Entertainment
Jason Voorhees Steps Into the Real World With New Interactive Halloween Attraction
Jason Voorhees is stepping out of the movies and into haunted attractions across nine U.S. cities. The new Jason Universe experience includes a terrifying walkthrough and a limited interactive add-on that lets guests direct Jason’s next attack.
The first-of-its-kind licensed Jason Universe experience will bring the “Friday the 13th” slasher to haunted attractions in Phoenix and eight other U.S. cities.
Horror fans may want to keep their flashlights close this Halloween. Jason Voorhees is leaving Crystal Lake and stepping into the world of live haunted entertainment.
Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group has partnered with Horror, Inc. to launch “Jason Universe: Survive the Night,”an officially licensed walkthrough attraction inspired by the Friday the 13th franchise. A separate, limited-capacity interactive experience called “Jason Universe: Director’s Cut” will allow guests to influence how part of the terrifying encounter unfolds.
The experiences are scheduled to appear during the 2026 Halloween season at select Thirteenth Floor attractions in Denver, Austin, Houston, San Antonio, Phoenix, Green Bay, Minneapolis, New Orleans and Nashville.
For Arizona horror fans, the inclusion of Phoenix means one of cinema’s most recognizable masked villains will be lurking close to home this fall.
Surviving a Night With Jason
“Jason Universe: Survive the Night” places visitors inside a dark, suspense-filled environment in which Jason can appear around virtually any corner. According to the attraction’s description, guests will try to make it through the night while the seemingly unstoppable slasher stalks them through the maze.
The experience promises close encounters with Jason’s battered hockey mask, relentless pursuit and the unsettling feeling that, no matter where guests turn, he is already waiting for them.
Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group says the collaboration is the first licensed Jason Universe haunted attraction of its kind. It combines the mythology and visual identity of Friday the 13th with the company’s large-scale sets, performers and immersive haunted-house production.
Guests Can Direct Jason’s Next Attack
The most unusual part of the attraction may be “Jason Universe: Director’s Cut,” an optional experience with extremely limited nightly availability.
Inside a rustic cabin, a camp counselor leads a small group to a control station featuring four choices: Panic, Slash, Strike and Stalk. Guests select how Jason will attack next, temporarily placing them in the director’s chair and giving them a hand in determining how the scene plays out.
The people inside the cabin may control one moment, but the attraction warns that Jason remains in charge of the rest of the night. Participants will receive a limited-edition “Jason Universe: Director’s Cut” patch as a collectible.
Chris Stafford, CEO and founding partner of Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group, said the collaboration grew from conversations about creating a Jason experience unlike anything fans had encountered before.
“We found an opportunity not only to bring the Jason Universe brand to guests across our attractions, but to create a first-of-its-kind licensed Jason Universe attraction that gives fans the opportunity to partake in an additional experience and choose their ending,” Stafford said in the announcement.
Robbie Barsamian, executive vice president at Horror, Inc., said the company has been looking for new ways to bring Jason to audiences through games, online projects and real-world experiences.
More Than Four Decades of Horror History
The original Friday the 13th opened in theaters in 1980 and helped establish the summer-camp slasher as a horror staple. Although Jason Voorhees was not yet the hockey-mask-wearing killer audiences would later recognize, the character eventually became the franchise’s defining figure.
Across sequels, television, games, comics, collectibles and Halloween costumes, Jason’s mask and machete became enduring symbols of the genre. The franchise ultimately expanded to 12 films, while Jason developed into one of horror’s most recognizable pop-culture characters.
Horror, Inc. launched the broader Jason Universe initiative in 2024 as a home for new projects connected to the franchise. Those projects include Crystal Lake, an upcoming television prequel series from A24.
The partnership with Thirteenth Floor represents another step in that expansion, transforming Jason from an on-screen threat into a physical presence that fans can encounter—and, for a moment, direct.
