The Walt Disney Company has become no stranger to adapting its original attractions into feature films. Certainly, the most well-known and successful example is the Pirates of the Caribbean series, which had a grand total of five films and created a modern pop culture icon with Captain Jack Sparrow. Since then, Disney has always been looking to make their theme park attractions into feature films, with examples including The Country Bears (2002), Tomorrowland (2015), and Jungle Cruise (2021). It’s a concept that’s showing no signs of stopping, with Hawkeye (2021) directors Bert & Bertie set to helm a film based on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. The one ride at Walt Disney parks that should be a no-brainer to adapt though is the Haunted Mansion.
With its iconic visuals and surprisingly deep lore, it should be the perfect candidate for a feature film, and Disney did try to capitalize on the popular attraction nearly two decades ago with 2003’s The Haunted Mansion, starring Eddie Murphy. With a comedian like Murphy in the lead role, you could probably imagine that his take on the ride was very comedic. Now it’s true that the ride has always had a very on-the-nose sense of humor, but the film adaptation lacked the creepy charm of the ride and leaned too heavily on the jokes, not to mention iconic characters like the Hat Box Ghost and the Black Widow Bride were nowhere to be found.
Director Justin Simien, the filmmaker behind Dear White People (2014) and a former Disneyland cast member, looks to make his own cinematic adaption of the beloved attraction, complete with a prestigious number of creatives and an absolutely star-studded cast on board. From what was shown at their presence at 2022’s D23 Expo, it’s looking to be an incredibly promising adventure-horror hybrid. To get the scoop on the information that was shared at D23 behind closed doors as well as everything else we know so far, simply continue to read below.
Watch the Trailer for Haunted Mansion
Fans of the legendary attraction were treated to the first public look at Haunted Mansion when the spooky teaser trailer premiered on March 2nd. The footage opens up with the character of Gabbie (Rosario Dawson) and her young son Travis (Chase W. Dillon) as they enter their new home which of course is the titular Haunted Mansion. It doesn’t take long for them to realize that the home is infested with restless ghouls, leading to them contacting an ambitious priest (Owen Wilson), a down-on-his-luck tour guide (LaKeith Stanfield), and a wise medium (Tiffany Haddish) to uncover the mystery behind the unsettling abode. Also seen in the trailer are some recognizable ghosts from the ride, such as the Black Widow Bride and the Hat Box Ghost (Jared Leto).
We also got an extended look at the film when Justin Simien took the stage at the Disney & Pixar Studio Showcase at D23, he premiered an extended trailer introducing the characters and world of this new version of Haunted Mansion. Unfortunately for those who weren’t able to attend the showcase, the footage was exclusive to the panel and hasn’t been released online.
To give a brief summary, the trailer opens by introducing the main characters of Ben, Kent, Gabbie, and Harriet, as they explore the mysterious mansion and eventually find a room that resembles that of the one that Madame Leotta resides in, otherwise known as the sorceress head trapped inside a crystal ball. The rest of the trailer shows more creepy ghost-like imagery and introduces even more wacky characters like an eccentric college professor (Danny DeVito).
What Is the Plot of Haunted Mansion?
Plot details are pretty thin and the trailer didn’t do much to elaborate further on the general plot, but an official synopsis shed a bit more light on the film’s story:
“A single mom named Gabbie hires a tour guide, a psychic, a priest, and a historian to help exorcise their newly bought mansion; after discovering it is inhabited by ghosts.”
We already know that Gabbie will be played by Rosario Dawson (Ahsoka), LaKeith Stanfield’s (Sorry to Bother You) Ben will be the tour guide and Owen Wilson’s (Loki) Kent will be the priest, and we assume that Tiffany Haddish’s Harriet is the psychic and Danny DeVito’s unnamed professor is the historian.
As for the ghosts who are set to appear, we do know that the Hatbox Ghost will almost certainly be appearing. An infamous part of the attraction that only returned to the ride somewhat recently, Hatbox Ghost was heavily implied at the event to be played by Jared Leto (Morbius). We also know that the Bride will also be a part of the film, and she is a character that has quite the backstory. Most of the “happy haunts” in the Haunted Mansion are just that; happy. They might give people a good scare sometimes, but overall they’re not malicious or cruel…except the Bride. Originally named Constance Hatchaway, it’s heavily insinuated that she killed her husband (or husbands) and now stalks the mansion looking for her next victim. Both these infamous ghosts would be excellent choices for the main villain.
Who’s Starring in Haunted Mansion?
We’ve already mentioned most of the major leading characters set to appear, including LaKeith Stanfield, Owen Wilson, Rosario Dawson, Tiffany Haddish, and Jared Leto. Leto, who again is most likely playing the Hat Box Ghost, was one of many new casting revelations revealed at D23. The remaining cast members include Winona Ryder (Beetlejuice), Dan Levy (Schitt’s Creek), Hasan Minhaj (The Daily Show), and finally Jamie Lee Curtis (Halloween Ends), who made a grand entrance at the Studio Showcase in her very own “Doom Buggy”.
It’s been reported that Curtis will be playing Madame Leotta, which means that Winona Ryder could very well be playing the Bride, but we’ll just have to wait and see when the grim grinning ghosts come out to socialize next year.
What Is the Release Date for Haunted Mansion?
The spirits of the Haunted Mansion are set to receive your sympathetic vibrations on July 28, 2023. The movie was originally scheduled to release on March 10, 2023, then moved to August 11, 2023, and finally brought up to its present date. Hopefully, that’ll be the last change in the schedule for the much-awaited film.
