Halloween Horror Nights’ ‘KILLceañera: Music by SLASH’ Puts Spooky Twist on a Quinceañera
The new haunted house blends quinceañera traditions, Latine folklore, and a revenge story set to an original score by SLASH
Credit: Halloween Horror Nights | Courtesy
Halloween Horror Nights is putting a spooky twist on a classic Latina tradition this year with KILLceañera: Music by SLASH. Universal Studios Hollywood’s eighth—and final—haunted house in its 2026 lineup. Universal is still keeping some surprises under wraps, but here’s what we know.
The attraction invites guests to step into the quinceañera of a girl named Lola, but this isn’t a celebration with balloons and chambelanes. According to Halloween Horror Nights’ Instagram, Lola uses the party to “exact monstrous revenge on the bullies” who made her life miserable—summoning “vengeful ghosts and malevolent spirits” to turn her big night into a nightmare.
And the supernatural guest list doesn’t stop there. Killceañera also pulls from Latine folklore, featuring iconic figures like La Llorona, El Cucuy, and El Silbón, alongside a skeleton mariachi troupe.
Set in the Parisian Courtyard—transformed into the burned ruins of Lola’s home—the house will run on select nights from September 3 through November 1. Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash composed its original score, which features Spanish guitar and an exclusive song titled “15 Candles,” continuing his long-running musical collaboration with Halloween Horror Nights.
Halloween Horror Nights creative director John Murdy says he originally came up with the concept in 2018 after seeing a quinceañera procession make its way through Universal CityWalk. According to entertainment site Mama’s Geeky, Murdy reportedly worked with Universal’s inclusion-focused team and a group of Latin American team members who served as sounding boards and helped with translation. The report does not name those team members.
Halloween Horror Nights is one of Universal Studios’ biggest seasonal events, and Killceañera stands out as a celebration of spooky folklore and Latine culture—while hopefully still delivering the kind of revenge-fueled, Carrie-like chaos that horror fans love.
Now the question is: what exactly will Lola have up their sleeve once the party begins, and will another spooky figure steal the show? What are your predictions for Killceañera?
