Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 5

Tom Holland Injured on SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY Set, Production Delayed

Uh-oh. First, Henry Cavill was injured on the set of the Highlander reboot, delaying production until 2026. And now, Tom Holland has been hospitalized after being injured on the set of Spider-Man: Brand New Day. We are told that bad things come in threes, so we’d suggest that any other high-profile leading men in action movies be extra careful doing their stunts today. While Tom Holland’s injury will delay Spider-Man Brand New Day‘s production it is thankfully NOT being pushed into the new year. Here’s what we know about Tom Holland’s on-set accident and hospitalization.Marvel Studios

It’s reported that Tom Holland was injured and hospitalized while filming on Spider-Man: Brand New Day‘s Galsgow set. The actor suffered a concussion while shooting the undoubtedly very stunt-heavy sequences of Marvel Studio’s upcoming movie. Deadline reports that filming on Brand New Day “was suspended Friday as the actor was treated for a mild concussion, and that a source reports that Holland will take a break “out of precaution” but is expected to resume filming the Spider-Man movie very shortly.

We love the look of physical effects, but there’s no denying they can be dangerous. Holland has been open to doing stunts since his very first audition for Captain America: Civil War, where he did a backflip unprompted. But even when well-trained, injuries can happen to the best actors out there. Still, we have no doubt Holland will shake off this injury pretty quickly and be back to the Spider-Man action.

RELATED ARTICLE

Henry Cavill Injured During HIGHLANDER Training, Production Delayed to 2026

In recent interviews, Holland shared of filming Spider-Man: Brand New Day, “We’re really gonna lean into that old-school filmmaking and shoot in real locations, which is why we’re starting in Glasgow and we’re gonna use the streets of Glasgow to build this massive set-piece that we’re putting together. So it’s gonna feel like making [2017’s] Spider-Man 1 again. It’s been such a long time since I’ve done it, it’s gonna feel like a breath of fresh air, and I think the fans are going to be over the moon with what we’re putting together.”

In Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Holland’s Peter Parker will deal with the fallout of the whole world forgetting him. A rumored synopsis shares, “After Doomsday, Peter Parker tries to focus on college and leave Spider-Man behind. But when a new threat endangers his friends, he must break his promise and suit up again, teaming with an unexpected ally to protect those he loves.” Spider-Man: Brand New Day will take place between Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. 

While the whole world may have forgotten Peter Parker in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, we would like Tom Holland to protect his brain and mind from any further injury while filming the movie. Hopefully, Holland will recover quickly and filming can resume without further incident.

The post Tom Holland Injured on SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY Set, Production Delayed appeared first on Nerdist.

James Gunn Confirms Brainiac for SUPERMAN Sequel, MAN OF TOMORROW

James Gunn is a man who does not like to hide things. In fact, he loves to talk about his upcoming productions with a candor we enjoy. In the recent DCU hit Superman, there were actually no surprise cameos or Easter eggs that were thrown in just for shock value. Basically, we got what we were promised. Which is why we are delighted but not surprised that James Gunn has gone ahead and basically confirmed that Brainiac will be the villain for the upcoming Superman sequel movie, Man of Tomorrow. James Gunn recently shared an image of Man of Tomorrow‘s script and decorating it was, of course, a brain. Live-action Brainiac, here we come.James Gunn

We already saw a few hints that Brianiac was almost included in the first Superman movie. But it seems like Gunn decided to save up the Superman villain so that he could do him justice. We know that Superman sequel, Man of Tomorrow, will see “Lex Luthor and Superman having to work together to a certain degree against a much, much bigger threat.” And now it feels like that threat will be Brainiac. And that makes a lot of sense because it turns out that in DC Comics’ history as well as in Superman: The Animated Series, Lex Luthor and Brainiac have traditionally been enemies themselves.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend could be a powerful motivation to bring Lex Luthor and Clark Kent together in Man of Tomorrow as they fight Brainiac. And honestly, we love it.

DC Comics/James Gunn

To learn all about Man of Tomorrow‘s new villain and Superman’s history with the character, you can read our full Brainiac explainer below. But, in a few words, Brainiac is one of Superman’s greatest foes. Over the years, Brainiac has gone from alien to AI, but his powers of intelligence have remained a common thread. In recent incarnations, Brainiac became a Krypton creation, actually created by Superman’s father, Jor-El, making him a kind of evil brother to Superman. Where James Gunn will go with Brainiac, we can’t yet say—but it seems like he may lean into the Krypton connection to make Superman: Man of Tomorrow a Superman family film. Perhaps Gunn might even introduce Superboy/Conner Kent on this occasion.

RELATED ARTICLE

Brainiac, Superman’s Second Most Important Villain, Explained

In any case, Brainiac’s arrival to the DCU’s Superman: Man of Tomorrow will mark his first live-action appearance on the big screen. So we can’t wait to hear more about his arrival. But we probably will know more about this version of Brainiac soon, if James Gunn has anything to say about it—and he usually does.

The post James Gunn Confirms Brainiac for SUPERMAN Sequel, MAN OF TOMORROW appeared first on Nerdist.

The Most Gross, Shocking, and Plain Weird Moments of GEN V Season 2

Gen V is back for its sophomore year and, well, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Marie, Jordan, and Emma are processing the aftermath of Andre’s tragic death. Meanwhile, Cate wants revenge for her near-death experience and Sam is, as the youth say, crashing out real bad. There’s a lot of drama surrounding Project Odessa and its resurrection under Cipher’s rule at God U. And, of course, Gen V continues to give us a plethora of gross, shocking, and plain weird moments for our viewing pleasure. Here are the ones we love the most.

Jump To: Episode 1 // Episode 2 // Episode 3 The Most Shocking, Gross, and Weird Moments in Gen V Season 2, Episode 1 – “New Year, New You” The Great Odessa Failure of 1967

Gen V season two doesn’t waste any time starting off with something truly gross and shocking to add to our list. We go back to 1967 and meet a young Thomas Godolkin, who is racing towards the Odessa lab to stop scientists from injecting themselves with a supe drug. But he’s too late and things go awry, with people bursting into chunks of blood, burning alive, and one guy even shooting tentacles out of his butt. We’d say that trial was a 100% failure. 

Dean Cipher Was at ElmiraJasper Savage/Prime Video

We quickly learn that the school’s new dean, Cipher, is a staunch conservative supe who hates humans. But what’s really shocking is that Jordan recognizes him from Elmira as someone who observed patients. It’s even more curious considering no one really seems to know what his power(s) are nor much about his overall background. What does he know and what is his ultimate aim? 

Cipher’s Ready to Blend Up Cate 

Cate confronts Cipher about Andre’s death and threatens to call Homelander on him. Well, he doesn’t like it and grabs her hand, nearly blending it up in his morning smoothie. Cipher lets her go after she promises she will never push him again. Oof. He is certainly in control and it’s pretty clear that Cate cannot use her mind-controlling tricks on him. 

Marie Vs. Homelander Jerks 

While Jordan and Emma were essentially strong armed into returning to God U, Marie escaped while they were all still imprisoned. She’s living in dingy hotels and mostly minding her business, until she sees a group of Homelander fans threatening to beat up Starlighters. Marie tries to diffuse the situation and one of them hits her, so she taps into her bloody powers and gives them all a good thrashing. 

