Fast & Furious: Supercharged

Last updated

Fast & Furious: Supercharged
Fast and Furious Supercharged Poster.jpg
Universal Studios Hollywood
Area Upper Lot
StatusOperating
Opening dateJune 25, 2015 (2015-06-25)
Replaced  Curse of the Mummy's Tomb
 The Fast and the Furious: Extreme Close-Up
Universal Studios Florida
Area San Francisco
StatusOperating
Soft opening dateApril 14, 2018 (2018-04-14)
Opening dateApril 23, 2018 (2018-04-23)
Replaced  Disaster!: A Major Motion Picture Ride...Starring You
  Beetlejuice's Rock and Roll Graveyard Revue
Ride statistics
Attraction type Dark ride
Designer Universal Creative
Theme Fast & Furious
Vehicle type Studio Tour tram (Hollywood)
Party bus (Florida)
Vehicles3-4
Riders per vehicle48
Rows8
Riders per row6
Duration2:30
Pre-show hosts Tej Parker and Mia Toretto (Florida)
Ride host Dominic Toretto
Single rider line availability icon.svg Single rider line available
Attraction transfer icon.svg Must transfer from wheelchair
Closed captioning symbol.svg Closed captioning available

Fast & Furious: Supercharged is a motion-based dark ride attraction at Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Florida and that was cancelled at Universal Studios Beijing. The attraction is based on the Fast & Furious film franchise, which features Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez and Tyrese Gibson. The Hollywood version, opened on June 25, 2015 as part of the Studio Tour. [1] The Florida version of the ride, which opened on April 23, 2018, features Ludacris and Jordana Brewster in the pre-show of the attraction.

Contents

History

The ride was first announced in April 2014 for a 2015 opening at Universal Studios Hollywood. The first commercial for Fast & Furious: Supercharged was aired during Super Bowl XLIX, announcing the ride for the summer of 2015, which replaced the site of Curse of the Mummy's Tomb. The attraction also replaced The Fast and the Furious: Extreme Close-Up, which closed in July 2013, although it was not housed in the same site where Supercharged would later be constructed. [2] On March 20, 2015, Universal released an online behind-the-scenes look at the filming of the ride in which the actors are seen playing their respective characters in front of a green screen and makeshift vehicles that would later be digitally replaced with computer-generated vehicles. Supercharged officially opened at Universal Studios Hollywood on June 25, 2015.

The ride was announced for Universal Studios Florida on August 25, 2015. It was planned to open in 2017, but the opening would be delayed. [3] Fast & Furious: Supercharged opened on April 23, 2018, replacing Disaster! and Beetlejuice's Rock and Roll Graveyard Revue . [4] [5] The ride is based mainly on the sixth installment of the Fast & Furious franchise, which features Luke Evans as the villain on both the film and ride.

On May 2, 2018, it became the first ride to be confirmed in Universal Studios Beijing, which is originally scheduled to open in 2021, but it was cancelled in September 2019 due to the Florida version's negative feedback. [6]

Summary

Hollywood version

As the tram makes its way past Wisteria Lane during Universal's Studio Tour, to the left is a black Dodge Charger next to a beige house. The tour guide, who is apologizing for the "unplanned" event, is interrupted by Luke Hobbs, telling guests that they will be sent to a safe location. This is because Owen Shaw and his gang are after a high-valued witness on the tram. The tram enters the garage and is given an introduction to Roman Pearce and Letty Ortiz, two of the franchise's characters. The tram drives further into the garage, where, using a Pepper's ghost illusion, a party is interrupted by Agent Novak, who escorts the partygoers out of the room. Agent Novak wants to stop Roman, but Dominic Toretto and Letty appear, followed by Hobbs, who has a bigger gun and takes Novak away. Screeching cars in the background alert the team that trouble is ahead. The riders put on their 3D glasses. The team makes way for their vehicles and begins the chase in a parking lot underground, where Owen Shaw appears to seek revenge on Dominic, leading a chase outside on the freeway. [7] [8]

Florida version

The Florida location. Fast & Furious Supercharged (Universal Studios Florida) 1.jpg
The Florida location.

