Albano’s Fab 5: Orange County girls basketball standouts last week, Feb. 26

• February 26, 2025

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Dan Albano’s Fab 5 outstanding girls basketball players last week, Feb. 26:

Addison Deal, Mater Dei, Sr.

The Iowa-bound point guard averaged 18.5 points and eight assists as the Monarchs went 1-1 in CIF-SS Open Division pool play. Deal had 23 points and seven assists in a 69-56 win against Fairmont Prep and had 14 points and nine assists in a 63-60 loss against reigning state champion Etiwanda in the semifinals. Mater Dei finished 2-1 in pool play.

Kate Duarte, Rosary, Jr.

The 6-foot forward had 18 points and 12 rebounds to help the Royals beat Oak Hills 53-47 in the CIF-SS Division 2A semifinals and advance to their first section final since 2017. Duarte is averaging a team-high 13.3 points in the playoffs.

Jade McMahon, Tesoro, Sr.

The senior wing scored a season-high 24 points and grabbed 18 rebounds as the Titans knocked off top-seeded Savanna 53-45 in the CIF-SS Division 4AA semifinals.

Adyra Rajan, Fairmont Prep, Jr.

Rajan averaged 24 points to help the Huskies split games against Mater Dei and Windward in CIF-SS Open Division pool play. She scored 24 points and grabbed nine rebounds in a 69-56 loss against Mater Dei and had 24 points in a 69-65 win against Windward. The Huskies finished 1-2 in pool play. Rajan has made an Orange County single-season record 149 3-pointers.

Kalleigh Solis, Santa Ana, Sr.

The 5-foot-1 guard scored 25 points in a 45-32 victory against St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy in the CIF-SS Division 5AA semifinals. Solis had 20 points in a 48-27 win against Rancho Alamitos in the quarterfinals.

Last week’s Fab 5: Feb. 19

​ Orange County Register 

Meet the musician who taught Timothée Chalamet to play guitar like Bob Dylan

• February 26, 2025

By DAVID BAUDER, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — He’s not a movie buff, so New York musician Larry Saltzman doesn’t always watch the Oscars. This year, however, he’s got a rooting interest.

Saltzman taught actor Timothée Chalamet how to play guitar for the role of Bob Dylan in “A Complete Unknown.” In turn, Chalamet earned a best actor nomination and the film is also up for best picture at the Academy Awards on Sunday.

A guitarist who’s performed with Simon & Garfunkel, Bette Midler and David Johansen, as well as in the pit at Broadway productions “Hairspray” and “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” Saltzman has developed a specialty in teaching actors how to play music for their roles. Besides Chalamet, recent pupils have included Adam Driver and Sadie Sink of “Stranger Things.”

On a fellow musician’s recommendation, Saltzman first got a call from a movie studio about a decade ago. He admits to being cranky as discussions dragged on. “I almost did everything to talk them out of hiring me,” he said.

Not until the fifth phone call did the studio identify the client: Meryl Streep.

She needed to learn the electric guitar for her starring role in the 2015 film “Ricki and the Flash,” where she portrayed an aging rocker trying to keep her career and life together in the wake of a series of disappointments.

Working with Streep is a little like a political consultant’s first client being elected president. If she likes you and word gets around, other students will follow. Teaching actors now represents about 40% of his business, the 69-year-old said.

“My time spent with her was excellent,” he said of Streep. “She’s smart. She knows how to learn things. There was a steady progress over three or four months. She did very well.”

Faking it just won’t do for serious actors and film directors. It’s like lip-syncing — the audience is going to tell the difference, and the characters will be less believable. That was especially true with Chalamet, who needed to sing and play at the same time for a character whose artistry is the centerpiece of the film.

“When the actors come to you, they’re kind of vulnerable,” Saltzman said. “They want to do a great job.”

Saltzman had more than 50 sessions with Chalamet, starting in person and retreating to Zoom during the pandemic. It wasn’t easy. Chalamet had to learn some 25 songs in the script.

