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New Shrek and friends Merlin Attraction for County Hall London

Re: New 'unknown' Merlin Attraction for County Hall London

Ummmmmmmmmmmm what?!

Shrek died on it's arse years ago surely? Hence why the original 6 film run was cut to 4. Just because it took a lot of money doesn't mean it's a good idea.

I mean, how outdated would 'Far Far Away' look at Towers by now had it come together a few years back? Let alone opening SIX Shrek attractions around the world after the last film in the franchise has been made, released and gone to DVD!

There was so much potential for a new midway brand - something informative, educational, fun, maybe even a one-off relating to and celebrating the best of british?

But no... We get this. They can build what they want there and people will aimlessly walk through the door but this, unless it is quite frankly mind blowing in scale, investment and design, is an absolute load of tosh.
 
Re: New 'unknown' Merlin Attraction for County Hall London

I'm so sick of this company.

They boast about their global position and increasing profits but rarely invest in anything innovative or exciting. They just don't take any risks to try and create something interesting. Instead they choose to spread their homogenized brands across the planet whilst grinding down their core UK assets and stifling the market they operate in.

Shrek peaked about a decade ago. It has been dead and buried for the last couple of years. Let's have something fresh, please.
 
Re: New 'unknown' Merlin Attraction for County Hall London

moan moan moan. Merlin is rubbish. moan moan.
That's all there seems to be on a lot of internet forums.

This project has been billed as a partnership between Merlin and DreamWorks. They may have worked together to find a suitable project and Shrek is the best for a worldwide roll-out as it is known worldwide. I would expect many of them to open in other markets such as Asia rather than just UK & USA this time.
 
Re: New 'unknown' Merlin Attraction for County Hall London

The issue with Dreamworks IPs is that the films are largely forgettable, nothing more than vehicles for well-known actors to have a family film under their belt and make a ton of cash in the process . Compared to the likes of Pixar and Walt Disney Studios, they lack any real soul (the first, and arguably the second, Shrek films being an exception).

Dreamworks have put out lots of CGI films since Shrek, and the only truly memorable films are the ones that have spawned countless sequels - Madagascar, How To Train Your Dragon and Kung Fu Panda spring to mind.

Does anyone really care about Shark Tale, or Over The Hedge, or Monsters vs Aliens? Does anyone even remember these films?

I can see this having an appeal with tourists in Central London looking for something to do, the same kind who frequent M&Ms World. But it's hardly going to be something you'd go out of your way to see.
 
Re: New 'unknown' Merlin Attraction for County Hall London

It's a shame really, a real shame. What a way to embarrass Southbank culture. The National Theatre, Royal Festival Hall, and BFI will be advertising that they DONT have Shrek in a bid to lure customers over. The only people that are going to accept Shrek are children, and those with an IQ of less then 10.
 
Re: New 'unknown' Merlin Attraction for County Hall London

In a separate interview with the US Fox Business Network, Katzenberg said a fifth Shrek movie was also likely to hit the big screen in the future. "We like to let them have a little bit of time to rest," he said. "But I think you can be confident that we'll have another chapter in the Shrek series. We're not finished, and more importantly, neither is he."

The most recent Shrek film, Shrek Forever After, took $752m (£450m) globally in 2010 despite lukewarm reviews.
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http://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/feb/25/shrek-theme-park-open-in-london

I would assume Merlin are aware that a fifth movie will likely be made. Whilst it might not be green-lit, I'm sure the possibility would have been mentioned during negotiations, maybe even outright stated.
 
Re: New 'unknown' Merlin Attraction for County Hall London

HaydenCR said:
It's a shame really, a real shame. What a way to embarrass Southbank culture. The National Theatre, Royal Festival Hall, and BFI will be advertising that they DONT have Shrek in a bid to lure customers over. The only people that are going to accept Shrek are children, and those with an IQ of less then 10.
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Nope, that is precisely why County Hall is so busy because the London Eye, Dungeon and Aquarium are not the National Theatre and BFI.

