Disney fans got their first glimpse at the terrifying new trailer for The Haunted Mansion during D23, which was held not far from the actual Haunted Mansion attraction in Disneyland. The story centres on Gabbie (Rosario Dawson), a single mother who moves to New Orleans with her son and buys a mansion for an incredibly low price. The film was directed by Justin Simien (Dear White People, Bad Hair) and written by Katie Dippold (The Heat, Ghostbusters). Of all, even in the current property market, an extraordinarily cheap home implies it is either the fixer-upper of the century or… It has a reputation for being haunted. Gabbie quickly learns that life in the Big Easy is not going to be a breeze. To deal with the house, she enlists the help of a priest (Owen Wilson), a psychic (Tiffany Haddish), a historian (Danny DeVito), and a paranormal expert (Lakeith Stanfield).
The D23 trailer gave us our first look inside the eponymous haunted mansion, and fans of the original theme park ride will recognise some of the characters from their roles in the film. Visually, everything in the photographs reminds us of the classic Disney scare-ride, from the mysteriously vanished husband to the ghosts and séance chambers we all know and love. In the teaser, we discover that the mansion appeared completely completed after a fire in 1788. Yellow fever, bombings, and paranormal activity were just a few of the causes of death. Our heroes explore the house and find secret passages and chambers.
The group looking into the house brings to mind the murder mystery game Clue. And while there are undoubtedly eerie moments in the video, it feels a lot like a mystery with splashes of fun. Wilson’s and Stanfield’s characters, in particular, stand out in the teaser because of their unique clothing and the ease with which they are recognised. But they aren’t the only ones with names and faces you know. Actors Winona Ryder, Hasan Minhaj, and Dan Levy all make cameo appearances in the trailer, and Simien reveals that Jared Leto will play the titular character in the film’s adaptation.
Jamie Lee Curtis, who was not seen in the trailer but arrived on stage at D23 in her own Doom Buggy, will play the role of Madame Leota, the floating head inside a crystal ball in the séance room. Even while the teaser features some of the same ghosts that regulars on the ride would recognise, Simien assures us that the actual park attraction will have “oodles” more Easter eggs. The film itself is a reboot of sorts, although it is based on the ride, Disney previously produced a movie in 2003 based on the ride with the same name. Eddie Murphy, Terence Stamp, Nathaniel Parker, Marsha Thomason, and Jennifer Tilly starred in the 2003 film The Haunted Mansion.
If the movie lives up to its promise of Easter eggs and cameos, then perhaps we’ll see some of the actors from the original film from 2003. Even though Pirates of the Caribbean was one of Disney’s most successful adaptations of a ride, this is hardly the first time the company has done so. Although it appears that The Haunted Mansion will stand alone, there is always more story to tell when you have a mansion full of ghosts. The clip suggests that there would be a large cast of individuals, each with their own traits and characteristics, which might lead to additional stories being told. As of right now, the release date for The Haunted Mansion is set for March 10th, 2023.