'Imaginary' Becomes a Reality for SoCal Horror Fans with Immersive Popup Experience

In anticipation of Lionsgate and Blumhouse’s upcoming movie Imaginary, in theaters March 8, L.A.’s horror fans will unlock their imaginations to discover a new name in terror – Chauncey the Bear – with the new immersive pop-up experience Blumhouse Presents: Chauncey’s Imaginary Playhouse. 

After scaring audiences with a fresh take on imaginary friends gone wrong in the first trailer, last week’s release of the second trailer gave more insight into the film’s story, as a young girl’s imaginary friend shows that he’s not imaginary and not a friend – he’s a sinister presence who’ll never leave you. Ever.

With Blumhouse Presents: Chauncey’s Imaginary Playhouse, fans can further explore the world of the movie and discover the terror that is the truly special friendship between Chauncey and the young Alice. As audiences walk through the playhouse, they will make their way to Chauncey’s basement, where they will find hints of the scary and shocking truth of the imaginary friend, along with plenty of photo opportunities.

The experience, at 8175 Melrose Ave. (at La Jolla Ave.), makes its debut on February 23, then is open to the public through March 2. It will be closed from February 27-29 for a special event. The hours of operation are 4pm-10pm Monday through Thursday, and 1pm-11pm Friday through Sunday. Admission is free and reservations are recommended via www.imaginaryplayhouse.com.

The experience is designed by Experiential Supply Company, which previously created the pop-up experiences for It and Wonka.

“We love creating experiences where our movies can come to life,” Jason Blum, Blumhouse CEO and founder. “Your teddy bear will never look the same, and Blumhouse Presents: Chauncey’s Imaginary Playhouse is the perfect way to get audiences ready to see the movie.”

Image courtesy of Blumhouse / Lionsgate

Jeff Wadlow, director and co-writer of Imaginary, added, “Imaginary is not just a scary story about a forgotten imaginary friend looking for revenge – it’s a movie about the terrifying potential of imagination, and how it can be used to access a frightening new world with very real consequences. Giving fans the Playhouse treatment will fully immerse them into Chauncey's world and set the table for what's coming on March 8 when Imaginary hits theaters."

“We also have seen audiences thrill at experiencing horror come to life, as with our SAW experience in Las Vegas,” said Dani Otero, Senior Vice President, Global Paid Media, Lionsgate. “When you combine that with Blumhouse – a name audiences trust to uniquely and authentically scare them – you get an extremely fun and memorable marketing experience that’s the perfect setup for a terrifying movie.”

From Blumhouse, the genre-defining masterminds behind FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S and M3GAN, comes an original horror that taps into the innocence of imaginary friends – and begs the question: Are they really figments of childhood imagination or is something more terrifying lying just beneath?

When Jessica (DeWanda Wise) moves back into her childhood home with her family, her youngest stepdaughter Alice (Pyper Braun) develops an eerie attachment to a stuffed bear named Chauncey she finds in the basement. Alice starts playing games with Chauncey that begin playful and become increasingly sinister.

As Alice’s behavior becomes more and more concerning, Jessica intervenes only to realize Chauncey is much more than the stuffed toy bear she believed him to be.

Directed by Jeff Wadlow, the film is written by Jeff Wadlow & Greg Erb & Jason Oremland and produced by Jason Blum and Jeff Wadlow, p.g.a.

Lionsgate and Blumhouse present, a Tower of Babble production.

About Lionsgate:

Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B) encompasses world-class motion picture and television studio operations aligned with the STARZ premium subscription platform to bring a unique and varied portfolio of entertainment to consumers around the world. The Company’s film, television, subscription, and location-based entertainment businesses are backed by a 20,000+ title library and a valuable collection of iconic film and television franchises. A digital age company driven by its entrepreneurial culture and commitment to innovation, the Lionsgate brand is synonymous with bold, original, relatable entertainment for audiences worldwide.