Thorpe Park announces Saw - The Ride
Posted
[Ed. note: The following is an unedited press release. -J]
The UK’s thrill-capital, THORPE PARK, leading next generation film studio LIONSGATE and TWISTED PICTURES today announced that they will launch SAW – The Ride, the world’s first ever horror movie-themed rollercoaster, in Spring 2009. Based on Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures’ ‘Saw’ franchise, the most profitable horror franchise in movie history, SAW – The Ride is the scariest ride in the world. The latest installment in the series, ‘Saw V,’ premieres on Friday 24th October, and THORPE PARK will be inviting visitors to ‘Face Your Fears’ on their new terrifying attraction next year.
Like the films, THORPE PARK’s new rollercoaster will test the nerve of all who dare ride it and visitors will be at the mercy of the series’ master manipulator, Jigsaw. The ultimate test of SAW – The Ride will be a ‘beyond vertical’ drop of 100º from a height of 100ft, making it the steepest freefall drop in the world. Riders will also endure three inversions that will add another dimension to a whole new experience of adrenaline-fuelled fun for thrill seekers.
SAW – The Ride continues the growth of the ‘Saw’ franchise as an international cultural touchstone. The original 2004 ‘Saw’ launched a new wave in horror films and introduced a bona fide icon of terror: Jigsaw, the philosophically inclined psychopath with an exacting moral agenda and a genius for gruesome games of survival, ‘played’ with those he believes have ceased to value and appreciate the gift of life. Ratcheting up tension and invention with each successive film, the ‘Saw’ franchise has become a part of the zeitgeist while jangling nerves around the world. To date, the four ‘Saw’ titles have taken in over $550 million in worldwide theatrical box office and their combined gross DVD sales are nearly 24 million units.
Candy Holland, Creative Director for Merlin Entertainments Resort Theme Parks, is the woman behind the ride and arguably has Britain’s scariest and most exciting job. She is an extreme thrill enthusiast and will draw on her extensive background in theme park and theatre set design, working with the project team to make it the scariest ride in the world. Candy was also responsible for the creative development of THORPE PARK’s Stealth ride, Se7en maze, and Oblivion and Air at Alton Towers Resort.
Candy Holland comments, “I’m a huge fan of horror films and am utterly relishing creating the scariest ride in the world. Anybody who has sat through a ‘Saw’ film scared and terrified beyond belief will have some idea of what’s in store for them at THORPE PARK. SAW – The Ride is going to be shocking and intense…both physically and psychologically…and is sure to give you nightmares.
“We have worked in close collaboration with Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures on this project to ensure total accuracy of the key elements of the ‘Saw’ films, which when combined with the latest rollercoaster technology will create a phenomenal ride experience.”
Marketing Director of THORPE PARK Carolyn London says, “SAW – The Ride is definitely only for the brave, and will add an element of edge to an already adrenaline packed breadth of thrills on offer. We’re certain the ‘Saw’ theme will set pulses racing and will satisfy the appetite of those in search of the ultimate exhilarating experience.”
‘Saw’ producers and Twisted Pictures principals Mark Burg and Oren Koules remark, “We love scaring people, and SAW – The Ride is a whole new way to do it. The team at THORPE PARK have really impressed us with their grasp of the ‘Saw’ universe and with their dedication to creating a truly edgy attraction.”
Guy Avshalom, Lionsgate COO, and Aubrey McClure, Lionsgate Vice President of Promotions, Licensing & Merchandising, add, “SAW – The Ride is a reflection of how thoroughly the ‘Saw’ franchise has crossed over into pop culture at large. We are delighted to be working with THORPE PARK to continue that expansion with the scariest ride in the world.”
The new ride will be the Park’s fourth major rollercoaster, joining an already impressive portfolio of extreme ride experiences, including Stealth – Europe’s fastest rollercoaster, Colossus – the world’s first ten looping rollercoaster and Nemesis Inferno – the 4.5 G-force experience.
Link: Saw The Ride
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Now just wondering who will be building the coaster, is this going to be done in house or what?
Morté aka Matt, Ego sum nex
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Where is Lee Grant?? He made a bunch of RCT3 rollercoasters based on Saw ages ago. I hope he sees this.
Bolliger/Mabillard for President in '08 NOT Dinn/Summers
It is going to be a Eurofighter. While I think the concept is great, it seems a bit strange to base a theme on a very-R rated franchise.
http://www.themeuk.net/Thorpe_Eurofighter_Construction_PG3.html
It already IS a Eurofighter. Track's complete last time I checked, and while the theme isn't very family friendly, I actually think an R-rated roller coaster is kind of awesome, and I'm not really that into any of the Saw movies. I hope they follow through and really include some of the scariest parts of the movies in the pre-ride and pre-lift parts of the experience. I was also rather pleased to see that the folks working on this worked on Oblivion, as in my opinion that ride is masterfully suspenseful, made even more impressive by its relative lack of height to similar rides.
Bill
ಠ_ಠ
Ugh. That ride clearly wasn't constructed out of saws. I don't see a carbide tip or a worm drive motor anywhere. What a stupid name.
Whatever happened to Steel Hawg's 120 degree drop? I thought that was the steepest drop in the world?
-Patrick
Thorpe are not counting it due to not being completely freefall as it has brakes on the top.
Just as long as it doesn't have needles and syringes... That whole 'diving into the needles' thing still freaks me out when i think about it.
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-Mark
Gawd, I love the UK. Can you imagine some American corporation even thinking about something as thematically extreme as this in the States? Our rides over here are themed to not terrify the pansy-asses we apparently must be. Even (corporate-run, at any rate) haunted houses over here are pansy-assed.
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Ok, so this is all hype, but...
I am really excited by this ride! So many parks are going down the family friendly route that it is great that a park is actively going after the thrillseeker market.
No park in the UK has a collection of thrill rides as good as Thorpe IMO. Some have better rollercoasters (Alton and Blackpool), but combined with the flat and tower rides, TP has a fantastic mix. Now all they need to do is sort out the rapids ride which is dire...
A fantastic looking addition to the lineup.
Sounds like a great ride but I think the name is awful. Naming a ride after a series of films where the characters are hideously tortured? WTF?
If nothing else, it will lead to some Abbott and Costello moments.
"Did you see Saw the ride?"
"I ain't rode a seesaw in years."
"No, not seesaw the ride. Saw the ride. See?"
Visit CHARMLAND!!!!, Where a seesaw IS a ride!
What might be cool would a be a part of the coaster going into a bear trap.
Coaster Junkie from NH
I drive in & out of Boston, so I ride coasters to relax!
Rob Ascough said:
Sounds like a great ride but I think the name is awful. Naming a ride after a series of films where the characters are hideously tortured? WTF?
As a fan of gore and horror flicks (not necessarily the SAW series, but they're OK...) I have to say it's about time. Rides are about fear and excitement, and for some people, the 2 go hand in hand.
I have to say that Halloween is definitely my favorite time of year, if not for anything but the "haunts" and the effects everywhere. It should be interesting if this is something like that, but year-round.
Rob Ascough said:
Sounds like a great ride but I think the name is awful. Naming a ride after a series of films where the characters are hideously tortured? WTF?
I'm with you. The human torture theme is not my thing at all. There's a difference between scary and gruesome in my opinion. The Saw series crosses that line for me.
"If passion drives you, let reason hold the reins." --- Benjamin Franklin
I'm not against naming rides after horror flicks but there is something about the Saw series that makes it wrong for application to a roller coaster. Just doesn't seem right to me.
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