A Reel Preview: Everything You Need to Know About HAUNTED MANSION

In 2003, Walt Disney Pictures unleashed upon an unsuspecting world PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL; a live-action feature film based on one of their theme park attractions (read Reel Speak’s 20^th anniversary blog HERE). The film was a success and launched a lucrative franchise, and the thought back then was that we could expect even more films based on their rides. Then in the same year, they gave HAUNTED MANSION a try which was deservingly given a quick death. JUNGLE CRUISE chugged along nicely in 2021, and here in 2023, HAUNTED MANSION gets another shot at the big screen. Here is everything you need to know about it in this preview: 

 

 

What is this about? – As stated, HAUNTED MANSION is based on the theme park attraction located at Disneyland, Magic Kingdom, and Tokyo Disneyland, and the two versions at Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland. The film follows a single mother and her son who move into a mansion, only to find that it is haunted. She hires a former paranormal investigator, priest, psychic, and college history professor to help combat the ghosts. 

 

 

Who is behind the camera? – HAUNTED MANSION is directed by Justin Simien, whose acclaimed first feature film, DEAR WHITE PEOPLE (2014), was adapted into the Netflix series of the same name. The script is written by Katie Dippold, who has writing credits in television shows such as MAD TV and PARKS AND RECREATION. In film, she wrote the GHOSTBUSTERS remake in 2016, and SNATCHED in 2017. 

 

 

Who is in front of the camera? – The role of the mother is played by Rosario Dawson, with Chase W. Dillon as her son. They are joined by LaKeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jared Leto, Winona Ryder, and Dan Levy. 

 

 

Random Facts – Development on HAUNTED MANSION goes back to 2010, with Guillermo del Toro (PACIFIC RIM, THE SHAPE OF WATER), attached to direct and write. His script was considered to be too scary * Walt Disney Imagineer Jason Surrell, who worked on the Magic Kingdom attraction, was brought in to consult * This will be the 12^th film based on a Disney theme park attraction. The first ever was the TV movie TOWER OF TERROR in 1997. The first to see the big screen was MISSION TO MARS in 2000 * Running time for HAUNTED MANSION is 123 minutes. It is rated PG-13.  

 

 

What to expect – Starting behind the camera, Justin Simien does not have a large filmography, but what he has done has been solid. Screenwriter Katie Dippold unfortunately has that GHOSTBUSTERS remake abomination on her resume, but to be fair, she was a co-writer. In front of the camera, the cast looks fun. Rosario Dawson always delivers, and any movie with Danny DeVito has got to be a hoot. The Haunted Mansion attraction has been one of Disney’s most popular rides since its opening in 1971, and is as important to the legacy of the parks as the castles. With that in mind, Walt Disney Studios should certainly feel the pressure of getting this right. It has to be scary…but it also has to be fun. 

 

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HAUNTED MANSION opens with previews on July 27^th, and opens in full on the 28^th.