Why No Jack?

The HHN fan community are a canny bunch.  Much like the Sherlock or Doctor Who fandoms they like to speculate and analysis everything that is put out by their respective content providers.  That’s why in the usual amount of mail and messages we get here at HHNU HQ we have received a number of concerned reports from HHNU readers asking “why no Jack?” in the recent house trailer put out by Universal.  Check it out below:

So are they right and should we be worried?

The answer should be a huge NO we should not be worried.  Though Jack Nicholson’s character is suggested all the way through, the actor’s likeness is not actually seen.  Now this can be for a variety of reasons but the most likely is that the actor’s likeness (face etc) is not allowed in the marketing.  This can be true also for the website and the logo which do not contain any of the actors from this movie, other than the creepy twins.

So why are people concerned?

This is, what shall now be named, “The Walker Effect” – fans recall all the previous Walking Dead houses that have not contained a single character from the franchise.  The result many would say that the houses from this franchise lack character, plot or a way in which to tell the guests what exactly is going on, especially as most houses have been based on specific seasons of the TV show.

But don’t worry! 

Just because this has been the case with TWD it has not by any means been the precedent!  Last year’s American Horror Story was brimming full with characters and their actors’ likenesses all the way through.  The same goes for all the other IP houses from last year with most noticeably being The Exorcist with various Linda Blair’s all the way through.  Going back as far as an exact decade ago when Orlando really upped it’s IP usage, that year had all the characters from Dead Silence and a very realistic Kurt Russell in The Thing.  Not forgetting all the other amazing IP houses we’ve had in between.

So don’t worry HHN fandom, we’re pretty confident that having a Shining maze without an axe welding Jack Torrance is just not possible (especially after it has taken 10 years to negotiate!).  So get your running shoes on as he’ll be coming after you – yes you!

So let’s get lost in the snowy maze together and run down the mysterious corridors of the Overlook Hotel… who’s ready?  Let us know!