Theme Park Scope

I need to tell you about the strangest hour of my week, and the most frustrating part is that I can’t show you most of it.

Last night we went to the Blumfest 2026 preview at Universal Studios Florida during Halloween Horror Nights, and the rule for the whole thing was simple: no photos, no videos. None. Which, as someone whose entire job involves holding up a phone at things, felt a little like being asked to go to a restaurant and not look at the food. (I complied. I’m a rule follower. Please clap.)

So this post is going to be a bit different from usual. I can’t hand you a gallery, but I can tell you what it was, where it was, what we were allowed to walk away with, and a bit of context on what we saw coming. Let’s go.

First, the setup, because it’s honestly the coolest part you can still see. The preview ran at 8, 9, and 10 PM inside Soundstage 19, and you got there by using the pathway between Despicable Me Minion Mayhem and the Universal Studios Store. That’s a very fun little contrast, by the way. You walk past a bright yellow Minion attraction and then turn toward a soundstage with a projection of the Blumfest logo glowing on its facade, in fiery red and orange, with the Blumhouse name sitting right above it. It sets the mood before you even step inside. The signs out front were just as dramatic, with a “please join us for a special preview” invitation, and the pictures I’m including show that part, since the signage was the one thing outside the no-photo zone.

There was also a pretty firm warning on the second sign. The preview contained violent content and disturbing images and language, and you had to be 17 or older, or accompanied by a parent or guardian, to enter and view. So if you were picturing a family-friendly Universal moment, no, this was horror fans only, and Universal made that very clear.

Inside, we were shown trailers for two upcoming films, The Exorcist: Martyrs and River. I want to be careful here, because I’m not going to describe what was in the trailers (so I won’t spoil anything for you…yet). The no-recording rule was serious, and part of the fun of an exclusive preview is that it stays a little bit exclusive. What I can do is tell you what those films are, based on what’s been announced publicly.

The Exorcist: Martyrs is written and directed by Mike Flanagan and stars Scarlett Johansson and Jacobi Jupe (yes, everyone in the preview audibly gasped and clapped the moment Scar Jo was revealed on screen). It’s from Universal, with Blumhouse, Atomic Monster, and Morgan Creek Entertainment producing, and it’s set for release on March 12, 2027. It’s also not connected to 2023’s The Exorcist: Believer, so you don’t need to have seen that one to be curious about this one.

River is the other one (and the one I was personally most excited to see). It’s a survival slasher from director Joshua Giuliano starring Jane Levy, Jessica Rothe, and Max Mittern. The setup is that three siblings take a boat out on a river to scatter their late father’s ashes; the engine fails, they lose cell service, and two sinister figures watch from the shore. (Yes, I saw that and immediately decided I never want to be on a boat again.) It premiered in the Midnight Madness section at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it reportedly picked up rave reviews and a 94 percent Rotten Tomatoes score, and Universal has it set for January 15, 2027.

Then, when it was over, everyone got a canvas tote bag. That’s it, that’s the souvenir, and I love it. A tote bag is the ultimate “I was there” item because it’s useful, it doesn’t scream “tourist,” and every time I carry it I’ll remember standing in a dark soundstage, phone locked away, watching trailers that nobody else gets to see yet.

I’ll be honest about what I don’t know. I can’t tell you whether the preview is running again, or whether it’s tied to a bigger Blumfest lineup this year, because that wasn’t something I could confirm. If Universal shares more, I’ll pass it along.

I love this kind of thing. Theme parks and movie studios are at their best when they make you feel like you got to sneak behind a curtain, and a no-photos preview in a real soundstage does that perfectly. Is it frustrating to not have pictures? A little. But I think it works because it’s scarce. If everybody got to post it, it wouldn’t feel like an event.

And as a horror fan, I’m genuinely excited about both films. Exorcist: Martyrs with that cast and a Mike Flanagan script? Yes please. A survival slasher on a boat? I’ll watch it through my fingers and then complain that I can’t sleep.

Did you get into one of the preview showings, or did you miss out like most of Orlando? Tell me in the comments (and if you were there, tell me what you thought of the tote bag, because I’m still smiling about it). And keep checking back with Theme Park Scope, because I’ll be sharing every bit of Universal and Blumhouse news I can find as the films get closer.