By Gina Yarbrough
Universal City, CA–Universal Studios Hollywood announced that its first high-speed outdoor roller coaster, “Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift,” is set to open this summer.
The roller coaster’s debut coincides with the launch of a new commercial campaign that includes a 30-second television spot narrated by Vin Diesel, producer and star of the “Fast & Furious” franchise and a longtime collaborator with the theme parks.
The commercial is set to air on television during the Winter Olympics, Super Bowl XL and the NBA All-Star Game, across NBC and Peacock platforms.
According to Universal Studios Hollywood, the media campaign captures the spirit of the thrill ride, designed to immerse guests within Universal Pictures’ exhilarating “Fast & Furious” universe.
The roller coaster will be located on the upper lot of Universal Studios Hollywood within an expansive red brick, garage-like structure. It features groundbreaking 360-degree rotation technology designed to create a seamless sensation of drifting cars as guests spin in motion at speeds up to 72 miles per hour, while careening along 4,100 feet of elaborate aerial track—the equivalent of nearly 12 football fields—that winds its way over sections of the theme park, including the multi-level Starway escalator that connects the upper and lower lots.
“Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift” will launch as Universal Pictures kicks off the 25th anniversary of the blockbuster “Fast & Furious” franchise and its final theatrical release, “Fast Forever,” slated for March 17, 2028.
“Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift” will benefit from Universal Destinations & Experiences’ decades-long expertise in revolutionizing the development of contemporary roller coasters across its global theme parks.
The roller coaster will join Universal Studios Hollywood’s slate of groundbreaking attractions, including Super Nintendo World, featuring “Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge” ride, “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter,” “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey,” and “Flight of the Hippogriff,” “Jurassic World—The Ride,” “The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash,” “Despicable Me Minion Mayhem,” “The Simpsons Ride,” “Transformers: The Ride-3D,” and “Revenge of the Mummy—The Ride,” and the theme park’s signature, behind-the-scenes Studio Tour attraction.
Over eleven films, Universal Pictures’ “Fast & Furious” saga has built a global fan base and generated more than $7 billion at the worldwide box office, becoming the studio’s most profitable and longest-running franchise. The series commands one of the largest followings of any active film franchise across social media platforms.
After 2017’s “The Fate of the Furious” debuted with a record-setting global opening, the franchise expanded beyond theaters to include toys, video games, an animated series, and the hit spin-off “Hobbs & Shaw.” The most recent installment, “Fast X,” opened in theaters in May 2023.
For more information about Universal Studios Hollywood, visit their website.
