Knott's Scary Farm Brings Dark Animation Twist with Mortimer Morbid

Knott's Scary Farm is introducing a new maze called 'Inked' for its 2026 Halloween season. The attraction draws inspiration from the early animation industry, particularly Walt Disney and his rival, Universal Pictures.

The story revolves around Mortimer Morbid, a washed-up cartoonist from the 1930s who discovers that blood can be used as ink to bring his drawings to life. This concept is reminiscent of Disney's early career, including his initial consideration of naming Mickey Mouse 'Mortimer Mouse' before settling on the more friendly name.

The maze's art director explained that the idea began with a proposal from prop team members Denise Redzinera and Xandria Ortiz to create an attraction set inside a creepy 1930s animation studio. They pushed the concept further by connecting the studio's ink to blood, leading to the transformation of Mortimer Morbid's creations into monstrous versions of themselves.

Inked' will feature black-and-white characters rendered in the 'rubber hose' animation style associated with cartoons from the 1920s and 1930s. The maze will move from a sepia-toned animation studio to a black-and-white cartoon world before erupting into full color, showcasing the increasingly gruesome transformations of the characters.