With the opening of Epic Universe right around the corner, many excited guests are preparing by binge-watching all of the films related to the worlds in the new park.
All The Movies Related to Epic Universe
Epic Universe is broken into five lands, called “Worlds,” with each section having a different theme. The central world, Celestial Park, is original and is set to have new characters to help explain the world’s backstory. However, this is the only world in Epic Universe that is not based on one or more existing Intellectual Properties (IPs). For the other four worlds of Epic Universe, some studying of their related films may be required for guests to fully immerse themselves in the experience.
How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk
If the name of this world wasn’t enough of a giveaway, the world to the right of the main entrance is based on the “How to Train your Dragon” franchise. Specifically, Universal has confirmed the world takes place in the timeline between the second and third “How To Train Your Dragon” films. As such, it is recommended that guests wanting to catch all of the little details in this area watch the entire main trilogy.
Despite taking place after “How to Train Your Dragon 2” but before “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World,” we have seen images of a robot designed to look like one of Toothless’ children testing in Epic Universe. Interestingly, Toothless’ three children, dubbed the Night Lights as a group, are not seen in the films until the final few minutes of the third film in the trilogy. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Universal Team Members also said, “Since the world has started internal dry-runs, character appearances for Toothless and his babies, the Night Lights, have been popular.”
Likewise, several of the already-revealed merchandise items for Epic Universe have featured designs of the Light Fury, a dragon also not seen until the third film.
For hardcore fans wanting to complete more of a deep dive into “How to Train Your Dragon,” DreamWorks has also produced numerous short films, holiday specials, and two lengthy television series starring the main characters. Specifically, the holiday special “How to Train Your Dragon: Homecoming” takes place after the events of the main film trilogy and includes an extended appearance by the three Night Lights.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic
Moving to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, it would not be a surprise to learn that most guests excited about this world have watched at least one of the eight “Harry Potter” movies. Watching at least one of these films is highly recommended, as it would provide a basis for the Wizarding World, how spells work, and most of the main characters.
For the Ministry of Magic in Epic Universe, however, a full understanding of the details of the world would likely require watching more than one film. The world’s main attraction, Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry, primarily takes place in the British Ministry of Magic. The Ministry is not seen onscreen until the fifth film, “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.” Watching this film would also be crucial to understanding a large amount of the plot for the attraction.
The ride is set to take place during the trial of Dolores Umbridge, a major villain who does not appear until “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.” It is also worth noting that the attraction takes place in the “Harry Potter” timeline after the events of the final film, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2,” so it may contain some spoilers for events that take place in the later movies.
Unlike the other worlds in Epic Universe, however, the main attraction for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic and its outdoor spaces take place in two different periods. While the attraction takes more cues from “Harry Potter,” the outdoor streets of Wizarding Paris take inspiration from the “Fantastic Beasts” film series.
The streets of Wizarding Paris and the French Ministry of Magic are all seen for the first time in “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald,” which is a direct sequel to “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.” Universal has confirmed Newt Scamander, one of the main characters from this film series, is set to appear in the Le Cirque Arcanus stage show. Additionally, many of the magical creatures guests will see on the streets of Paris are from “Fantastic Beasts.” The third film in the series, “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore,” seems to have less of an influence on the world and will likely not be required viewing.
Super Nintendo World
Unlike the other three IP-themed worlds, Super Nintendo World is based on the Super Mario game series rather than recent animated film. Fans of Nintendo games will have no problem identifying most of the characters in either the Mushroom Kingdom or Donkey Kong Country.
For non-gamers, an easy entry point into the world of Nintendo would be “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.” Released in 2023, this film stars Mario and his brother Luigi, but features most of the characters from Super Nintendo Land in at least a cameo capacity. The film also includes a few scenes set in Donkey Kong Country, making it an easy set-up for both of the main sections in the world.
Dark Universe
The world with possibly the most recommended viewing is Dark Universe. Rather than being based on a single film or series, Dark Universe combines elements from the Universal Classic Monsters across several films. Fans excited about this world have already begun re-watching several of the classic monster films released from 1920s to the 1960s.
As a basic primer, guests wanting to get the most out of Dark Universe’s two attractions should watch the 1931 version of “Frankenstein” and the 1941 film “The Wolf Man.” Monster’s Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment draws directly on the lore from the book and classic “Frankenstein” in its design of Frankenstein Manor and more. The finale scene of “Frankenstein” also features a windmill on fire, which was the direct inspiration for The Burning Blade Tavern in the park. Likewise, the Curse of the Werewolf attraction features a queue and loading area inspired by elements of “The Wolf Man.”
Universal has also confirmed the Monsters Unchained attraction will include appearances by Dracula, The Mummy, the Brides of Dracula, the Phantom of the Opera, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon. Guests wanting an introduction to all of these characters would also need to watch “The Phantom of the Opera (1925),” “Dracula (1931),” “Creature from the Black Lagoon,” “The Brides of Dracula,” and “The Mummy (1932).” Many of these films also have sequels or spin-offs, such as “Bride of Frankenstein” from 1935, that could be relevant to the world.
Finally, Universal has confirmed that guests visiting the village of Darkmoor will be able to meet several monstrous characters, including Frankenstein’s Monster, the Bride of Frankenstein, the Wolf Man, Dracula, the Invisible Man, and more. For these characters, the above list would be sufficient viewing, with the addition of “The Invisible Man (1933).”
Are you planning on watching any of these movies before you visit Epic Universe? Let us know in the comments.
For more Universal Studios news from around the world, follow Universal Parks News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news, visit WDWNT.