The Marvel Experience, also known as The Marvel Experience: The World’s First Hyper-Reality Tour, is a mobile interactive attraction showcasing Marvel’s characters, produced by Marvel Entertainment, Hero Ventures, and S2BN Entertainment.
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.[9]
Marvel Entertainment started their project in 1939, and since then, they have created 29 films with an overall budget passing 27.5 billion dollars.
On August 22, 2013, Marvel Entertainment announced that it was working with Hero Ventures on The Marvel Experience, a traveling production/attraction.[10]
On January 9, 2014, Hero Ventures unveiled the dome design image.[7] On October 10, tickets went on sale. A preview of the Experience was scheduled for Phoenix from December 12-January 3, 2015, then officially premiered on January 9, 2015, in Dallas.[11]
Due to high demand, Hero Ventures announced an extension of the San Diego stay until March 1, 2015, and a shift in plans to visit Philadelphia before heading to Chicago, New York, and St. Louis for the show's opening on April 2.[12] Instead, the show was reworked. The tour went to Philadelphia, with plans to visit Chicago, New York, and St. Louis. In July, Hero Ventures announced that the show's summer tour would end prematurely, after only a three-week run in Philadelphia, for reasons not disclosed. Prepaid ticket holders were promised refunds.[5]
Each tour stop was slated to last between 17 and 24 days. The cost of each attraction location is estimated to be $2.5 million. However, this cost will be offset by the sales of tickets, merchandise, and concessions from a rented 2-acre space. The attraction is capable of receiving no more than 10,000 visitors, and there will be scheduled entry times for attendees every seven minutes to prevent overcrowding.[9]
Design
The $30 million attraction comprises a dome complex, which is equivalent in size to two football fields. It features a "4D motion ride", projected animation, motion comics, virtual reality, and holographic simulations along with social media.[10] 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.[7] Domes were chosen to avoid renting existing facilities, which can consume up to 25% of the ticket price. The domes are constructed from PVC resin, polymer, and other components. The structures, designed by Absolute Hollywood live event company, are six stories tall.[9]
Performance
Attendees will interact with several Marvel heroes and SHIELD agents during the two-hour performance[9][13] in which they fight the forces of Hydra with a final battle against the Red Skull, MODOK, and their Adaptoids.[14]
Hero Ventures, LLC is an entertainment company that produces traveling shows.[10] The company is based in Westwood, Los Angeles.[9]
Company history
In 2009, Rick Licht started working full-time on a yet unnamed venture which was his and Doug Schafer's business idea 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.[9] 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.[9]
Hero Ventures (HV) was formed into a Limited liability company on November 14, 2012 in Los Angeles[16] by Licht, Schaer and Rosen.[15] Before 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 millions from co-production partners with some partners taking profit participation.[9] 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.[7]
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]
This is a pay-per-use attraction