While similar to Hollywood's, Florida's ride is a stand-alone ride. Guests enter from the San Francisco area of the park. The facade is meant to represent a garage with Dom's Charger parked outside. The queue winds through the garage which is full of cars from the films. Guests enter a room with pictures of the characters and a television screen. Guests are greeted by Pat (played by a Universal Studios Team Member) who tells them about the garage. Mia Toretto calls and tells guests that Dom has won another street race and is celebrating at Sullivan's garage and that guests are invited. Tej appears and tells them that he has party buses to take the guests there. Guests then enter Tej's war room where they are greeted by Jamie (played by another Universal Studios Team Member) who explains everything in the room. Tej calls and says that the buses are ready, but is called by Dom who tells him that the FBI are honing in on their location. To make matters worse, Owen Shaw is following them. Tej then calls Hobbs who informs him on the plot and reminds guests to turn off their phones so Shaw can't track them. Guest enter the loading area past wanted posters for Shaw and his gang. Guests board the buses and head for the party. The ride follows the same pattern as the Hollywood version with the exception of the 3D and inserted shots of Tej and Mia.

Reception

While the Hollywood version received mixed reviews, the Florida location was met with largely negative reception from guests and critics. Most of the complaints were focused on Supercharged being the third new screen-based attraction to open in recent years at the time of the attractions opening. [9] When comparing the Florida version to the original Hollywood attraction reviewers have commented that it lacks 3D and any serious motion, as well as the Florida version not drastically expanding upon the Hollywood version, leading to the conclusion that the Florida attraction is a step down from the Disaster! attraction that it replaced. [10] Reviews of the park as a whole repeatedly comment that the ride is one to miss. [11] During an interview session at the IAAPA Expo 2021 regarding the creation of The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, Universal Creative Senior Vice President and CCO Thierry Coup admitted the approval of the Florida attraction to be the "biggest mistake of [his] career". [12]

Cast

Actors from the film franchise have reprised their roles for the attraction.

The attraction was mentioned in American Horror Story . In the first episode of the fifth season, Vendela and Agnetha, two Swedish girls who check into the hotel in the first episode, mention their excitement to go to the attraction. It is again mentioned in the sixth episode of the season when the girls ask Donovan (Matt Bomer) to show them to the attraction's line.

The TV show Impractical Jokers filmed a challenge at the Orlando location in the episode "Like a Boss" where each joker must do and say what they're told to while working at the attraction as long as they avoid getting the most thumbs down.

Related Research Articles

<i>The Fast and the Furious</i> (2001 film) 2001 action film directed by Rob Cohen

The Fast and the Furious is a 2001 action film directed by Rob Cohen from a screenplay by Gary Scott Thompson, Erik Bergquist, and David Ayer, based on the Vibe magazine article "Racer X" by Ken Li. The first installment in the Fast & Furious franchise, it stars Paul Walker, Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Rick Yune, Chad Lindberg, Johnny Strong, and Ted Levine. In the film, Brian O'Conner (Walker), an LAPD officer, goes undercover in the street racing world to investigate a group of unknown hijackers, believed to be led by Dominic Toretto (Diesel).

<i>2 Fast 2 Furious</i> 2003 film directed by John Singleton

2 Fast 2 Furious is a 2003 action film directed by John Singleton from a screenplay by Michael Brandt and Derek Haas, based on a story by Brandt, Haas, and Gary Scott Thompson. It is the sequel to The Fast and the Furious (2001) and the second installment in the Fast & Furious franchise. The film stars Paul Walker as Brian O'Conner alongside Tyrese Gibson, Eva Mendes, Cole Hauser, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, and James Remar. In the film, ex-LAPD officer Brian O'Conner and his friend Roman Pearce (Gibson) go undercover for the United States Customs Service and the FBI to apprehend drug lord Carter Verone (Hauser) in exchange for the erasure of their criminal records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Studio Tour</span> Ride at Universal Studios Hollywood

The Studio Tour is a ride attraction at the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park in Universal City, California near Los Angeles. Studio Tour is the theme park's signature attraction. It travels through a working film studio, with various film sets on the Universal Studios Lot. Guests sit on multi-car trams for the duration of the ride and looking behind the scenes of Universal Pictures. The tour lasts about 45–60 minutes and is led by an in-person "tram guide", with the aid of pre-recorded videos of Jimmy Fallon. It travels through the Front Lot, Backlot, and various attractions, passing sets and properties from movies along the way. The tour inspired a smaller but similar version at Universal Studios Florida, which was removed in 1995.

<i>Fast & Furious</i> (2009 film) Film directed by Justin Lin

Fast & Furious is a 2009 action film directed by Justin Lin and written by Chris Morgan. It is the direct sequel to The Fast and the Furious and 2 Fast 2 Furious as well as the fourth installment in the Fast & Furious franchise. It stars Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, and Jordana Brewster. In the film, Dominic Toretto (Diesel) and FBI agent Brian O'Conner (Walker) are forced to work together to avenge the murder of Toretto's lover Letty Ortiz (Rodriguez) and apprehend drug lord Arturo Braga.

