In my brief visit to Epic Universe thus far, a single day was more than enough to reveal an exceptionally remarkable theme park. Being an avid enthusiast of themed experiences and vintage cinema, my top pick among the park’s lands is the Dark Universe, inspired by the legendary Universal Monsters. This area showcases one of the best rides across Epic Universe and brims with countless nods to the iconic Universal horror films.
The theme park experience “Dark Universe” is set chronologically beyond the incidents depicted in the film “Frankenstein,” with the ride “The Frankenstein Experiment: Monsters Unchained” centering around Dr. Victor Frankenstein’s granddaughter, Victoria. Interestingly, an image of the original 1931 “Frankenstein” doctor portrays in a painting within the ride queue. Chris Frisella, Dark Universe land’s Executive Producer, confirmed to SFX on TopMob that they painstakingly examined and renewed nearly century-old contracts to authentically use actor Colin Clive’s likeness for this project. He elaborated:
Monsters Unchained” focusing on Dr. Victor Frankenstein’s granddaughter, Victoria. Remarkably, a painting of the original 1931 “Frankenstein” doctor can be found in the queue area of the ride. Chris Frisella, executive producer for Dark Universe land, revealed to SFX on TopMob that they carefully researched and renewed contracts dating back nearly 100 years to ensure they had the right to utilize actor Colin Clive’s likeness for this project. He clarified:
As a movie enthusiast, I’ve stumbled upon some fascinating findings regarding Universal Studios’ classic films, some of which are over a century old, yet still bound by agreements and contracts. Recently, our legal team delved into an old contract we had with Colin Clive, the original actor of Frankenstein. Can you believe it? Hidden within that contract was the ship they booked for their journey from London to America! It’s mind-blowing stuff, and now, we have the rights to use his likeness!
It’s fascinating to me that Universal Pictures, being over 100 years old, must still hold archived documents from its early days. I hadn’t thought about it before, but imagining someone sifting through those historical papers to find a specific contract and confirm its contents is mind-boggling. Kudos to the lawyer who drafted that contract so effectively that Universal can now utilize Colin Clive’s likeness for their new theme park in Florida even after all these years!
Universal Studios began offering tours of their backlot as far back as 1915, but it wasn’t until recently, last year in fact, that the Universal Studio Tour celebrated its 60th anniversary. The rest of Universal Studios Hollywood theme park followed at a later time. It would have been impossible to predict how Universal might utilize an actor’s image years down the line.
In a theme park setting, it’s often the minute details that transform an average experience into an exceptional one. For instance, if Dr. Victor Frankenstein wasn’t portrayed like Colin Clive, the overall impression wouldn’t have been the same. However, this isn’t the sole reference to Mary Shelley’s original “Frankenstein” found in Dark Universe. Instead, it’s one of several tributes that add depth and authenticity to the experience.
It seems quite fortunate that Clive had signed a contract assigning Universal the rights to his likeness. In all probability, Universal would have approached Clive’s family to acquire these rights if the contract wasn’t in place. However, if the contract was missing, they would have needed to do the same thing. Given the passage of nearly 100 years, it seems plausible that the contract might have been lost or misplaced, making its recovery unlikely.
The connection that Victoria Frankenstein in Dark Universe is officially descended from the original Universal’s Dr. Frankenstein adds an additional layer of interest to the already compelling allure she presents. Many consider Monsters Unchained as the top attraction at Epic Universe, and these subtle details just enhance its appeal even more.
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2025-08-11 22:08