The Rise and Rise of LBE

More and more brands are reaping the benefits of live events and locationbased entertainment, knowing that consumers want to interact and share experiences with their favourite IP. ITV has recently announced several partnerships across this sphere, including The Voice of the Ocean which is a long-term partnership with Carnival corporation, bringing the excitement and spectacle of TV’s most popular singing competition to the high seas, live and on-stage. This is a

unique translation of the format that lends itself ideally for an entertainment partnership with longevity. The partnership with Carnival corporation has been there for years and is recently extended for the entire fleet of Princess Cruises, Aida Cruises and Costa cruises. The show comes to life throughout the cruise with karaoke talent search, mentor sessions, blind auditions, the iconic “I Want You” chairs, three charismatic Coaches and ultimately a finale performance where a guest vote to choose the winner and the captain takes place in the red chair. Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen Restaurants, a partnership with Caesars entertainment in the USA, Dubai, and Saudi Arabia, offers fine dining in a unique ambiance. The Red and Blue kitchens serve up modern lunch and dinner menus including Gordon Ramsay’s most talked about signature dish Beef Wellington and the mouthwatering Sticky Toffee Pudding. In the UK ITV has the popular 25,000 sqft I’m A Celebrity Jungle Challenge leisure destination with an exciting mix of physical and mental challenges including climbing walls, high ropes, zip line and leap of faith jumps while visitors race against each other to collect stars. In other LBE news, Chessington World of Adventures Resort and Sony Pictures Entertainment recently announced ‘World of Jumanji’. Set to open in spring 2023, this £17m development marks the world’s first themed land for the box office hit Jumanji film franchise and the single largest investment in the history of the renowned UK resort. The project brings together entertainment and industry experts from around the world as they create a world-first experience that deep dives into the adventurous, action-packed stories seen in the box office hit Jumanji films. For those who think they are brave enough to enter the world, a first look at some of the proposed designs gives an exciting glimpse at what to expect. The impressive entrance portal, which is shrouded in the ominous and overgrown Jumanji jungle that dominates the development, creates the perfect immersive starting point for guests as they prepare to take on a whole host of challenges. Whilst the iconic and unmissable Jaguar Shrine structure looms 55ft tall, keeping a watchful eye out over all who enter as it awaits the return of the curse-lifting Jaguar’s Eye jewel. More details about the wild rides, adventurous attractions and drama-filled experiences guests can expect to discover in the ‘World of Jumanji’ are set to be shared over the coming months. The news follows a multi-territory exclusivity agreement between the Resort operator, Merlin Entertainments, and Columbia Pictures Location Based Entertainment, that was announced earlier this year. The scale of these plans forms part of Merlin’s broader global strategy to engage and work with leading IP and brands across its global estate. It is also a pivotal step in the studio’s larger global strategy to grow and expand location-based entertainment. The market leading studio are looking at how it can further utilise its strong global film and TV brands to create opportunities for audiences around the world to immerse themselves deeper into the studio’s stories.