Today we have received huge Crystal Maze news...(again). Nearly thirty years after its inception, The Crystal Maze will finally be exported transatlantic to the United States. Rightly it deserves so, credited as one of the original forerunners of the Escape Room phenomenon we are witnessing today. It is such an exciting time to be a Crystal Maze fan at the moment. A new Zone, (Eastern), and now fittingly at the same time, the show goes West. Finally it earns an International Version.
Similar in approach to its sister show Fort Boyard, the Bristol based set will be loaned by its home origin the UK for International use. A team of American Adventurers will take on The Crystal Maze, co-produced by Bunim/Murray Productions (The Real World, The Challenge, Born This Way) for Nickelodeon. Casting is currently underway on the new series (10 one-hour episodes) which begins production this summer. The show's host and series date has yet to be determined.
In the 1990's, we did have a few American's enter the UK's Crystal Maze as contestants, including this one:
“As Nickelodeon embraces co-viewing opportunities for every member of the family, The Crystal Maze brings a new type of action game and storytelling to audiences with its escape room-style gameplay and emphasis on collaboration and teamwork to win,” said Rob Bagshaw, Executive Vice President, Nickelodeon Unscripted Content.
“The Crystal Maze has long served as a staple of the UK entertainment landscape and we could not be happier to be reinventing the show for a younger demo alongside our sister companies, RDF and Stephen David Entertainment. Acting as the first series for BMP’s Kids and Family Division, the show will build on our reputation in the competitive game space and we’ve no doubt by partnering with Nickelodeon, we can build a new audience for this brand in the U.S.,” said Gil Goldschein, Chief Executive Officer, Bunim/Murray Productions.
Nickelodeon’s version of The Crystal Maze will feature a team of family members tackling a range of challenges in zones collectively known as The Crystal Maze. Each successful game is rewarded with a ‘time crystal’ that equals five seconds in the centerpiece Crystal Dome. The adventure culminates in a spectacular finale, as the team enters the Dome to grab a cash prize as it flies around them during a dramatic clock countdown.
A current ratings smash in the UK, The Crystal Maze has been a beloved family and cult favorite since the mid ‘90s, with the current global popularity of the escape room phenomena reigniting interest further. The show was recently rebooted to great success with celebrity, charity and family seasons in UK, Australia and beyond.
I really look forward to seeing how American's react to The Crystal Maze with their own version. It will gain a whole new legion of followers, and this blog will also grow in followers as well. It is likely we will see an American Maze Master too. So excited to see this. Meanwhile back in the UK, expect to see the brand new Eastern Zone and Series 3 on Channel 4 in the next few weeks. (Celebrity editions). I'll also be in a position to write more about my involvement with the latest series.
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