UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOLLYWOOD CONTINUES COLLABORATION WITH SLASH IN 2025

Fans of haunted houses and heavy metal music will appreciate that Universal Studios Hollywood amusement park is continuing in 2025 a collaboration that started in 2014 with Grammy® Award-winning artist SLASH in producing aspects of its Halloween Horror Nights. The amusement park is bringing back a popular past haunted house called SCARECROW that will be revamped with an original soundtrack composition by SLASH to enhance this seasonal walk-through attraction. “Scarecrow: Music by SLASH” sets the vibe for a haunted house experience in which Mother Nature seeks vengeance on descendants of pioneer homesteaders for their sins of the past that will be carried out by farmland scarecrows. SLASH’s original score for the experience will be composed similarly to a motion picture by engaging with each scene to deliver an unnerving sense of fear as guests navigate the ominous corridors of the haunted house.

SLASH’s presence at Halloween Horror Nights will also include a dedicated themed SLASH Bar, located at Jurassic Cove, above Jurassic World—The Ride, where they can partake in cocktails inspired by a collection of SLASH’s music, including “The Danse of the Dead,” “Beautiful Dangerous” and the non-alcoholic option, “SLASH’s Snakepit.” A menu featuring some of SLASH’s favorite foods will include such treats as Chicken Satay Tacos, Thai Beef Tacos and Thai Curry Tacos, plus a SLASH Hat cake, reminiscent of his signature top hat, for those who have a sweet tooth. Anyone who dares to visit the SLASH Bar, they will be met by a ghoulish stilt walking SLASH scare-actor, fully adorned with the musician's signature black curly locks and top hat. 

Halloween Horror Nights will also celebrate the vinyl-only album release of "SLASH: Music of Universal Studios Hollywood – Halloween Horror Nights, Volume 2." The scary soundtrack will complement last year’s sold-out vinyl-only album with a slate of original music that SLASH has created over the past six years for a variety of Universal Studios Hollywood haunted houses. The album will be available for purchase exclusively at Universal Studios Hollywood. 

The score for SLASH: Music of Universal Studios Hollywood – Halloween Horror Nights, Volume 2, is as follows: 

SIDE A 

1.“The Hunted Becomes The Hunter” 4:21 (Universal Monsters: The Bride of Frankenstein Lives 2021)

 2.“Monsters, Maniacs, and Madmen” (Universal Monsters Medley 2021) 5:08 (Universal Monsters 2018) 

 3.“The Blood is Life” 3:38 (Universal Monsters: The Bride of Frankenstein Lives 2021) 

 4.“The Collection Room / Dracula’s Lair” 2:45 (Universal Monsters 2018) 

5.“The Ossuary” 1:47 (Universal Monsters: Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man 2019) 

SIDE B  

6.“Cycles of the Moon” 3:02 (Universal Monsters: Legends Collide 2022) 

7.“Immortal Curses” 4:26 (Universal Monsters: Legends Collide 2022) 

8.“Alucard” 2:21 (Universal Monsters: Legends Collide 2022)

9.“Bloodline Drawn” 5:02 (Universal Monsters: Eternal Bloodlines 2024)

10.“Unholy Alliance” 3:15 (Universal Monsters: Eternal Bloodlines 2024)

“As a longtime fan of Halloween Horror Nights, it has been incredibly rewarding to not only have experienced the event as a guest, but to have partnered with Universal Studios Hollywood for so many years to create an array of original music that intensifies the storylines of these haunted houses,” SLASH remarked to ageekdaddy.com. “This year’s collaboration with Halloween Horror Nights and the chance to become one of the event’s marquee experiences is truly humbling and I can’t wait for the guests to join me when they step into the terror.”

Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood begins on Thursday, September 4. Sorry, if you are planning to attend the event at Universal's Orlando, Florida SLASH's involvement is exclusive to their California amusement park. A variety of Halloween Horror Nights ticket options for Universal Studios Hollywood are now available, including General Admission, the Early Access Ticket, which provides entry to select haunted houses beginning at 5:30 p.m., in advance of the scheduled 7:00 p.m. event opening time, and Ultimate Fear Pass, which enable guests to experience the scares again and again. Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood runs select nights from September 4 to November 2, 2025. CLICK HERE for information regarding purchasing tickets.