“Sometime in 2018 I had my first lesson with this great guitar teacher named Larry Saltzman who at some point became less of a teacher and more a co-sanity artist through COVID,” Chalamet recalled during a recent interview with The Associated Press. “I think we were keeping each other sane. We would Zoom three, four times a week and doing songs that never made it into the movie.”

It helped that Saltzman is a Dylan buff. Focusing on imparting “the guitar playing of ‘pre-electric Bob,’” he taught his charge so well that Chalamet was a musical guest as well as host on “Saturday Night Live,” performing obscure Dylan cuts last month. Saltzman says, in the course of their sessions, Chalamet “went the extra mile” and unearthed “very early, obscure” Dylan songs that weren’t even in the script.

Saltzman generally likes teaching actors more than common folk, in part because there’s a specific goal: They need to learn certain songs to inhabit a particular character. When it’s open-ended — someone just wants to learn the guitar — it can be more of a challenge, he said. Saltzman also believes that it’s an advantage to not be a regular teacher, someone who may approach clients with a more rigid style.

Actor Johnny Cannizzaro said he appreciated Saltzman’s calming “bedside manner” and felt welcome in an apartment filled with guitars. Cannizzaro has the role of E Street Band member “Little Steven” Van Zandt in the upcoming Bruce Springsteen biopic, “Deliver Me From Nowhere.”

“There was never really a moment where he expressed any sort of frustration or impatience with me during a session,” said Cannizzaro, who has background playing keyboards but not guitar. “If anything, he would express some excitement when you grasped something he was teaching. That put me at ease.”

Saltzman also studied film of Van Zandt so he wasn’t just teaching Cannizzaro guitar — he was showing specifics of how Van Zandt plays, the actor said.

Beyond teaching, Saltzman’s time is divided between studio work, playing in New York clubs accompanying different artists and Broadway — he’s just about to begin “Smash.”

It’s an eye-opening experience for him to later see his students on screen. That was particularly the case when he saw “A Complete Unknown” and marveled at Chalamet’s ability as an actor.

All the more reason to watch the Oscars, and to take some pride in his own work.

“In my own humble way, I’m a small gear in that machinery,” he said. “What is rewarding is knowing that in some small way I’m contributing to making a better film.”

David Bauder writes about the intersection of media and entertainment for the AP. Follow him at http://x.com/dbauder and https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social.

​ Orange County Register 

2-acre estate, twice a Pasadena Showcase House of Design, seeks $14 million

• February 26, 2025

A 1933 grand colonial-style estate featured as a Pasadena Showcase House of Design twice in the last 42 years is on the market for just under $14 million.

Known as the Stewart House, the 11,100-square-foot residence has a two-story main house and a guest house with a loft for a total of seven bedrooms and 12 bathrooms. Records show it’s been in the same family for more than 40 years, but its name comes from the original owner Arthur C. Stewart, a third-generation oil company executive.

Stewart built the house for $13,000 on land given to him as a wedding gift by his father, according to a promotional video for the 2023 Pasadena Showcase House of Design. Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts, the 501c3 nonprofit behind the annual fundraiser, also featured Stewart House in 1983.

Originally designed by architects Sylvanus Marston and Edgar Maybury, it sits behind wrought-iron gates on 2-acre-plus grounds with themed gardens, including a rose garden and a vegetable garden.

There are expansive lawns, a lighted tennis court and a pool with a cabana.

Inside the main house, the foyer has a staircase and leads to the living room anchored by a fireplace.

The formal dining room and home bar boast hand-painted murals.

Wood paneling adorns the library’s walls.

In the garden room with its checkered black-and-white floors and walls of French windows and doors, the backyard is on view.

The house’s west wing features a butler’s pantry, a newly remodeled gourmet kitchen and a breakfast area. These spaces open to the family room, which was also updated.

Five bedrooms occupy the second level, including the primary suite with a fireplace and French doors to a covered terrace with a checkered black-and-white floor.

The property also has a gym and a wine cellar.

