Television

Rumor: STAR TREK Land Possibly Coming To Universal Studios

by Eric Diaz
May 24 2018 • 12:33 PM

Take this with a galactic sized grain of salt, but a rumor has recently hit about a future theme park expansion that should send sci-fi fans into orbit. With Star Wars: Galaxy’s EdgeOpens in a new tab opening up in DisneylandOpens in a new tab and Walt Disney WorldOpens in a new tab next year, Disney’s biggest theme park competitor, Universal StudiosOpens in a new tab, knows it is going to have to up its game if they are going to compete.

Rumors have been spreading for awhile about a new, fourth land at Universal Orlando, and now, thanks to a report from Disney and MoreOpens in a new tab (via Slash FilmOpens in a new tab), we’ve learned that a Star TrekOpens in a new tab-themed land might be in the planning stages for Universal Studios in Florida. Apparently, the building which housed Universal’s Terminator 2 3D experience is looking to be replaced with either a Bourne Identity or Star Trek-themed attraction, and that Trek experience might signal a whole new themed land for the park. Nerdist reached out to Universal for comment, but have not heard back at time of publication.

So if true, why Star Trek? True, Trek is not as universally (pun intended) loved as Star WarsOpens in a new tab, but it is, without a doubt, the second most well known space themed science-fiction property there is, especially in North America. The popularity of the franchise has ebbed and flowed, but it has survived for over fifty years, and will probably continue to for decades still. Not every character outside of  KirkOpens in a new tab and and SpockOpens in a new tab are household names, but everyone, fan or not, has heard of the Starship Enterprise, transporters, and the planet Vulcan. That’s IP brand awareness that’s hard to ignore. And while Trek is more adult-oriented than Star Wars, it’s still safely a PG-13 property.

There are obstacles to this however. Currently, the rights to the 6 Star Trek television series are owned by CBS, while the movie rights are at Paramount Pictures. Wrangling both might prove to be a task. Also, unlike Star Wars, the aesthetics of Trek are constantly changing. Do you have a land themed to the original films, or the JJ AbramsOpens in a new tab ones? After all, by the time the theme park opens the franchise could have completely moved on to another time period with different designs and uniforms. It’s much harder to nail down what Star Trek “looks like” in a long term fashion than Star Wars.

But a Star Trek-themed attraction has happened before. In the Las Vegas Hilton, The Star Trek Experience was around for some twenty years, and was a very ahead of its time in many ways. Another Star Trek-themed attraction that would have been legendary also almost once happened in Las Vegas — a life size Starship Enterprise, which would have been “parked” in downtown Vegas and would have held all kids of themed attractions and restaurants inside. Maybe a combination of these two ideas would be something for Universal to consider.

What would you want to see in a Star Trek themed land? Let us know down below in the comments.

Images: CBS / Paramount

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