Netflix to create "immersive experiences" in US malls
Streaming service Netflix has announced Netflix House, an immersive retail, food, and entertainment experience based on popular series to be located in malls in Texas and Pennsylvania.
Planned for Pennsylvania's King of Prussia Mall and Galleria Dallas in Texas, Netflix House will be year-round destinations that bring the streaming service's "beloved stories to life".
"At Netflix House, you can enjoy regularly updated immersive experiences, indulge in retail therapy, and get a taste – literally –of your favorite Netflix series and films through unique food and drink offerings," said Netflix chief marketing officer Marian Lee.
"The venues will bring our beloved stories to life in new, ever-changing, and unexpected ways."
Netflix to create immersive experiences in former US department stores
According to the team, the experiences will rotate year-round, with the first batch focused on series Bridgerton, Money Heist, Stranger Things, Squid Game and Netflix Bites – a pop-up dining experience featuring chefs and other personalities from the service's cooking shows.
The experiences will include replica sets, games, restaurants and retail based around the shows.
"Imagine waltzing with your partner to an orchestral cover of a Taylor Swift song on a replica of the Bridgerton set – and then walking around the corner to compete in the Glass Bridge challenge from Squid Game," said the team.
"You see a nearby restaurant with food inspired by Netflix shows from around the world; the meal is memorable, but you still want to buy some Stranger Things merch. Luckily, there's a shop that sells that Hellfire Club T-shirt you've always wanted."
Both Netflix House experiences will span over 100,000 square feet (9,290 square metres) in former department stores at King of Prussia and Galleria Dallas, as well as "eye-popping sculptures" and a "mural mash-up of characters" located outside the spaces.
According to Netflix, the locations were selected for their popularity and proximity to major cities.
"Netflix selected the locations because they are part of two of the most popular shopping centers in America, boasting hundreds of retailers, high foot traffic, and proximity to major cities," said the team.
As of now, they are slated to open in 2025.
The concept builds upon Netflix's pop-up experiences around the world, which currently include a Stranger Things play in London and a dinner experience based on the Knives Out movies hosted in Toronto.
"We've launched more than 50 experiences in 25 cities, and Netflix House represents the next generation of our distinctive offerings," said Lee.
According to NBC Today, Netflix has not released a price for the experience but former pop-ups cost approximately $30-$50 (£23-£38).
Airbnb recently announced a similar concept where guests can stay in replicas of movie sets or other unusual places such as the clock tower of Paris's Musee D' Orsay, while designer Udo Kramer recently shared his experience working on set design for the Netflix-produced show Black Mirror.
The image is courtesy of Netflix