Marvel Experience
The Marvel Experience, or The Marvel Experience: The World's First Hyper-Reality Tour,[7] is a mobile interactive attraction featuring Marvel's characters run by Hero Ventures.
Marvel Experience | |
---|---|
General statistics | |
Manufacturer | Absolute Hollywood |
Designer | Aaron Sims[1] |
Site area | 80,000 sq ft (7,400 m2) |
Duration | 2 hours |
Lead producers |
|
VFX and animation | Rhythm & Hues Prana Studios[3] |
Previsualization | Third Floor[3] |
composer | Randy Miller[4] |
Production Companies |
|
website | Official website |
This is a pay-per-use attraction |
History
As early as 2011, Hero Ventures had approached Marvel Entertainment about a traveling attraction. A seven figure upfront licensing fee with 15% median royalty (range of 10% to 20%) was agreed upon. Hero Venture then sought out additional funding for the project.[8]
On August 22, 2013, Marvel Entertainment announced that it was working with Hero Ventures on The Marvel Experience, a traveling production/attraction.[9] Also being planned is a part 2 and another theme second tour.[2]
On January 9, 2014, Hero Ventures unveiled the dome design image.[10] On October 10, tickets went on sale. A preview of the Experience was scheduled for Phoenix from December 12-January 3, 2015, then officially premiering on January 9, 2015 in Dallas.[11]
Due to popular demand at the time, Hero Ventures announced that the stay in San Diego would be extended until March 1, 2015 while heading to Chicago with its opening on April 2.[7] Instead, the show was reworked. The tour went to Philadelphia with plans to go to Chicago, New York and St. Louis. In July, Hero Ventures announced that the show's summer tour would end early after its three-week run in Philadelphia. While no reason was given for the early end of the tour, refunds were to be issued for prepaid tickets.[5]
Tour
Dates | City | Location[12] |
---|---|---|
11/12/2014-1/3/2015 | Phoenix | Salt River Fields at Talking Stick |
1/9-2/1/2015 | Dallas | Cotton Bowl |
2/7-3/1/15[7] | San Diego | Del Mar Fairgrounds |
June 19, 2015 - July 5, 2015 | Philadelphia | Lincoln Financial Field[6] |
Each tour stop last from 17 to 24 days. Each location of the attraction is expected to cost $2.5 million which will be offset by ticket, merchandise and concession sales on a rented 2 acre lot. 10,000 visitors is the expected maximum number that the attraction can handle. There will be scheduled entry times for attendees at seven-minute intervals to avoid overcrowding.[8]
Design
The $30 million attractions was designed with a dome complex two football fields in size, "4D motion ride", projected animation, motion comics, virtual-reality and holographic simulations while including social media.[9] Movie conceptual artist Aaron Sims was the designer on the attraction[1] with Jerry Rees as director and VFX by Rhythm & Hues and Prana Studios. Lexington Design + Fabrication produced the interactive elements.[3] The mobile dome complex is designed to look like a S.H.I.E.L.D. Mobile Command Center.[10] Domes were chosen as to not have to rent existing facilities that take up to 25% of the ticket price. PVC resin, polymer and other elements are used to construct the domes making them expensive, but should be offset by the saving on facility costs. Absolute Hollywood live event company designed the structures that are six stories tall.[8]
Performance
Attendees will interact with several Marvel heroes and with SHIELD agents during the two-hour performance[8][13] in which they fight the forces of Hydra with a final battle against the Red Skull, MODOK, and their Adaptoids.[14]
Kevin Smith was revealed in Del Mar, California as the voice of M.O.D.O.K.[7] Producers Michael Cohl and Jeremiah J. Harris were involved in producing Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.[5]
Hero Ventures
Type | private Limited liability company |
---|---|
Industry | Entertainment |
Founded | November 14, 2012 in Los Angeles, US |
Founders |
|
Headquarters | , USA |
Number of locations | 2 |
Key people |
|
Production output | Traveling attractions |
Total equity | $16.5 million[8] |
Members |
|
Number of employees | 50[8] |
Website | hero-ventures |
Hero Ventures, LLC is an entertainment company that produces traveling shows.[9] The company is based in Westwood, Los Angeles.[8]
Company history
In 2009, Rick Licht started working full-time on a yet unnamed venture that was a business idea of his, and Doug Schafer's, that they had been discussing over the years. In 2011, Licht was joined by Schaer as chief operating officer and Jason Rosen as chief production officer.[8] Hero Ventures first approached the National Baseball Hall of Fame for a dome show, but was turned down. They then developed a new list of project partners that was topped with Marvel Entertainment, who agreed to a seven figure licensing deal for the movable dome show, which brought on Michael Cohl and Jesse Harris to pay the upfront fee.[8]
