Press Release: Universal’s New Backlot Premieres

On June 1, 2008, a three alarm fire broke out at Universal Studios Hollywood, destroying New York Street, the King Kong theme park attraction and a video vault. In response, the entertainment community rallied together and assembled a world-renowned creative team to rebuild what had been lost. Jim Watters, President & General Manager of NBC Universal Operations Group, and Dave Beanes, Senior Vice-President of NBC Universal Production Services were joined by esteemed film legend Steven Spielberg, production designers, and Rick Carter (Academy Award winner for Avatar) to be a part of the design process. The team quickly expanded to a list of twenty-five award-winning production designers and graphic artists that collaborated, designed and rebuilt the legendary Hollywood fixture.
The finished product, which will be completed on June 30 and includes a New York block with a glass and steel look, Paris Square, London Square and Central Park, will usher in a new era for the Universal Studio Hollywood Studio Tour. The upgraded Studio Tour has been upgraded with high-definition TV monitors in each tram car, new video content and high-grade digital audio systems and will provide guests with a more in-depth behind-the-scenes look at the film and television industry than ever before.
As for King Kong, the attraction was moved to expand the location and provide additional production parking. The new King Kong 360-3D attraction created by award-winning director Peter Jackson will open this summer and will be the world’s largest and most intense 3D interactive theme park experience!

ABC 7 Reports on the Re-Opening of the Burned Down Section the the Universal Backlot

From KABC-TV LOS ANGELES, CA:

Nearly two years ago, a fire raced through the Universal Studios' backlot, destroying movie sets and some of Hollywood's most famous films. On Thursday, a celebration was held as part of the lot reopened.

The heads of Universal Studios, along with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, director Steven Spielberg and L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, attended the ceremony.

"What you see around you is the result of a new New York, and not just New York, but London and anywhere else your imagination takes you, because the backlot can be anything an art department and a director and a writer put in our imagination," Spielberg said during the ceremony

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Universal Studios' town square reopens to tours

From around the web...
Universal Studios staged a homecoming for Courthouse Square.

The outdoor set, best known as the town square from the “Back to the Future” films, welcomed the first backstage tour tram Thursday since it was destroyed a year ago when a fire ripped through the back lot. Roofers using a blowtorch accidentally started the blaze, which also destroyed the King Kong attraction, a video vault and other outdoor sets.

Stilt walkers dressed as hippies, members of the University of Southern California marching band and actors portraying such characters as Eddie Murphy’s Nutty Professor and Doc Brown from the “Back to the Future” films emerged from the courthouse during a ceremony to welcome the first tram, which was christened with a bottle of champagne.

Construction crews are still busy working on Courthouse Square, which in addition to a courthouse also features small-town facades portraying such locales as a firehouse, police station and antique store. The outdoor set has been featured in such films as “To Kill a Mockingbird,” ”Gremlins,” ”Bruce Almighty,” ”Amistad” and the TV show “Ghost Whisperer.”

“This is the first time since the fires that guests will be able to experience the backlot street sets of Universal Studios,” Universal Studios Hollywood President Larry Kurzweil said at the ceremony. “They’re really just seeing the beginning with the Courthouse Square reopening. It’s like chapters unfolding in a book. Each chapter unveils a new story.”

New adjacent exterior sets — including New York, London and modern streetscapes — are also under construction and scheduled to open in spring 2010. A new 3-D King Kong attraction based on Peter Jackson’s 2005 film is slated to swing onto the tour in summer 2010.

Major Fire at the Universal Studios Backlot!

Photo © Mike Meadows

Andrea saw this on CNN first thing this morning and of course she yelled for me across the house. This is a real sad one for me. It was a trip to Universal Studios I took with my family in sixth grade that lead me down the path I am still on today. The good news is that the fire, while very large, was contained to a relatively small area of the lot. The bad news is the King Kong attraction is gone along with the New York street portion of the back lot. In addition the fire burned a part of a storage building which contained a portion of their film vault.


Thankfully no one was killed in the fire. I hope nothing irreplaceable, like original film negatives, was lost in the fire. I'm sure insurance will kick in and the back lot and Kong attraction will be replaced. In fact this may be a good opportunity to update the attraction with content from the 2005 version of King Kong. I can see it being a great way to connect with modern audiences who are more familiar with that material. I'm sure more specific details will be available in the next few days and weeks but I just wanted to share with you.