Credit: Walt Disney StudiosDisney is taking another big swing at adapting Haunted Mansion again, but this time the movie is going for a much more horror-induced thrill ride, as the current rating for the film is PG-13. On top of the rating, director Justin Simien revealed that the film added more scares directed at kids.
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The House of Mouse has successfully adapted rides like Pirates of the Caribbean and Junge Cruise. This is the first time a previously made ride adaptation gets another shot. The original adaptation was released in 2003 and starred Eddie Murphy. Though it was still a monetary success at the box office, it failed to impress audiences truly.
Disney now has a chance to deliver a hit film and one that is not playing it safe by focusing on the humor aspects. That’s not saying the new Haunted Mansion won’t be funny, as it stars A-list comedic actors like Owen Wilson, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tiffany Haddish, and Danny DeVito. But with all the first looks and trailers that have been released, it appears that audiences will be treated to a far scarier adventure.
Simien revealed at San Diego Comic-Con that kids wanted more scares, which was initially a concern for him.
‘Haunted Mansion’ Director Justin Simien Added More Jump Scares
During Collider’s Directors on Directing panel at San Diego Comic-Con, we got to hear more about what makes Justin Simien’s adaptation different from the previous, which has everything to do with the scares in the film.
Simien revealed that parents had already been concerned that the film would be far too scary for children, a huge demographic for Disney. He revealed that many of the jump scares that exist in the film were added after they did well with test audiences. Though we do not expect any gory elements to be in the film, some moments are meant to strike fear into the audience.
The children in the test audiences wanted more scares, so much so that it led to Simien wanting to keep most of those scares in.
Simien states, “Haunted Mansion has the jump scares for the kids and humor for the adults.” Humor for adults is generally the case for most Disney animated films, as they have been made to appeal to a greater demographic, which heavily includes Pixar-produced films.
It is excellent that Haunted Mansion will not be pulling any punches on blending the humor and horror elements, which looks as though it could make this ride adaptation the best one yet.
During the panel, we also watched an exclusive clip showcasing Ben Matthias (LaKeith Stanfield) and Travis (Chase Dillon) attempting to escape the Stretching Room. This is arguably the best part of the ride, and Simien went into detail about how he wanted to make sure it looked authentic by using practical effects.
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The clip showcased the room stretching, along with Ben and Travis getting aid from the images on how to escape. Murderous crocodiles are also stalking them, which adds to the fear that audiences will be treated to when the film officially releases. We honestly can’t wait to see it, and it sounds like Justin Simien targeting scares for kids and laughs for adults will make this adaptation fun for the whole family.
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