Darrell Done and Carol Chua of Coldwell Banker Realty share the listing.

Stewart was the former senior vice president of Union Oil Company of California and scion of a prominent family. His grandfather, Lyman, cofounded Union Oil in 1890, the Union Rescue Mission in 1891, and what is now Biola University in 1908. His father, William, served as Union Oil’s president.

During his lifetime, the Los Angeles native who rose through the ranks of his grandfather’s company was also a civic leader and philanthropist.

He died in 1998 at 92.

​ Orange County Register 

Slack messaging platform down as users report service outage

• February 26, 2025

By Sarah Parvini | The Associated Press

Workplace communications platform Slack experienced an outage Wednesday morning as thousands of users reported they were unable to use the service.

The tech company, based in San Francisco, said it was investigating reports of trouble connecting or loading Slack. On an update on the company’s website, Slack said it had “determined a variety of API endpoints, sending (and) receiving messages, and some threads loading” were impacted.

A spokesperson for Slack said updates on restoring services will be posted to status.slack.com.

At the peak of the outage, more than 3,000 users reported they couldn’t access the platform, according to the website DownDetector. Some services appeared to be coming back online by mid-morning Wednesday, including group and direct messaging as well as emoticon reactions.

​ Orange County Register 

Emergency fundraisers offer a lifeline to groups who’ve lost foreign aid

• February 26, 2025

By THALIA BEATY, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Though they know they can never replace all the money lost due to the Trump administration’s freeze on foreign assistance, nonprofits are fundraising to help organizations struggling with the cuts.

Unlock Aid, which advocates for U.S. Agency for International Development reforms, started the Foreign Aid Bridge Fund last week. It will take donations and make grants to groups around the world to try to avert some of the worst impacts of this policy change.

Other groups including Founders Pledge and The Life You Can Save have also launched fundraising campaigns. The Network for Empowered Aid Response, a coalition of civil society organizations from developing countries, has opened a fund, though it’s not accepting donations from individuals. GlobalGiving, a nonprofit that fundraises for grassroots international organizations, was one of the first to launch a campaign to support impacted groups.

As part of a barrage of executive orders in his first days in office, President Donald Trump ordered a 90-day freeze on U.S. foreign assistance to review whether it aligned with his policies. Secretary of State Marco Rubio turned off the funding spigots essentially overnight. At the urging of billionaire advisor Elon Musk, mass layoffs of USAID staff followed.

“I don’t think we’re under any illusion that the Foreign Aid Bridge Fund is going to close the entirety of the gap,” said Walter Kerr, co-executive director of the nonprofit Unlock Aid. “But I think in a moment like this, people need to do what they can.”

An independent group of advisors will recommend grants and has already approved several. While any organization can apply, it will prioritize giving to direct service providers and groups that have diversified sources of revenue.

The U.S. spent $68 billion on foreign aid in 2023 and is the largest global funder of humanitarian responses. Programs funding HIV treatment, disease monitoring, child vaccinations, refugee support and malnutrition treatments have halted because of the freeze. Many in the international aid sector believe U.S. funding will never fully return.

“This is not about ending foreign aid, but restructuring assistance to serve U.S. interests and ensure money spent on aid programs actually reaches people in need,” said a State Department spokesperson in an emailed statement.

A group of nonprofits sued over the freeze and a judge Tuesday ordered USAID and the State Department to resume payments by Thursday.

Donors won’t replace government funds

Founders Pledge and The Life You Can Save said just the nonprofits they have previously supported face almost $100 million in funding shortfalls because of the freeze.

Founders Pledge asks business people to promise a portion of the money they make from startups and investments to charities. They research and recommend different nonprofit programs their members can give to. Similarly, The Life You Can Save, founded by the Australian philosopher Peter Singer, recommends charities that work on reducing extreme poverty.

David Goldberg, co-founder and CEO of Founders Pledge, hopes to raise tens of millions for their fund. But even “fractions of that money save real lives, prevent people from dying needlessly who otherwise would live,” he said. “So I think everything matters and we should be aiming to have as much public support for this as possible.”

