Inspired by the classic theme park ride, Disney’s ‘Haunted Mansion’ is a fun adventure filled with ghastly frights. Directed by Justin Simien (‘Dear White People’), the tale takes place inside a New Orleans manor where a mother and her son stumble upon the 999 happy haunts. This all-age film strikes a good balance of humor and horror with an adequate amount of jump scares that are perfect for the younger audience.
This isn’t the first time the classic ride got the live-action movie treatment. Eddie Murphy starred in the 2003 ‘The Haunted Mansion,’ but the film was criticized by both critics and audiences alike. The 2003 film received a 13% critics score and a 31% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The mansion has also been featured in ‘Muppets Haunted Mansion,’ a Halloween special that was released on Disney+.
Aside from the lore of the ghosts, there is an unexpected story of loss and grief. Ben Mathis (LaKeith Stanfield) was very passionate about his work in the paranormal until a tragic event that led to the loss of his wife. Ben became bitter and morose, giving up on his work in the paranormal until Father Kent recruited him to investigate the mansion. Throughout the film, it is revealed why certain spirits are drawn towards Ben and other individuals with a similar story.
The official synopsis for ‘’Haunted Mansion” is below:
Inspired by the classic theme park attraction, Haunted Mansion tells the story of Gabbie (Rosario Dawson), a single mom, who discovers that the home she and her son share is haunted by irksome ghosts. Hoping to restore domestic tranquility, Gabbie recruits a motley crew of so-called spiritual experts to help rid the house of the supernatural squatters.
The movie did a great job of adapting the fan-favorite attraction onto the big screen to include many Easter Eggs. Pulling distinguished scenes directly from the ride, such as the Stretching Room and its portraits, the endless hallway, the seance room, and the ballroom scene.
The film also highlighted characters such as Madam Leota (Jamie Lee Curtis), The Hatbox Ghost (Jared Leto), the hitchhiking ghosts, Constance the Bride, and more as some of the spirits haunted Gabbie and crew.
Director Justin Simien was a former Disney cast member, and with the Haunted Mansion being one of his favorite attractions from the theme park, he and writer Kate Dippold made sure the mansion was presented in its truest fashion.
‘Haunted Mansion’ premiered on July 15, 2023, at Disneyland in Anaheim, California and was released domestically on July 28, 2023. The film is no longer in theaters, as it has passed the 45-day theatrical window and is making its way to digital and streaming.
Where to Watch: ‘Haunted Mansion’ Online
The movie will be streaming on Disney+ starting October 4 and available for purchase on platforms such as Prime Video, Google Play, Apple TV, Vudu, YouTube, and more. ‘Haunted Mansion’ has a total runtime of 2 hours and 3 minutes.
Watch the official trailers for ‘Haunted Mansion’ below:
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For those who prefer to bring the film home in physical media, Disney’s ‘Haunted Mansion’ will be available on Blu-Ray and DVD on October 17. It will include never-before-seen bonus features and featurettes such as:
Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian in ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story.’ Photo courtesy of Lucasfilm.
While the small-screen ‘Star Wars’ universe is enjoying a positive resurgence thanks to ‘Ahsoka’ (which recently released its fifth episode), it appears that there are changes afoot for one of the future shows in development.
While we learned back in July that Donald Glover –– who, of course, played the younger Lando Calrissian in ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’ –– and brother/creative partner Stephen were taking over the writing of the ‘Lando’ series.
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The show (as it was at the time) was to chronicle the further adventures of the gambler and rogue years before he starts running Cloud City (and is played in the movies by Billy Dee Williams).
Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian in ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story.’ Photo courtesy of Lucasfilm.
While we hadn’t heard much about the Glover siblings’ plan for Lando (obviously they were not able to kick off writing scripts because of the ongoing writers’ strike), it does appear that things have now changed.
“It’s not even a show… The idea right now is to do a movie. Right now, because of the strike, it’s kind of like telephone, all of the information.”
That’s all he could say –– Lucasfilm and Disney really don’t like much information on future projects getting out there before they can officially announce.
But despite no official word yet from either company, trade publications such as Variety and Deadline did get them to confirm the new development.
Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian in ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story.’ Photo courtesy of Lucasfilm.
