By: Nick Gambino
Netflix may be synonymous with digital, but even they understand the appeal of a live human experience. The tech giant has just announced that they are opening two massive venues to cater to entertainment and shopping needs.
The idea behind these new Netflix Houses is to create a theme-park experience without the rides but pumped with all the IP infusion they can get away with. Restaurants, shows, stores – they will all be constructed around Netflix movies and shows.
“At Netflix House, you can enjoy regularly updated immersive experiences, indulge in retail therapy, and get a taste – literally – of your favorite Netflix series and films through unique food and drink offerings,” Marian Lee, the Chief Marketing Officer at Netflix, said of the new venues.
The first two venues are set to open in 2025 at the Galleria in Dallas, Texas and in King of Prussia in Pennsylvania, taking over empty spaces that stretch out over 100,000 square feet. They are essentially going to be massive malls all centered around these Netflix themes. If they prove successful, I’m sure the streamer has plans to open more.
At the end of the day, it all depends on the quality of the experience. If they go for the cheap AI-generated Willy Wonka experience, they might as well never open their doors. But something tells me they’re going to go all in and try and create their own version of a Universal CityWalk or Disney Springs.
And maybe if it works out, they’ll offer more than just food, retail and live shows. Perhaps they’ll try and dip a toe into rides. Maybe start with immersive rides like Transformers at Universal or Avatar Flight of Passage at Disney World.
They have a sizable vault of popular IP to support these kinds of ride experiences. People would flock to Dallas or Pennsylvania to enter the world of Stranger Things or Squid Game, even without the rides.
I live only a few hours from the Pennsylvania location. I would do that drive at least once to see what it’s all about. And if it blows me away, I’ll definitely return.
