I’ll never forget my first phone call from Universal Creative when I joined the company as a creative director last year. The executive producer was calling me with my first assignment. I couldn’t wait to hear what he had to say!
Which blockbuster film franchise would be featured in my very first Universal project?
“Jimmy Fallon,” he said.
“What about him?” I asked.
“He’s getting his own ride, and you guys need to figure it out,” he said.
“We’re gonna do what, now?” I asked.
In all seriousness, I was equally surprised and delighted. Jimmy had just taken the world by storm with the new incarnation of The Tonight Show. He was already sitting comfortably atop the ratings heap and fast becoming a viral sensation.
Plus, I’ve been a late night fan my entire life. I was even lucky enough to attend tapings of The Tonight Show when the previous two hosts sat behind the fabled desk. I was in my element.
But what kind of story would we tell? How could we create a compelling guest experience that emerged organically from the world of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon? That was the challenge facing the entire Universal Creative team, but considering their track record, I was pretty sure I was surrounded by the people who could crack it.
Jimmy wanted a fun and hilarious adventure that was also a valentine to his hometown of New York City—and that’s exactly what you’re going to experience when “Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon” opens at Universal Studios Florida in 2017.
So, what’s the attraction going to be like? I can’t tell you everything, but I can tell you our team found inspiration in the outrageous celebrity races that have become one of the most popular segments of Jimmy’s Tonight Show. The source material already features a wild and crazy ride almost every week! And since Universal Studios Florida has long been famous for placing guests in the middle of their favorite movies and TV shows, we thought it was a perfect fit.
Soon, you will get the full Tonight Show experience as you make your way to the fabled Studio 6B for a very special taping in which Jimmy challenges his studio audience to the ultimate race through the greatest city on earth.
You’ll rocket through the streets—and skies—of New York City, from the deepest subway tunnels to the tallest skyscrapers, encountering colorful characters, famous landmarks and anything else that comes to Jimmy’s mind—and “that is some weird, wild stuff,” to quote an iconic previous host.
Our Universal Creative team has had an amazing experience collaborating with Jimmy and his staff of veteran comedy writers to create an unforgettable adventure that will bring The Tonight Show and New York City to life for our guests like never before. And our creative adventure is just beginning.
As you can probably imagine, Jimmy’s full of surprises and even we are never quite sure what’s going to happen next – just like on The Tonight Show!
To make way for this new experience, Twister…Ride It Out will close on November 2.