Their rapid response fund has already donated $100,000 and will only give to organizations they’ve already vetted, Goldberg said.

The U.S. funding freeze has cascaded through the international development ecosystem. Many American businesses have also lost funding and thousands of American workers have lost jobs as the vast majority of U.S. foreign assistance actually went through U.S.-based organizations.

“I do deeply hope that philanthropy and individual donors step up in this moment. Philanthropy can never fill the gap that public funding fills,” said Victoria Vrana, CEO of GlobalGiving. “And yet, I do believe that organized philanthropy, corporate philanthropy, foundations can and should do more.”

Appeals to individual donors to step up

When Unlock Aid began planning their bridge fund, they wanted to make it as easy as possible for donors to give. Donors can give through Every.org, an online giving platform that can process payments from credit cards and stocks to cryptocurrencies. The fund is managed by Panorama Global, a philanthropic consulting nonprofit.

Amanda Arch, co-executive director of Unlock Aid, said their emergency fund has received gifts in all of those forms so far.

“When we think about the ability to do really quick and urgent mobilization, it’s just amazing to see the infrastructure and how it’s evolved to meet these types of moments,” she said.

They also reached out to people who had experience mobilizing money held in donor-advised funds (DAF), a type of investing vehicle for funds that are earmarked for nonprofits. Donors immediately get a tax benefit when they put money in a DAF, but there is no deadline when it must be given to a nonprofit.

While major foundations have been listening to grantees and watching closely, few have announced major changes to their funding strategies, even in the face of so much need. People who consult with major foundations said they may be waiting to see what comes next from the administration and to see how ongoing court challenges play out.

The amount of money stored in DAFs has ballooned in recent years from $148 billion in 2019 to $251 billion in 2023, according to the National Philanthropic Trust.

Kerr and Arch spoke with Jennifer Risher, who started a pandemic-era campaign called #HalfMyDAF along with her husband, Lyft CEO David Risher, that asked donors to give away half the money in their DAF accounts. With the Rishers matching some donations, the campaign has tracked $70 million in gifts in four years.

Risher said it was nice to take a tangible step and advise Unlock Aid.

“I love seeing them take action and setting a goal,” she said. “That’s exciting to see.”

Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP’s philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy.

​ Orange County Register 

Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos says opinion pages will defend free market and ‘personal liberties’

• February 26, 2025

By LAURIE KELLMAN

The billionaire owner of The Washington Post, Jeff Bezos, narrowed the topics covered by its opinion section Wednesday to defending personal liberties and the free market, a pivot away from the traditional broad focus and prompting the news outlet’s opinion editor to resign.

Bezos, who also is the founder and largest individual shareholder of Amazon, said on X that “viewpoints opposing those pillars will be left to be published by others.”

The move was received by some as an indication that Bezos is making decisions for the Post with an eye toward avoiding retaliation by President Donald Trump. Bezos, though, cast the change as a modernization from the days when newspapers offered opinions on a broad range of topics. Now, he said, “the internet does that job.”

“We are going to be writing every day in support and defense of two pillars: personal liberties and free markets,” Bezos wrote in his post, adding that the new topics “are right for America. I also believe that these viewpoints are underserved in the current market of ideas and news opinion.” Opinions editor David Shipley resigned rather than lead the shift, Bezos said.

“I suggested to him that if the answer wasn’t `hell yes,’ then it had to be `no.’ After careful consideration, David decided to step away,” Bezos wrote.

The pivot echoes the Wall Street Journal’s editorial page banner: “free markets, free people.”

Bezos’ move Wednesday was the latest in a series of Bezos’ changes to the legacy news outlet, an award-winning organization that broke the Watergate scandal and whose motto is, “Democracy Dies in Darkness.”

