As someone without a devout love of Disneyland or much passion for theme parks in general, I admittedly don’t maintain a special high bar for what a movie based on the Haunted Mansion attraction should be. Having actually only been on the ride twice and only when it’s in holiday mode (when it changes things up and adds a Nightmare Before Christmas theme), my hopes for any big screen adaptation are more tuned into the approach to the genre – a desire for family-friendly fun that is just spooky enough for young audiences to get a taste of the special cinematic joy that is found only in horror films. Just about all references and Easter eggs are lost on me, so the experience hinges on delivering satisfying paranormal chaos with a hefty dose of silly that keeps the tone light.
Release Date: July 28, 2023
Directed By: Justin Simien
Written By: Katie Dippold
Starring: LaKeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, Rosario Dawson, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Jared Leto
Rating: PG-13 for some thematic elements and scary action
Runtime: 122 minutes
