Haunted Mansion is Disney's latest live-action adaptation of one of the most beloved rides at Disneyland. Following in the footsteps of Pirates of the Caribbean, Jungle Cruise, and the first Haunted Mansion adaptation, the movie uproots the action to New Orleans as a team unites to deal with some spooky happenings.
However, despite following a very separate story – and having a wildly different tone – to other Disney theme park adaptations, director Justin Simien tells us that a crossover could be on the cards.
Speaking to 12DOVE about the possibility, he first admits, laughing, "All of that's above my paygrade, I'm taking one movie at a time right now." However, Simien was quick to add that he's not ruling out the potential.
"I certainly think it's there, it's certainly something I've noticed as a fan of these movies, and also of the parks, is that a lot of these worlds can fit side by side, like the crocodiles in Haunted Mansion and Peter Pan and Pirates [of the Caribbean] are kind of similar. You've got the mermaids on the Peter Pan [ride too]. There's a lot of cross-pollination that is certainly possible should the movie gods decide so."
Disney is a world that the Dear White People director knows very well too, having visited the theme parks a lot as a child and even working as a cast member at Disneyland in California while studying at film school. His deep love of the place, as well as a healthy obsession with the Haunted Mansion ride, means he was particularly well placed to tackle the live-action adaptation.
"It made me feel really comfortable leaning on the source material because I had an appreciation for it," he adds of what this helped him bring to the movie. "I had an appreciation for the philosophy that went behind these rides and the way that Walt Disney really leaned on classic, old school production design and sound design, and guiding your eye with lighting effects."
Haunted Mansion is full of moments like this, leaning on practical effects to create spooky scares and thrills for families and adults alike. It stars LaKeith Stanfield as Ben Matthias, an astrophysicist turned paranormal tour guide who's called in to help Gabbie (Rosario Dawson) and her son Travis (Chase W. Dillion) with some ghosts haunting their new dream home. The star-studded cast also features Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Jared Leto.
Haunted Mansion hits UK cinemas on August 11, and it is already out in the US now. For more Disney fun, check out our guide to the best Disney movies and the best Pixar movies.