Weeks before the November election, Bezos announced that the Post would not endorse a presidential candidate, sparking a wave of resignations and thousands of subscription cancellations. The Post’s editorial staff had been prepared to endorse Democrat Kamala Harris before publisher Will Lewis wrote instead that it would be better for readers to make up their own minds. Bezos defended the decision by saying in “a note from our owner” that editorial endorsements create a perception of bias at a time many Americans don’t believe the media, and do nothing to tip the scales of an election.

In January, cartoonist Ann Telnaes quit after an editor rejected her sketch of Bezos and other media executives bowing before Trump — after The Washington Post editor was seen with other executives at Trump’s Florida club Mar-a-Lago.

Some of Trump’s top allies tweeted their support for Bezos’ move.

“Bravo, @JeffBezos!” posted fellow billionaire Elon Musk. Added conservative commentator Charlie Kirk: “Good! The culture is changing rapidly for the better.”

Bezos bought the broadsheet and other newspapers in 2013 for $250 million in a surprise move viewed as a demonstration of how the Internet has created winners and losers and transformed the media landscape.

The narrowing of topics will be obvious. On the Post’s homepage Wednesday afternoon, headlines linking to opinion material included “Your showerhead is lying to you” and “What we learned about politics by talking about … wolves.”

​ Orange County Register 

Key reasons for optimism over EV adoption in the U.S.

• February 26, 2025

The future is still bright for electrified vehicles in the U.S., according to industry experts, despite President Donald Trump’s executive order in January signaling a significant shift in the federal government’s stance on EVs.

The order, “Unleashing American Energy,” appears to dismantle several policies implemented by the previous administration to promote EV adoption and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. While the changes may slow the move toward electric vehicles, they’re unlikely to completely derail it. Key reasons for optimism include market forces, state-level initiatives and ongoing advancements in technology.

In December, Cox Automotive predicted EVs would account for approximately 10% of the market total in 2025, up from roughly 7.5% in 2024. Though the forecast acknowledged that potential policy changes could affect the market, it underscored that consumers are still looking to reduce their dependence on gasoline, especially through options like hybrid-electric vehicles.

“… Hybrids are likely to become even more important as a steppingstone for consumers while manufacturers hedge their bets on emissions targets and fuel efficiency standards,” the Cox Automotive forecast said. “All told, we feel electrified vehicles will move into the mainstream in 2025, with one in four new vehicles sold powered by electricity in some way.”

Key policy changes

The president’s executive order removed several federal policies that had been aimed at accelerating EV adoption. These include:

• Reversing EV sales targets – The federal goal for 50% EV sales by 2030 is no longer in place, allowing market demand to dictate growth.
• Reevaluating emission standards – The government is reconsidering stringent regulations on tailpipe emissions, which could slow the shift from gasoline-powered vehicles.
• Pausing federal EV infrastructure funding – Federal grants for public charging stations have been halted, raising concerns about expanding charging networks.Potential repeal of EV tax credits – The $7,500 federal tax credit for EV buyers is under review, which could affect affordability.

Challenges and opportunities for EV manufacturers

While these policy shifts may present hurdles, automakers remain committed to electrification. Companies like Kia, Ford, GM, Tesla and Rivian have already made substantial investments in EV technology and manufacturing. Their dedication is driven by several key factors:

• Consumer demand is rising – Even without federal mandates, EV adoption is increasing due to lower operating costs, improved performance and growing environmental awareness.
• State policies remain strong – California and other states continue to push aggressive EV incentives, including rebates and infrastructure expansion, ensuring ongoing support for the industry.
• Private sector innovation – Automakers and tech companies are investing billions in battery advancements, making EVs more affordable and efficient. Tesla’s next-generation batteries and GM’s Ultium platform are prime examples of how the industry is moving forward regardless of federal policy changes.
• Global market forces – Many automakers are designing vehicles for a global audience, where EV regulations and incentives remain strong, ensuring that the U.S. market will not be left behind.

