EXCLUSIVE: Disney’s latest film revolving around its iconic Haunted Mansion theme park attraction is gaining more life as the studio is in negotiations Justin Simien to direct the new movie based on the ride. Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich, who produced the live-action hit Aladdin, are producing through their Rideback banner with Nick Reynolds of Rideback exec producing. Katie Dippold penned the most recent draft.

The Haunted Mansion ride debuted in 1969 and favorite of park goers since then with it appearing currently in both Disney Land and Disney World. The premise sees theme park guests go inside a spooky and creepy manor that includes some classic characters like the spirit of psychic medium Madame Leota to the skeletal Bride to the cloaked Hatbox Ghost.

Disney previously adapted the ride into a 2003 movie directed by Rob Minkoff and starring Eddie Murphy and was a moderate success at the box-office. Similar to Pirates of the Caribbean, another theme park ride that became a massive box-office smash, execs have always seen this as a piece of Disney IP that is recognizable to so many people across the world but also makes for something can be easier to adapt as a movie compared to other theme park rides.

Insiders say this will be a completely different take as a film that stands on its own. Disney has wanted to work with Simien for some time, with him meeting on several other projects before settling on this one following his recent pitch on how he envisioned the story going.

As for Simien, he has been a rising star among his peers following his critically acclaimed Sundance darling Dear White People, which he wrote, produced and directed. The film was so well received, Netflix would go on to adapt it into a TV series with Siemen serving as creator and exec producer. That show is currently in production in its fourth season.

He would follow that up with another huge Sundance hit Bad Hair, which Hulu moved quickly to acquire, with that bowing on the service last October. He is repped by CAA, Grandview and Gordon Bobb at Del, Shaw, Moonves, Tanaka, Finkelstein & Lezcano.

LaKeith Stanfield and Tiffany Haddish are in talks to star in Disney’s new Haunted Mansion movie with Justin Simien directing.

Owen Wilson has joined the cast of Haunted Mansion, Disney’s family adventure spookfest based on one of the company’s signature rides.

Wilson joins LaKeith Stanfield and Tiffany Haddish in a roll call for a production that is described as an ensemble in nature.

Justin Simien, who previously helmed Dear White People and Bad Hair, is making his big-budget studio debut by directing the feature project from a script by Katie Dippold. Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich, who produced Disney’s billion dollar-grossing live-action remake of Aladdin, are producing via their Rideback banner.


Story details are being kept in the dark but it is known that ostensibly the film will follow a family that moves into the titular mansion. However, it is the characters around that nucleus that will have a big portion of the moonlight shining on them.

The project begins shooting in Atlanta in October. It is the latest to be based on one of the company’s classic rides and comes in the wake of the studio releasing Jungle Cruise, also inspired by a theme park attraction. The latter has grossed over $106 million at the domestic box office even as it streams on Disney+.

EXCLUSIVE: Rosario Dawson has been set to join LaKeith Stanfield and Tiffany Haddish in Haunted Mansion, Disney’s latest live-action film based on one of its theme park attractions. Justin Simien is directing a script from Katie Dippold, and the pic, which also recently added Owen Wilson to the cast, is now gearing up to begin shooting next month.

Boo! Disney revealed details from the upcoming “Haunted Mansion” remake, including new cast members like Winona Ryder, Dan Levy and Hasan Minaj during Disney’s D23 Expo on Friday.

“Haunted Mansion” boasts a star-studded cast, including Rosario Dawson, Owen Wilson, LaKeith Stanfield, Jared Leto, Tiffany Haddish, Ryder, Jamie Lee Curtis, Levy, Minaj and Danny DeVito. Justin Simien directs the supernatural comedy film, which follows Dawson’s character Gabbie, a single mom with a nine-year-old son. Looking to start a new life, Gabbie buys a strangely affordable mansion in New Orleans. When they discover the mansion is haunted, Gabbie resorts to hiring a paranormal tour guide (Stanfield), a psychic (Haddish), a priest (Wilson) and a historian (DeVito) to help exorcise her newly bought mansion. The film will feature classic references to the classic Disneyland ride, including Leto’s character of the Hatbox Ghost. Curtis will also play a character named Madame Leota.

“There was something about that ride that I felt was there in the script,” Simien told the audience at D23 Expo, “I wanted to be sure all the Easter Eggs are there because I’m a nerd.”

“I used to work here! I actually worked at Disneyland, y’all,” Simien said. “It was the best summer job I ever had. I used to ride the Haunted Mansion on breaks.” The D23 audience saw a new trailer which was not released to the public.

Look alive, foolish mortals! We’re dying for you to view our teaser trailer and poster for Disney’s comically creepy adventure “Haunted Mansion,” which will appear in theaters on July 28.

Directed by award-winning filmmaker Justin Simien, the film features an all-star ensemble cast including LaKeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, Rosario Dawson, Chase W. Dillon and Dan Levy, with Jamie Lee Curtis and Jared Leto as The Hatbox Ghost.

Director Simien says, “As a lifelong fan of the Haunted Mansion attraction, I’m beyond excited to share the teaser trailer for our new film adaptation featuring an incredible cast. Our team has worked tirelessly to create a scary, funny and cinematic otherworldly adventure for both new and die-hard fans to enjoy! I can’t wait for audiences to experience this big screen version of the iconic Disney attraction.”

Inspired by the classic theme park attraction, “Haunted Mansion” is about a woman and her son who enlist a motley crew of so-called spiritual experts to help rid their home of supernatural squatters. The film’s producers are Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich, with Nick Reynolds and Tom Peitzman serving as executive producers.