Hero Ventures (HV) was formed into a Limited liability company on November 14, 2012 in Los Angeles[16] by Licht, Schaer and Rosen.[15] Prior to the August 22, 2013 announcement of its first project The Marvel Experience, the company received "A" round investment commitments from Steve Tisch, Roy P. Disney & Shamrock Holdings, Maurice & Paul Marciano, WWE, Vista Equity Partners president Brian Sheth, Ross Hilton Kemper and Enlight Media to fund that project.[15][17] This raised funding of $16.5 million allowing them to move into an office in Westwood, Los Angeles and start taking salaries. Additional funding came from advances on royalties from vendors and $10 million from co-production partners with some partners taking profit participation.[8] With the announcement of Marvel Experience, several other IP holders started making inquires about doing similar projects for their properties, but HV held off on additional attractions until its current project was shown a success.[10]
On October 10, 2014, The Marvel Experience tickets went on sale.[11] In early December 2014, Magic Johnson was announced as an investor and member of its Board of Managers.[18] A preview of the Experience was scheduled for Phoenix from December 12-January 3, 2015, then officially premiering on January 9, 2015 in Dallas.[11]
See also
References
- Clark, Noelene (January 9, 2014). "Marvel Experience first look: Touring attraction to feature ride, games". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 31, 2014.
- Cornet, Roth (August 22, 2013). "The Marvel Experience Tour Coming in 2014". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
- Giardina, Carolyn (July 15, 2014). "'Marvel Experience' Taps Director Jerry Rees, VFX Vendors Rhythm & Hues and Prana". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
- Solis, Jorge (February 4, 2015). "Randy Miller Talks The Marvel Experience, Writing Music For S.H.I.E.L.D., Spider-Man, & Avengers". Music Times. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
- Lincoln, Ross A. (July 5, 2015). "Touring Event 'The Marvel Experience' Experiences Abrupt Cancellation". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Business Media. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
- "THE MARVEL EXPERIENCE Announces New Dates for 2015 Summer Tour". Broadway World. Wisdom Digital Media. May 7, 2015. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
- "The Marvel Tour Extends its Stay in Del Mar". Del Sol Magazine. February 19, 2015. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
- Polakoff, Jonathan (May 4, 2014). "SUPER RISKY?" (PDF). Los Angeles Business Journal. 36 (17): 1, 64. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
- Truitt, Brian (August 22, 2013). "Heroes hit the road for 'The Marvel Experience' in 2014". USA TODAY. Grannett. Archived from the original on October 9, 2014. Retrieved October 31, 2014.
- Hughes, Mark (January 9, 2014). "First Images Of Marvel Superhero Theme Park Unveiled". Forbes. Retrieved 31 October 2014.
- McIntyre, Gina (October 9, 2014). "Marvel Experience: Tour dates revealed for live-action domed attraction". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
- Ng, Philiana (October 9, 2014). "The Marvel Experience Tour's First Dates and Cities Revealed". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
- Clark, Noelene (January 9, 2014). "Marvel Experience first look: Touring attraction to feature ride, games". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 31, 2014.
- "About the Experience". The Marvel Experience Tour.com. Hero Venture. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
- Graser, Marc (August 21, 2013). "Marvel Hits the Road with Touring Superhero Attraction in 2014". Variety. Penske Business Media. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
- "Business Entity Detail: Hero Ventures, LLC". California Business Search. California Secretary of State. Archived from the original on March 15, 2015. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
- Barnes, Brooks (August 22, 2013). "Marvel Superheros to Start Touring Next Year". New York Times. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
- Hamedy, Saba (December 2, 2014). "Magic Johnson joins 'The Marvel Experience' as investor, board member". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 24, 2015.