Why consumers should still consider going electric

For consumers, the benefits of EVs remain clear:

• Lower operating costs – EVs have fewer moving parts, leading to reduced maintenance expenses compared to gasoline vehicles. Charging an EV is still cheaper than refueling a gas-powered car in most areas.
• Expanding charging networks – Despite federal funding pauses, private companies like Tesla, Electrify America and ChargePoint are rapidly expanding charging infrastructure, making long-distance EV travel easier.
• State incentives and rebates – Many states still offer rebates, tax credits, and reduced registration fees for EV owners, helping to offset potential losses from federal tax credit reductions.
• Resale value and longevity – With battery technology improving, EVs are retaining more of their value, making them a smart long-term investment.

The road ahead

While federal policy changes create uncertainties, the EV revolution is far from slowing down. Consumers continue to embrace electric vehicles, automakers are investing heavily in new technologies, and state and private sector initiatives are ensuring continued growth.

​ Orange County Register 

10 rides that could replace Fast & Furious on Universal’s Studio Tour

• February 26, 2025

The retirement of one Fast & Furious ride to make room for a new coaster based on the $7 billion street racing film franchise means Universal Studios Hollywood has a giant hole to fill on the Studio Tour — but what will replace the massive motion simulator attraction?

Universal Studios Hollywood will close the Fast & Furious — Supercharged attraction on March 10 that has been part of the backlot tour for the past decade.

The new Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift coaster will debut in 2026 on the Upper Lot of Universal Studios Hollywood.

ALSO SEE: Universal Studios teases ‘secret plans’ for Wicked attractions

Amid all the changes, one mystery still remains: What will replace the Fast & Furious drive-through attraction as the grand finale on the Studio Tour?

The 2015 Fast & Furious — Supercharged attraction is housed in an 800 foot-long building on the studio backlot that’s longer than two football fields.

Inside, tram riders are surrounded by a wrap-around screen spanning nearly 400 feet in length and 40 feet in height with 34 projectors and more than 50 speakers.

The trams sit on a 200-foot-long motion simulator that rolls, pitches, undulates and vibrates in sync with the action on the screen.

Riders wear 3D glasses and experience multiple special effects — including water, mist, fire, smoke and wind.

ALSO SEE: What is Universal Fan Fest Nights? All about the first-ever fandom event

Universal Studios Hollywood will make an announcement soon on the replacement for the Fast & Furious backlot attraction, but until then fans are left to wonder “What’s next?”

We have gathered together possible replacements based on other Universal attractions around the world, new Universal theme parks under construction, Universal’s past partnerships with Hollywood studios and upcoming blockbuster movie releases.

Left off the list are attractions based on movie franchises already at Universal Studios Hollywood and retired rides that long ago disappeared from the park. So that means no Harry Potter, Transformers or Minions on the backlot or the return of Back to the Future, Terminator or E.T.

ALSO SEE: Grandmother injured on Harry Potter ride at Universal Studios awarded $7 million

Here are the Top 10 contenders likely to fill the void left by the retirement of Fast & Furious — Supercharged on the Studio Tour.

1) Wicked

Imagine the sound of hundreds of Studio Tour riders singing along to “Defying Gravity” and “The Wizard & I” as scenes from the film play on the wrap-around screen.

Universal Destinations & Experiences Chairman Mark Woodbury has been teasing plans to create theme park attractions based on “Wicked.”

The $700 million blockbuster film continues to ride a wave of success with 10 Academy Award nominations ahead of a sequel hitting theaters in November.

Glinda and Elphaba characters will pose for photos during the new Universal Fan Fest Nights starting on April 25 at Universal Studios Hollywood.

2) How to Train Your Dragon

Universal Orlando already has a fire-breathing dragon with more on the way — but the Hollywood park would certainly welcome a dragon or two on the Studio Tour.

Dragons will pose for photo ops, breath fire and soar above the Viking village of Berk when the world’s first How to Train Your Dragon themed land opens on May 22 at the new Universal Epic Universe theme park.

Universal Pictures will release the new “How to Train Your Dragon” live-action film on June 13.

3) Jason Bourne

A high-speed chase starring Jason Bourne through the narrow streets of an international city could be a perfect replacement for Fast & Furious.

