Universal Studios Hollywood sets the stage for the eagerly-awaited arrival of Halloween Horror Nights on Friday, September 19, with the annual “Eyegore Awards,” honoring influential entertainment professionals for bringing the horror genre to life within the movie, television and music industries. And, for the first time ever, Universal Studios Hollywood is offering 500 Halloween Horror Nights fans a chance to attend the coveted “Eyegore Awards,” which will feature a roster of today’s leading Hollywood horror icons.

The 2014 “Eyegore Award” recipients include multiple Emmy® Award-winning filmmaker and Special Effects Make-Up Supervisor Greg Nicotero (“The Walking Dead,” “Galyntine,” “ Sin City: A Dame to Kill For,” “Breaking Bad,” “Pain & Gain,” “Django Unchained,” “Predators,” “The Chronicles of Narnia,” “Piranha 3D”), with the award presented by Chris Hardwick, comedian and host of AMC’s “Talking Dead” and Robert Kirkman, Creator and Executive Producer of “The Walking Dead” and “Outcast.”

Versatile, award-winning filmmaker and Founder & Chairman of El Rey Network, Robert Rodriguez (“Sin City,” “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For,” “From Dusk Till Dawn,” “Machete,” “Grindhouse”), will accept the award, presented by prolific actor, producer and last year’s “Eyegore Award” recipient, Danny Trejo (“From Dusk ‘Till Dawn,” “Heat,” “Once Upon a Time in Mexico,” “Machete,” “Machete Kills”).

Renowned filmmaker John Landis, (“An American Werewolf in London,” Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” “The Blues Brothers,” “Animal House”) will accept the award, presented by seven-time Academy Award®-winning Special Effects Make-Up Artist and previous “Eyegore Award” recipient, Rick Baker (“An American Werewolf in London,” “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” “Men in Black,” “The Nutty Professor,” “The Wolfman”).

Celebrated Grammy® Award-winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarist SLASH will also accept the “Eyegore Award.” Hailed as one of the 10 best electric guitar players of all time by Time magazine SLASH will also release his new album “World on Fire”—with his band featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators—on September 16.

Immediately following the “Eyegore Awards” presentation, SLASH, who composed an original score for the “Clowns 3D Music by SLASH” maze, will be joined by Myles Kennedy, to perform the title song from “Nothing Left to Fear,” the first-ever motion picture he co-produced from Slasher Films, his film/TV production company.

McKenzie Westmore, host of Syfy’s hit TV series, “Face Off,” will serve as the event’s emcee, as she joins Universal Studios Hollywood in celebrating the “Eyegore Awards” for a third consecutive year.

Add-on tickets to attend the “Eyegore Awards” will be made available to the first 500 Halloween Horror Nights fans who purchase online at http://halloweenhorrornights.com/hollywood/2014/eyegore_awards.php. The special commemorative add-on ticket will also include a one-time front-of-line access to the “Terror Tram.” Attendees must also purchase separate admission tickets to the Halloween Horror Nights event on Friday, September 19 at www.HalloweenHorrorNights.com/hollywood.