The attractions at County Hall (with the exception of the Eye where there will be some crossover) are there to attract a completly different audience to the NT and SouthBank centre. The people who will visit the Dungeon and Shrek attraction would go and see the Lion King musical or Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, not a play at the National Theatre.

As Ashlee posted, Shrek Forever After toon £450m globally, that means there is a huge market for these attractions!
 
Re: New 'unknown' Merlin Attraction for County Hall London

Is it wrong to want some quality from tourist attractions though?

Aquarium has been there for years and years, since before I was born I reckon, and was quite (prior to Sea-Life) very serious in it's portrayal and atmosphere inside... Lot different from the Sea-Life of today...

The Dungeons were moved because it made sense really, cheaper costs of living, not having to deal with the local construction... I think those were the reasons it moved more than to make more money off the two already existing attractions Merlin own...

The County Hall attractions are mixed, what with Deathtrap living there once (and the other scare maze things), but there were a few museums that suited the local art-life, even the late Movie Museum fitted it, whilst once upon a time we had the Dali Exhibition...

Shrek might be 'popular', though it's quite clear that the quality of the franchise declined quickly after the 3rd film was released (because it was crap), but it doesn't suit the concept of a London attraction at all... Or even an English attraction... Why should we not complain that we're getting an attraction so devoid of relevance and of minimal taste? Given the original rumours of a Shakespeare themed attraction, why is Shrek a better choice for a tourist attraction based in London next to an icon of the city, an attraction that's been there since the year dot and one set around the history of the city?

Merlin's choices of IPs are so bad it's unreal... Franchises after their peak popularity moment with some future film being flogged off a dead horse whilst milking the cash cow for all they are worth...
 
Re: New 'unknown' Merlin Attraction for County Hall London

I'm not saying that Shrek is a better choice, just that I can understand why Merlin & DreamWorks are doing it. It would be better located in the London Trocadero on Leicester Square really, but as Merlin already operate so many attractions at County Hall I understand why they would keep them all together.

I don't think there was a rumour of a Shakesspeare attraction, they had trademarked a title for use with Warwick Castle and Warwickshire and someone jumped to conclusions. But I agree hakespeare/British would make a nice attraction, not sure I'd want to visit it though. The slight rumour (following the Cbeebies partnership with BBC Worldwide) of a Doctor Who attraction would be nice too, but unfortunately I don't expect it to happen.
 
Re: New 'unknown' Merlin Attraction for County Hall London

Here is the full press release from Merlin:

Merlin Entertainments said:
Shrek’s swamp is coming across the pond! In a new collaboration, Merlin Entertainments has teamed up with DreamWorks Animation to create a unique themed visitor attraction based on Shrek and his friends.

This landmark attraction, which will transport visitors through a live interactive adventure featuring Shrek, Fiona, Donkey, Puss in Boots and other favorites from the beloved franchise, will see an initial roll-out of six attractions over nine years. The first attraction will open in London in the summer of 2015. This will be the first time that Merlin, Europe's largest and the world’s second-largest visitor attraction operator, has worked with a Hollywood studio to create a scaleable branded entertainment experience based on a globally recognised entertainment franchise. This is also the first time that DreamWorks Animation, home to global entertainment franchises including Shrek, Kung Fu Panda and How to Train Your Dragon, will help to produce an attraction of this magnitude by licensing the use of its characters and stories.

