'Dark Knight' ride coming to Great America

Six Flags Great America next year will unveil its first new roller coaster in three years.

Officials at the Gurnee theme park said Thursday that The Dark Knight Coaster will bombard riders with video and sound as they travel through a fictitious Gotham City.

The indoor coaster will be based on the upcoming Warner Bros. "Batman"-themed movie "The Dark Knight." It is expected to cost about $7.5 million, Great America spokeswoman Brooke Gabbert said.

"It's more than just a roller coaster, it's a full experience," Gabbert said. "People become immersed in a city that is being torn apart around them."

On the coaster, riders will travel through twists and turns while being tormented by The Joker. Riders will climb unseen hills and plunge into pitch darkness.

The coaster will use storytelling, physical movement, video, sound and special effects, officials said. Riders will walk through a beleaguered Gotham City, then arrive at a vandalized train platform.

It will be located in the Orleans Place section, sandwiched between "Batman: the Ride" and "Superman: Ultimate Flight."

The opening of the coaster will coincide with the opening of "The Dark Knight" movie, officials said.

"Superman: Ultimate Flight," opened to big crowds in 2003 and was the last major coaster introduced at Great America. Officials said the much-smaller Ragin' Cajun coaster opened in a Mardi Gras-themed area in 2004.

The cost of Superman -- a Bolliger and Mabillard coaster -- was about $30 million.

Gabbert said while the cost of the new coaster is much lower, it's a different type of experience for riders.

"It's not as big of a scale as other coasters, and the track won't be as long as 'Superman,' " she said. "The ride is more about the experience of being a part of Gotham City."

She said artist renderings and pictures are not yet available for the ride because this is the first "The Dark Knight" coaster being made by Six Flags. She said the project is in the blueprint stage.

"Today's announcement represents Six Flags Great America's continued focus on delivering a well-rounded and balanced entertainment package," Hank Salemi, Six Flags Great America's park president, said in a release. "The Dark Knight Coaster offers a unique experience that will appeal to families and teens alike."