True to the adventure series' ancient mythical settings, the pounding of horse hooves and the thunderous reverberation of chariot wheels heralded the arrival of the two action adventure heroes who were greeted by thousands of cheering fans as they approached the attraction entrance. Wielding their characters' trademark swords, Sorbo and Lawless slashed through giant leather straps unveiling a colossal two-story tall sword permanently marking the entrance to the attraction.

"Hercules & Xena: Wizards of the Screen" brings to life the exploits of the legendary warriors played by Sorbo and Lawless. Based on the globally popular television shows, "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" and "Xena: Warrior Princess," the attraction features dazzling special effects that take audiences behind-the-scenes and into an actual television production. Guests battle shoulder-to-shoulder with the blockbuster television stars in a specially produced interactive episode featuring exotic location footage filmed in New Zealand, home of both television series.

Blending live action performers, special effects, elaborate costumes, and a memorable antihero, "Hercules & Xena: Wizards of the Screen" employs more than a dozen members of the audience who become part of the production team working on a special "cross-over" episode of the Hercules and Xena television shows. All partake in a high-charged battle between the forces of good and evil. State-of-the-art digital effects make razor-sharp swords appear to fly from screen to stage, while on-screen actors leap effortlessly between multiple movie screens.

"We take guests from every audience, bring them into the show -- and through the magical process of cameras and special effects, they become part of the show with us," says Kevin Sorbo.

"When it's all pulled together through the magic of special effects, these guests just leap into our fantastical world," adds Lucy Lawless.

"With 'Hercules & Xena: Wizards of the Screen, Universal Studios Florida continues to take guests 'beyond the limits,' " says Tom Williams, president and chief executive officer of Universal City Florida. "The unbeatable combination of two of the hottest stars of television with an interactive, state-of-the-art attraction provides our guests the unparalleled opportunity to go behind-the-scenes and actually determine the outcome of each and every episode."

"Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" and "Xena: Warrior Princess," are the top two syndicated action adventure television programs in the United States. The programs also have a worldwide following, airing in more than 15 countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Australia and New Zealand. Beyond television, the shows attract thousands of people to fan clubs, conventions and Internet web sites. Universal Studios also plans to capitalize on the shows' success with numerous upcoming projects throughout its divisions, including a direct-to-video full length feature in the fall.

Universal Studios Florida, which opened in 1990, is the #1 movie studio and theme park in the world and is a joint venture between Universal Studios, a unit of The Seagram Company Ltd., a global beverage and entertainment company, and The Rank Group Plc. The Rank Group Plc is a London-based leisure and entertainment company and an international provider of services to the film industry. Its broad-based leisure and entertainment activities include world-wide Hard Rock Cafes and brand rights. Academy Award-winning producer/director Steven Spielberg serves as creative consultant to Universal Studios Florida.

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