Dogknott Licks a Bag of Chips 

Vought sends Dogknott, who was once considered for the Seven, to track Marie down because, well, he has canine abilities. He makes it to a gas station where she bought items and picks up a bag of chips she touched. Dogknott then proceeds to lick the bag of chips while the cashier looks on in disgust. It checks out that he would make our gross and shocking moments list for Gen V season two. 

When Butt Chugging Beer Goes Wrong 

A frat party at God U is unlike any other you’ve seen before. And one thing none of us needed to see was a dude chugging beer through his butthole. After many shots, Jordan asks the guy to stop sucking up all the beer and it turns into a brief fight. Jordan punches the butt beer sucker and liquid spews from his butthole all over nearby partygoers. Good times. 

Starlight Saves the DayPrime Video

Dogknott and Marie are duking it out in her dingy hotel room when Starlight shows up just in time to subdue him. She asks Marie to return to school and dig up information about something called Project Odessa, but Marie initially refuses. It’s not super shocking that she showed up but it is surprising that she is working with someone to fight against Vought and God U. The rest of the Boys are locked up except a rogue Butcher, so who is she working with? 

Andre’s Sad Demise at Elmira

Emma and Jordan track down Marie in New Jersey. They all begin to argue about Marie’s choice to leave everyone behind and Jordan reveals that Andre died during an escape attempt. He tried to move a blockade, had a stroke, and died as a result of his actions. 

Jordan Throws Cate and Nearly Kills Her

Speaking of that conversation, Cate shows up and no one is happy. She tries to convince Marie to come to God U and then reads her mind and discovers she’s spoken to Starlight. Cate tries to mind control Marie and Jordan blasts her with energy, cracking her skull. Marie wants to control the blood but Jordan says that Cate cannot touch her because of her powers. They essentially leave her to die but, as season previews show, she’s not dead after all lol. 

The Most Shocking, Gross, and Weird Moments in Gen V Season 2, Episode 2 – “Justice Never Forgets” Cate’s Accidental Power Massacre

After her major injury, Cate is recovering in the hospital. She touches a nurse and begins to speak through her, a clear indication that something is off with her powers. The nurse goes beserk and murders the other nurse in the room. So yeah, maybe Cate shouldn’t touch anyone anytime soon. 

Girl, WTHey Is This Professor Talking About?!

Emma is taking Advanced Influencer Fluency, which is taught by Modesty Monarch. She’s into the trad lifestyle and even became famous for her book Super in the Streets, But Obedient in the Sheets (I know..). And she is totally saying nothing but nonsense while Emma’s eyes roll from Earth to the Moon. 

Hero Optimization 101 

But at least Emma isn’t in Hero Optimization. Jordan and Marie are both stuck in there and it is a doozy. Cipher brings in a hulk of a man that they have to attempt to beat and press a button so they can get out of the sealed room. And well, someone’s spine gets severed in the process. Cipher claims the class will help them unlock new levels of their powers, so we will see if that’s true. 

Emma Gets Big (and Naked) in Front of Polarity 

We didn’t see a team up with Emma and Andre’s father coming, but we welcome it. The duo head to archives to dig up more information about Thomas Godolkin and find information about Project Odessa. She gets so excited that she gets super big and of course no longer has clothes, which disturbs Polarity. Yes, she’s an adult in college but she’s still much younger than him and was his son’s peer/friend. 

The Deep Goes, Uh, Deep for Initiation 

The Deep is one of God U’s most well-known alumni. And it is not shocking that he was a part of the campus’ premiere fraternity. There are new members coming into the fold, so a secret ceremony commences. The Deep whips out a huge phallic object and tells all of the men to drop their pants. Moments later, we see him hand the now wet object off to be cleaned. Yikes. 

Marie Says “I Love You” to Jordan 

It is the moment that MarieJordan fans have been waiting for but it ended up being rather awkward. While they are canoodling in bed, Marie says that she loves Jordan, who gives her a weird look. They have an uncomfy exchange before fireworks commence, causing them to get up out of bed and head outside to see what’s going on. 

Marie Is Project Odessa Prime Video

Well, well, well. It looks like Marie is, or at least is a part of, the mysterious Project Odessa. What does this mean for our favorite bloodslinger? We will have to wait and see.

The Most Shocking, Gross, and Weird Moments in Gen V Season 2, Episode 3 – “H Is for Human”Marie Has an Aunt (Sort Of)

After digging into Marie’s file, there’s a photo of her as a baby with her parents and another woman. That other person is Pam, who was a close friend of her mother. After Marie accidentally killed her parents, Pam left her to rot while trying to adopt her sister Annabeth. They are estranged, but Marie reaches out to her to see if she knows anything about Project Odessa, and Pam agrees to talk to her. 

Sam Is Seeing Puppets Again

RELATED ARTICLE

The Heartbreaking Reality Behind GEN V’s Puppets

This skews more sad than weird, tbh. But we know that Sam’s visuals of puppets are how he processes trauma, and it usually means he’s in a potentially dangerous mental space. But during a picnic with his blabbermouth new girlfriend, Sam faces off against a sandwich that calls him a monster. We can only imagine what Sam was suppressing and now has to deal with.

The Naked Locker Room Run 

Emma tries to discover who is putting up pro-Starlight posters up and spots the culprit. During an intense chase scene on campus, Emma runs right into a locker room full of naked young men. There are a lot of, um, parts all over the place. 

One Guy in Another Guy’s Butt for Pleasure 

Sam completely goes nuts when he discovers that Emma cannot take his mental woes away. He starts smashing things in a dorm, and Jordan comes by to try to stop him. They get into a major brawl and crash through a wall, where there’s a naked guy crouching on all fours. After they exit the room, another guy’s head comes out of his butt. 

Cipher Was a Part of Project Odessa… and Brought Marie Into the World 

Until now, Marie was wondering why Cipher had a weird preoccupation with her. But it all makes sense after learning the truth from Pam. Marie’s parents had a hard time getting pregnant and took an offer from Vought to help them. Marie was born at a fertility clinic at God U and Cipher was the attending doctor that day. 

RELATED ARTICLE

All THE BOYS Characters Who Appear in GEN V Season 2Annabeth Lived with Pam 

Marie discovers Annabeth’s room in Pam’s apartment, indicating that her sister lived there and was close the whole time. Marie argues with Pam, who depicts her as a monster, saying that it wasn’t her fault that her parents injected her with Compound V. She won’t tell Marie where Annabeth is still, unfortunately. But at least Marie knows that the ultimate blame for her parents’ death isn’t her own. 

Jordan Goes Rogue 

Jordan Li is #1 and gives a speech on Thomas Godolkin day. Instead of sticking to the script, Jordan goes off the rails and admits truths in front of everyone. First, they tell everyone that Andre died in prison and that his powers killed him, but he died a hero to free them. They also admit that Starlighters didn’t attack Cate but that Jordan did instead. Now, they are enemy number one. Welp!

The post The Most Gross, Shocking, and Plain Weird Moments of GEN V Season 2 appeared first on Nerdist.

