A search and rescue team responding to a distress signal must battle an ancient evil unearthed by an Indiana Jones-inspired archaeological dig in the newest haunted house coming to Knott’s Berry Farm this Halloween season.
The new Unearthed maze will join the lineup of Knott’s Scary Farm featuring 10 mazes, five scare zones, three shows and more than 1,000 monsters.
The 53rd season of the after hours, separate admission event kicks off on Sept. 17 and runs on select nights through Oct. 31 at the Buena Park theme park.
ALSO SEE: First look inside Inked haunted house at Knott’s Scary Farm
The new Unearthed maze created by Knott’s Scary Farm creative designer Jon Asperin will take visitors on a perilous journey through an excavation site where the discovery of ancient tablets has awakened a malevolent force from a forgotten age.
Unearthed begins at the base camp of an ancient Egyptian dig site where an archaeological team has gone missing.
“They’ve become trapped inside these uncharted caverns,” Asperin said. “They’ve sent a distress signal out to the world asking for help.”
We join the search and rescue team just as the lone survivor provides a briefing to the archeologists, theologians and historians from around the world who have responded to the call.
“He fills them in about the uncharted ruins that they just found and how they believe that it’s booby trapped and all these ghastly creatures have awakened,” Asperin said.
The team is warned about an ancient Mesopotamian deity named Anunnaki that has been angered by the excavation work.
ALSO SEE: Magic Castle magicians to perform in new Knott’s Scary Farm show
In a chamber with a massive moon dial, we must translate ancient hieroglyphics and cuneiforms for clues to navigating the uncharted caverns and reaching the excavation site.
One of the marquee scares in Unearthed features a 12-foot animatronic giant with a “scareactor” crawling out of its stomach amid a pile of intestines.
“It’s very grotesque,” Asperin said. “That’s what we’re known for, trying something unique. That’s a huge part of the show that the guests will definitely enjoy.”
During the journey, the lone survivor back at base camp continually communicates with the rescuers by transmitting messages via radios, walkie-talkies and laptops scattered throughout the Unearthed maze.
“He’s a techie. He provides support to the search and rescue team members,” Asperin said. “What he lacks in physical prowess he makes up for in enthusiasm and knowledge.”
The lone survivor also issues dire warnings to the rescuers throughout the maze.
“Unearthed has booby traps,” Asperin said. “Watch where you step. Be careful what you touch.”
Step on a floor panel or pull on a cord and the caverns may rumble to life just like in “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”
Inside an uncharted tomb, we discover a series of symbols that hint at the deities trapped by Anunnaki inside the series of chambers that lay ahead.
The first chamber brings us into the Lair of the Scarab.
“You’ll have this scarab deity that’s coming out and attacking one of the archeologists,” Asperin said.
Reptilian guards protect the Swamp of Sorrow, the domain of a snake goddess.
“We’ll have these portals sticking out of the wall that’ll have a cluster of snakes spilling out,” Asperin said.
The lone survivor back at base camp sends an urgent message to the rescue team not to pull any levers in the heavily booby-trapped Swamp of Sorrow.
“As guests turn around, they’ll see a lever right over here,” Asperin said. “Naturally, guests are very curious. They love to touch stuff.”
The snake goddess surprises the rescue crew by descending from above via a slingshot harness.
“You can see some of her prey over the years that have been in prison in these cages,” Asperin said. “She is looking for her next victim.”
Stilt-walking jackal guards stand at the entrance to the Temple of Anunnaki.
“You’ll see the decor really start to change. It’s got a bit of a royal vibe to it,” Asperin said. “Intricate murals are painted on the walls that show a little history of the Anunnaki.”
A narrow passage is littered with unfortunate archaeologists gored by spears popping out of the walls.
“When a guest passes by here they’re going to be hit with these air blasts,” Asperin said. “They think the spears are going to come out.”
The booby traps continue with an overhead pendulum ax that swings into an unlucky archaeologist.
“There is this big, huge bloody effect,” Asperin said. “We have some video mapping of a blood splatter all over the place.”
Anunnaki’s mummified army emerges from sarcophagi lining the walls.
“These mummies are now on your tail and they’re chasing you,” Asperin said. “The rest of the legion of the undead is coming towards you.”
We finally reach the Chamber of Anunnaki protected by scarab and scorpion guards armed with bows and arrows.
The rescue crew hears arrows whiz past their heads as red feather vanes pop out of the neck and chest of wounded archaeologists.
“The guests are dodging these arrows as they traverse through this chamber,” Asperin said. “Their goal is to try to escape and rescue any members that they can.”
The new Unearthed maze will be located at the former Mystery Lodge attraction.