Donald Glover has previously said he would want to reprise the ‘Solo’ role, admitting to GQ (via Deadline) in April that he enjoyed playing him and is looking to continue so:
“I would love to play Lando again. It’s a fun time, being him. It just has to be the right way to do it. Time is precious. The past couple of years, this pandemic shit, it really had people experience time… People realize their time is valuable. You only get so much. I’m not interested in doing anything that’s going to be a waste of my time or just a paycheck. I’d much rather spend time with people that I enjoy. It just has to be the right thing, and I think it could be. Lando is definitely somebody I like to hang out with,”
So, that’s one less series headed our way from the ‘Star Wars’ galaxy and one more movie.
But it’s not like we’ll all be starved for Jedis, Sith and Grogu. With ‘Ahsoka’ still to run for a few more weeks, we’ll then see ‘Skeleton Crew’ from director Jon Watts, starring Jude Law and ‘The Acolyte’ (from ‘Russian Doll’ co-creator Leslye Headland.
Plus, there are new seasons of ‘Andor’, ‘The Mandalorian’ and ‘The Bad Batch’ at various stages of development along with new animated TV Movie ‘A Droid Story’.
(L to R) Phoebe Waller-Bridge as the voice of L3-37 and Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian in ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story.’ Photo courtesy of Lucasfilm.
Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian in ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story.’ Photo courtesy of Lucasfilm.
Donald Glover is not quite finished with Lando Calrissian. Above the Line has learned that the actor, along with his brother Stephen Glover has signed on to write for the ‘Star Wars‘ ‘Lando’ series for Disney+. Glover previously stepped into the role of a young Lando Calrissian in 2018’s ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story,’ directed by Ron Howard.
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He opened up about his experience in playing the iconic character and his interest in reprising the role in an interview with GQ (via Deadline) in April:
“I would love to play Lando again. It’s a fun time, being him. It just has to be the right way to do it. Time is precious. The past couple of years, this pandemic shit, it really had people experience time… People realize their time is valuable. You only get so much. I’m not interested in doing anything that’s going to be a waste of my time or just a paycheck. I’d much rather spend time with people that I enjoy. It just has to be the right thing, and I think it could be. Lando is definitely somebody I like to hang out with,”
Glover and his brother Stephen Glover will write the series together, with the intention that Donald will be reprising his role as the titular character. Their deal was signed before the WGA strike.
Originally, ‘Haunted Mansion’ director Justin Simien was attached to the project. It was announced in December 2020 during Disney Investor Day by Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy. However, when asked about whether he was still involved with the project by THR, Simien said:
“I am attached, I think, but I don’t really know. (Laughs.) The last thing I was told was that they loved it but needed to put a pin in it until they could figure out everybody’s availability. I haven’t investigated further, but I’m not an idiot. I’m not alone in that experience. But I can’t help but wonder, ‘Am I too Black? Am I too queer? And people just don’t want to say that?’ Because it seems like I develop things with these companies and they just never happen for reasons unknown.”
It turns out that Simien has departed from the project since last summer as he focused on directing ‘Haunted Mansion’. Lucasfilm then reached out to the Glover siblings to bring them on board. The Glover brothers have been long time collaborators, working on shows such as ‘Atlanta’ and ‘Swarm.’
In Disney’s ‘Haunted Mansion,’ Gabbie and her son Travis have just barely moved into their brand new home when they realize something more sinister is afoot. As they continue to encounter the unruly ghosts that haunt the property, they seek help from an unlikely group of spiritual experts to rid them of the spooky souls once and for all.
‘Haunted Mansion’ is a love letter to the iconic theme park ride, filled with references and Easter eggs that will satisfy longtime fans. The horror element is just light enough for a younger audience, with adequate jump scares and ghastly images. LaKeith Stanfield gives a standout performance as Ben, who has an unexpected story of loss and grief that serves as the emotional core of the movie. However, the film focuses on too many storylines, causing the pacing to be uneven.
The screenplay was written by Katie Dippold and directed by Justin Simien, a former Disneyland Cast Member. Unlike the 2003 ‘The Haunted Mansion’ starring Eddie Murphy, which portrayed the mansion in a more cartoony manner, the 2023 adaption properly showcases the Haunted Mansion that is known amongst parkgoers. Essentially, the mansion is a character in itself and is highlighted as so.
