Theme Park Scope

Something is stirring beyond the walls of Dark Universe, and this time, we’ve got some pretty interesting clues.

New aerial photos from Epic Universe show significant tree clearing taking place in a backstage area behind Dark Universe, near the show building for Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment.

Universal has not officially announced a new attraction for this location, but when you combine the freshly cleared land with previously filed permits for a future project and some very familiar Universal Monsters props sitting nearby, this is definitely an area we’re going to be watching.

Aerial photography from @bioreconstruct shows that Universal crews have removed a collection of tall trees from an area behind Dark Universe.

The site sits next to the Monsters Unchained show building, and the newly exposed dirt paths show where trees previously helped fill out the forest surrounding Dark Universe.

Rows of barriers have also appeared near the road at the edge of the cleared site.

The particular area isn’t especially large, but it could potentially accommodate a smaller attraction or experience. Again, Universal hasn’t confirmed what (if anything) is being built here yet.

There’s Already a Mysterious ‘Project 680’

This isn’t the first indication that Universal may have plans to expand Dark Universe. A permit for site work was originally filed in March, later removed, and then re-filed for a future attraction identified as Project 680.

Another permit filed in June provided an even more interesting clue.

That filing identified a 71,500-square-foot tenant space associated with the Dark Universe expansion. For comparison, it appears to be roughly the size of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster’s attraction footprint at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

The permit itself does not reveal what kind of attraction is planned.

Previous Dark Universe concept art, however, depicted a substantial enclosed building in an area that wasn’t ultimately developed when Epic Universe opened. That means possibilities could range from another ride to a live entertainment experience, but at this point, anything more specific remains speculation.

Some Familiar Universal Monsters Have Appeared Nearby

And here’s where things get particularly fun for longtime Universal Orlando fans.

Sitting in the area are the old Universal Monsters figures from Monsters Cafe at Universal Studios Florida.

The life-size figures once appeared atop the Bone Chillin’ drinks stand outside Monsters Cafe. Monsters Cafe permanently closed in May 2022, followed by the Bone Chillin’ stand that November as Universal prepared the area for Minion Cafe.

The figures include Frankenstein’s Monster, The Wolf Man, and Gill-man, a.k.a. the Creature from the Black Lagoon.

And yes, longtime fans may remember one particularly important detail — the Wolf Man is still holding his pizza.

The Gill-man figure also still carries his shrimp dish, while the menu that Frankenstein’s Monster once held had already been removed when the figures were spotted at the Epic Universe construction site in 2024.

The figures were moved to Epic Universe during the park’s original construction, but Universal never announced exactly what it planned to do with them.

Now they’re lying near this newly cleared Dark Universe area. Coincidence? Maybe! But it’s certainly enough to make this construction site a lot more interesting.

For now, we’ll have to keep watching the construction…and maybe keep an especially close eye on Frankenstein, Wolf Man, and Gill-man. After spending years sitting backstage, perhaps those Monsters Cafe icons are finally getting another chance to shine.

Keep checking back with Theme Park Scope for the latest Epic Universe construction updates, Dark Universe expansion news, Universal Monsters developments, and everything new coming to Universal Orlando Resort.