HIM Movie Ending, Explained—Here’s What Happened to Cameron Cade

Since we first saw HIM‘s trailer, we felt great excitement at the prospect of the movie. A football horror movie makes all of the sense in the world to us. The sport lends itself well to a tradition of violence, mythology, ritual, and more. And, indeed, the Justin Tipping-directed and Jordan Peele-produced film understood its assignment. The HIM movie takes on a truly wild journey. And toward the end, the movie becomes truly chaotic, bloody, and fast-paced. And so, to help you take it all in, we’ve broken down the ending of the HIM movie into all its component parts. What does the ending of HIM mean? What even happens in it? And what’s the fate of our favorite almost-football star, Cameron Cade? We have all these answers and more. Here is the HIM movie’s ending, explained.

What Literally Happened In HIM‘s Ending? We Explain to Our Best Understanding [image error]Universal Pictures

Hoo boy. HIM’s ending is a doozy. The movie itself is divided up by days that Cameron Cade (Tyriq Withers) spends training with the current GOAT/HIM, the Saviors’ Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans), with each day bringing Cameron Cade closer to the possibility of becoming a professional football player for the “League” and representing a specific lesson Cameron learns. At this time, Cameron Cade is still recovering from a brain injury he was left with after a mysterious attack, but sees this pseudo-training camp with Isaiah White, which quickly shifts from normal to torturous, as his only way to advance in the sport. As we enter the ending sequence of HIM, we also enter into the last “Day” of the movie, Day 6 or “Sacrifice.”

Cameron Is Injected with the Blood of HIM

The ending of HIM, I would say, begins with Cameron Cade waking up from unconsciousness, a result of the intense events of the movie’s Day 5: Vision. The evening before, Cameron attended an arcane kind of welcome party with all the bigwigs of the football team… Where his health specialist was ritually murdered, potentially as punishment for warning Cameron to run away. After the drink and demons of the party, Cameron finds himself on ice, a special bag of Isaiah White’s blood, one that we were introduced to earlier in the movie, getting injected into his veins.

Universal Pictures

Cameron tears the blood out of him, and it seems like he can barely move, but his medical trainer left him one more gift. A syringe that says “Run” on it. After crawling over to it, Cameron injects the vial into him, and seemingly recovers from his numbness, but he doesn’t run.

Cameron Confronts Isaiah and Learns the Meaning of HIM

Ironically, snagging one of Isaiah’s football trophies to destroy him, Cameron confronts Isaiah about the madness of the last days. But finally, at the end of HIM, Isaiah paints us a picture of what has been happening. Basically, through a series of ostensibly demonic rituals or some kind of dealing with strange gods, powerful blood has been passed down from great athelete to athelete throughout the ages of the Saviors team history. This blood makes whichever player possesses it the golden boy of football for a period. This elaborate plan, it seems, was created and carried out by the owners and others in charge of the team.

Once injected into a player, this blood allows them to become the GOAT or “HIM.” But it turns out, there can only be one HIM at a time. And now that Cameron also has the HIM blood in his veins, he and Isaiah can’t both go on. Only one of them can continue to play football; the other one must die.

Universal pictures

But it turns out there can be more than one meaning to the “Greatest of all Time.” “What’s the opposite of a Savior?” Cameron asks Isaiah before killing him. “A nice guy.”

Cameron Rejects the Saviors’ Contract and… Kills Everyone at the End of HIMUniversal

After Cameron kills Isaiah, technically, he’s become HIM. But it seems like, as with every good demonic ritual, a contract needs to be made. As the ending of the HIM movie comes to its last act, Cameron emerges into the light and finds himself in a twisted, ritualistic ceremony yet again. Faceless cheerleaders and masked band members play him down toward the owners of the team and his agent, all of whom hungrily await his arrival.

Cameron learns that this cadre of people has been grooming him to become HIM since his youth. It’s not outright stated, but the movie implies that the team even killed his father so Cameron would continue to play football. However, it’s also implied that it was his father who entered into a demonic bargain so his son could one day become a football star and quarterback… So maybe he had it coming. And Cameron’s agent, the Saviors’ owner, and the rest, absolutely were responsible for Cameron Cade’s head injury, which allowed them to isolate him for this final psychopathic training camp.

Universal Pictures

Ultimately, though, Cameron sees them for what they are and the farce they’ve turned his beloved game into. At the end of HIM, he refuses to sign their contract. Instead, he proceeds to brutally murder every single person that has blood on their hands, including Isaiah White’s terrifying influencer wife, Elsie, the owner of the Saviors team, and all the other smug people at the table. It’s a symphony of blood and guts as Cameron turns the brutal precision and strength that football has imbued him with into exactly what the owners have been trying to get him to become: a primal force. The only person Cameron doesn’t literally kill at the end of HIM is his agent.

The Gods Don’t Like Not Receiving Their HIM

But it turns out, you can’t really leave a ritual half-baked. Whatever demonic forces or football gods the Saviors were messing with don’t enjoy seeing their ceremony go unfulfilled, and someone must pay. Unseen powers drag Cameron’s agent into the center of the ceremonial field and destroy him.

RELATED ARTICLE

HIM Trailer Is Gorier in 2 Minutes Than Most Horror Movies in 2 HoursHIM‘s Ending Went Full Slasher

Justin Tipping recently spoke about the second part of the movie’s ending, sharing that after Cameron kills Isaiah, “it becomes, how do you beat that… How can we construct this so that it becomes, full slasher, full promise of the genre?” And indeed, HIM‘s ending did all of that and more.

What Does HIM Ending’s Mean?

But, beyond the gore—what does HIM‘s ending actually mean? Well, HIM‘s ending has a series of complicated meanings. However, in broad strokes, HIM‘s ending appears to examine how powerful networks of power are embedded in the sports complexes of America, particularly in football. Young athletes are consumed by their desire to play, to achieve, and to transcend, and they are pulled into a world where they put their minds and bodies through unimaginable stress. HIM‘s final scene also touches on the veins of violence that run through football. And the inequalities that plague the game, as players, especially those from marginalized communities, twist their bodies up and put themselves in incredible danger while the, typically old, white, and rich, owners of the teams profit without ever getting their hands dirty. HIM‘s ending poetically paints a picture of all these themes through Cameron’s bloody dance of extrication.

HIM‘s Ending Reveals What the Movie’s Title Means

HIM‘s ending also finally let us know what the movie’s title, HIM, refers to. As Isaiah explains, whoever has the blood of the collective GOATs, is “HIM”—the blessed player, the player who can do no wrong, the player who transcends. Once you have the blood, you become HIM.

Of course, we like to think that Cameron becoming HIM means it can also just refer to being awesome and not giving in to something that feels wrong, however tempting it might be.

Were Supernatural Forces at Work in HIM?

Yes, magic, demons, and some kind of supernatural forces were absolutely at work in HIM. Although it felt as though Cameron’s head injury, the drugs he was taking, and the absolute deprivation that he was putting himself through could have been responsible for the visions he was seeing in the movie… And that Isaiah and his wife, Elsie, could just be psychopaths, the end of HIM makes it pretty clear. It’s not just crazy people and a bad trip, but literal demons, gods, or some kind of Other force at work in the film. HIM is a supernatural horror, and we love it.

Universal PicturesWhat Happens to Cameron Cade After the End of the Movie?

Of course, the ending of HIM might leave you with a few questions about what happens to Cameron Cade at the end of the movie. But only a few of them will have answers.