In the trailer, the story seemed to center on Gabbie and Travis, the newest residents of the mansion. However, the main focus is really on Stanfield’s Ben Mathis. At the beginning of the movie, Ben is passionate about his work with the paranormal, creating a special camera that spots spirits. Due to unforeseen circumstances, which are later discovered at the end of the second act, a morose Ben emerges, having given up on his supernatural career.
Using Ben’s story and connecting him to the mansion is quite clever. Father Kent, who had heard of Ben’s work, comes to him with a well-compensated offer – to use his special camera to capture the spirits on film. It is only then Ben agrees to visit Gabbie and Travis at the mansion. At first, Ben tries to remain unphased and skeptical through every supernatural encounter. It isn’t until an unexpected spirit that begins making waves in his every life he is forced to return to the mansion. With the help of psychic Harriet, Father Kent, and Professor Bruce, Ben searches for answers on why Gabbie’s new home is a hotspot for ghosts.
By telling Ben’s unexpected story of loss and grief, it provides a deeper meaning than just a cursed manor. It dives into the history of the mansion and the fascinating origins of several spirits that reside there.
Haddish’s hilarious performance stood out with the best story arc. Initially, she was an insecure medium who didn’t feel strong enough to battle the big bad of the mansion, but she came into her own after proving herself capable. Though Haddish’s Harriet was entertaining, the same could not be said with the other characters’ various storylines. There were just too many stories to keep up with, which felt convoluted and unnecessary.
Just like the ride, ‘Haunted Mansion’ has to strike that perfect balance of humor and horror. It succeeds in most parts, giving solid jump scares and eerie elements. However, many emotional scenes were met with a lighter moment to break up the tension. It isn’t uncommon to use this approach in film, though the jokes that follow a heartfelt moment come too quickly, leaving those emotional scenes feeling less meaningful.
When a movie is based on an iconic theme park ride such as ‘Haunted Mansion,’ fans will expect to see references and Easter eggs. What this movie does so well is that it gives nods to the ride without feeling out of place. It happens naturally as the characters explore parts of the mansion and learn of its history rather than being shoehorned in for the purpose of an Easter egg.
Here are some of the Easter eggs you can expect to see:
Fans of the ride will certainly enjoy seeing the iconic Haunted Mansion being properly featured and highlighted on the big screen. Every Easter egg and reference spotted will leave a smile on your face. Stanfield is fantastic in this role, bringing much heart with his emotional performance. The pacing and tonal shift are uneven as it tries to find the balance between humor and horror and juggling too many storylines. Although it is definitely better than the 2003 adaptation and a bit ambitious with the all-star cast, it is still entertaining and fun for all ages.
Even as it continues its habit of shifting some movies (such as the upcoming ‘Peter Pan & Wendy’) to Disney+ as a lure for subscribers, Disney is still seeing big box office for its major releases (if a little lower for, say, recent Marvel and Pixar movies).
So, the company –– which of course boasts those two big franchises plus Lucasfilm, 20th Century Studios, Searchlight under its giant banner –– is expectedly touting the huge success of ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ and pointing to all the films it has headed our way this year.
Tony Chambers, the company’s head of theatrical distribution led the presentation, highlighting the fact that this year marks the first time since 2019 that they are releasing movies from all seven labels.
The show kicked off with a new clip from a certain incoming Marvel release…
‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’
Marvel Studio’s ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel.com.
And the mention of ‘Guardians’ was understandably small given that the movie will be in theaters next week (May 5th, to be exact), with just a new clip shown to the audience at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. The footage features Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) and the different version of Gamora (Zoe Saldana) we met in ‘Avengers: Endgame’ on a planet in space suits. “I know you don’t remember any of it. You were everything to me, I miss you so much.,” he tells her, pouring out his heart. The funny kicks in with the rest of the gang –– Drax (Dave Bautista), Nebula (Karen Gillan) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff) –– revealed to be listening to Peter’s expression of love.
The focus on Marvel continued with the recently released trailer for ‘The Marvels’, though that of course had already been seen. Expect more from that one and other MCU titles when Comic-Con rolls around this summer.
Following that, it was on to Disney’s main animated arm…
Disney Feature Animation has the original fantasy film ‘Wish‘ headed our way later this year. Though the movie was originally announced at last year’s D23, Disney has been drip-feeding information ever since, and CinemaCon is no exception.
