Warner Bros. Rumored to Oppose the Name of New Universal Theme Park

There has always seemed to be some friendly competition between Universal Studios and Warner Bros., but with Universal naming its latest theme park Fantastic Worlds, the relationship between these two massive studios might be on the brink of turning sour.

Recently, a lot of speculation has been doing the rounds regarding Universal’s latest theme park. Rumor has it that the new theme park in Orlando, Florida, will have a Fantastic Beasts attraction, and given the proposed name of the park, it is no surprise that there are rumors of Warner Bros. possibly issuing an objection to the name. This clearly comes from a place of wanting to protect what is rightfully theirs – having a theme park named Fantastic Worlds isn’t a far cry from Fantastic Beasts and there seems to be concern that the name might cause confusion. This is understandable since the Wizarding World and Fantastic Beasts are names that are associated with the Harry Potter brand. Having a theme park with a name that so closely resembles Fantastic Beasts might lead fans to think that it is a theme park featuring Harry Potter attractions, while only a part of it will do so.

Warner Bros. only recently filed two extensions for a “Time to Oppose for Good Cause,” despite Universal already filing for trademarks last June. Even though there is a lot of speculation over whether Warner Bros. will allow Universal to use the proposed name, the studio hasn’t yet issued any sort of official objection to it.

Universal Studios has numerous theme parks that prominently feature Harry Potter-themed attractions, but none bears a name that so closely resembles one from the Harry Potter franchise. On the other hand, being the owner of all things Potter related, Warner Bros. is still getting its cut when it comes to the profits. This gives the whole situation a touch of irony, considering that the chosen name could draw more people, which means more profit for Warner Bros.

Should Warner Bros. formally object to the name and Universal decide to go ahead with it regardless, it might damage the business relationship between the two studios. Having worked together on various projects before, this is definitely not the desirable outcome.

Universal has probably prepared a few other names, just in case Fantastic Worlds doesn’t get the green light, so perhaps all the fuss is much ado about nothing. Should Warner Bros. not agree to the name, it might have other options to choose from.

In the meantime, the best we can hope for is that both parties will come to some sort of agreement that will not lead to any further conflict or damage their current business relationship.

Marica Laing

Growing up, I was a massive fan of Harry Potter and my love for the stories grew as I got older. It’s no surprise then that I love writing about all things Potter related. When I’m not writing about all the magic, you’ll find me reading (probably something Harry Potter related), listening to music, or writing some songs.