There’s something so euphoric about seeing your favorite films and characters come to life right before your own eyes. That’s the name of our game at Universal Orlando Resort, and frankly, the anticipation of there being four theme parks to experience this in is making me nothing short of geeked.
With the opening of Universal Epic Universe on May 22, 2025, we’re getting ready to experience a whole new level of immersion. Soon, we’ll have five new worlds to explore: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, Dark Universe, and the all-original Celestial Park. This is a pretty big deal, if you ask me.
How are we preparing, you ask? By binging the most epic movie watch list, of course! Four of these exciting worlds are inspired by some of the most beloved media ever created. But to truly live the lore of these four worlds, you must first understand it. Here’s a breakdown of everything you need to watch before the grand opening of Epic Universe.
What to Watch for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic
If you’ve ever wanted to explore multiple eras of the wizarding world, then you’re in the right place. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic at Epic Universe brings scenes from both “Harry Potter” and “Fantastic Beasts” — a film series about Newt Scamander, a magizoologist and friend of a young Albus Dumbledore. We’ll not only take a trip down memory lane with a much-needed Harry Potter movie marathon, but we’ll also be making a pit stop at its prequel series. Raise your wands for a movie watch list that is nothing short of fantastic!
The “Fantastic Beasts” film franchise comprises three action-packed films. Our introduction to the wizarding world starts with “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” released in 2016, and is followed by “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” (2018), which takes Newt, Dumbledore, and their friends to wizarding Paris in the 1920s, filled with all the magic, beauty, and magical creatures you can expect. Here, you’ll see Le Cirque Arcanus, which will also come to life in the park, boasting a stunning show of live performers, puppetry, and special effects. You can engage with some beasts yourself in the streets of wizarding Paris with the Interactive Wand Experiences.
Now that we’ve had a blast to the past, we can take the Métro-Floo to the British Ministry of Magic in the 1990s where we’ll head off to watch Dolores Umbridge stand trial for her crimes during Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry. What is she guilty of, you ask? You’ll need to be caught up on “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”(2007) and “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 and Part 2” (2010 and 2011, respectively) to find out. And while you’re brushing up on the ride lore with movie five, you might as well marathon all eight films!
Get a load of what else is in store at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic by reading our blog here.
What to Watch and Play for SUPER NINTENDO WORLD
It’s-a me! Bringing you yet another breakdown of media consumption integral to proper fictional world immersion at Epic Universe. The highly anticipated SUPER NINTENDO WORLD will truly be a sight to be seen with its vibrant array of towering castles and life-size versions of the Mushroom Kingdom and Donkey Kong Country.
Our SUPER NINTENDO WORLD watch list isn’t insanely extensive, but our gaming list certainly is. You’ll need every last one of your shell-throwing, ?-Block-punching and Goomba-stomping skills, so fire up your favorite Nintendo console to play these exciting games before the grand opening. Important note: SUPER NINTENDO WORLD is not based on any particular video game, but it does draw inspiration from a variety of Nintendo games.
What better place to start than where it all began? “Super Mario Bros.” was first released in 1985 on the Nintendo Entertainment System. This 2D game is arguably as OG as it gets for Super Mario and is a great place to start when it comes to understanding SUPER NINTENDO WORLD as a whole. Enjoy its modern counterparts on the Nintendo Switch system, “New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe” (2019) and “Super Mario Bros. Wonder” (2023), ahead of your Epic Universe visit.
I don’t know if there’s a single person on this planet more excited for Yoshi’s Adventure to open at Epic Universe than me. Not to be THAT person, but this is huge for me. My absolute favorite Super Mario game from my childhood was “Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island,” which initially launched in 1995 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Fellow Yoshi fanatics who can’t wait for Yoshi’s Adventure to open can pass the time by playing the Nintendo Switch system game “Yoshi’s Crafted World” (2019).
We all get a little competitive when playing Mario Kart (I know I do), and you’ll get to put your skills to the test while riding the attraction Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge at Epic Universe. “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe” for the Nintendo Switch (2017) or any of the previous Mario Kart video games are a great way to brush up on your racing skills before this ride officially opens.
As the kids say, “It’s on like Donkey Kong!” Donkey Kong has been its own video game franchise since 1981, and with the highly anticipated opening of Donkey Kong Country in SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, it’s essential you give these games some love as well. “Donkey Kong Country Returns” has been a hit on the Wii and Nintendo 3DS and will soon be available on the Nintendo Switch system once it officially launches on Jan. 16, 2025. “Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze” (2018) for the Nintendo Switch system also brings some chilling gameplay. Playing these games beforehand will make riding through Donkey Kong Country on Mine-Cart Madness to protect the sacred Golden Banana all the more thrilling.