Does Cameron Cade Die at the End of HIM?

No. Although the final sequence of the movie does take place in a setting that echoes “heaven” a little bit, Cameron Cade appears to be alive and well as the credits roll. Cameron does not die in HIM.

Does Cameron Cade Get to Play Professional Football At the End of HIM?

The million-dollar question. We’d like to think that despite the head injury, the murderers, and the blood rituals, Cameron Cade does get to play professional football with some less insane team after the end of HIM. But sadly, we just don’t know.

Does Cameron Cade Go to Jail at the End of HIM?

Again, we’d like to think he doesn’t. There were witnesses to his murders, but do any of those people really want to start explaining how they were a part of a demonic cult in the middle of the desert? Hopefully not. The worst part about being part of intense supernatural events is that it’s tough to explain afterward. But with any luck, the demons will clean up after themselves, and no one will bother Cameron.

What Does it Mean That HIM’s blood Is Still Inside Cameron?Universal Pictures

Cameron told Isaiah that having the blood of HIM inside of him was cheating. And yet, it still seemed like players’ bodies wore out even with the blood. And Isaiah must have still lost SOME games. Did having the HIM blood really do or mean anything? And since Cameron didn’t complete his part of the ritual, what repercussions will there be that the blood is still inside of him? Will the football god strike Cameron down or lift him up? We guess we’ll have to wait for the sequel for that. Kidding! Some questions are best left unanswered.

RELATED ARTICLE

HIM Tackles Hero Worship and the Body Horror of Football in Brutal Fashion (Review)We Could See a HIM Alternate Ending in the Future

Director Justin Tipping shares that this HIM ending was one of a few possible roads the movie might have gone down. He shares, “Once I had three versions, Jordan [Peele] came in and I would show him and he would just react and give insight. That was the most fun, to be with someone like Jordan and just feeling creative, that anything goes.” Tipping continues, “We did shoot a traditional horror end, let me just put it that way. So there is an alternate ending that will be available down the road.”

A traditional horror end? That HIM ending felt pretty horrific to us… We’re excited for whatever is in store for us with an even more terrifying end to HIM waiting in the wings.

Hopefully, that helped you parse the ending of HIM. Now get back to the theater and watch it again. Ready, set, hike!

Originally published on September 18, 2025.

The post HIM Movie Ending, Explained—Here’s What Happened to Cameron Cade appeared first on Nerdist.

The 4 Best Foods at HALLOWEEN HORROR NIGHTS 2025

We love the houses of Halloween Horror Nights. There would be no Halloween Horror Nights without them. But Halloween Horror Nights isn’t just a collection of scary Haunted Houses with no connective tissue between them. No, the event is a whole themed experience complete with scares on the streets, merchandise, and, of course, FOOD. At Universal Orlando’s 2025 Halloween Horror Nights media preview, we at Nerdist got to sample all the different foods you might be able to eat if you go to the Halloween extravaganza. But, of course, unless you’re there to chow down like we were, you’ll never be able to eat all of them in one night. That’s why we took careful notes to bring you the FOUR best foods you must try if you visit Halloween Horror Nights this year. Nerdist

The 4 Best Food Items at Halloween Horror Nights

We chose two of the best savory foods and two of the best sweet Horror Nights food items for this list, to help you make you and your mouth very happy. Hopefully, with this specific guide, you’ll come out of the event feeling VERY satisfied. Let’s take a look.

The Best Savory Food Items at Halloween Horror Nights 2025The Fritos Vegan Walking Taco Is Satisfying, Spicy, Savory, and SuperbNerdist

We loved the Fritos Vegan Walking Taco so much that we wrote it an ode all its own. But we feel happy to praise it again. This incredible Walking Taco covers all the flavors you could experience in a food: sweet, spicy, sour, salty, savory—yum! And that’s what makes it one of Horror Nights’ best foods. In addition, it also has texture on-lock, giving us some excellent crunchy, soft and melty, and deliciously rich experiences for the mouth. The Fritos Vegan Walking Taco also comes in a heft portion that won’t make a mess as you wander through the park. Perfection!

The Fritos Vegan Walking Taco contains: “Vegan chorizo crumble, with Fritos, Salsa Verde, and Cilantro.”

Cheetos-Dusted Elotes Will Leave Your Fingers Orange and Your Mouth HappyNerdist

We guess it’s just a snack food-based year on our Halloween Horror Nights’ best-of list. But the Cheetos-Dusted Elotes is NOT to be missed. It really does have that perfect essence of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos that leaves your mouth slightly tingling and with the aftertaste of the snack. But it doesn’t have so much that it overpowers your experience completely. It’s a really fun feeling food to eat and the freshness of the corn is a nice juxtaposition to the rest of the food you might have at Halloween Horror Nights. We do love a little nutrition.

The Elotes is described as: “Fire-grilled corn on the husk with Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.”

The Best Sweet Food Items at Halloween Horror Nights 2025

It turns out that while our favorite savory foods weren’t particularly themed, the best sweet foods at Halloween Horror Nights were plucked directly from our favorite IPs and Houses. Yes, in the sweet part of the list we’re celebrating Five Nights at Freddy‘s and Fallout.

Mr. Cupcake Makes a Great CupcakeNerdist

It just makes sense to turn Mr. Cupcake into a giant cupcake. This fearsome Five Nights at Freddy’s animatronic now becomes your favorite Halloween Horror Nights 2025 food. And although Mr. Cupcake is small compared to the other Five Nights at Freddy’s animatronics, he is a HUGE cupcake. But, in addition, he is delicious. It would have been so easy to go wrong with Mr. Cupcake, but Halloween Horror Nights really nailed it. Inside of Mr. Cupcake, there is raspberry jam and cannoli cream. The jam is nice and tart, and the cannoli cream is not too sweet, adding a true balance to whatever otherwise could have been just an aesthetic dessert. Our advice is to mash Mr. Cupcake up into a big pile of goop and then devour. Also, Mr. Cupcake IS aesthetic! BONUS!

Nerdist

Mr. Cupcake is described as a “chocolate cupcake with raspberry insert, cannoli cream filling, and cream cheese buttercream icing.”

NerdistFallout’s “Yum Yum” Deviled Eggs are a GENIUS Halloween Horror Nights DessertNerdist

What are deviled eggs doing here? You might be wondering. This is the best Halloween Horror Nights sweet food section! Well, Halloween Horror Nights has a prank for you. Embracing the cheerful, almost whimsical, yet dark vision of Fallout, Halloween Horror Nights turned Deviled Eggs into dessert. Yes. These eggs are actually made of only sweet ingredients… But their texture is incredibly similar to that of a Deviled Egg. And they are delicious. The white of the egg is a coconut Panna Cotta, while the yellow is a pineapple-whipped ganache. The hint of Tajin on top, the only savory component, really nicely sets everything off. But really, it’s the prank shenanigans of the construction that we enjoy the most. Plus, the eggs come in a nice tin, putting to mind good Vaulty eats.

NerdistThere’s So Much More to Eat at Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights 2025Nerdist

Of course, our list of best foods from Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights 2025 only scratches the surface. There’s a TON more to taste and try. But if you go, we hope this guide helps you at least to get started. Happy eating. Tickets for the event are now on sale.

