Thierry Coup

Coup began his career working in the film and television industry. He provided set design, visual effects, and stop-motion animation for a variety of films and TV commercials. Coup is credited for working on Back to the Future, Flight of the Navigator, Total Recall, Dick Tracy, and Gremlins 2: The New Batch.{{cite interview|last=Coup|first=Thierry|title=Interview With Thierry Coup, VP of Universal Creative |work=DIS Unplugged|date=September 2010}}{{cite web|last=Goh|first=Robin|title=Getting to know: Thierry Coup|url=http://tftheride.rwsentosablog.com/2011/10/05/getting-to-know-thierry-coup/|work=Transformers: The Ride Blog|publisher=Resorts World Sentosa|accessdate=16 July 2013|date=5 October 2011}}{{Cite press release|title=Thierry Coup, SVP Universal Creative Studio|url=https://media.universalorlando.com/PressRelease/detail.aspx?id=30104&ct=27752&Src=tcm:70-32032-64|accessdate=16 July 2013|date=1 January 2011|publisher=Universal Orlando Resort}}

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts' research and development division, Walt Disney Imagineering, noticed Coup's work and subsequently offered him a job in the early 1990s. Although he wasn't looking to leave the film and television industry, Coup was intrigued by the challenges the new job would entail and accepted the position. Coup's first task with Disney was to redesign Tomorrowland at Disneyland. He then worked alongside others on the design of Discoveryland at Disneyland Paris, where Coup's particular focus was on Space Mountain: De la Terre à la Lune. Coup's final two projects for Disney were for Walt Disney Studios Park: Armageddon – Les Effets Speciaux and Moteurs... Action! Stunt Show Spectacular (the latter was duplicated for Disney's Hollywood Studios several years later).

In 1995, Coup began working for Universal Creative. Most of the division's focus at that time was on the development of Islands of Adventure in Orlando, Florida. Coup was tasked as the Production Designer for Marvel Super Hero Island. The flagship ride for the area was The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, a prototype dark ride which combined 3D imagery with a track-mounted motion simulator.{{cite journal|title=Super Hero Island is Marvel|journal=Amusement Business|date=5 April 1999|volume=111|issue=14|pages=18–19}} Coup was both the Production Designer and film producer for the ride, and holds a patent for part of the ride's technology.{{cite patent|country=US|number=6462769|status=patent|title=Image correction method to compensate for point of view image distortion|gdate=October 8, 2002|fdate=October 16, 2000|invent1=Trowbridge, Scott|invent2=Coup, Thierry J.|assign1=Universal Studios}} The ride was later cloned for Universal Studios Japan.{{Parkz|ride_name=The Amazing Adventures Of Spiderman|location=Universal Studios Japan|parkz_number=1425|accessdate=16 July 2013}}

After Islands of Adventure launched in 1999, Coup worked on developing 4D films for Universal parks across the globe. In the United States, Shrek 4-D was launched, while in Japan, Sesame Street 4-D Movie Magic was launched. The two films have since been shown at parks owned by SeaWorld Entertainment, Village Roadshow Theme Parks, and Parques Reunidos.{{cite news|last=Gall|first=Megan|title=Sesame Street in 4-D at Sea World this month|newspaper=Examiner.com|date=12 May 2009}}{{Parkz|ride_name=Shrek 4D|location=Warner Bros. Movie World|parkz_number=147|accessdate=16 July 2013}}{{cite web|last=Sim|first=Nick|title=Rumor: Dreamworks dispute forces Alton Towers to drop plans for Shrek 4-D in 2011|url=http://www.themeparktourist.com/news/20101203/2681/rumor-dreamworks-dispute-forces-alton-towers-drop-plans-shrek-4d-2011|publisher=Theme Park Tourist|accessdate=16 July 2013|date=3 December 2010}} Work on the Revenge of the Mummy enclosed roller coasters, and a refurbishment of Universal Studios Hollywood's Studio Tour, followed.{{cite news|last=Schodolski|first=Vincent J.|title=Universal revamps tour|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NLIyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=K_MDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2973%2C2956132|accessdate=18 July 2013|newspaper=The Spokesman-Review|date=25 June 2006|publisher=Cowles Publishing Company}}

Coup's next major project was to be the creative director for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Islands of Adventure.{{cite news|last=Liston|first=Barbara|title=Harry Potter park adds new characters|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/us-universal-potter-idUKTRE62O2UF20100325|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307033356/http://uk.reuters.com/article/us-universal-potter-idUKTRE62O2UF20100325|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 7, 2016|accessdate=18 July 2013|date=25 March 2010|agency=Reuters}} Coup and his team made several trips to Scotland to meet with J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series of books. The headline attraction for the area was Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, an attraction Coup served as both executive creative director and film director on. The overall themed area was a success with park attendance increasing by 36% following the launch.{{cite news|last=Garcia|first=Jason|title=Universal Orlando ponders how to take full advantage of Wizarding World's popularity|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2010/12/16/universal-orlando-ponders-how-to-take-full-advantage-of-wizarding-worlds-popularity/|access-date=16 July 2013|newspaper=Orlando Sentinel|date=16 December 2010|publisher=Tribune Company}} Other Wizarding Worlds followed at Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Japan.{{Parkz|ride_name=Harry Potter And The Forbidden Journey|location=Universal Studios Japan|parkz_number=1542|accessdate=16 July 2013}}

In January 2011, Coup became Senior Vice President, Chief Creative Officer, Universal Creative of Universal Destinations & Experiences. The role would see him lead "creative development activities for upcoming attractions of all Universal theme parks world-wide". In 2013, Coup's focus was on the expansion of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Islands of Adventure into the adjacent Universal Studios Florida park with Diagon Alley which premiered in 2014 with the acclaimed Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts attraction.{{Cite web|url=https://blooloop.com/blooloop-influencers/2018/thierry-coup/|title=Thierry Coup – Universal Parks & Resorts – Blooloop Theme Park Influencer 2018|website=Blooloop|access-date=2019-03-13}}

Coup left Universal Creative in March 2023.{{cite news |last1=Carter |first1=Ashley |title=Universal Creative's Mike Hightower, Thierry Coup leave company |url=https://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando/attractions/2023/03/28/universal-creative-mike-hightower--thierry-coup-leave-company#:~:text=Mike%20Hightower%20and%20Thierry%20Coup%20retired%20from%20the%20creative%20unit,company%2C%E2%80%9D%20the%20post%20read. |work=MyNews13 |date=March 28, 2023 |language=en}}

{{Incomplete list|date=July 2013}}

{{Reflist|group=nb}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

• {{IMDb name|nm1079587}}

{{Universal Destinations & Experiences}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Coup, Thierry}}

Category:Living people

Category:Place of birth missing (living people)

Category:Universal Destinations & Experiences

Category:Disney imagineers

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)