The movie, which is also a musical comedy, introduces Asha (Ariana DeBose), a sharp-witted idealist who makes a wish so powerful that it is answered by a cosmic force — a little ball of boundless energy called Star. Together, Asha and Star set out to prove that when the will of one courageous human connects with the magic of the stars, wondrous things can happen. All with the help of Asha’s goat pal Valentino (voiced by current animation lucky charm Alan Tudyk).
A clip was shown, featuring DeBose’s character singing one of her featured tunes, ‘So I Made This Wish’ –– aka the ‘I Want’ song so traditional to Disney princesses with some beautiful sky and scenery around that elicited applause from the crowd.
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And Chambers also announced that Chris Pine is part of the voice cast, playing King Magnifico, the ruler of Rosas, a magical kingdom where wishes really do come true.
Said Jennifer Lee, DWA boss and co-writer of the movie about Pine in a press release from the studio,
“As the most powerful person in the kingdom, King Magnifico needed to be played by someone who could give all the charm, cleverness and charisma to this magnanimous character, and Chris is beautifully bringing all of that and then some.”
‘Wish’, directed by Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn, will be in theaters on November 22nd, filling the traditional Disney Thanksgiving slot.
Melissa McCarthy arrived on stage to talk up Rob Marshall’s live action/CG re-imagining of the fairy tale so famously brought to animated life by Disney in 1989. While Halle Bailey plays the titular Ariel, McCarthy is scheming sea witch Ursula.
Here’s what McCarthy had to say about her character.
“Did someone say my name… I had something in my throat. It was an honor to play one of Disney’s most delicious and iconic villains. You can’t help but love her. Ursula is everything — she’s dishy, she’s a conniving broad, maybe that’s why I relate to her.”
McCarthy cued up a new clip from the movie, which fittingly featured her character in the sequence where Ursula grants Ariel’s wish to become a human, and Ursula’s song ‘Poor Unfortunate Souls’.
Despite the less-than-stellar results from ‘Lightyear’, Disney continues to see Pixar as a pillar of its schedule, and demonstrated that belief with 20 minutes of impressive, 3D footage from the upcoming ‘Elemental’.
As for the story, it transports us to Element City, where a host of elements live and work. The trailer showcases each element — air, earth, water and fire — and what sets them apart according to Ember Lumen (Lewis), a quick-witted and fiery woman who’s always stayed close to home in Firetown. She finally ventures out of her comfort zone to explore and meets go-with-the-flow water guy Wade Ripple (Athie). Elements are not supposed to mix, but Ember and Wade forge a connection – one that could cause problems for them and their families.
‘Elemental’ will close out this year’s Cannes Film Festival before arriving in theaters on June 16th.
The movie follows the American Samoa soccer team, infamous for their brutal 31-0 FIFA loss in 2001. With the World Cup Qualifiers approaching, the team hires down-on-his-luck, maverick coach Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender) hoping he will turn the world’s worst soccer team around. The underdog comedy heads to theaters November 17th, and you can watch the trailer below.
Kenneth Branagh’s latest Agatha Christie adaptation sees his Hercule Poirot headed to the floating city, where there are terrifying goings-on.
A first trailer was shown for the movie, which unlike most of the other footage shown today, has gone online.
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This time, a disconsolate Poirot finds himself at a Halloween party in one of the city’s creepier palazzos during a thunderstorm and, as it turns out, a seance. This palazzo is an orphanage, you see, and like all orphanages in ghost stories it’s got a deep, dark secret. A mother searching for a lost child thinks she can make contact through a medium, and over the course of an evening secrets start to unravel.
As was the case with Branagh-Poirot’s last two cases, the cast is stacked: Michelle Yeoh –– or, to give her her full title, Best Actress Oscar-winner and all-round goddess Michelle Yeoh –– will be that medium, Joyce Reynolds, and the cast also includes Jamie Dornan, Tina Fey, Camille Cottin and Jude Hill, who played the nine-year-old lead in Branagh’s ‘Belfast’.
Next was the first look footage and trailer for 20th Century Studios’ ‘The Creator’, the new sci-fi thriller from ‘Godzilla’ director Gareth Edwards.
Retitled from ‘True Love’, the movie finds humans facing off against robots.
In the trailer shown to audiences, John David Washington is reflecting on heaven with his wife and daughter. The daughter is an android, with a half-head. Gorgeous battle scenes akin to Edwards’ ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story‘ see spaceship fighters attacking tropical locales. It looks astonishing and will hopefully arrive online before too long.