The post The 4 Best Foods at HALLOWEEN HORROR NIGHTS 2025 appeared first on Nerdist.

There Will Be 2 Live-Action Batmans, But Cartoons Did That First

In the next few years, there’s going to be two different live-action Batmans on the big screen for the first time. We’ll have Robert Pattinson return as the Dark Knight of Matt Reeves’ The Batman universe, and a new Batman: Brave and the Bold film, with a different version of Bruce Wayne for the DCU. Some fans think this will be too confusing for the average moviegoer. Some have even asked James Gunn how the general audience will react. But the truth is, outside comics media has done this with Batman before—twice. First in the ‘70s, and again in the 2000s. Except it was in animation, not live-action.DC Comics/Filmation

In the late ‘70s, Batman was appearing in two different incarnations on Saturday morning television. He’d already been appearing since 1973 on the ABC series Super Friends, with Batman voiced by Olan Soule, and Robin played by radio personality and Shaggy from Scooby-Doo, Casey Kasem. Hanna-Barbera produced that series. But on rival network CBS, the Caped Crusader started appearing in a series called The New Adventures of Batman. On this show, Batman ’66 actors Adam West and Burt Ward reprised their iconic TV roles.

DC Comics/Filmation

Here’s where it all gets tricky. Filmation Studios produced the CBS cartoon. They would later find great success with He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. The character designs for this show were based on their 1968 animated show, The Batman/Superman Hour. But on that show, the voices of the characters came from Soule and Kasem. Which is why Hanna-Barbera hired them in 1973 for Super Friends in the first place. With the actors now tied up playing another version of these heroes, CBS and Filmation hired West and Ward instead.

DC Comics/Filmation

The New Adventures of Batman series produced 16 episodes, but ran on and off for years, up until 1981. It featured Batgirl in a prominent role, voiced by Melindy Britt, who would go on to play She-Ra. Bat-Mite, the imp from another dimension, was the show’s comic relief. The major Bat villains Joker, Penguin, Catwoman, Clayface, and Mister Freeze all appeared multiple times, but no Riddler. Well, except in the opening credits, where he inexplicably wore a pink costume. And why no Riddler? That’s because ABC already licensed the character, along with Scarecrow, for use on Super Friends.

DC Comics/Warner Bros. Animation

While The New Batman Adventures was in production for CBS, network ABC was planning to relaunch Super Friends as Challenge of the Super Friends. This iteration of the show would pit the Justice League vs. the Legion of Doom, made up the DC’s biggest villains. However, Batman’s biggest villains were off the table, thanks to being licensed to Filmation and CBS. So Riddler and Scarecrow were Batman’s representation on the Legion of Doom, and Wonder Woman villain Cheetah was used to replace Catwoman. Joker and Penguin wouldn’t appear on Super Friends until the very final season in 1985.

Warner Bros. Animation

Flash forward twenty years, and something similar happened again. This time, Batman was wholly under the control of one entity, Warner Bros. In 2004, the Kids WB Saturday morning block reintroduced Batman to a new generation, with the cartoon series The Batman. It featured Rino Romano as Bruce Wayne, and had a more anime-inspired design. Despite the massive shadow of Batman: The Animated Series over its head, The Batman found a new generation of kids who fell in love with it. And they especially loved its 21st-century versions of the Gotham City rogues.

Warner Bros. Animation

But at the same time as The Batman was airing on Saturday mornings, the ‘90s B:TAS Batman was still fighting alongside his fellow heroes on Justice League Unlimited. The legendary Kevin Conroy still voiced him, and was a continuation of the Dark Knight fans knew since 1992. Just as in the ‘70s, the two competing Batmans aired at the same time, although JLU was on Cartoon Network. Warner Bros. Animation produced both shows, unlike before. But none of the villains appearing on The Batman could appear on JLU, as a self-regulating rule WB Animation imposed on itself.

Just as two decades prior, this caused all kinds of problems for a certain Legion of Doom. When the Legion became the “Big Bads” of JLU season three, they once again could not use a single Batman villain, because The Batman had dibs on them, which is why Mark Hamill’s Joker never showed up in the roster, despite existing in that continuity (and appearing in the previous Justice League series). It also meant Nightwing and Batgirl could not appear, as The Batman also hoarded those characters for their show. Justice League Unlimited and The Batman had different audiences, so we’re not sure why this rule was implemented; however, they adhered to it until JLU ended in 2006. But for a couple of years in the 2000s, we once again had two versions of Batman in broadcast animation.

Filmation/Warner Bros. Animation

So what’s the lesson here? Basically, no kid watching cartoons in the ‘70s or in the 2000s had their heads explode from confusion over there being two different versions of Batman on TV. Just as adults can figure out that on the big screen, Matt Reeves’ Batman is a different version than the DCU one that James Gunn will introduce in The Brave and the Bold. Batman, like Spider-Man and Superman, is a big enough character in pop culture that competing versions of him can exist. And we trust that everyone will get it just fine.

The post There Will Be 2 Live-Action Batmans, But Cartoons Did That First appeared first on Nerdist.

The BEST Food You Can Eat at Halloween Horror Nights 2025 Is VEGAN

Okay, we’ll preface this by saying, we don’t mean this shock to be taken in any specific way. Vegan food can be delicious, I know firsthand. It’s just that often at theme parks and the like, the vegan options aren’t ALWAYS the best. But not at Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights 2025. Nope, the best food you can eat at Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights 2025 is the Fritos VEGAN Walking Taco. Yep. It’s better than the gigantic cupcakes, the spam and tots, the cookies, corn, and all the rest. And, yes, it’s even better than its shredded beef brother, the non-vegan Walking Taco, also known as the Tostitos Birria Beef Walking Taco. So, trust us, if you head to Halloween Horror Nights in Orlando this year, you’ll regret not trying the Fritos Vegan Walking Taco.Nerdist

When I first picked up the Fritos Vegan Walking Taco, I actually thought I was consuming the meat version. Again, I’m not mentioning this to say that having meat in a food makes it inherently better—but just to suggest the intense awesomeness of Halloween Horror Nights’ Fritos Vegan Walking Taco as an institution. I literally was not aware that it was not the full beef version of the food. This Horror Nights food item was equally, and actually, BETTER flavored, nuanced in taste, and satisfying than anything else I had put in my mouth at Halloween Horror Nights. Again, it feels rare that so much care is taken with a vegan food option.

But what is it in the Fritos Vegan Walking Taco that makes it Halloween Horror Nights’ best food item of 2025? Well, its official description shares that it contains a “Vegan chorizo crumble, with Fritos, Salsa Verde, and Cilantro.” And yes, this was a flavor explosion of AWESOME. My official notes about tasting the Vegan Walking Taco are “10/10. Sweet. Savory. Spicy. Really lovely texture and flavor.” YUM. Of course, I also specifically praised the pineapple. Because if you know me, you know I like my pineapple in savory dishes. (YES, pizza. But also fried rice, stir fry, Chipotle, literally anything.) So it was a delight to find juicy, spicy pineapple bringing that perfect hit of citrus and sweetness to the Fritos Vegan Walking Taco.

