Latest news with #StrangerThings-inspired
Geek Culture
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Culture
Netflix's ‘Stranger Things' Revisits Universal Studios Singapore's Halloween Horror Nights 13
Halloween Horror Nights 8 brought the terrors of the Upside Down to life, but that was just the beginning. As the annual horror fest returns with its 13th edition at Universal Studios Singapore, visitors can expect to step through the gates of Hawkins again — this time with an all-new haunted house experience that relives the events of Seasons 2, 3, and 4. Taking place from 26 September to 1 November, Halloween Horror Nights 13 is set for 18 nights of frights, with the Stranger Things-inspired attraction leading the charge. It will feature iconic locations from the acclaimed Netflix series, including the shadowy halls of Hawkins National Laboratory, Vecna's blood-red mind lair, and Starcourt Mall, alongside familiar abominations like the Mind Flayer and Demodogs. The themed installation marks Universal Studios Singapore's fourth collaboration with Netflix, following haunted houses modelled after Korean global hits Sweet Home and All of Us Are Dead for Halloween Horror Nights 12 and 11, respectively, as well as the first Stranger Things experience. Joining the flagship experience are Singapore's Most Haunted: Build to Horror, focusing on unsuspecting residents living on a burial ground for unclaimed bodies who are possessed by a demonic sinseh; The Realm of Yokai scare zone, which puts spirits, demons, and forgotten creatures from Japanese folklore front and centre; and the FEARground scare zone that adds a nightmarish touch to carnival and circus acts. Two brand-new live shows are also due to make their debut: Dare or Die Live!, described as a 'chaotic spectacle [that is] equal parts horror gameshow and deranged fears of fear, and Once Upon a Time…to Die, centring on the mutilated master of time, Mr Rabid and his plan to steal life-altering items from innocent fairytale legends. 'Time is the greatest enemy and survival is simply an illusion,' reads the official description for Halloween Horror Nights 13. 'As the seconds creep towards the cursed 13th hour, fans will confront a multiverse of terror in haunted houses, scare zones, live shows, and an immersive bar experience. With every tick, a new hellscape emerges. With every tock, demons creep closer to claim new souls.' Admission starts at S$58 for non-peak nights and S$68 for peak nights, with early bird tickets going on sale from 13 July for a limited time on the Resorts World Sentosa website and official ticketing partner Klook. Guests who purchase the newly launched Universal Studios Singapore Season Pass can enjoy exclusive offers on select tickets, which must be purchased separately, and unlimited entry to the premises for six months as part of a larger celebration of the country's 60th birthday. More information about the remaining haunted house experiences will be revealed on the event page. As for Stranger Things, the fifth and final season is scheduled for a three-part release: the first four episodes on 26 November, another three on Christmas Day, and the finale on New Year's Eve.
Miami Herald
18-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Netflix to implement new AI feature streamers will hate
Remember back in the day when everyone hated cable TV and cut the cord to get away from being held captive to ads and being forced to pay high monthly bills for a bunch of channels they didn't really want? Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter Netflix and other streaming services were supposed to be the modern alternative to that, giving consumers a chance to watch videos uninterrupted and to pay an affordable monthly cost to do it. And they were… for a while. Now, that all seems like a distant memory long forgotten, as streaming companies seem to be competing with how far they can push customers before they decide enough is enough. Related: Netflix is making an unexpected move no one saw coming Unfortunately, it seems that Netflix now has a new entry into the contest to see just how much it can annoy its customer base, and as a bonus, it's using AI technology to do it. This new AI feature is one that users are sure to hate for multiple reasons. Netflix (NFLX) is aiming to double its ad revenue next year, and it's implementing some new and creative methods of targeting consumers in order to make that happen. The company shared during its annual Upfront event that it is working on a new type of ad entirely. Specifically, the company, which launched its own in-house ad platform just this year, has said the new ad technology it's creating "leverages generative AI to instantly marry advertisers' ads with the worlds of our show." The example the company provided was a product image over a Stranger Things-inspired background, and the company promised that the new technology would "create a better, more relevant experience for our members and drive the best results." Related: Netflix CEO shares a controversial take on movie theaters The goal appears to be making ads less intrusive and to make them feel like a part of whatever you are watching rather than taking away from the viewing experience. Of course, this has some questioning whether users will be able to tell that they're being served up an ad at all, while others are concerned about the privacy issues raised by providing AI tools with the data to create these ultra-tailored ads. Regardless of these concerns, Netflix is moving full steam ahead. The ads are expected to be deployed starting in 2025 and will include an overlay and call to action when they are rolled out. They are expected to be used midroll - aka in the middle of the shows that you are watching - and will also display when you hit pause on your screen. Related: Netflix stock has secret weapon amid trade war For what it's worth, Netflix is not the only company that aims to revolutionize the ad experience using AI either. YouTube has also announced plans to deliver more personalized ads using artificial intelligence. So, no matter what streaming service you're using, you're probably going to be unable to escape this new kind of ad. The new generative AI ads are expected to be shown only to those on the company's ad-supported plan, which has grown substantially in popularity. There are now 94 million monthly users on the ad-supported plan, which is double the 40 million users that were signed up for the plan last year at the same time. More Tech News: Top analyst revisits Tesla stock price target as Q1 earnings loomGoogle's Waymo is planning a move that's downright creepyAnalyst reboots Apple stock price target after tariff meltdown While this is still only a fraction of the 300 million Netflix subscribers worldwide, it still shows a substantial number of consumers are willing to accept ads in exchange for reduced streaming prices. Of course, the question is just how far companies can go with introducing new types of ads before consumers decide they're done and start demanding better alternatives. The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
