It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since Ozzy Osbourne died at 76. In the time after his passing following complications from a heart attack and his ongoing battle with Parkinson’s Disease, his family has been open about their grief and living through it. It’s been a hard 12 months, but this fall they’ve decided to pay tribute in an unexpected, but ultimately very fitting way: Ozzy’s coming to Halloween Horror Nights.
The Universal event is hitting its 35th anniversary this year, and has been pulling out the stops when it comes to both Haunted Houses and Scare Zones. It’s been a fun mix. Sinners is getting a house. The popular franchise Fortnite is getting a Scare Zone. We have some unique originals coming like Madlands: Caged Cannibals.
And now: Ozzy Osbourne: Prince of Darkness is on its way.
Universal Orlando and Universal Studios Hollywood announced the final house of the season on Wednesday, July 29th. Fans will board the “Crazy Train” to go through a rundown of Ozzy’s decades-long history in the metal world and the world of pop culture, where some of his best gigs were TV and movie appearances. This isn’t the first time the metal man will have been involved with HHN, but it’s definitely a fitting way to pay tribute after his passing. Here’s how the experiences will be different across parks, and what Ozzy’s family had to say.
“Crazy Train” Will Be Different At Orlando And Hollywood
The experiences at both the California and Florida parks are being described as “unique,” and based on what we know so far, they will for sure be very different. John Murdy, the Head Honcho who’s responsible for executive producing HHN at Universal Studios Hollywood, said parkgoers in CA will get to look at Ozzy’s early life and then dive into his solo career, including all 13 of his albums, ranging from Blizzard of Oz to Patient Number 9. This experience is being described as a “time travel” haunted house.
Meanwhile in Orlando, ticketed parkgoers will get a rundown of some of Ozzy’s most famous solo ventures: Diary of a Madman, Bark at the Moon, The Ultimate Sin and Black Rain. This venture will include a dungeon component, as well as “ancient ruins,” and will mostly focus on the latter portion of the singer’s career. For that one Orlando’s head honcho Mike Aiello (whose title is Senior Director of Creative Development) is promising Easter eggs. We love Easter eggs!
Both sound cool, but it wouldn’t be nearly as cool without a thumbs up from the Osbournes themselves.
The Osbourne Family Was On Board For "Prince Of Darkness"
There’s something fitting about a Halloween Horror Nights experience getting announced just shortly over a year after the Prince of Darkness passed. The man loved bringing in a bit of chaos, and the HHN houses are a good way to help fans celebrate his legacy. Sharon Osbourne and Jack Osbourne told Universal they agreed in the name of helping bring the Ozzy experiences to a larger number of people:
Ozzy never stopped pushing boundaries, and he loved anything that gave fans a new way to experience his music and the worlds he created. Halloween Horror Nights has done an incredible job bringing that spirit to life. Walking through these haunted houses, you'll recognize so many moments inspired by his music and imagination. It's a wonderful tribute to Ozzy, and we hope fans have as much fun experiencing it as he would have had seeing it come together.
Previously, Ozzy had been involved with HHN via Black Sabbath and Bill and Ted houses, but this is the first time his solo career will get a big rundown.
Osbourne had battled rumors about his health before his passing, so the news of his death wasn’t totally unexpected, but the family has been open it did take a major toll. It’s always really tough losing a loved one, but to lose a behemoth like Osbourne is significant to a large number of people outside his immediate family. Hopefully, the HHN tribute will be a cool way to look back at the giant who helped forge heavy metal music. Also, on a selfish note, I just hope Ozzy Osbourne: Prince of Darkness is really fun.