Nerdist

Now, I myself don’t actually eat real chorizo, but I’m told the vegan chorizo crumble tasted exactly like real chorizo. And let’s be honest, it was probably better for you. You can’t forget those nutrients at the theme park. At Halloween Horror Nights, you are going to be walking A LOT. The Halloween Horror Nights’ Fritos Vegan Walking Taco also feels truly hefty in the bag. If you’re starving and ready for a treat, it will fill you up and be simple for you to carry as you continue your travels around the park. You can get a full meal’s worth of food without having to stop and sit down. It might not be as spookily themed as some other foods at Horror Nights, but it’s WORTH it.

Nerdist

Okay, don’t say we never gave you anything. The Fritos Vegan Walking Taco is the BEST food you can eat at Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights 2025. Make sure not to miss it at the event. Tickets for the event are now on sale. Go, if only to eat this taco.

The post The BEST Food You Can Eat at Halloween Horror Nights 2025 Is VEGAN appeared first on Nerdist.

More Charlton Comics Heroes May Be Coming to the DCU

The character of Peacemaker, currently headlining his own HBO Max series halfway through its second season, is actually not originally a DC Comics hero. He was first introduced as a character in the now-defunct publisher Charlton Comics back in 1966. Other Charlton Comics heroes in the line include the original Blue Beetle, Captain Atom, and a handful of others. DC purchased all the Charlton heroes in 1984, incorporating them into the larger DC Universe after Crisis on Infinite Earths. Now, a fan asked Gunn on Threads directly if the other Charlton heroes were coming to his DCU, and he replied, “You might be in luck.”HBO Max/DC Comics

Could the remaining episodes of Peacemaker introduce the remaining Charlton heroes to the DCU? The series already features Judomaster, who also began as a character in Charlton Comics. And the Ted Kord version of Blue Beetle has been hinted at in the Blue Beetle movie. The remaining major Charlton heroes include the Question, Captain Atom, and Nightshade. The Question is a fairly popular hero, who has headlined his own comic book several times. And Captain Atom is one of DC’s most powerful heroes, rivaling Superman. If they show up soon in the DCU, either in Peacemaker or elsewhere, it’s a big deal.

DC Comics

The Charlton heroes have a strong connection to one of DC’s most famous stories. Originally, they were the main characters in Alan Moore’s iconic Watchmen. Every lead character in Watchmen is a riff on a Charlton hero. The Comedian is Peacemaker, Dr. Manhattan is Captain Atom, Nite Owl is Blue Beetle, etc. But DC believed at the time that the Charlton heroes were too valuable for a one-off series, so Moore created thinly veiled counterparts for each hero. Decades later, as part of the series Multiversity, writer Grant Morrison did a Watchmen-esque version of the Charlton heroes as part of Earth-4. And thus, the snake ate its own tail. Maybe they’re the heroes of the alt-Earth Chris Smith is on? We may soon find out.

The post More Charlton Comics Heroes May Be Coming to the DCU appeared first on Nerdist.

Spirit Halloween & Nerdist Present: The Spirit of Sam TRICK ‘R TREAT Costume Contest

It’s not a trick, but it’s definitely a treat: this October, the Halloween cult classic Trick ‘r Treat will come to theaters for the first time in glorious 4K. Warner Bros. Pictures, Legendary Entertainment, Saga Arts, and Fathom Entertainment are partnering to bring the beloved spooky season film to cinemas on October 14 and 16 with an all-new 4K remaster. This big screen debut deserves a big celebration, which is why Nerdist is teaming with Spirit Halloween and Trick ‘r Treat writer-director Michael Dougherty to throw one heck of a party. And we’re inviting all of you to participate in our The Spirit of Sam Costume Contest, celebrating Trick ‘r Treat. We’re giving away prize packages to the best Samhain and Trick ‘r Treat costumes you come up with.

You can enter here right now, or read on and then enter below:

Spirit Halloween, Michael Dougherty, and the Nerdist staff are embracing the true reason for the spooky season by watching a Halloween classic and wearing costumes. Specifically, we want to see some of your funniest, scariest, sexiest, and/or most creative Trick ‘r Treat-inspired getups this year. If you need a little inspiration for this Trick ‘r Treat contest, make sure to head to your nearest Spirit Halloween for all the best in costume fun.

Spirit Halloween

Whether you’ve got a screen-accurate Sam up your sleeve, or you want to be the bus from “The Halloween Schoolbus Massacre,” we want to see your killer costumes. By “we” we mean the Nerdist editorial staff and Michael Dougherty himself. Yes, the man behind Sam is helping us pick the winners for The Spirit of Sam Costume Contest.

Warner Bros./Legendary Pictures

Speaking of winning, here’s what you can take home if we name your Trick ‘r Treat costume one of the best in our contest:

1st place – $100 Spirit Halloween gift card + 4 Trick ‘r Treat movie tickets2nd place – $50 Spirit Halloween gift card + 2 Trick ‘r Treat movie tickets3rd place – 2 Trick ‘r Treat movie ticketsWarner Bros. Pictures

What can you do to improve your chances of winning this Spirit Halloween & Nerdist extravaganza? Well, Dougherty not only created Sam, but he’s also serving as a judge for this contest. You could take some helpful lessons from his thoughts about why Trick ‘r Treat‘s mascot resonates with fans of the holiday.

[Sam] represents everything that Halloween really is about. He’s cute, but he’s creepy, funny, and scary. Those are all key parts of Halloween. You know, Halloween’s not just terrifying. Otherwise I don’t think we’d be dressing up our kids and throwing them out and into the night unsupervised. There’s an element of danger. There’s an element of fear. But that’s balanced out by mischief and laughter. You’re screaming but you’re having a great time. I think its because Sam represents a perfect balance of those elements. He’s adorable but he might cut your throat when he gives you a hug. I’d like to think that’s part of it. He represents sort of the dual nature of Halloween itself.

The Spirit of Sam Costume Contest starts today, September 19, and runs until October 5. Make sure you get your entries in before the deadline so you can win a Spirit Halloween gift card & free tickets ahead of Trick ‘r Treat’s 4K theatrical release. You won’t want to miss little Sam’s big screen party. And we don’t want to miss your Sam costumes.

In case you don’t win, you can get your tickets to see Trick ’r Treat in theaters from Fathom Entertainment.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.

The post Spirit Halloween & Nerdist Present: The Spirit of Sam TRICK ‘R TREAT Costume Contest appeared first on Nerdist.

We Rank the 2025 Houses at Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights

The time has come again to experience the chills, thrills, and sometimes incredibly beautiful and sometimes just outright disgusting shenanigans of Halloween Horror Nights. This year, Nerdist journeyed to Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights to experience all 10 terrifying haunted houses on display. What we present to you now is our list of 2025’s Halloween Horror Nights Houses, ranked. Ranked by what, you might ask? Well, we wouldn’t dream of calling our ranking of Halloween Horror Nights Houses a worst-to-best list. Every House was astounding in its own right. However, it’s natural to have some Halloween Horror Nights Houses that you feel were the absolute best of the best, and some that were simply just pretty darn good. And so, we present to you our list of Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights ranked from what we’d call “enjoyable” to what we’d call “AWE-INSPIRING.” (And/or in this case… TERROR-inspiring.)Nerdist

Here’s what we thought of Halloween Horror Nights’ 34th year.

Our Full Ranking of Universal Orlando’s 2025 Halloween Horror Nights Houses in List Form

After our press preview, here’s our overall house rankings from good to INCREDIBLE:

Hatchet and Chains: Demon Bounty HuntersGrave of Flesh WWE Presents: The Horrors of The Wyatt Sicks Fallout Dolls: Let’s Play Dead Jason UniverseFive Night’s at Freddy’s Gálkn: Monsters of the NorthTerrifier Best Halloween Horror Nights 2025 House: El Artista: A Spanish Haunting 1. Hatchet and Chains: Demon Bounty Hunters

Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights 2025: Hatchet and Chains: Demon Bounty Hunters pic.twitter.com/MK9o2lDxz9

— Rotem Rusak (@Moondancer1626) September 17, 2025

Listen, demons and the Old West are two great tastes that taste great together. And this was an enjoyable combination at Universal Orlando’s 2025 Hatchet and Chains House. We especially loved the demonic stallion that came out to menace us with its wild eyes. But, ultimately, the house just didn’t feel as creative as some of the other Houses at the event, especially the other original Houses. There wasn’t much of a narrative to go along with the scares, and they seemed a bit disjointed, lowering some of the immersion that Horror Nights does so well. We liked but didn’t love this 2025 Halloween Horror Nights House at Universal Orlando, landing it “low” in our rankings.

Grave of Flesh 

Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights 2025: Grave of Flesh pic.twitter.com/b6tqsPDZxs

— Rotem Rusak (@Moondancer1626) September 17, 2025

In truth, I’m actually surprised that Grave of Flesh isn’t higher on my House rankings for Universe Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights 2025. I actually really enjoyed it in situ. The house eerily invites you to experience your own funeral and then find, much to your dismay, that eerie flesh-eaters populate the afterlife. I very much liked the three-dimensional environment of the house; looking up, you could see the sky through a coffin-shaped hole, giving the impression that you were really descending into the bowels of the earth. And the rife smell of dirt and decay was everywhere around you! The whole house had an unsettling feeling of water dripping into mud, but at the same time, used its mold and grime in a beautiful way.

Mostly, this Horror Nights house was full of elaborate creatures popping up to give you a good old jump scare, and some of them were incredibly eerie, full of teeth and vines. The boss monster that cackles at you at the end as his minions go for your flesh is a sight not to miss. Once again, it speaks to the quality of the Houses at Halloween Horror Nights 2025 that we loved Grave of the Flesh but it’s this “low” in our rankings.

WWE Presents: The Horrors of The Wyatt Sicks 

Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights 2025: WWE Presents: The Horrors of The Wyatt Sicks pic.twitter.com/7jgpVvOSdp

— Rotem Rusak (@Moondancer1626) September 17, 2025

This Halloween Horror Nights House was built in memory of WWE wrestler Windham Rotunda, a.k.a. Bray Wyatt. Bray Wyatt loved to incorporate horror into his wrestling persona, and he LOVED to come to Halloween Horror Nights. Although he sadly never got to see the House made in his honor, Universal Orlando worked closely with the WWE to do the Wyatt Family justice.

I am not a wrestling fan myself, but it was clear that for some Halloween Horror Nights visitors, this House would be an absolute dream come true. Guests are actually able to step onto the Monday Night Raw stage, which I am told is a mind-blowing experience for those in the know, and then journey into a supernatural realm full of twisted creatures and terrifying havoc. This House is even loosely based on some real mayhem caused by Bray Wyatt’s brother, who leads a devilish group called the Wyatt Sicks—a motley crew of psychotic children’s show characters that include Abby the Witch, Mercy the Buzzard, Ramblin’ Rabbit, and Huskus the Pig. Then, of course, there’s Wyatt Bray’s iconic character, The Fiend, who begs you to “Let him in!” Yikes!

This House also had some genuinely emotional moments designed to allow fans to experience their love and grief, as well as the standard scares and laughs. Bray Wyatt called his fans “the fireflies” and always used to carry a lantern to lead the Wyatt family into the fray. And these light-based cues were rife in the house. Halloween Horror Nights Houses are often quite dark, so the use of illumination is always striking. And though I myself did not have this deep connection to the house, I was moved by the image of an empty rocking chair, another of Bray Wyatt’s favored accessories, holding a single lantern to light the way, a sea of fireflies blinking in the air.

Fallout 

Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights 2025: Fallout pic.twitter.com/z9qKE2yeME

— Rotem Rusak (@Moondancer1626) September 18, 2025

Here’s what I will say about the Fallout house and its place in my Universal Orlando 2025 Halloween Horror Nights rankings… For me, the Fallout house was an absolute dream. I LOVE Prime Video’s Fallout, it’s a witty, unflinching, riveting show. It delivers iconic performances by supremely talented actors. And it takes you down subtle and nuanced arcs of character growth with such a deft hand that it’s hard to believe not even ONE step was fumbled along the way. And the Halloween Horror Nights House brings you wholly into that world. So if you, like me, are obsessed with the show and want to be thrust into its deadly, post-apocalyptic universe to relive some of its best moments, you’ll really love this house.

RELATED ARTICLE

HHN’s FALLOUT House Contains Season 2 Teases

Unfortunately, if you haven’t watched Prime Video’s Fallout (and why haven’t you?), the House might fall a bit flat for you. It is more dedicated to carefully recreating moments from the series than truly building a terrifying environment. I wouldn’t call it scary, necessarily. It’s truly an immersive walkthrough of the series at its heart. Still, there’s no denying that the Fallout Halloween Horror Nights House is an epicly cool one. I mean, you can’t really get cooler than The Ghoul.

Dolls: Let’s Play Dead

Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights 2025: Dolls: Let’s Play Dead pic.twitter.com/RWum5zAKpG

— Rotem Rusak (@Moondancer1626) September 18, 2025

Dolls: Let’s Play Dead is another House that I actually adored! And yet, here it is, only midway through my list of 2025 Halloween Horror Nights House rankings. In this house, the conceit is that a twisted little girl has been terrorizing her toys, burning them alive, breaking them down, and stitching them together into horrifying, misshapen terrors. The house plays a lot with perspective, as you, the audience member, become doll-sized yourself, the perfect prey for the damned doll souls around you. I would describe this Universal Orlando Horror Nights House as Barbie meets M3GAN, a totally twisted confection of creative horror.

In one room, a giant yarn spider has captured innocent dolls in its eerie cocoons, menacing them as it approaches. It honestly looks like an arts and crafts project gone SO wrong in the best way. Plus, the increasingly demented dolls, their plastic faces melted, their bodies dismembered, create one of the best displays of body horror we’ve seen at Halloween Horror Nights to date! The use of screens in this Halloween Horror Nights House is also very compelling. All in all, a fun house with that great dark twist on what should be innocent and pure energy.

Jason Universe

Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights 2025: Jason Universe pic.twitter.com/IufKecNFaV

— Rotem Rusak (@Moondancer1626) September 18, 2025

The Jason Universe House is, in a word, relentless. Jason Voorhees starts coming for you, and he does not STOP coming for you. At one point, you’re literally just in a long dark hallway and one Jason after another pops out at you, knife swiping, for what must be a whole minute. We’ll call it a gauntlet of Jason. But the best part of it is that, if you can stop to look between screams, you can see that not every Jason is the same Jason. And, in fact, there are many Jasons from across the Jason Universe/Friday the 13th mythology that you can experience in the Jason Universe Halloween Horror Nights House. That’s a true treat for horror-loving nerds such as ourselves. There’s nothing that we love more than an homage and an Easter egg.

