After devastating fire, Universal Studios gets its own happy ending with reopening of backlot

Universal gets happy ending with new backlot

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. — Hollywood loves a sequel, and Universal Studios got one of its own.

The studio officially reopened its new backlot on Thursday, two years after a fire decimated the popular filming area.

The $200 million project will once again allow filmmakers to shoot on the streets of New York without having to leave Los Angeles. And it will give visitors on the studio tour an enhanced behind-the-scenes glimpse at the moviemaking process.

The new lot features 13 city blocks and 15 shooting areas over four acres. It includes sections that resemble Central Park, Wall Street, a Broadway theater district, brownstones and a courthouse square. The backlot can also stand in for London.

Among the famous films previously shot on the backlot are “To Kill a Mockingbird,” ”Back to the Future” and “The Sting.”