Warner Bros unveils $1 billion indoor theme park in UAE

25 July 2018: The fantasy worlds inhabited by Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman merged with glitzy reality in the UAE on Wednesday, as Warner Bros opened a sprawling indoor theme park in Abu Dhabi.

The $1 billion (850 million euro) facility boasts 29 rides and six themed areas -- including a cartoon junction and the fictional Gotham City made famous by Batman.

A golden Bugs Bunny statue, doffing his cap and holding a golden carrot, welcomes visitors to the complex, which took 11 years to take from the drawing board to reality.

Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi is the entertainment giant's first indoor theme park in the region and is located on Yas Island, on the outskirts of the capital.

Yas is already home to several major attractions including Ferrari World, a Formula One Grand Prix circuit and Yas Water World.

The Warner Bros complex is built across 1.65 million square feet (153,000 square metres) and is pitched at UAE citizens and foreign tourists.

Abu Dhabi's sister city Dubai is a major tourist destination, attracting 15 million visitors last year.