| Special Effects Stage | |
| Location: | Universal Studios Hollywood |
| Logodimensions: | 200px |
| Status: | Removed |
| Section: | Upper Lot |
| Theme: | Universal Pictures films |
| Opened: | January 2002 |
| Type: | Special Effects Show |
| Ride: | no |
| Closed: | January 8, 2023 |
| Previousattraction: | The Land of a Thousand Faces (1975 – 1980) Castle Dracula Live Show (1980 – 1983) (1983 – 1992) Beetlejuice's Rock and Roll Graveyard Revue (1992 – 1999) Spider-Man Rocks (2002 – 2004) Fear Factor Live (2005 – 2008) (2009 – 2010) |
Special Effects Stage (known as Special Effects Stages from 2002 to 2010, Special Effects Stage from 2010 to 2015, and Special Effects Show from 2016 to 2023) was an attraction at Universal Studios Hollywood. Originally located in the park's Lower Lot area, it was relocated to the Upper Lot’s Castle Theater to make way for .[1] [2] [3] The attraction opened in this second and final location on June 26, 2010.[4] The show permanently closed on January 8, 2023 alongside Universal's Animal Actors, and both will be replaced by a Fast & the Furious-themed rollercoaster.[5] [6]
The attraction took guests through demonstrations of how movie special effects are created, including Motion capture, Chroma key, and Stop motion techniques. It included sections with park guest participation, and lifted elements from Universal's Horror Make-Up Show at Universal Studios Florida. The live attraction had two hosts: an older, practical effects guru and a younger, digital effects artist.[7]
The attraction's structure and the films showcased within it changed over time. The show's first and final performances consisted of:
Jurassic World, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, King Kong, Jurassic Park, Minions, The Incredible Hulk, The Mummy, Back to the Future, Ted, The Secret Life of Pets, Jaws, Sing, Apollo 13, The Fast and the Furious, The Bourne Identity, Identity Thief, Dracula, Child's Play
Before this show's opening in 2002, various other special effect-centric shows took place in the park's lower-lot area from the 1970s to 1990s, including: