NBC will air special about Epic Universe theme park

[Disney4me]

“Inside the Worlds of Epic Universe,” an hourlong TV special about the making of Epic Universe theme park, will air on NBC at 9 p.m. on Aug. 20.  The show will be hosted by actor Joe Manganiello.

Manganiello will explore the creation of the park’s five worlds, and the program will include an interview with filmmaker Steven Spielberg plus appearances by Bowen Yang (“Saturday Night Live,” “Wicked”) and his podcast co-host Matt Rogers; Mason Thames and Nico Parker from the recent live action “How to Train Your Dragon” film; and Warwick Davis from the “Harry Potter” movies.

The show, which will be available for streaming on Peacock as of Aug. 21, will also have interviews with Bryce Dallas Howard (“Jurassic World”), Vin Diesel (“Fast & Furious” flicks), Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere All at Once,” “Wicked”) and Jon M. Chu, who directed both “Wicked” and “Wicked: For Good,” which is set to debut in theaters Nov. 21.

Epic Universe theme park officially opened to the public in Orlando on May 22. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

“As a kid growing up a huge fan of the movies, I couldn’t be more excited about diving into these immersive worlds that bring some of my all-time favorite characters to life,” Manganiello said in a news release.

“Joe’s sense of adventure and ability to connect with fans through cinema and beyond makes him the perfect host to lead audiences on this journey as they experience firsthand the magic in this new chapter of immersive storytelling,” said Jen Neal, executive vice president of live events and Specials, NBCUniversal Entertainment.

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Manganiello’s credits include hosting NBC’s “Deal or No Deal Island,” HBO’s “True Blood” and films such as “Magic Mike,” “Justice League” and “Pee-wee’s Big Holiday.”

Peacock has also scheduled a three-part docuseries named “Epic Ride: The Story of Universal Theme Parks” for later this year. Dates have not been released.

Universal Orlando, NBC and Peacock are part of the Comcast corporate family.

Epic Universe opened May 22. The park features five distinct, themed worlds including Celestial Park, Super Nintendo World, Dark Universe, Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Ministry of Magic and How to Train Your Dragon — Isle of Berk. It was the first theme park to open in Orlando in more than 25 years.

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