‘The Creator’ will land in theaters on September 29th.
Chambers closed out the presentation by introducing a video greeting from Indy himself –– AKA Harrison Ford, who praised the latest movie and cued up an action-packed clip.
The sneak peek showed Indiana Jones and his goddaughter Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) bickering with each other as they dodge gunfire and slow-moving camels in a bazaar in Tangier. As an army of mooks chases them, they chase after the Nazi Jurgen Voller (Mads Mikkelsen), who has the Dial in his possession. But Helena and Indy don’t seem to be on the same page when it comes to the dial. Helena is engaged to an unscrupulous man who wants the dial to make a fortune, and she has her own reasons for wanting to make the sale. Indy wants the dial because, presumably, it belongs in a museum.
And while Helena has the most death-defying moment in the scene as she jumps onto Jurgen’s car, Indy isn’t taking it easy as he drives a small cart through narrow streets and reaches out to grab the dial without getting shot by Jurgen’s right-hand man, Klaber, played by Boyd Holbrook.
The clip got a rousing reaction from theater owners, and ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny‘ is headed to Cannes before landing in theaters on June 30th.
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And that was it for the main presentation, though the company had one final treat up its sleeve –– a screening of new Stephen King adaptation ‘The Boogeyman’. That one will be scaring audiences in theaters from June 2nd.
Walt Disney Studios kicked off the first day of D23 Expo 2022 in style today with tons of advance looks at what the House of Mouse has in store for fans in the coming days, months, and years. You can watch Moviefone‘s exclusive backstage interviews by clicking on the video player above.
The first D23 Expo in three years began with the president of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production, Sean Bailey, revealing the first-ever footage from ‘Hocus Pocus 2’.
Bailey was joined by the wacky Sanderson Sisters themselves – stars Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy – who appeared via video to show how their characters are back for the first time since 1993 for more soul-stealing Halloween action.
Battling them this time around are aspiring witch Becca (Whitney Peak) and magic shop owner Gilbert (Sam Richardson).
But the audience’s biggest applause went to the original film’s Billy Butcherson (‘The Shape of Water’s Doug Jones) upon his return from the grave. ‘Hocus Pocus 2’ hits Disney+ on September 30th. The trailer is in the video player above.
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Next up on the panel was another eagerly anticipated sequel, ‘Disenchanted’. Returning stars Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, Idina Menzel, and James Marsden took the stage, alongside Maya Rudolph, the film’s new villain. ‘Disenchanted’ finds Adams’ Giselle and hubby Dempsey moving to the suburbs with their infant and teenage children.
“I was a huge fan of the original,” said Rudolph. “I can’t believe I got to be part of this… It’s not easy being mean to Amy Adams.” The new teaser trailer for the sequel is in the video player above.
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As far as live-action remakes of Disney animated classics go, ‘Peter Pan & Wendy’ was the first on deck today: with star Jude Law (Captain Hook) flanked by newcomers Alexander Molony (Peter Pan), Ever Gabo Anderson (Wendy), and Alyssa Wapanatâhk (Tiger Lily).
Expect more empowered female characters this time around, including at least one Lost Girl among Peter’s Lost Boys.
“Disney has worked very hard to give her more depth and a lot more character,” said Anderson of Wendy. “She and Peter are equals in this film.”
Law added that Hook and Pan’s prior relationship is also fleshed out. “We got to mine their back story a little bit more. You get to understand their past,” he said, hinting that the two were once friends.
“I got to make sure all the little details, all the Easter eggs are there. Because I’m a nerd,” confessed Simien. He then joined another of the film’s stars – scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis – in a Doom Buggy rolling across the D23 Expo stage.
Few Disney films are so beloved as 1994’s ‘The Lion King’. And fans will get more of the film’s animal kingdom in the 2024 prequel ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’.
Director Barry Jenkins appeared to explain how “Mufasa is the origin story of one of the greatest kings of the Pride Land… It’s the real story of how Mufasa found his place in the circle of life. What you learn is that Mufasa is great because of the family and the friends he has with him.”
Of course Disney Studios wouldn’t exist without its very first animated classic, 1937’s ‘Snow White’.
Director Marc Webb is tackling the live-action 2024 remake, featuring Gal Gadot as the Wicked Queen and Rachel Zegler as its eponymous heroine. The two were touched by the warm response they received as they presented a first look at their characters.
“Just your reaction means the world to us,” said Gadot.
A visibly moved Zegler explained that, “Snow White is the girl you remember, but she’s definitely made for the modern age,” stating the film redefines what it means to be the fairest of them all.
Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot at Disney D23 Expo 2022 Getty Images
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While ‘Snow White’ is Disney’s first animated feature, 1989’s ‘The Little Mermaid’ is responsible for the studio’s renaissance. As well as its renewed dedication to musicals, as Rob Marshall, director of May 2023’s live-action adaptation, reminded fans today.
“It was very important for us to honor the original. We went to Alan Menken, who was divine to work with, and also our dear friend Lin-Manuel Miranda. They had never worked together before… There are four new songs. We still retain the beauty of the original score, written by the late great Howard Ashman as well.”
Fans were treated to the film’s entire “Part of Your World” number, featuring a note-perfect Halle Bailey, who appeared on stage with Marshall.
“Three days of filming ‘Part of Your World,’” said Bailey, “that was the most beautiful experience of my life. Just getting to sing a song I’ve loved since I was a child was so exciting.”
“The camera loves you,” Marshall told Bailey. “But it’s more than that. [It] loves what’s inside. [It] loves what you bring.”
The two then unveiled a teaser that recalled ‘Finding Nemo’ in the color and detail of its underwater world. You can find a teaser version of the clip in the video player at the top of the page.
It was then time for Pixar Animation Studios’ turn in the spotlight, with chief creative officer Pete Docter introducing next summer’s ‘Elemental’.
Director Peter Sohn spoke of how the film’s Element City was inspired by the culturally mixed New York of his childhood. Footage shown depicted the star-crossed romance of its fire-based heroine Ember (Leah Lewis) and her watery boyfriend Wade (Mamoudou Athie).
Pixar also unveiled its first original long-form series in the form of ‘Win or Lose’, each episode of which follows the perspective of a different character connected to a co-ed softball team, the Pickles.
With this year’s ‘Lightyear’, Pixar returned to the science fiction of ‘Wall-E’. Expect more in this vein soon, starting with ‘Elio’.
Announced today at D23 with star America Ferrera on stage, the film’s title character is an 11-year-old boy who doesn’t feel like he fits in his world. His mom (Ferrera) runs a top-secret military project, which inadvertently results in Elio making first contact with alien life and becoming our planet’s ambassador to the rest of the universe. It’s due out in spring 2024.
Last but by no means least on the Pixar slate – ‘Inside Out’ star Amy Poehler made a surprise appearance alongside Docter to announce ‘Inside Out 2’.
“Joy and the emotions are back for an all new adventure inside Riley’s head,” said a fittingly ebullient Poehler. “Only this time she’s a teenager!”
New emotions will also appear in the film, as Kelsey Mann takes over the directing chores from Docter, with Meg LeFauve returning to write the summer 2024 release.
To cap off the panel, Disney Animation’s chief creative officer (and Oscar-winning ‘Frozen’ director) Jennifer Lee greeted the D23 Expo audience to show what’s in store for the studio’s 100th anniversary next year.
But first, Disney’s fan-favorite 2016 ‘Zootopia’ will get a spin-off series this November on Disney+. And attendees got an advance look at the aptly titled ‘Zootopia+’, consisting of six short ‘Zootopia’-style spoofs of everything from ‘The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ to ‘The Godfather Part II’.
Perhaps Disney’s most unique offering at the Expo was ‘Iwaju’. Coming this year to Disney+, it finds the animation studio partnering for the first time in its long history with an overseas animation studio – Africa’s Kugali. Its three founders appeared today, describing their Afrofuturism fable and its characters as a love letter to their hometown of Lagos, Nigeria.
More sci-fi arrived with a new look at ‘Strange World’, described by Lee as “a film about family, legacy, and what we leave behind for the generations that follow.” Director Don Hall explained how the film chronicles three generations coming together on an alien planet in order to save their world.
Stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Dennis Quaid, and Lucy Liu introduced a rip-snorting clip of an exciting chase through ‘Strange World’s creature-packed planet.
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The Disney Animation segment, and indeed entire panel, concluded with the revelation of the studio’s 100th anniversary feature film – ‘Wish’. The tale of the star upon which so many Disney characters have wished throughout the past century, ‘Wish’ is co-directed by the attending team of Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn.
Buck, who co-wrote the film with Lee, explained how ‘Wish’ explores a kingdom of wishes, in which wishes can literally come true. Offering a lush, animated watercolor style coupled with CG animation, it stars newly minted Oscar winner Ariana DeBose as 17-year-old Asha, who pleas to the heavens for help, and gets an actual star from the sky, named Star, who communicates through pantomime.
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Disney “good luck charm,” actor Alan Tudyk appeared with footage of his character, a goat named Valentino who wishes to communicate with people. Finally, DeBose saw fans off with a sizzling live performance of “More for Us,” one of the film’s songs by Grammy winner Julia Michaels.
It’s the story of a doctor (Dawson) and her 9-year-old son (Chase Dillon), looking to start a new life, who move into a strangely affordable mansion in New Orleans. They soon discover that the place is much more than they bargained for. Desperate for help, they contact a priest (Wilson), who, in turn, enlists the aid of a widowed scientist-turned failed-paranormal expert (Stanfield), a French Quarter psychic (Haddish) and a crotchety historian (DeVito).
Leto is reportedly playing the Hatbox ghost, who pops up occasionally during the ride, while One Take News has heard that Curtis is aboard as Madame Leota, the ghost of a psychic whose head is encased in her crystal ball. The character is an iconic element in the attraction, so it makes sense to have someone as respected as Curtis in the role.
Jamie Lee Curtis in 2018’s ‘Halloween.’
We don’t yet know whether either actor was on set for the movie itself, or whether they’ve simply been digitally scanned and will be providing their performances via a little post-production magic.
The original ‘Haunted Mansion’ attraction originally opened at Disneyland in California in 1969, a few years after it was initially dreamt up by Walt Disney as a walk-through attraction. It then evolved into a ride that takes guests through a supernaturally charged mansion in Louisiana.
Later versions at other parks have altered the theme and location, with both Walt Disney World and Tokyo Disneyland’s editions featuring more show scenes, a longer ride time, and a Gothic aesthetic, while Disneyland Paris’ version, known as ‘Phantom Manor,’ is themed to a decimated house on the American frontier.
That adaptation didn’t exactly win over the critics and it was far from a smash at the box office either, though it did manage to scare up $180.2 million worldwide (though it cost $90 million to make before marketing costs).
‘Haunted Mansion’ will glide into theaters on March 10th, 2023.
Jared Leto in Columbia Pictures’ ‘Morbius.’
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For many young readers “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark,” the series of books by Alvin Schwartz and illustrated by Stephen Gammell, was their entry point to the flesh-crawling world of horror fiction. Each book contained micro-tales to chill your blood (they each contain more than 25 macabre stories), with some so indelible that they’ve probably never left your nightmares. And now, modern day horror maestros Guillermo del Toro and director André Øvredal are bringing “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” to a whole new audience with their feature-film adaptation.
At turns scary and sweet, their adaptation takes place in a small town in 1968 on Halloween, when some kids come across a book supposedly written by a witch. After they start reading the stories, well, they start coming to gruesome life. If you’re a fan of the books, you’ll definitely see some familiar faces (the Jangly Man, Harold the horrifying scarecrow) but there’s enough reinvention and contextualization that everything will feel new and fresh.
Moviefone was lucky enough to sit down with del Toro and Øvredal to talk about how this movie escaped development hell, whether or not del Toro brought anything over from his doomed “Haunted Mansion” project at Disney, why they set the film in 1968 and how del Toro’s next film, “Nightmare Alley,” is coming.
Moviefone: Guillermo, you’re notorious for having developed a number of projects that have never seen the light of day. What was it about “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” that pushed it through?
Guillermo del Toro: As with everything, serendipity. You never know. I’ve said this before, but the natural state of a movie is not to get made. And then when they get made, it’s a miracle. Right circumstances, wrong circumstances, something falls through, you never know.
So what were the circumstances that got this through?
GDT: I think the marriage of the material and the people behind it. And it felt like the right time to tackle a young adult movie, the equivalent of a young adult book. It’s a whole-hearted movie that is thrilling, creepy but at the same time something you can go to with some of your kids, not all of them. It felt like the right time for that.
How did you and André connect?
GDT: I was tweeting madly about André and “The Autopsy of Jane Doe” and I started following him and we started DM-ing.
Did you know these books growing up?
Øvredal: No, I grew up in Norway, obviously, and they were never published there.
GDT: The trolls ate them.
Guillermo, you’ve worked on a “Haunted Mansion” movie for many years and every time I see you, I have to ask what the status is.
GDT: Honestly, for the life of me … We have had two or three screenplays that I would have gladly shot. In my opinion they were ready to be made. We’ve had a studio that has gone through a couple of seismic changes in that period. And The Haunted Mansion is not an attraction, it’s a way of life. And it’s quite significant for some of us. It’s almost like, if you get anything wrong, the whole movie is wrong. I don’t know if it’ll ever happen.
GDT: Yes. Ryan was involved in developing one of those scripts. He was very involved with the idea of the character. And then we drifted away. This happens so much in the movie business. When somebody calls me and I say, “How is your movie?” And they say, “I’m a week away from shooting, I have all of my actors,” and I go, “Okay, that doesn’t mean anything.” I believe a movie is real when the Blu-ray comes out. That’s how I know it’s going to happen.
Did any of those ideas for “Haunted Mansion” wind up in “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark?”
GDT: No, none of them.
Would you go back to it?
GDT: I’m not sure I would shoot it right now. My gauging of interest is moot but I would love to see a “Haunted Mansion” movie by someone who loves it.
Harper Row
How beholden to the original illustrations by Stephen Gammell?
GDT: Very.
Øvredal: Extremely.
Were you consulting them on set?
Øvredal: Absolutely.
GDT: We had them at every point.
Øvredal: Yeah, even certain shots of Harold we would look at the illustration and say, “We need to move his head like that, we need to move him like this.”
GDT: And Andre tried to Gammell some of the sets and tried to do certain shadows on the wall.
You own some of the original illustrations. What is it about these illustrations that speak to you?
GDT: It’s hard to explain. He seems to draw these gossamer-like, vaporous smoky tendril illustrations and to make them 3D was very challenging. But we did have some of the very, very best make-up effects guys. A quarter of a century, I’ve known everybody. And I know these guys are top of the line.
Can you talk about the decision to set the movie in 1968?
GDT: That happened very early. I knew that we needed a time that was a little parallel to now, in some respects, and a time that would politically illuminate today, that would circumstantially illuminate the fact that the stories you repeat blindly can become fact, pre-social media in a way. But at the same time the ‘60s are great because the kids don’t have Google, they don’t have DM-ing, they cannot text the police, they cannot Instagram where they are. That gave a weight to the stories that was different.
Was there any pushback from the studio?
GDT: Oh yeah. Very, very early on we were in a meeting and somebody said, “Well, we would like to set it in a different time.” And I said, “Best of luck. You can do that, but not with me.” Because it was so important to me, this period, it was so important texturally. It was so important because of the “Once Upon a Time …” of it all. You are allowed to say “Once Upon a Time …” there was this thing. It creates a sense of melancholy and a sense of truth to the thing that is irreplaceable.
Fox Searchlight
It’s set very close to when “Shape of Water” is set, too, right?
GDT: “Shape of Water” is many years before. It’s right before Kennedy is shot and this is right around the Nixon election. But there are two periods I’m really quite taken by – the late ‘30s all the way to the mid-‘40s and the transition from the ‘50s to the ‘60s, because they are two changes in the modern pendulum that really compel me.
You brought up the ‘30s and ‘40s so I have to ask: how is “Nightmare Alley” going?
GDT: That’s precisely it, yeah. This book I read for the first time in 1992. Ron Perlman gave it to me. Ron said, “Read this book.” I thought, There’s a fantastic movie here. Then we watched the 1947 Tyrone Power movie and I thought, It’s very different from the book. But there were so many aspects that were so much more disturbing to me, from the book.
And now Ron Perlman is going to be in the movie!
GDT: Yeah!
This movie ends on a very cliffhanger-y note. Are you both committed to coming back?
Øvredal: If the audience loves it, of course we’d love to come back.
GDT: If Andre does it, yes. You’ll see. If Andre doesn’t do it, you won’t see my name. Well you might see my name, but I won’t be at the junket. [Editor’s note: He wasn’t at the “Pacific Rim: Uprising” junket.]
“Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” is in theaters everywhere tonight.