Tickets and Availability
Dates, participating venues, ticket prices and availability will vary by city. The “Director’s Cut” upgrade will have limited capacity each night, so interested fans may want to check availability early.
Additional information is available at ThirteenthFloor.com. Fans can also follow developments across the franchise at JasonUniverse.com.
This article is based on information provided by Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group. Attraction details and availability are subject to change.
Source: Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group, press release dated August 20, 2026.
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Entertainment
Lights, Camera, Snackers: How Aspiring Filmmakers Can Enter to Win $25,000
The director’s chair is open and the opportunity to create the next great snack-sized movie could be yours. Aspiring filmmakers and creators have the chance to turn a prewritten script into an original short film for a $25,000 prize.
Lights, Camera, Snackers: How Aspiring Filmmakers Can Enter to Win $25,000
(Feature Impact) The director’s chair is open and the opportunity to create the next great snack-sized movie could be yours.
For the second year, Bumble Bee is bringing back its Tuna “Cans”Film Festival, giving aspiring filmmakers and creators the chance to turn a script written by comedian and actress, Grace Reiter, into an original short film starring its deliciously convenient tuna Snackers.
Watch the video to learn more!
“I love a chance to support those starting out in the film industry – and this time, I’m partnering with Bumble Bee for the Tuna Cans Film Festival to do it,” Reiter said. “Plus, I’m making it easy: I already wrote the script.”
Using Reiter’s scripted lines, creators can make the story entirely their own, bringing their vision to life through original characters, settings, music, editing and creative flair.
The creative brief is simple: The finished film must be 60 seconds or less and Bumble Bee Snackers™ need to get their moment in the spotlight.
Plus, the stakes are bigger than ever: The winning filmmaker will take home a $25,000 grand prize to help make their filmmaking dreams a reality.
Creators can submit their original short film by Oct. 23, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. PT.
The film can be funny, dramatic, unexpected or all three. The lines are already written but the order, arrangement and any additions are open to creative interpretation. Now it’s time to see what you can do with it.
Visit tunacansfilmfest.com, where you can find Reiter’s original script, submission instructions and complete contest details, to get started.
SOURCE:
Bumble Bee
Last Updated on October 9, 2026 by Daily News Staff
From haunted mazes after dark to daytime trick-or-treating with Snoopy, Knott’s offers two ways to celebrate Halloween in 2026.
BUENA PARK, Calif. — Halloween season is underway at Knott’s Berry Farm, where visitors can choose between the nighttime frights of Knott’s Scary Farm and the playful daytime activities of Knott’s Spooky Farm.
For readers planning a Southern California outing this October, the two celebrations offer different ways to get into the Halloween spirit.
Scary Farm brings new nightmares after dark
Knott’s Scary Farm runs on select nights through October 31, 2026, transforming the park with haunted mazes, scare zones, shows, and more than 1,000 creatures, according to Knott’s.
Two new mazes join this year’s lineup. Inked turns a cartoonist’s creations into a nightmare, while Unearthed sends visitors into an excavation where an ancient evil has awakened.
Also new for 2026 is Color Collect, an activity in which guests use an interactive lantern to activate pillars around the park and collect six colors.
Scary Farm requires its own paid event admission. As of October 4, online single-night tickets are advertised from $65, with taxes potentially additional. Knott’s does not recommend the event for children under 13.
Spooky Farm offers daytime Halloween fun
For families seeking a gentler celebration, Knott’s Spooky Farm takes place Thursdays through Sundays, September 24–October 31, plus October 12, according to the park’s events calendar, which lists the additional date as Columbus Day.
Children can trick-or-treat through Ghost Town, enjoy games and spooky stories with Snoopy and the Peanuts characters, and show off their Halloween outfits at Snoopy’s Spooktacular Costume Party.
Other activities include the Creepy Critters of Calico, cookie decorating in the pumpkin patch, and performances by the Bob Baker Marionette Theater. Cookie decorating carries an additional fee.
The daytime celebration gives families a chance to enjoy Halloween decorations, treats, and entertainment together before the nighttime haunt begins.
