... but perhaps picking different parts of those fears as they fit different themes or IPs. There are certainly plenty of images and ideas in the Bible to draw on for designing scary shows and mazes.

Given his family's apparently strong Catholic religious background seems to have had a significant influence on his HHN career, I'd expect parts or images from the Bible to show up as elements of maze concepts/designs again and again.

A direct adaptation from book (to movie) to maze: no. Strangely inspiring aspects of the Bible in a maze: yes, because he tells us he's done it before.

We might think of themes in the Bible which might relate closely to themes in a separate maze IP theme for "Trickster" rather than a 1-to-1 connection between book and IP.

Edited April 22, 2013 by CreatureFeature

[DTH316]

"A famous John" hmmmmm... AWIL... John Landis... works so well for Name Game though. This is why i hate these clues. Everything fits for everything if we make it fit...so glad I've given up on this for the last 2years

[JGmoney1996]

He said the maze has the name of a city that is in both England and the US: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_places_in_the_United_States_named_after_places_in_England

Well... good luck guys. I think I'm gonna sit this one out.

[Ridesandstuff]

Posted it already lol seems like it'll take a while...there's a lot on that list

[ferox]

To add to this, London is a city in Texas as well as England. AWIL could possibly be the name game

That's a hint for Trickster, not name game.

That was posted three times that I know of. One thing to consider is that the name of the city doesn't have to be named after somewhere in England, just share a title.

[ferox]

Didn't Murdy say he wasn't a fan of ghost/haunting mazes?

I don't think any of the guesses I've seen for the name game follow the rules of the game.

Also, sorry if I seem negative. We're all just speculating here and I'm trying to narrow it down. Like the Cat in the Hat says, "The way to find a missing something is to find out where it's not."

Edited April 22, 2013 by ferox

[Stitch_101]

Wow... I'm gone a few weeks and I fall WAY behind on the speculation! Gotta make a point to stop studying long enough to check in more often. As it is, my head is hurting after reading through the new code names and hints... So I think I'll wait for another new code no before trying to jump back on the band wagon. I must say, I like some of the connections you guys have made to AWIL.

[ferox]

So let's talk dead people.

Can anybody think of a male member of an ensemble cast NBC sitcom that debuted in the 90s that isn't Phil Hartman?

For boy band members there's Stephen Gately, John Lennon, George Harrison, Stuart Sutcliffe, Rich Cronin, Davy Jones...anyone else?

Dead famous makeup artists...Stuart Freeborn, Jack Pierce, William Tuttle, Stan Winston...anybody else?

Remember, we are looking for a name that these people have in common relating to something in their career. A name they came into contact with that the NBC star regrets hearing. It's not their own name.

Edited April 22, 2013 by ferox

[Grindhousehero13]

Didn't Murdy say he wasn't a fan of ghost/haunting mazes?

I don't remember him ever saying that.....besides La Llorona is a ghost

[zombieman]

One more very obscure "John" to throw out there:

John Carpenter - Wrote and directed a crappy horror movie that Alice Cooper was in: Prince of Darkness.

Prince of Darkness could also be synonymous with Trickster.