Movietown or Movie Town is a Hollywood themed area at Six Flags Great Adventure. It opened in 1992 as "Action Town", but was renamed Movietown in 1993 for the opening of Batman: The Ride. The area primarily focuses on Warner Bros. properties, mainly DC Entertainment.
History[]
Action Town (1992)[]
The area that later became Movietown was originally Fun Fair, which was added for the park's 1975 season as a response to guest feedback that weren't enough rides. It was a heavily wooded area with winding paths through the trees, and it hosted a small collection of flat rides and small roller coasters, and it changed through the years. As the area's theme was made less strict, it also became home to Lightnin' Loops and Freefall, and several of the smaller flat rides were slowly retired or removed over time.
With the acquisition of the Six Flags Corporation by Time Warner in 1991, efforts were made to bring a stronger emphasis on theming to the experience of the parks. The loosely themed Fun Fair area was turned into "Action Town" for the 1992 season, with the addition of the Batman Stunt Arena. The arena was a first for entertainment at Six Flags theme parks, and would eventually be replicated at other parks from coast to coast. The existing structures from Fun Fair were given fresh paint and the area was given a makeover, in anticipation of additions to come in future seasons.
Movietown (1993–present)[]
Also in 1992, Six Flags teamed up with Swiss roller coaster manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard to create the suspended looping coaster Batman: The Ride for Six Flags Great America. This coaster was revolutionary, and was seen as a turning point in the theme park world. Six Flags Great America and B&M already had a history of creating innovative coasters, first working with Intamin creating the "Dive Coaster" design, and later with innovations on the stand-up coaster design. For the 1993 season, they duplicated the experience of Batman: The Ride for Six Flags Great Adventure, and added a clone of the ride as part of the conversion of Action Town into Movietown. As part of Action Town's makeover into Movietown, existing rides were renamed and rethemed and new structures were added, which brought a new cohesion to the formerly mismatched group of attractions. As part of Action Town's transition to Movietown, much of the area was overhauled and improved with new plantings, fences and pavement, as well as fresh paint and new names. A major part of the overhaul involved re-orienting and retheming the existing Scrambler and Looping Starship rides. The two rides were a part of the loosely themed Old Country area, but with some clever landscaping and movement of the entrances, they were included in Movietown. Matching portals were added to the entrances of the section, creating a more defined area. Throughout Movietown, theme elements were added all around which further created the unifying look the section had been lacking up until then. New names, props and scenery brought color and interest to every corner. Batman: The Ride and The Batman Stunt Show served as anchors to bring the crowds, and the surrounding attractions with their new look and new themes offered people an array of unique experiences.
Some of the details like the street signs, the "film" fence and the Batmobile in the center of the section added to the other-worldliness of the section and made it something more than just the amusement area it had previously been. The existing twin restaurant buildings adjacent to the new Batman: The Ride coaster were remodeled and re-purposed as part of the Movietown makeover. A new patio was created between the two buildings, bringing much needed seating for the restaurants which had been lost in the front of the buildings. In the spring of 1993, the restaurants were still under construction as the new facades were being added and new walls of fake building fronts were constructed to enclose the patio. The combined restaurants and their accompanying patio were given a unified look with a new marquis entrance, and a new name: the HBO Backlot Commissary. The HBO cable network was another division of the Time Warner family of companies. The new patio area of the Commissary was decorated with varied props and set pieces to further the feeling of being in a working studio. The props, set pieces and the new tables and colorful umbrellas of the Commissary created an inviting and interesting place to eat and relax with the action of the rides happening all around. The former patio area was now an open space which allowed clear sight-lines for Batman The Ride and the restaurant itself.
As the spring went on, the new art deco inspired facades took shape, and on the sides, Gotham City inspired facades were created to match the adjoining Batman: The Ride scenery and the Batman Stunt Arena. The overall look created a juxtaposition of sets meant to resemble a working movie studio. One of the new structures added as part of the Movietown makeover was a new restroom building, as during part of the construction of Batman The Ride, the area's only restroom was removed. A new restroom, themed after the "Blue Parrot" from the film Casablanca, was built on the opposite side of the section, between Stuntman's Freefall and the Showcase Theater. It was given a Moorish look with arches and a barrel tile roof, as well as a faux entrance in the center.
An important part of Movietown was the addition of a new shop to sell merchandise related to Time Warner-owned properties, which would create the brand synergy that the company was striving for. Time Warner was following the example of Disney for Six Flags, where the theme parks would promote their movies, TV shows, and characters, while at the same time, the characters, TV shows, movies, and magazines would promote the theme parks. The Time Warner Gift Boutique sold a wide array of gifts and souvenirs promoting Batman and other DC Comics characters, Looney Tunes, and many other characters and franchises. The store had a similar look to the Warner Bros. Studio Store mall chain, with a mix of action figures, clothing, plushies, and other merchandise. The shop showcased the diversity of entertainment offered by Time Warner and created brand awareness that had been lacking for the company up until that point. Around the Movietown area were several poster cases which promoted Warner Bros. films of the past and present. As new movies were being promoted, new posters like the Batman & Robin poster were added or replaced some of the others.
For the 1994 season, Movietown expanded to include the Skeeball Barn, which became the Studio 28 Arcade. New shows were brought in to Showcase Theater promoting other Warner Bros. movies, namely Maverick and Dennis The Menace, which were some of the big summer releases that year.
In 1995, additional fake fronts were added to the area next to the Stunt Arena, and a Coca Cola Cool Zone was built. The Cool Zone offered an opportunity for guests to cool off with mist while purchasing Coke, and was designed to fit the Gotham City look of the adjoining facades and Stunt Arena. Additional theme elements were added over time as well, with special clapboard entertainment signs and more props being brought to the section.
