Credit: DisneyWhen most people hear the words “Disney magic,” they think of the cruise ship or the decades of charming and delightful adventures that inspired generations of childhood wonder for millions of viewers, not cloaks, daggers, and dark rituals done in the dead of night. Recent promos for Haunted Mansion rely on precisely that.
Disney and horror rarely dwell in the same house, but the studio can have some truly unsettling and eerie creations when they do. As the studio prepares to welcome all foolish mortals to the Haunted Mansion with the upcoming film adaptation, they might be working some black magic in the process.
Occult Rituals of the Haunted Mansion
Fans of the prolific Disney Parks attraction know the sordid history of the Gracey Manor’s lore. From ghostly butlers to murderous pirates with a collection of dead brides, the original Disneyland attraction was one of the earliest examples of Disney’s darker side. The studio embraces that original flavor with some of Haunted Mansion’s latest marketing.
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Hitting theaters July 28, 2023, the newest posters for Haunted Mansion depict its lead characters framed on the faces of tarot cards. Rosario Dawson, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, and all the rest are depicted as representing select cards in the deck, clearly a nod to the ones seen on Madam Leota’s table in the seance room. While this is creative marketing on Disney’s part, it might have a deeper meaning.
@mr.unofficialceo If you are more experienced or adept with tarot and have more info leave a comment below with your insight! #tarot #tarotreading #hauntedmansion #hype #hiddenmessage #ghosts #spooky #psychic #disneyparks #disneyadult
@mr.unofficalceo is a TikTok creator we’ve covered before, and his takes on both Disney and the Haunted Mansion are well worth a watch. More aptly, his analysis of the film’s posters essentially gives viewers a free tarot reading and shines a light on the film’s colorful cast of characters as each of their personalities corresponds to a distinct card.
While Disney isn’t really trying to put a spell on their audience, this isn’t the first time they’ve been involved with an occult-ish flavor, and it’s liable to get some more conservative audience members riled up. That said, it’s an incredibly creative way to tell potential viewers a little bit of the story without giving it away.
Is Disney’s Haunted Mansion in the cards for you? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!