Two of HHN’s biggest rivals are finally sharing a house, and it might be the most technically ambitious build the event has ever attempted.
Jack & Oddfellow: Chaos & Control was the very first haunted house announced for Halloween Horror Nights 35, and it’s serving as the centerpiece of the entire 35th anniversary event.
The house is located in Soundstage 22 at Universal Studios Florida. Halloween Horror Nights 35 runs select nights from August 28 through November 1, 2026.
This house was announced on March 21, 2026, during the “Behind the Screams: Crafting 35 Years of Fear” panel at MegaCon Orlando…making it not just the first haunted house confirmed for HHN 35, but the very first announcement of the entire event. It’s reportedly the third-earliest haunted house reveal in HHN history, trailing only Beetlejuice’s HHN 30 announcement and Chucky: Ultimate Kill Count.
The Official Premise
Universal’s own description sets the stakes plainly: witness Jack the Clown’s unholy origins, then enter Dr. Oddfellow’s wickedly twisted universe, where two of the most powerful forces in horror face off in a deathmatch of chaos versus control.
The Story: Told From Oddfellow’s Perspective
According to the creative team, the house is narrated from Dr. Oddfellow’s point of view, walking guests through the origin story of Jack the Clown’s rivalry with him. As the story goes, Jack went on a killing spree through Oddfellow’s carnival, eventually drawing police attention. In desperation, Oddfellow sealed Jack inside a box to stop him.
Here’s the twist revealed specifically for HHN 35: that box wasn’t just a box. Oddfellow has always traveled between dimensions through portals, a concept the creative team calls the “Oddverse”, and the box used to seal Jack away turns out to have been one of those very portals all along.
What Is the Oddverse?
The Oddverse is described as a pocket dimension created by Dr. Oddfellow, one from which he draws his powers. It’s also where Jack (whose full name has been revealed as Jack Schmidt) has resided inside his box ever since being sealed away. Throughout the house, both Oddfellow and Jack narrate different portions of the journey, with Jack gradually “hijacking” the narrative as he grows more powerful within the Oddverse itself.
“You’re Going Into the Box”
Mike Aiello, Universal Orlando Resort’s Senior Director of Entertainment Creative Development, described the experience to USA Today in vivid terms: guests are essentially going into the box itself, experiencing what Jack experienced the moment he was killed and shoved inside, and ultimately entering the realm the creative team calls the Oddverse.
One of the Most Technically Demanding Houses Ever Built
According to Jordan A. Hill, part of the creative team behind the house, this isn’t just the most technically demanding house he’s ever worked on for Halloween Horror Nights — it’s one of the most technically demanding projects he’s worked on, period. The team is reportedly taking major creative swings here, attempting things that have never been tried inside an HHN house before.
Behind the Scenes
Charles Gray served as show director for the house, with Dylan Kollath as scenic designer. The house was revealed during a MegaCon panel featuring Gray alongside Mike Aiello and Lora Sauls, Assistant Director of Entertainment Creative Development for Show Direction.
Easter Eggs Honoring Jack’s History
Concept art shared for the house includes deep-cut references to Jack the Clown’s long history at Halloween Horror Nights, including nods to the “Jacked Up” show from Halloween Horror Nights X (the event’s 10th year) and the toilet and padded wall set pieces from PsychoScareapy: Maximum Madness, a house from Halloween Horror Nights: Sweet 16 (the event’s 16th year). For longtime fans, this house is shaping up to be as much a tribute to Jack’s history as it is a new chapter in his story.
Early Access
Jack & Oddfellow: Chaos & Control is one of the first three houses available to guests using HHN 35’s early-access programs, opening ahead of the event’s official 6:30 PM start for guests using the Stay & Scream or Scream Early options.
Bookmark this page, check back soon, and let us know in the comments whether you’re rooting for chaos or control this year!
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