At the end of the 1996 season, the removal of Phileas Fogg's Balloon Ride, the Space Shuttle and G Force began. The Space Shuttle and Scrambler would find new homes as part of the area near the The Right Stuff Mach 1 Adventure, but the Little Wheel would be removed, never to return.
In 1998, Time Warner sold their remaining interest in Six Flags to Premier Parks, and things were about to change drastically in Movietown. Although it had been delayed from the previous year (much like the Mr. Freeze roller coasters at Six Flags Over Texas and Six Flags St. Louis), the new Batman & Robin: The Chiller roller coaster was added. With the addition of the Chiller, the new Snowy's Snacks was added, and the Time Warner Gift Boutique was renamed Justice League Headquarters. Other changes to the buildings and queues around the Chiller were also made to accommodate the new ride which took over so much of the middle of the section. A second and much needed restroom facility was also added between the Justice League Headquarters store and Studio 28 Arcade.
In 2004, a ladder climb game was added in front of the Gotham City themed wall facing the Batman Stunt Arena.
In 2005, the pavement of sections of Movietown which had been covered with generic blacktop received a new bright blue topcoat, which made it more welcoming and fitting in a theme park.
At the end of the 2006 season, Stuntman's Freefall was removed.
At the end of the 2007 season, Batman & Robin: The Chiller was removed due to maintenance issues. Movietown Water Effect was also removed for the construction of The Dark Knight Coaster.
On May 15, 2008, The Dark Knight Coaster opened. Many fans were outraged about how it apparently "replaced" the Chiller, and found the experience to be mediocre, albeit well-themed.
On June 17, 2017, Justice League: Battle for Metropolis opened. Fans praised the ride for its innovativeness, but lambasted the poor CGI.
On June 13, 2018, Cyborg Cyber Spin opened, as a "companion piece" to Battle for Metropolis. Interesting to note, this ride was the first Six Flags themed to a black DC character, as Cyborg was added to the Justice League for POC representation.
In summer 2019, Wonder Woman Lasso of Truth opened. With this ride opening, a sub-section of Movietown called "Metropolis" was made, using the former Old Country space, as well.
In summer 2025, The Flash: Vertical Velocity will open for the park's 50th anniversary.
Attractions[]
Batman: The Ride
Current[]
- Batman: The Ride
- Cyborg: Cyber Spin
- The Dark Knight Coaster
- The Flash: Vertical Velocity
- Justice League: Battle for Metropolis
- Studio 28 Arcade
- Wonder Woman: Lasso of Truth
Former[]
- Batman & Robin: The Chiller (1997-2007)
- Lightnin' Loops (1992)
- Movietown Water Effect (1992-2007)
- Nitro (2001-2011; now part of The Pine Barrens)
- Phileas Fogg's Balloon Ride (1992-1996)
- Stuntman's Freefall (1992-2006)
Restaurants[]
Current[]
- Casa de Quesadilla
- Fatburger
- Mama Flora's Grill
- Metro Grill
- Munchopolis
Former[]
- Coca-Cola Cool Zone (1995-???)
- HBO Backlot Commissary (1993-1999)
- Macho Nacho Express
- Six Below
- Snowy's Snacks (1997-2007)
Shopping[]
Current[]
Former[]
- Iceworks (1997-2007)
- Justice League Headquarters (1997-???)
- Time Warner Gift Boutique (1993-1996)
Timeline[]
- 1992: Action Town is introduced as a slight retheme of the former Fun Fair. The new Batman Stunt Arena is constructed, and The Batman Stunt Show is introduced inside it.
- 1993: Action Town becomes Movie Town. All of the former Fun Fair attractions are rethemed to match the Hollywood theme. Looping Starship becomes Space Shuttle Flight Testing, the Little Wheel becomes Phileas Fogg's Balloon Ride, Splashwater Falls becomes the Movietown Water Effect, Freefall becomes Stuntman's Freefall, and the Scrambler becomes the G Force Centrifuge.
- 1994: Movie Town expands further to include the Skeeball Barn, which is rethemed to Studio 28 Arcade.
- 1995: Additional Gotham facades added to the area next to the Stunt Arena, and a Coca-Cola Cool Zone is built with a dilapidated theme to match the Gotham City area of the land.
- 1996: Phileas Fogg's Balloon Ride, Space Shuttle Flight Testing, and G Force Centrifuge are removed at the end of the season to make way for construction of Batman & Robin: The Chiller. Phileas Fogg's Balloon Ride is ultimately scrapped, but the other two attractions are located to the Boardwalk.
- 1997: Construction of Batman & Robin: The Chiller is completed, but after a soft opening on June 7, the ride closes for the rest of the year due to technical issues. The new Snowy's Snacks is introduced, and Time Warner Gift Boutique becomes Justice League Headquarters.
- 2004: A new ladder climb game named Test Your Skill: Climb the Ladder is added in front of the Gotham City themed wall facing the Stunt Arena.
- 2005: Sections of pavement in Movietown that had previously been covered with a generic blacktop receive a new blue topcoat.
- 2006: Stuntman's Freefall is removed at the end of the season.
- 2007: Batman & Robin: The Chiller closes on June 28, and is removed at the end of the season. Movietown Water Effect is also removed to make way for construction of The Dark Knight Coaster.
- 2008: The Dark Knight Coaster opens on May 15.
- 2017: Justice League: Battle for Metropolis opens on June 17.
- 2018: Cyborg: Cyber Spin opens on June 13.
- 2019: Wonder Woman: Lasso of Truth opens.
- 2025: The Flash: Vertical Velocity will open.
References[]
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