Planning your visit
Knott’s Berry Farm is located at 8039 Beach Boulevard in Buena Park, California. Before heading out, check the park’s official calendar for your chosen date, operating hours, admission options, and event policies.
Whether your Halloween plans call for a bag of candy or a trip through a haunted maze, Knott’s has a seasonal celebration to match.
Keep the fun going: Visit STM Daily News for more entertainment news, theme park updates, and stories worth sharing.
Official sources
- Knott’s Scary Farm: attractions and tickets
- Knott’s Spooky Farm: activities and entertainment
- Knott’s Berry Farm: seasonal event dates
Information checked October 4, 2026. Event schedules, offerings, and ticket prices may change.
The next round of Street Fighter is heading to the big screen. Paramount Pictures and Legendary Pictures will release the new live-action movie exclusively in theaters on October 16, 2026, bringing Capcom’s video game characters into a story built around rivalries, a dangerous tournament, and a conspiracy lurking behind the competition.
Directed by Kitao Sakurai, the film features Andrew Koji as Ryu, Noah Centineo as Ken Masters, and Callina Liang as Chun-Li, alongside an ensemble that includes Jason Momoa, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, and wrestling stars Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes.
Ryu and Ken Face a Fight Beyond the Arena
Set in 1993, the movie finds Ryu and Ken estranged when Chun-Li draws them back into combat for the next World Warrior Tournament. What initially looks like a chance to test their fighting skills becomes something much more dangerous.
According to the studio’s synopsis, a deadly conspiracy puts the two fighters on a collision course, forcing them to confront both each other and unresolved struggles from their past. That setup gives the film a personal conflict to explore alongside its tournament action.
For viewers who remember gathering around an arcade cabinet, the 1993 setting offers a nostalgic hook. The studio is also promising familiar signature moves, including Hadoukens and roundhouse kicks, as the game’s combat makes the jump to live action.
A Cast Packed With Familiar Fighters
Beyond its central trio, the announced lineup brings together actors, comedians, musicians, wrestlers, and martial artists. Among the character pairings:
- Joe “Roman Reigns” Anoai as Akuma
- David Dastmalchian as M. Bison
- Cody Rhodes as Guile
- Vidyut Jammwal as Dhalsim
- Orville Peck as Vega
- Olivier Richters as Zangief
- Hirooki Goto as E. Honda
- Mel Jarnson as Cammy
- Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson as Balrog
- Jason Momoa as Blanka
The cast also includes Andrew Schulz as Dan Hibiki, Eric André as Don Sauvage, Rayna Vallandingham as Juli, Kyle Mooney as Marvin, and Alexander Volkanovski as Joe.
With so many characters sharing the screen, one question will be how the movie balances the wider roster with Ryu and Ken’s central story. The announced cast gives longtime fans plenty of familiar names to watch for.
Who Is Behind the Movie?
Paramount Pictures and Legendary Pictures present Street Fighter in association with Capcom. The Legendary Pictures production is based on the Capcom video game, with a story by Dalan Musson and Gary Dauberman and a screenplay by T.J. Fixman and Kitao Sakurai.
Producers include Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Jason Momoa, Takayuki Nakayama, and Stefan Makhoul. The supplied production announcement notes that credits are subject to change.
Release Date and Rating
Street Fighter opens only in theaters October 16, 2026. The film is rated PG-13 for violence/action, bloody images, strong language, sexual references, partial nudity, and brief smoking, according to the supplied studio announcement.
Fans can visit Paramount’s official Street Fighter page for the trailer and film information, and follow #StreetFighterMovie for promotional updates.
Which fighter are you most excited to see in live action? Share your pick in the comments, and visit STM Daily News for more Entertainment coverage and newsletter updates.
Source: Supplied Paramount Pictures/Legendary Pictures production announcement; release date, synopsis, and selected credits checked against Paramount’s official film page. This article is a preview, not a review.
