Jason Blum is preparing to expand his horror empire into the museum world.
The CEO of Blumhouse, who has produced horror hits ranging from “Paranormal Activity” to “Five Nights at Freddy’s,” has announced plans to develop a horror exhibit at the the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado. The hotel famously served as Stephen King’s inspiration for the Overlook Hotel in “The Shining,” as the author stayed at the Stanley shortly before writing his seminal horror novel that inspired Stanley Kubrick’s iconic film.
The hotel, which opened in 1909, will now be home to the Stanley Film Center, an ongoing horror exhibit curated by Blumhouse in collaboration with the Colorado Office of Film, Television and Media.
The exhibit is being billed as a “mini Academy Museum dedicated to horror,” and will feature memorabilia from Blumhouse’s vast library, which includes both original franchises like “The Purge” and reboots of legacy properties including “Halloween” and “The Exorcist.”
“The Stanley Hotel is hallowed ground for horror fans and that makes this presence at the Stanley Film Center a natural extension for Blumhouse,” Blum said in a statement. “Fans are going to get closer than ever before to their favorite films, though they may want to keep their distance with a few of the ‘items’ in our collection. We’re excited to get to work, but first we need to make it out of the hedge maze.”
The Stanley Film Center is expected to cost $70 million to complete, but Colorado governor Jared Polis expressed optimism that it will eventually become a major driver of tourism in the state.
“Here’s Blumhouse! This iconic Colorado hotel will now have a new element of fun and fright for Coloradans and visitors across the world to enjoy, driving tourism and strengthening our economy,” Polis said in a statement. “I look forward to seeing the exhibit and am happy that our administration can help make this possible.”