The Key Challenges and Interactive Activities throughout SUPER NINTENDO WORLD are the best ways to fully immerse yourself in the land and reignite the rush of enjoying an experience with others. You’ll sport a Power-Up Band that’ll allow you to digitally collect coins and stamps, keep track of your score, and monitor your ranking as you play through Goomba Crazy Crank, Piranha Plant Nap Mishap, Koopa Troopa POWer Punch, and more. I experienced a similar rush while playing “Mario Party” with my friends growing up. There was nothing better than whipping out my Nintendo DS Lite and hopping on my friend’s game of “Mario Party DS” via DS Download Play. The virtual board game coupled with a series of minigames in any “Mario Party” game are a great way to prepare for the immersive fun that awaits at Epic Universe.
Because this is a watch list, I can’t go without mentioning “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” released in 2023. It tells the story of plumber brothers Mario and Luigi who are transported into a mystical fantasy world and separated from one another. With Princess Peach backing the Mushroom Kingdom and King Bowser behind the Dark Lands, the two go head-to-head in an epic battle with Mario manning the frontlines to save Luigi. While SUPER NINTENDO WORLD is not based on “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” in any way, the film poses a great option for the non-gaming Nintendo lovers who want to be in the loop before the grand opening.
We’ve covered everything you’ll need to know about SUPER NINTENDO WORLD in our blog here.
What to Watch for How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk
Have you ever wanted to live as the Vikings do? Thanks to the upcoming How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk world at Epic Universe, you will soon be able to! Before jumping into the Viking lifestyle, you should watch and learn.
The How to Train Your Dragon media franchise is made up of three feature films: “How to Train Your Dragon” (2010), “How to Train Your Dragon 2” (2014) and “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” (2019). If you want a strong understanding of characters like Hiccup and Toothless, as well as the land of Vikings and variety of wild dragons, these films are all you need. Plus, they’ll make soaring on Hiccup’s Wing Gliders look like a piece of cake.
If you’re looking for an excuse to become a HTTYD superfan, you might also want to add the series to your ever-growing watch list. Known as “Dragons” and released in 2012, the series serves as a bridge between the 2010 feature film and its 2014 sequel. See just how serious the Vikings take the sport of dragon racing in this show — and then try it out for yourself on the Dragon Racer’s Rally ride at Epic Universe. There are eight seasons to catch up on, each one taking a deeper dive into the HTTYD lore. Having watched both the movies and television series growing up, I feel like How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk is a fan’s dream come true.
All the details you’ll need to enjoy this world to the fullest are covered in our blog here.
What to Watch for Dark Universe
While you wait for all new, year-round frights at Dark Universe — a world home to all the fearsome monsters we’ve come to know and love (and be afraid of) — take a deep dive down the rabbit hole of where it all began: the Universal Monsters franchise. Universal Studios Monsters is made up of horrific characters from films produced by Universal Pictures between the early 1910s and late 50s. I’m sure you know creatures like Dracula, Frankenstein and The Mummy all too well. You’ll soon know them and others on a much deeper level once you get your fill of these creepy classics!
You can’t face your fears riding front row on Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment and Curse of the Werewolf without having first watched “Frankenstein” (1931), “Werewolf of London” (1935) and “The Wolf Man” (1941). If you’re feeling adventurous and plan to ride these attractions back-to-back, I think “Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man” (1943) is worth a watch as well.
You’ll meet notorious residents of Darkmoor Village like Bride of Frankenstein, Frankenstein’s Monster, Invisible Man and Ygor during the character encounters. This means adding films like “Bride of Frankenstein” (1935), “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (1923) and “The Invisible Man” (1933) to your movie marathon is a must.
I loathe feeling out of the loop when surrounded by specific references to something(s). If this sounds anything like you, then please heed my warnings — or rather, suggestions. Dark Universe was bred from the legacy of the Universal Monsters, so it wouldn’t be right to experience it without knowing what inspired it. The rest of these classic films may not have quite as many direct references throughout the theme park as the above flicks, but they’ll do wonders with helping you recognize all the terrifying themes:
- “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” (1913)
- “The Phantom of the Opera” (1925)
- “Dracula” (1931)
- “Dracula (Spanish version)” (1931) for my Spanish speakers
- “The Mummy” (1932)
- “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1946)
- “Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff” (1949)
- “Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” (1953)
- “Creature from the Black Lagoon” (1954)
- “Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy” (1955)
May 2025 feels so far away, but with this binge-worthy list of films to catch up on, Dark Universe will be ours for the taking in no time. See what else awaits in our blog here.
These movies and games should not only be enough to get you by until 2025, but it should also amp you up for when Universal Orlando Resort officially transforms into the ultimate four-park destination! A world where fiction and reality intersect is the place to be — and it’s closer than we could ever imagine.
What part of Universal Epic Universe are you most excited for? Let us know in the comments below, and secure your ticket for your Epic visit here!