Fast & Furious, also known as The Fast and the Furious, is an American media franchise centered on a series of action films that are largely concerned with street racing, heists, spies, and family. The franchise also includes short films, a television series, toys, video games, live shows, and theme park attractions. The films are distributed by Universal Pictures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dominic Toretto</span> Fast & Furious fictional character

Dominic "Dom" Toretto is a fictional character and the current protagonist of the Fast & Furious franchise. He is portrayed by Vin Diesel and first appeared on film with fellow protagonist Brian O'Conner in The Fast and the Furious (2001). Dominic was created by screenwriter Gary Scott Thompson, who was inspired by an article on street racing that was published in the May 1998 issue of Vibe magazine, while Diesel was heavily sought after to play the character. The character also appears in the animated television series Fast & Furious Spy Racers (2019–2021) and the video game Fast & Furious Crossroads (2020), both voiced by Diesel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Han Lue</span> Fast & Furious fictional character

Han Lue is a fictional character in the Fast & Furious franchise. He is portrayed by Sung Kang, who, like the character himself, is of Korean descent. The character appears for the first time in Justin Lin's 2002 film Better Luck Tomorrow, before being incorporated into the Fast & Furious franchise by Lin in his 2006 film The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, appearing in Tokyo as the mentor of Sean Boswell, seemingly dying in an explosion after a collision three-quarters of the way through the film. Han's status as a member of Dominic Toretto's crew was shown in the subsequent films Fast & Furious, Fast Five, Fast & Furious 6, and Furious 7 as well as the short film Los Bandoleros, all set between the events of Better Luck Tomorrow and Tokyo Drift. He reappeared in F9, his first appearance set after the events of Tokyo Drift, in which his death is retconned, and he is now raising an adoptive daughter, Elle, later partnering with Deckard Shaw in Fast X.

<i>Fast Five</i> 2011 action film directed by Justin Lin

Fast Five is a 2011 action film directed by Justin Lin and written by Chris Morgan. It is the sequel to Fast & Furious (2009) and the fifth installment in the Fast & Furious franchise. The film stars Vin Diesel as Dominic Toretto and Paul Walker as Brian O'Conner, alongside Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Gal Gadot, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Matt Schulze, Sung Kang and Dwayne Johnson. In the film, Dom and Brian, along with Dom's sister Mia (Brewster) plan a heist to steal $100 million from corrupt businessman Hernan Reyes (Almeida) while being pursued for arrest by U.S. Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) agent Luke Hobbs (Johnson).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian O'Conner</span> Fast & Furious fictional character

Brian O'Conner is a fictional character and the former main protagonist of the Fast & Furious franchise. He is portrayed by Paul Walker and first appeared on film with fellow protagonist Dominic Toretto in The Fast and the Furious (2001). Brian was created by screenwriter Gary Scott Thompson, who was inspired by an article on street racing that was published in the May 1998 issue of Vibe magazine. Walker was directly approached by director Rob Cohen to play the character.

<i>Fast & Furious 6</i> 2013 action film directed by Justin Lin

Fast & Furious 6 is a 2013 action film directed by Justin Lin and written by Chris Morgan. It is the sequel to Fast Five (2011) and the sixth installment in the Fast & Furious franchise. The film stars Vin Diesel as Dominic Toretto and Paul Walker as Brian O'Conner, alongside Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Sung Kang, Luke Evans, Gina Carano, and John Ortiz. In the film, Toretto, O'Conner, and their team are offered pardons for their crimes in exchange for helping DSS agent Luke Hobbs (Johnson) apprehend a mercenary organization led by former British SAS major Owen Shaw (Evans), one member of which is Toretto's former lover Letty Ortiz (Rodriguez).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gisele Yashar</span> Fast & Furious fictional character

Gisele Yashar is a fictional character portrayed by Gal Gadot who appears in the Fast & Furious franchise. Introduced in the film Fast & Furious (2009), she helps Dominic Toretto and later his team in Fast Five (2011), where she forms a romantic relationship with Han Lue. The character was supposedly killed in Fast & Furious 6 (2013), until Fast X (2023) which confirms that she is still alive. Gisele was Gadot's first major film role, and American director Justin Lin hired her due to her past military experience. Gadot performed her own stunts while shooting the films.

