Universal Pictures is officially pulling out all the stops for Midsummer Scream in Long Beach, bringing a massive, fan-first booth experience tailored specifically for horror fiends, die-hard collectors, and spooky-season addicts.
Throughout the convention weekend, Universal is proving that its terrifying empire extends far beyond the silver screen and theme park gates. Attendees can look forward to exclusive merch drops, sneak peeks at Universal Studios Hollywood’s upcoming Halloween Horror Nights, photo ops, artist signings, and a packed schedule of behind-the-scenes panels.
Here is everything Universal is bringing to the floor:
Must-Have Merch & First-Look Reveals
Convention-goers can be among the very first to gawk at—and pre-order—brand-new licensed merchandise spanning Universal’s legendary horror vault. Exclusive booth drops include:
-
Friday, August 7: Exclusive HamiKuma pins (straight from Universal Studios Japan!).
-
Saturday, August 8 & Sunday, August 9: Custom denim jackets from BoxLunch’s Dark Zodiac collection and Universal Monsters blind-box bag charms from Whatever! Makes You Happy.
- Universal Monsters – Ultimate The Invisible Man 7″ Scale Action Figure
- Available for pre-order from NECA
- BoxLunch Universal Monsters Dark Zodiac Collection
- First available to purchase at Universal Booth #219
- Whatever! Makes You Happy x Universal Monsters Collection
- Available beginning August 10 only at Universal Orlando Resort, Universal Studios Hollywood and online at shopUniversal.com
- Whatever! Makes You Happy x Universal Monsters Coquette Collection
- Available at Toys R Us, Spencer’s, Box Lunch, Hot Topic, Entertainment Earth, and Shopwhatever.com
- Loungefly Invisible Man Backpack & Wallet
- Available at Loungefly.com
- Monster High x Universal Monsters Collector Dolls
- Available exclusively at Walmart
- Funko POP! Vinyl – Halloween II Michael Myers
- Available for pre-order from Funko
- Funko POP! Movie Cover – Halloween II
- Available for pre-order from Funko
- Monster High x Halloween II Collector Doll
- Available for pre-order from Mattel Creations
Weekend Panel & Appearance Highlights
Friday, August 7
-
6:00 PM – 10:00 PM: Meet the viral nightmare himself, HamiKuma, making a special appearance direct from Universal Studios Japan at the Universal booth.
Saturday, August 8
-
11:00 AM – 6:00 PM: Snap photos with royalty—The Bride of Frankenstein, Frankenstein’s Monster, and Dracula will be roaming the booth all day.
-
12:00 PM: Exclusive poster signing with Dark Zodiac artist Dan Kuhlken.
-
3:00 PM (Universal Horror: Legends Reimagined Panel): Dive into the art of horror dollmaking—from Universal Monsters to Halloween II. Designers from Mattel and Universal Products & Experiences join icon Micheline Pitt and moderator Nima “Neemz” Nakshab to break down how classic creeps get turned into high-end shelf collectibles.
Sunday, August 9
-
11:30 AM: Exclusive poster signing with Halloween Horror Nights Executive Producer and Creative Director John Murdy.
-
11:30 AM (Creative Evolution at Universal Horror Unleashed Class): Del Wynegar, Assistant Director of Entertainment for Las Vegas’s year-round Universal Horror Unleashed, shares how the team keeps Sin City’s largest haunted attraction terrifyingly fresh.
-
1:00 PM – 5:00 PM: A second chance to meet HamiKuma at the booth.
-
1:00 PM (Terror in the Desert Panel): Midsummer Scream’s Rick West hosts a deep dive into Las Vegas haunts with Kim Scott (GM of Universal Horror Unleashed), Jason Egan (Egan Productions), and Tom Devlin (Tom Devlin’s Monster Museum).
-
5:00 PM (Halloween Horror Nights Main Panel): The big one. John Murdy takes the stage to drop official sneak peeks and reveals for this year’s Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood.
All Weekend Long
-
Hall of Shadows Experience (Universal Horror Unleashed: Dead Famous): Step into a blood-soaked nightmare featuring character encounters and photo ops straight from Las Vegas’s year-round horror haven.
Whether you’re going for the exclusive pins, the HHN house reveals, or just a selfie with Dracula, Universal’s 2026 showing is setting up to be the undisputed highlight of the weekend. Which panel are you hitting first?