Universal Studios Florida opened the “Bourne Stuntacular” stunt show in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic as a replacement for “Terminator 2: Battle Across Time.”

Universal Pictures is developing a sixth Jason Bourne film in the $1.6 billion action-thriller franchise, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

4) Mission: Impossible

A high-speed chase starring Ethan Hunt on the ground and in the air could fill the soon-to-be-empty Studio Tour attraction if Jason Bourne is unavailable.

Paramount Pictures has dreamed up Mission: Impossible attractions for its own parks in development in China and the United Kingdom. Universal has worked with Paramount on past theme park attractions — but never with megastar Tom Cruise on the M:I franchise.

Paramount will release “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” on May 23.

5) Universal Monsters

Dracula, Wolf Man and Frankenstein’s Monster could play a starring role on the Studio Tour in a tribute to the classic Universal horror movies from the 1920s through the 1950s.

A new Dark Universe monster-themed land will debut as part of the Epic Universe theme park in Florida.

Universal Monsters will also play a key role in the new Universal Horror Unleashed year-round experience opening Aug. 14 in Las Vegas.

6) Halloween Horror Nights

Universal has built Halloween Horror Nights into a franchise of its own, but do visitors want to face their fears during the day?

While it might be a stretch to imagine Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees and Freddy Krueger terrorizing Studio Tour riders throughout the year — it certainly would be a powerful draw during September and October when Horror Nights takes over the park.

Universal has already lined up mazes based on “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and “The Exorcist: Believer” for the new Universal Horror Unleashed attraction opening this summer just off the Las Vegas Strip.

The Fast & Furious — Supercharged attraction is really nothing more than an elaborate 3D movie. How hard would it be for Universal to run the Studio Tour in “horror mode” at night with a PG-13 warning for riders?

7) Twisters

Movie producer Steven Spielberg has teamed up in the past with Universal Studios to turn several of his movies into theme park attractions.

There are plenty of Spielberg movies that could work with the Studio Tour drive-through motion simulator, including “Ready Player One,” “War of the Worlds” and “Men in Black.”

But the 2024 “Twisters” is the most recent hit and likely the best fit. It’s not hard to imagine the Studio Tour tram chasing twin tornadoes across Oklahoma with riders caught in the middle of the action.

Universal Studios Florida closed the Twister: Ride It Out special effects attraction in 2015 that was based on the original 1996 film.

8) Madagascar

Universal Studios has a long history of turning Paramount’s DreamWorks animated films into theme park attractions.

There are plenty of film franchises left to choose from that haven’t already become rides at the Hollywood park, including Trolls, Puss in Boots and Bad Guys.

But Madagascar is probably the biggest DreamWorks franchise after Shrek and Kung Fu Panda — which have both had extended runs in the 4D theater at Universal Studios Hollywood.

A trek through the jungles of Madagascar with Alex the lion, Marty the zebra and Melman the giraffe could serve as a fun finale to the Studio Tour.

Madagascar has its own themed land at Universal Studios Singapore while Universal Orlando has a Trollercoaster. Trolls and Puss in Boots will get their own lands when the new Universal Kids theme park opens in May 2026 in Texas.

9) SpongeBob Square Pants

A trip to Bikini Bottom with SpongeBob, Squidward and Mr. Krabs would certainly be a trippy end to the Studio Tour.

SpongeBob has appeared in parades and as a meet-and-greet character at Universal parks — and he’s about to get his own themed land at the Universal Kids park coming to Texas.

Paramount Pictures will release “The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants” animated film in theaters on Dec. 19.

10) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

What if Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo and Raphael took riders into the New York City sewers for the finale of the Studio Tour?

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles rides have largely been confined to Nickelodeon Universe theme parks in the United States, but anything could happen with the Nickelodeon partnership now that Universal is dedicating an entire themed land to SpongeBob at the new Texas park.

Paramount Pictures is developing the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin” as an R-rated live-action film, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

​ Orange County Register