Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Adds Art the Clown

Posted in: Events, Halloween, Pop Culture | Tagged: art the clown, halloween horror nights, universal studios

Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Adds Art the Clown

Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios has revealed the last addition to the 2026 festivities, as Art the Clown joins the event.

Published Mon, 10 Aug 2026 19:32:11 -0500
by Gavin Sheehan
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Article Summary

• Halloween Horror Nights 2026 adds Art the Clown as the final reveal, taking over Universal Studios’ Terror Tram.
• Art’s twisted holiday-themed Terror Tram features new Ice Nine Kills music and surprise encounters across the park.
• Halloween Horror Nights also brings back Killer Klowns, The Purge, Fortnitemares, and new original scares.
• Universal Studios Hollywood expands Halloween Horror Nights with scare zones, live characters, and a new daytime tour.

Universal Studios has revealed the last addition to Halloween Horror Nights 2026, as Art the Clown will be added to the event. Art will be running the Terror Tram, which, if you've never been to Universal Studios in general, is basically their way of putting a horror spin on the tram-specific Studio Tour. But this one comes with the extra twist of having a slight Christmas theme to it, which seems fitting as everyone who hates Halloween can't wait to turn November 1 into "Christmas Season." This is the last addition to the event (unless they decide to surprise everyone last minute), as it looks to be stacked with attractions from Sinners, Hellraiser, Stranger Things, Fortnitemares, and Evil Dead Burn, among other annual additions. We have the full rundown below as the event kicks off on September 3 in both Hollywood and Orlando.

Art the Clown Hosts the Terror Tram for Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios

The infamous Terror Tram returns with an all-new host, Art the Clown, in "Terror Tram starring Art the Clown." When the demented killer arrives at the historic Universal backlot with his blood-soaked bag of presents, he realizes it is too early for Christmas and hijacks the tram for his own holiday celebration. Metal band Ice Nine Kills will create new music for the experience, putting a dark twist on classic Christmas songs. In addition, guests who think they escaped Art's chaos on the backlot may find themselves encountering him in the theme park as he lurks in the most unsuspecting of places.

Fan-Favorite cult horror classic "Killer Klowns from Outer Space" invades Halloween Horror Nights once again, giving guests another chance to step back in time to the 1980's and escape a group of murderous alien circus clowns. "Dead, Deader, Deadest," an original haunted house, takes guests on a tour of an abandoned funeral home where disturbing acts once took place. "The Purge: Dangerous Waters" stunt show returns to the WaterWorld venue for a fiery quest to survive the night.

Continuing the tradition of showcasing Latin American myths and legends, this year brings "KILLceañera: Music by SLASH" to Halloween Horror Nights. The all-original house centers on the quinceañera of Lola, who turns this rite of passage for fifteen-year-old girls into a festival of death to take revenge on everyone who wronged her. Grammy Award-winning guitarist and songwriter SLASH composes an original score for the house featuring Spanish guitar and an exclusive song titled "15 Candles."

For those whose only wish is to meet Nikki, Halloween Horror Nights unleashes the iconic main character from Focus Features and writer-director Curry Barker's breakout horror blockbuster, Obsession, onto the darkened streets of Universal Studios Hollywood, where guests may find themselves face-to-face with the latest victim of the One Wish Willow's terrifying curse.

Additionally, horror fans will encounter multiple daunting scare zones throughout Halloween Horror Nights. As they begin their terrifying evening, guests will need to dodge a troop of chainsaw killers in "Hackerz" and scream their way through "Fortnitemares," an immersive scare zone based on Fortnite's signature in-game event, which brings new characters and horror-themed gameplay together every year. As guests exit the "KILLceañera: Music by SLASH" house, they will encounter "El Circo de la Muerte," a scare zone centered on the 1930's circus and sideshow acts that traveled across Mexico – but with a terrifying twist. Guests will also need to survive "Blood Bog," where moss monsters roam the bogs and bayous.

Adding to the chaos, fans can stumble upon several chilling interactions throughout the theme park. The ever-popular "Murder of Crowz" returns to Halloween Horror Nights with dad, mom and baby crow flocking to the nest, plus guests will encounter "Shriek of the Banshee," a wagon run by a carnival barker and his talking skeleton. These terrifying experiences join previously announced haunted houses, "Sinners" based on Warner Bros' Pictures Academy Award-winning film, "Stranger Things" from Netflix's iconic series, "Hellraiser" inspired by the first three films, "Evil Dead Burn" based on the sixth film in New Line Cinema's Evil Dead franchise and "Ozzy Osbourne: Prince of Darkness" featuring the legacy of the metal rock star.

For the first time ever, Universal Studios Hollywood will debut "Unmasking the Horror Tour Add-On," a behind-the-scenes, daytime experience for guests who want a closer look at the craftsmanship that goes into Halloween Horror Nights. The guided lights-on walkthrough offers unique insights into the creative process behind the "Sinners" and "KILLceañera: Music by SLASH" haunted houses with the opportunity to photograph within select designated areas. Guests can experience select theme park attractions open during the event, including Super Nintendo World, "Transformers: The Ride-3D," "Revenge of the Mummy—The Ride" and "The Simpsons Ride." Also, Death Eaters, Lord Voldemort's most loyal followers, will roam "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter," beginning in the early evening.

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