The Marvel Cinematic Universe is bigger than ever these days, with a slew of popular and successful movies such as this past weekend’sCaptain America: Civil War, and a number of hit TV shows likeAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D.andDaredevil. Marvel’s parent company Disney now has plans to make this universe even bigger, by bringing one of the MCU’s most popular movies,Guardians of the Galaxy, to Disney’s California Adventure theme park. A new report claims that the company is planning on replacingThe Twilight ZoneTower of Terror ride with aGuardians of the Galaxyride.
While Disney hasn’t officially announced these plans, the Disney blogMicechathas confirmed earlier rumors are true, thatGuardiansis replacing Tower of Terror in California Adventure. This latest report claims that the entireTwilight Zoneback story of the ride will be replaced by aGuardians of the Galaxystory, centering onThe Collector, who was played byBenicio del Toroin the 2014 blockbuster. If this all pans out, this new attraction could be opened in time for the premiere ofGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, which is currently in production and slated for release on June 05, 2025.
Reportedly, theTower of Terror ridewill close this fall, with the building getting a complete refurbishment, inside and out. The plan is to have the ride open in conjunction with theGuardians 2movie premiere, which will be held at Disney’s California Adventure the same week the ride opens. The project is expected to get an official green light by August, with this report claiming the only thing that may derail it is a “disastrous” opening for the company’s new resort in Shanghai this summer.
It’s worth noting that Disney is developing aTower of Terrormovie, with screenwriterJohn Augustproviding a script treatment that will later be turned into a feature-length screenplay. The attraction is set at the fictional Hollywood Tower Hotel, where visitors step inside an elevator to hear stories about several people who went missing before being dropped from several stories above. The movie will follow five strangers at a posh hotel, who all disappear when the hotel is struck by lightning. While it may seem weird that Disney is getting rid of an attraction that they are about to base a movie on, Disneyland got rid of their Country Bear Jamboree attraction beforeThe Country Bearsmovie opened in 2002.
This newGuardiansride will be part of a multi-year plan aimed at getting more Marvel-themed attractions into Disney’s California Adventure, headed up by newDisney ParkschairmanBob Chapek. The chairman was reportedly “shocked” that the resort hadn’t opened any Marvel-themed attractions since Disney acquired Marvel Studios back in 2009. They are planning to move the “Marvel mega-coaster” from its current Califronia Adventure location in the Timon parking lot and fit it into the theme park’s Hollywood erea, where Stage 17,Monsters Inc.and the unused Stage 12 buildings are. This saves the Timon parking lot area for future park expansion, and it will serve to better use the under-developed area on the opposite side of Hollywood Land.
ThisGuardians of the Galaxyride hasn’t been made official yet, and it isn’t known ifGuardians of the GalaxyandGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2writer-directorJames Gunnwill have any involvement in the creative development of this attraction. It also isn’t known what other plans Disney may have for future Marvel-themed park attractions, but we’ll be sure to keep you posted as soon as new developments arise. Stay tuned for confirmation on theGuardians of the Galaxyride at Disney’s California Adventure.
