Ryan Coogler's Academy Award-Winning 'Sinners' Joins Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights 2026

This spooky season, a 2025 horror box office champion is making its way to Universal Studios' theme parks in Hollywood and Orlando.

By Pamela Gores Posted:
Michael B. Jordan in Sinners.

The horror genre has been hotter than ever lately. The last few years have brought viewers worldwide now-iconic hits such as Weapons, the Terrifier franchise, and, of course, Sinners. Directed, written, and produced by Ryan Coogler of Creed and Black Panther fame, Sinners quickly became a theatrical darling upon its April 2025 release, paving a path to 16 Academy Awards nominations and four wins, including Best Original Screenplay. What better way to continue celebrating the film’s success than by bringing fans as close to the world of Sinners as possible?

Universal Studios announced that Sinners will be featured in a brand-new haunted house experience at its Orlando, Florida, and Hollywood, California, theme parks during the company's Halloween Horror Nights event this fall. Described in a press release as a "terrifying Halloween Horror Nights house [that] will transport guests back in time to the popular Club Juke," attendees will be fully immersed in Sinners, including through up-close encounters with red-eyed vampires.

A promotional image for the house spotlights star Michael B Jordan's dual roles in the movie as twins Smoke and Stack, as well as a vampire with a chunk of its face ripped off. The press release, per Jordan, noted that the house will allow guests "to feel the music, the atmosphere and the tension [of Sinners] all around them." 

'Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights Sinners' text and promotional poster.
Universal

Guests of Halloween Horror Nights can expect to come face-to-face with Sinners' beloved cast of characters, including vampires Remmick, Bert, and Joan, and club-goers Sammie, Mary, Annie, Pearline, and Cornbread. The objective of the house is simple: survive the night as Smoke and Stack face their demons, literally. 

Universal's Halloween Horror Nights will run from August 28 through November 1 in Orlando and September 3 through November 1 in Hollywood. A variety of ticket options, as well as commemorative merchandise for the Sinners haunted house and other already- and soon-to-be announced houses and experiences, can be purchased online and at the theme parks. 

A hat and t-shirt with 'Sinners' text and promotional images and a Halloween Horror Nights commemorative carousel with a figure of Smoke and Stack in it.
Universal

How Sinners Could Reinvent Universal's Haunted House Experience

Rennick and vampires circling together in Sinners.
Warner Bros.

Arguably, the most interesting part of this announcement is how the Sinners house, per John Murdy, Executive Producer of Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood, will "re-invent[ing] the haunted house and create[ing] new ways to scare our guests that we’ve never attempted..." 

Universal is no stranger to crafting new and exciting scares. Halloween Horror Nights is a longstanding tradition at the parks, with Orlando celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. And when it comes to Sinners, there's no shortage of ways it could keep raising the bar, especially by leaning into a core concept of the film: vampires must be invited into a space.

Sinners draws on the classic vampire trope that vampires must be invited inside before they can enter and prey upon potential victims. This concept could translate seamlessly into a haunted house experience, putting guests in the uncomfortable position of deciding who, or what, they're willing to let in. Imagine scare actors posing as frightened townspeople, pleading with guests to let them inside, only to suddenly reveal themselves as vampires the moment they cross the threshold.

Rather than relying on jump scares, the Sinners haunted house could lean on paranoia and hesitation to make guests feel complicit in the terror unfolding around them. There's no telling which direction the house could go in, but expect it to be filled with red eyes and plenty of blues to keep your feet tapping (or running) along.

A sneak peek of Universal Studios' Sinners haunted house can be seen below:


To hold you over until spooky season, check out Universal's permanent horror attraction in Las Vegas, Horror Unleashed, which features even more terrifying haunted houses.

- About The Author: Pamela Gores
Pamela Gores is the Managing Editor of Copy and a writer at The Direct, where she has held these roles for six years. A diehard MCU fan since 2012's The Avengers, she harbors an extensive appreciation for Natasha Romanoff (rest in peace). Pamela is the primary point of contact for all matters related to editing and publishing at The Direct, maintains the staff's Writing and Publishing Guide, and assists in implementing the latest copy rules, both in-house and in accordance with AP Style.