DEMONCODE ADDS HORROR ICON TO ITS CAST

If you are a fan of horror movies, here is one that is in development that you may want to keep an eye out for ... DemonCode. Written and directed by Dr. Corey Trahan, a quantum physicist and filmmaker, DemonCode's production team promises that this horror movie will fuse real-world scientific theory with metaphysical horror, delivering a cerebral and unsettling experience. While the full story details remain under wraps, Trahan believes DemonCode will challenge genre conventions with its bold vision and deeply atmospheric approach.

“This project touches on concepts that physicists have only recently started exploring, things which dig at the fundamental nature of existence," Trahan remarked to ageekdaddy.com. “It’s rooted in science, but it reaches into the unknown."

Adding some Hollywood cred to this film project, horror icon Doug Bradley, known for his portrayal of Pinhead in Clive Barker’s Hellraiser franchise, has officially joined the cast of this upcoming horror movie. Bradley will play a critical and mysterious role at the heart of the film’s dark mythology, The Maker.

"Doug Bradley brings a presence that doesn’t just haunt, it lingers," Trahan remarked. "The Maker is not easily defined.”

For more information and updates on this indie film production, head over to horrorweb.com

STREET ARTIST SWOON CREATES CAUGHT STEALING MOVIE POSTERS

To capture the vibe of the upcoming Sony Pictures film CAUGHT STEALING, street artist Swoon crafted movie posters hyping its August 29 theatrical release date. Caught Stealing is directed by Academy Award® nominee Darren Aronofsky and is based on Charlie Huston's book of the same name. The film stars Austin Butler, Regina King, Zoë Kravitz, Matt Smith, Liev Schreiber, Vincent D’Onofrio, Griffin Dunne, Benito Martínez Ocasio, and Carol Kane.

"I reached out to the legendary SWOON—who was pasting NYC walls during the exact era CAUGHT STEALING unfolds—to create posters for the film", commented Aronofsky to ageekdaddy.com. "Watching her work unleashed that same electric rush I’d get stumbling across fresh pieces tucked into forgotten alleys and dead-end streets of NYC in the 90s. That pulse quickening thrill of discovery, when you turn a corner and find something brilliant burning on a brick wall nobody else has noticed yet—that’s what I hope these posters summon."

Hank Thompson (Austin Butler) was a high-school baseball phenom who can’t play anymore, but everything else is going okay. He’s got a great girl (Zoë Kravitz), tends bar at a New York dive, and his favorite team is making an underdog run at the pennant. When his punk-rock neighbor Russ (Matt Smith) asks him to take care of his cat for a few days, Hank suddenly finds himself caught in the middle of a motley crew of threatening gangsters. They all want a piece of him; the problem is he has no idea why. As Hank attempts to evade their ever-tightening grip, he’s got to use all his hustle to stay alive long enough to find out.

The film has not yet been rated by the Motion Picture Association of America [MPAA]. Have any promotions for this film caught your attention yet? Has your interest been piqued to go see it?

AN EVENING WITH JANE GOODALL

Noted environmentalist Jane Goodall, known for her study of wild chimpanzees in Africa, will be traveling to Detroit's Fisher Theatre to provide a talk on her life experiences.  An Evening with Jane Goodall will take place Monday, September 8, 2025 at 7:30 pm with ticket sales beginning on Friday, July 25 at broadwayindetroit.com. Tickets start at $56 and include parking and facility fees with admission.

On July 14, 1960, Jane arrived on the shores of Gombe in Tanzania to begin what became groundbreaking studies into the lives of wild chimpanzee communities. The discoveries that chimpanzees make and use tools forever changed our understanding of our relationship to the rest of the animal kingdom. This transformative research continues today as the longest running wild chimpanzee study in the world.

Jane’s work builds on scientific innovations, growing a lifetime of advocacy including trailblazing efforts through her international organization of 25 Jane Goodall Institutes which advance community-led conservation, animal welfare, care for rescued chimpanzees and other species, and ongoing wildlife research. In 1991 Jane founded her environmental and humanitarian program, Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots, which empowers young people of all ages to become involved in hands-on projects of their choosing. Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots began with 12 students in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and now it is a movement, active in 75 countries and counting.

Today at 91 years old, Jane remains active inspiring audiences worldwide through speaking tours, media engagements, written publications, and a wide array of film, television and podcast projects. Author of many books for adults and children, her latest publication “The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times,” has been translated into more than 20 languages. You can learn more about her at janegoodall.org. 

