Disney Announces New 'Haunted Mansion' Adaptation Starring Jamie Lee Curtis And Winona Ryder During D23
Image Source: Blog Mickey
Disney just gave us our first look at the upcoming Haunted Mansion film on the first day of D23. The film, based on the Disney World and Disneyland attraction of the same name, was revealed at the Disney and Pixar showcase. The director of the film, Justin Simien, took to the stage and talked about how he worked at Disneyland as a teenager, calling it the "best summer job I ever had." Simien also stated that the attraction was his favorite back in the day, and as such, the film, while having a darker edge, will be filled with humor and easter eggs for the 53-year-old attraction.
The film's cast includes Rosario Dawson as Gabbie, a single mother, Lakeith Stanfield as Ben Matthias, a world-renowned scientist turned paranormal expert, Owen Wilson as Kent, a priest, Tiffany Haddish as psychic Harriet, Danny DeVito as a college history professor, Jared Leto as Alistair Crump aka The Hatbox Ghost, Jamie Lee Curtis as Madame Leotta, and Winona Ryder in a yet to be disclosed role.
The trailer featured several glimpses of the Mansion itself. In addition, there were several shots of both Danny DeVito and Owen Wilson as well as cameos from Winona Ryder and Jamie Lee Curtis along with Hasan Minhaj and Dan Levy. The trailer has yet to see a release to the public.
The plot of the film follows a doctor by the name of Gabbie (Dawson) and her 9-year-old son (played by Chase Dillon) who are looking to start a new life. They move into a strangely affordable Mansion in New Orleans, but they soon find that it is too much to handle. They desperately contact a priest by the name of Kent (Wilson), who in turn enlists the help of paranormal expert Ben Matthias (Stanfield), French Quarter psychic Harriet (Haddish), and a crotchety history professor (DeVito). With their help, the plan is to exorcise the mansion of its “happy haunts.”
This is Disney's second stab at adapting the famous attraction, with the first being 2003's Haunted Mansion starring Eddie Murphy as a realtor who gets trapped in the mansion. However, the film received a mostly negative reception, with Variety film critic Robert Koehler writing, “‘Mansion’s’ drab comic strokes and narrative render the movie almost superfluous. Nonetheless, Eddie Murphy’s presence and a certain built-in curiosity should bring out family lookee-loos.” The film is set to be released in theaters on March 10, 2023.
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Sources: Blog Mickey, IGN, Variety