The debut of the first Shrek’s Far Far Away Adventure comes just ahead of the film’s 15th anniversary. The most successful animated franchise of all time, DreamWorks Animation’s Shrek films have generated more than $3.5 billion in global box office revenue. The original Shrek won the first Academy Award for “Best Animated Feature Film.” The attraction will be sited at County Hall alongside Merlin's other leading attractions in the South Bank cluster: the EDF Energy London Eye, the London SEA LIFE Aquarium and The London Dungeon. The 2,000 square metre experience will be based on a brand new adventure being written by the DreamWorks team. It will feature a Shrek interactive walkthrough adventure, a character courtyard where visitors will be able to meet Shrek and his swamp friends, along with characters from Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda and How to Train Your Dragon. In addition, there will be a rotating exhibit area supporting DreamWorks Animation film and DVD releases as well as a branded retail outlet. The Shrek attraction will become part of Merlin's successful midway roll-out programme as the sixth brand alongside LEGOLAND Discovery Centres, Madame Tussauds, SEA LIFE, The Dungeon and The Eye Brand.

Nick Varney, Chief Executive of Merlin Entertainments, said:

"Developing an attraction based on Shrek and his friends is hugely exciting for Merlin Entertainments and the start of what we hope will be a wider collaboration with DreamWorks Animation. Merlin’s expertise in delivering memorable days out for visitors and DreamWorks’ skill in developing globally recognized entertainment franchises will be a winning combination.
“Shrek is the biggest animated franchise of all time, and we are delighted that we are going to add Shrek’s Far Far Away Adventure to our portfolio of iconic international entertainment brands. We know our millions of visitors around the world will love the interactive Shrek experience that we will deliver.”

Jeffrey Katzenberg, DreamWorks Animation’s Chief Executive Officer, said:

“We’re excited to work with Merlin to build something that we think is going to be a singularly unique way to experience Shrek and his world. This attraction is going to be unlike anything that currently exists and will undoubtedly become a new type of destination for families.”
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:)
 
Re: New 'unknown' Merlin Attraction for County Hall London

Ah, so it's not going to be all Shrek-related. That's a bit of a relief.
 
Re: New 'unknown' Merlin Attraction for County Hall London

It's still going to be horribly IP based in an area of a city that really doesn't need it. There's so much history and culture surrounding it that something really amazing could have been built.

Alas, it has not. And that is sad.

Also to attach onto this, DreamWorks have just announced that they are planning another film in the franchise. More can be seen here - DreamWorks planning another Shrek movie
 
Re: New 'unknown' Merlin Attraction for County Hall London

What really gets my back up, is that the amount of money invested into these generic "out of the box" Merlin midway attractions is relatively small, but they make so much money out of them, that Merlin keep on wanting to build more and more of the damm things.

Do I blame them? No, of course not, but I dont like them for doing it.

I mean really, who on here would really go and pay to do shed loads of Fish Shops if they didnt have a Merlin Pass? Even the Dungeons kind of all follow the same script, so if you have been to one, you know whats coming up.

Just generic tosh, thats what these Midway attractions are.

:mad:

And another thing, why is everyone talking about it? Not just here, but all over the enthusiast forums... It probably wont even blinking have a ride, just maybe another "generic 4D Cinema" !!!

In fact why am I talking about it..?????

Arrrghhhhh !!!!!!

;D

Ok rant over.... :)
 
Such a shame that the beautiful halls and rooms of this building are going to be put to use for an attraction as dull and disappointing as this.



 
djtruefitt said:
So after it got cancelled at Alton Towers a few years back, we might get to see Shrek 4D!
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I REALLY hope not. It's a miracle it didn't end up at Towers.
 
There's one thing that is really bothering me about the Merlin press released Rob posted on the previous page:

Merlin Entertainments said:
This is also the first time that DreamWorks Animation, home to global entertainment franchises including Shrek, Kung Fu Panda and How to Train Your Dragon, will help to produce an attraction of this magnitude by licensing the use of its characters and stories.
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Umm... what about this:

3475486.jpg


No comparison.
 
Yeah, that and the other Shrek 4D installations at other Universal parks. None of which are ever likely to be superseded by something built by Merlin.
 
The shrek 4d attractions at both Orlando and Hollywood are certainly nothing special, pre-show is ok buts that about it, very little external theming. While the one above looks great it's still the same 4d show inside.
 
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