<i>Furious 7</i> 2015 action film directed by James Wan

Furious 7 is a 2015 action film directed by James Wan and written by Chris Morgan. It is the sequel to Fast & Furious 6 (2013) and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006), and the seventh installment in the Fast & Furious franchise. The film stars an ensemble cast including Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Jordana Brewster, Djimon Hounsou, Tony Jaa, Ronda Rousey, Nathalie Emmanuel, Kurt Russell, and Jason Statham. In the film, Dominic Toretto (Diesel), Brian O'Conner (Walker), and their team are recruited by covert ops leader Mr. Nobody (Russell) to prevent terrorist Mose Jakande (Hounsou) from obtaining a hacking program. Meanwhile, Deckard Shaw (Statham), a former special forces soldier seeking to avenge his comatose younger brother, puts the team in danger once again.

<i>The Fate of the Furious</i> 2017 film directed by F. Gary Gray

The Fate of the Furious is a 2017 action film directed by F. Gary Gray and written by Chris Morgan. It is the sequel to Furious 7 (2015) and the eighth installment in the Fast & Furious franchise. The film stars Vin Diesel as Dominic Toretto, alongside Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Scott Eastwood, Nathalie Emmanuel, Elsa Pataky, Kurt Russell, and Charlize Theron. In the film, Dom has settled down with his wife Letty Ortiz, until cyberterrorist Cipher (Theron) coerces him into working for her and turns him against his team, forcing them to find Dom and take down Cipher.

<i>F9</i> (film) 2021 film directed by Justin Lin

F9 is a 2021 American action film directed by Justin Lin, who co-wrote the screenplay with Daniel Casey, based on a story by Lin, Alfredo Botello, and Casey. It is the sequel to The Fate of the Furious (2017), the ninth main installment, and the tenth installment overall in the Fast & Furious franchise. It stars Vin Diesel as Dominic Toretto, alongside Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, John Cena, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jordana Brewster, Sung Kang, Michael Rooker, Helen Mirren, Kurt Russell, and Charlize Theron. In the film, Toretto and the team come together to stop a world-shattering plot involving his younger brother, Jakob (Cena).

<i>Superfast!</i> 2015 American film

Superfast! is a 2015 American action comedy film written and directed by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer. The film is a parody of the Fast & Furious film series. It was released in theaters and VOD on April 3, 2015, to coincide with the premiere of Furious 7.

<i>Fast X</i> 2023 film directed by Louis Leterrier

Fast X is a 2023 American action film directed by Louis Leterrier from a screenplay written by Dan Mazeau and Justin Lin, both of whom also co-wrote the story with Zach Dean. It is the sequel to F9 (2021), the tenth main installment, and the eleventh installment overall in the Fast & Furious franchise. It stars Vin Diesel as Dominic Toretto alongside an ensemble cast including Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, John Cena, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jordana Brewster, Sung Kang, Scott Eastwood, Daniela Melchior, Alan Ritchson, Helen Mirren, Brie Larson, Rita Moreno, Jason Statham, Jason Momoa, and Charlize Theron. In the film, Toretto must protect his family from Dante Reyes (Momoa), who seeks revenge for his father's death and the loss of his family's fortunes.

<i>Fast & Furious Crossroads</i> 2020 racing video game

Fast & Furious Crossroads is a racing and action role-playing video game based on the Fast & Furious film franchise. It was developed by Slightly Mad Studios, a subsidiary studio of the British developer Codemasters, and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. The game was scheduled to release on PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One in May 2020, but was delayed to August 7 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic following the postponement of F9. Upon release, the game received mostly negative reviews.

References

  1. "Go behind-the-scenes on the legendary Studio Tour to explore Hollywood's most famous backlot". Universal Studios Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 29, 2015. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
  2. MacDonald, Brady. "Fast & Furious attraction takes shape at Universal Studios Hollywood".
  3. "Universal Orlando confirms Fast & Furious ride".
  4. "New Fast & Furious Ride Coming". Universal Orlando Blog. August 25, 2015.
  5. "Fast & Furious – Supercharged premiere date revealed for Universal Orlando Resort". Attractions Magazine. April 10, 2018.
  6. "Fast & Furious Supercharged Gets Cut from Universal Beijing".
  7. "Vin Diesel was rocked by hologram Vin Diesel on the 'Fast and Furious' ride".
  8. "Here's What To Expect On Fast and Furious Supercharged". June 19, 2015.
  9. "Theme park fans turn up the outrage when new rides fall short". The Mercury News. May 8, 2018.
  10. "REVIEW: FAST & FURIOUS: SUPERCHARGED AT UNIVERSAL ORLANDO". Park Pass. April 15, 2018.
  11. "Universal Studios Florida, TripAdvisor".
  12. @Attractions (November 17, 2021). "Thierry Coup says his biggest career mistake was not..." (Tweet) via Twitter.