RELATED ARTICLE

SWEET REVENGE Is a Whole FRIDAY THE 13TH Movie in 15 Minutes

Another remarkable aspect of this House is that it really captures the preternatural energy of Jason Voorhees. One minute, Jason seems like he’s at a distance from you, and the next, he’s right on top of you, BAM. Of course, we also feel delighted to see the iconic Pamela Voorhees be a part of this Halloween Horror Nights House. She’ll tell you about those dang randy counselors and the fate they deserve. Gulp!

The one demerit of this house is that you don’t go to space at the end. Missed opportunity, if you ask us!

Five Nights at Freddy’s 

Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights 2025: Five Nights at Freddy's pic.twitter.com/Hu1VQEhFLm

— Rotem Rusak (@Moondancer1626) September 18, 2025

Five Nights at Freddy’s is another one of those Houses that really thrusts you into the property that inspired it, allowing you to experience its full majesty for yourself. Five Nights at Freddy’s just happens to be a bit a scarier movie than Fallout is a show, making it a slightly more successful house (pending your personal tastes). Also, the Five Nights at Freddy’s animatronics are LITERALLY incredible. They are 1:1 replicas of the animatronics you see come to life in the movie. It really is a neat bit of creation.

And it’s no wonder they look so good, Halloween Horror Nights created their Five Nights at Freddy‘s animatronics with the help of none other than Jim Henson’s Creature Shop. In all, you get to see full-size replicas of Freddy Fazbear, Chica, Bonnie, Foxy, and Mr. Cupcake. Mr. Cupcake is the true star of the show in this house, we’ll say, its small size allowing it to nimbly leap out and scare you at every turn. But every one of the animatronics is really a gorgeous feat of practical magic and inspired technology.

On top of this, Five Nights at Freddy‘s House also really commits to recreating the exterior and interior of Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria, taking its immersion to the next level. This House is an iconic combination of scary, sleek, and sensational. And so it’s no wonder the Five Nights at Freddy’s House is officially at the top of our Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights 2025 rankings.

Gálkn: Monsters of the North

Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights 2025: Gálkn: Monsters of the North pic.twitter.com/q580e5iZ0f

— Rotem Rusak (@Moondancer1626) September 18, 2025

Gálkn: Monsters of the North is a house that probably will not get the love it deserves. And so, in my Halloween Horror Nights House rankings, I am here to wax poetic about its many virtues. For one, this house has such a distinct feeling of folk horror to it, a real sense of arcane myth. And that makes it the most brilliant House to visit around Halloween. Witches, wolves, bonfires, and the beauty of the coming icy winter, we couldn’t ask for a better atmosphere than that as we step into fall.

In short, the story of this house is that the denizens of a remote northern village angered a witch when they attempted to kill her. And now, she rises from the dead, bringing with her a horde of monsters and demons from the fjords to destroy the townspeople. This house is a perfect mix of blood and beauty, a clash of fire and ice. There’s poetry and story to its artful jump scares and many pairs of haunting, horrible eyes. And when you turn a late corner and see a massive construction of the witch, her limbs gone massive, her maw bared, you will gasp in awe.

And yes. Mother does literally consume and digest you at the end. How is that for a killer haunted house? Gálkn: Monsters of the North would have been at the very top of my Halloween Horror Nights House rankings, but alas, two other houses JUST edged it out.

Terrifier

Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights 2025: Terrifier pic.twitter.com/rmcfyOPQjF

— Rotem Rusak (@Moondancer1626) September 19, 2025

The Terrifier house was well, terrifying. Also gross. This House was by far the longest of the Halloween Horror Nights experiences at Universal Orlando this year, nearly three minutes longer than any of the other ones I went through. While most of the houses took about four to five minutes to traverse, the Terrifier Halloween Horror Nights House took seven and a half. That’s almost double the minutes, and in Halloween Horror Nights time, that means an eternity more of scares.

On top of this, the Terrifier Halloween Horror Nights House also had the perfect storm of 1) a familiar character, 2) a truly disturbing tale baked into its IP, 3) personality, 4) an extended toilet room. It doesn’t get any more horror than that. The first time I went through I was okay, but the second time, the people in front of me were walking so slow that I actually wondered if I was just going to throw up during bathroom to butcher sequence. It was nighmarishly claustrophobic, and, as mentioned, never-ending. YIKES.

RELATED ARTICLE

There were many Art the Clowns peppered throughout the rooms of the Haunted House as well. And they all perfectly embodied the terribly cruel mischief of the horror icon. Art had panache, he had pizzaz, he wanted to kiss your hand with a bloody mouth and offer you flesh flowers. It really added to the immersive feeling of the experience. Additionally, Art popped out of an unbelievable amount of nooks and crannies. At one point, I saw him appear in a mirror and was trying to figure out where he was when I realized I’d been duped, and OUT he popped.

Of course, we have to mention that the Terrifier House literally has a splash zone path you can take at the end. No, you won’t be soaked with blood… but you might be soaked.

The Best Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights House of 2025: El Artista: A Spanish Haunting 

Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights 2025: El Artista: A Spanish Haunting pic.twitter.com/EWl5A4pY9V

— Rotem Rusak (@Moondancer1626) September 18, 2025

If you know Halloween Horror Nights, you know that there’s always one house that is just an absolutely masterpiece. This year, the crown jewel, the best of the best, the top of our Halloween Horror Nights House rankings was El Artista: A Spanish Haunting. This gorgeous house took guests through 19th
century Spain, where a tortured artist in an isolated country manor, haunted by his own creations, is slowly moved to insanity, possession, and death. El Artista is too gorgeous for words, full of ghostly paintings, glowing stained glass, and hanging wisteria.

Its external facade alone is extraordinary. Show director Ramon Paradoa shares, “We wanted the presence of the manor to feel overwhelming. So naturally, the scale of this façade is massive. We wanted people to feel intimidated by the manor and engulf people in that visual right off the bat. They’re going to hear ghostly whispers. They’re going to hear Sergio’s voice as they see his open journal on a stone bench as he’s preparing you for what you’re about to experience.” And boy, is it effective.

Inside, the dark terror of a gothic romance engulfs you. Where most Halloween Horror Nights houses smell ghastly (see Terrifier), in El Artista: A Spanish Haunting, there are florals and the warm scent of old books. Like the artist Sergio, you are lured and seduced by the house, as it invites you to merge into it and become one of its ghosts.

The scares in El Artista are also beautifully wrought. Haunted art comes to life, the souls of others doomed by the house float about, and there is even a gargoyle who literally flies above you. And those are just a few of the gorgeous terrors you’ll see as you wander through the experience. If you’re lucky, you may even see a ghost float through a wall for the first time ever at Halloween Horror Nights.

And that’s a wrap on our rankings of Halloween Horror Nights Universal Orlando 2025 Houses. We hope they help you have a spooktacular good time. Halloween Horror Nights tickets are now available.

The post We Rank the 2025 Houses at Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights appeared first on Nerdist.