PRINCE SIGN O THE TIMES IMAX MOVIE RELEASE

For the first time ever, the iconic concert film Prince – Sign O’ The Times will be released exclusively in IMAX theatres globally for a limited time, beginning August 29, 2025. The critically acclaimed 1987 film, directed by Prince and featuring Prince with his talented band of musicians including Sheila E., has undergone IMAX’s proprietary Digital Media Remastering (DMR) process to deliver unprecedented image and sound quality, offering audiences an immersive experience of Prince’s legendary performance like never before. 

Sign O’ The Times is widely celebrated for capturing the artist at his creative peak—blending electrifying concert footage with cinematic storytelling, powerful visuals, and genre-defying sound. Now, enhanced with IMAX’s precision surround sound audio, customized theatre geometry, and crystal-clear images, Prince’s virtuoso performance is set to mesmerize fans old and new in the most epic format available. “Prince – Sign O’ The Times” features some of Prince’s most iconic tracks, including “If I Was Your Girlfriend,” the anthemic title track “Sign O’ The Times,” and “U Got The Look,” Prince’s smash hit duet with Sheena Easton. The film showcases Prince’s unparalleled musicianship, stagecraft, and style, highlighting his timeless impact on music and popular culture.

Tickets can be purchased at www.imax.com/prince. It will be showing for 1 WEEK only so don't miss out on your chance to experience this exceptional showcase of the musician's performance in an IMAX theater. 

LITTLE FREE LIBRARIES PROMOTION HYPES RETURN OF TNT TV SERIES

Debuting this week on the TNT cable network is a spinoff series of the fantasy adventure movies and television show The Librarians which starred Noah Wyle of E.R. fame that were released between 2004 and 2018. All four seasons of The Librarian series are available now to view on Amazon Prime if you didn't catch them during their cable tv run. This new original TNT series premiering on May 25, 2025, THE LIBRARIANS: THE NEXT CHAPTER features its own cast starring Callum McGowan, Jessica Green, Olivia Morris, and Bluey Robinson.

In THE LIBRARIANS: THE NEXT CHAPTER, a Librarian from the past time travels to the present and finds himself stuck here. When he returns to his castle, which is now a museum, he inadvertently releases magic across the continent. He is given a new team to help him clean up the mess he made, forming a new team of Librarians.

To mark the return of The Librarians, TNT has partnered with 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Little Free Library, to distribute books and custom swag to more than 200 library stewards in their network. Each participating Little Free Library will host a selection of books curated by the Little Free Library team and TNT, including The Librarians tie-in novels, collectible branded bookmark charms and window vinyls. 

You can search for the participating Little Free Library in the Detroit area through their online map starting May 25th. The promotion is scheduled to run for three months. When looking over the Little Free Library map I noticed four participating locations within 2 miles of my house. Check out if there is one near you to take advantage of joining in on this fun promotional event.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST AT FISHER THEATRE

The traveling musical stage show of Disney's BEAUTY & THE BEAST will be starting off a new season for Broadway in Detroit with a Fall appearance at the City's Fisher Theater. Following the show's two week October 1 - 12 run, the Broadway in Detroit 2025-2026 theatrical season will also include performances of Back to the Future, Hell's Kitchen, Shucked, The Outsiders, & Juliet and Suffs. Tickets for Disney's BEAUTY & THE BEAST will be available to purchase starting Friday, June 13 at 10 am via BroadwayInDetroit.com. Tickets start at $40.00 (includes parking & facility fee). Additionally, season subscriptions to attend Broadway In Detroit's full series of 7 shows at package rates starting at $317 are still available.

Based on the 1991 Academy Award®-winning animated feature film, BEAUTY & THE BEAST directed & choreographed by Matt West, features Alan Menken’s Academy Award®-winning score, songs by Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman (including the Academy Award®-winning title song and the show-stopping “Be Our Guest”), plus songs written especially for the stage by Alan Menken and Tim Rice (including “If I Can’t Love Her” and “A Change In Me”). The production features a book by Linda Woolverton, author of the original screenplay. Sets are by Stanley A. Meyer, costumes by Ann Hould-Ward (Tony Award® winner for Beauty and the Beast) and lighting by Natasha Katz.

Performance schedule for BEAUTY & THE BEAST appearing October 1 – 12, 2025 at the Fisher Theatre located at 3011 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit, MI are: 

 • Tuesday through Saturday evening performances at 7:30 p.m. 

 • Saturday matinees at 2:00 p.m. 

 • Sunday matinees at 1:00 p.m. 

 • Sunday evening performances at 6:30 p.m. 

 • Additional matinee on Thursday, October 2 at 1:00 p.m. 

 • Special Open Caption performance on Sunday, October 5 at 6:30 p.m.