The UK Is Welcoming A Blockbuster-Worthy Theme Park Right By London That Will Rival Europe's Best

The United Kingdom is expected to welcome the continent's first Universal Studios theme park to the Bedfordshire region, 55 miles north of London, in 2031. If it's anything like the Universal Studios parks in Florida, the U.K. is in for a blockbuster-themed treat that will rival the highest-rated theme parks in Europe. It is expected to be one of the continent's biggest and most technologically advanced entertainment centers.

In December 2023, Comcast, which owns NBCUniversal and Sky, purchased 500 acres of land previously owned by a leading brick manufacturer. Since then, plans have been put forward for the construction of a new Universal Studios theme park. A press release published on April 9, 2025, confirmed that Universal Studios, the U.K. government, and local councils had reached an agreement and that construction for the park would begin in 2026. According to the press release, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed his excitement in the project, stating, "Today we closed the deal on a multi-billion-pound investment that will see Bedford home to one of the biggest entertainment parks in Europe, firmly putting the county on the global stage."

Universal Studios is known for curating blockbuster-worthy themed lands based on its most famous movie franchises. Its unique offering includes blending Hollywood magic with theme park rides, allowing visitors to step into the imaginative worlds of their favorite films. Using a combination of themed food, costumes, and virtual reality experiences, Universal Studios ranks as an industry leader in immersive storytelling.

Universal Studios currently operates in five locations across Florida, California, Singapore, Japan, and China. Two more parks, in Las Vegas and Texas, are expected to open in 2025 and 2026, respectively. Universal Studios U.K. will be the first of its kind on the European continent. Most resorts follow a similar concept, featuring an on-site hotel and a "CityWalk" with themed dining and shopping options accessible to visitors without a ticket. A rendering of the U.K. resort's design shows the park surrounding a man-made lake, with a customary circular entrance dominated by a Universal globe logo fountain.

Universal's core offerings are built around one idea: immersing visitors in their favorite movies. Sometimes this involves being chased by dinosaurs from "Jurassic Park," battling an enemy in a futuristic city as a Transformer, or competing against Team Bowser in Mario Kart, as if you were inside a Nintendo Switch.

While Universal Studios U.K. has not yet confirmed its themed areas, BBC reports that there could be a few quintessentially English attractions featuring "James Bond," "Lord of the Rings," and "Paddington." Notably, Wizarding World of Harry Potter, one of Universal's most popular lands, won't be included due to the park's proximity to another Harry Potter experience in London. To add to the local appeal, Universal Studios has promised to bring the heritage of the historic brick manufacturing site into the project. It will do this by incorporating Bedford-specific themes into the food and dining buildings, adding a few original Bedford bricks to the construction.

The park is expected to welcome 8.5 million visitors in its first year of operation. With these projections, it will create roughly 20,000 new jobs during the construction process and an additional 8,000 jobs once it opens in 2031. This number is expected to increase to 10,000 full-time jobs after 20 years of operation, the project reports. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, "It is not just about numbers; it's about securing real opportunities for people in our country. Together, we are building a brighter future for the UK, getting people into work and ensuring our economy remains strong and competitive."

Considering the millions of visitors that will inadvertently generate revenue throughout the country, the park is expected to contribute £50 billion (more than $66 billion, as of this writing) to the U.K. economy by 2055. To accommodate the influx of tourism, road and rail upgrades will help develop local infrastructure in the Bedfordshire area. Universal Studios also plans to recruit 80% of its employees locally, making it the region's largest employer.

The park will be built approximately 35 miles from Bedford. The Universal U.K. Project information Pack states that the site was chosen because of its size, flat topography, and close proximity to London (a city well connected with the rest of Europe). It should take about 40 minutes to get to the site from St. Pancras International Station in central London, traveling directly past London Luton Airport.