Jaws 3D's Wild Production and Universal's Missed SeaWorld Opportunity

WWE and Disney Streaming Deal

• 💡 The WWE's $1.625 billion deal with ESPN+ for premium live events, starting in 2026, is discussed, noting its shift from Peacock.
• 🎯 A speculative idea is proposed for a WWE Hall of Fame at Walt Disney World's Wide World of Sports, leveraging underutilized space.

Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood

• 🤡 New scare zones for Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood include "Carnival of Carnage" with murderous clowns and "Chainsaw Clowns."
• 🐦 Other announced scare zones are "Murder of Crows" and "No de Brujas," featuring Latin American witch legends.
• 👻 The "Five Nights at Freddy's" haunted house is highlighted, with praise for the creature effects and animatronics, potentially created by the Hennen company.

Universal Orlando Updates

• ⏳ Halloween Horror Nights "Stay and Scream" early entry at Universal Orlando has been updated, allowing guests to enter earlier and get wristbands at select locations.
• 🌊 Volcano Bay Nights, an after-hours event featuring water attractions, entertainment, and character meet-and-greets, is scheduled for select September and October dates.
• 💡 The impressive nighttime lighting package at Volcano Bay is noted as a highlight, though the cooler October temperatures are a consideration.

The Making of Jaws 3D

• 🎬 The early 1980s saw a resurgence in 3D movies, with films like "Coming at You" and a re-release of Hitchcock's "Dial M for Murder" sparking renewed interest.
• 🦈 Jaws 3D's production was delayed due to the complexity of creating convincing mechanical sharks for the 3D format, while "Friday the 13th 3D" was filmed more quickly.
• 📍 The film was shot at SeaWorld Orlando, offering a snapshot of the park in the early 1980s, and directed by Joe Alves, who had experience with the mechanical sharks from previous Jaws films.
• 📈 Despite its flaws, Jaws 3D performed solidly at the box office, ranking 15th in North America for 1983.

Universal's Missed SeaWorld Acquisition

• 🤝 In 1976, Universal attempted a hostile takeover of SeaWorld using money earned from the original Jaws film, aiming to compete with Disney in Orlando.
• 💰 Universal offered $45 million for the three SeaWorld parks, but lost the bid to a textbook company that offered $46 million.
• 😔 Years later, upon planning Universal Studios Florida, Universal executives realized the significant cost of entering the Orlando market, leading to regret over not acquiring SeaWorld earlier for a much lower price.