‘Haunted Mansion’ Disney+ Release Date Confirms It Was Doomed To Flop

in Disney, Entertainment, Movies & TV

Characters climb the stairs in a poster for Disney's upcoming 'Haunted Mansion' (2023)

Credit: Disney

Disney has a long history of intentionally sabotaging its own movies at the box office, but the live-action reboot of Haunted Mansion (2023) might be the most egregious example yet.

(L-R): Rosario Dawson as Gabbie, Tiffany Haddish as Harriet, LaKeith Stanfield as Ben, and Owen Wilson as Father Kent in Disney's live-action HAUNTED MANSION
Credit: Disney

Related: Disney Seemingly Punishes ‘Haunted Mansion’ Director After “Nightmare” Production

It’s been a bumpy road for Justin Simien’s directorial debut with Disney, Haunted Mansion. Based on the beloved Disney Parks ride of the same name, the film follows single mom Gabbie (Rosario Dawson) and her son, Travis (Chase Dillon) as they attempt to rid their house of otherworldly presences by enlisting the help of a historian, a psychic, a priest, and a photographer. 

Despite its star-studded cast, which includes big names like Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, and LaKeith Stanfield, the movie has failed to make much of a splash at the box office, kneeling at the feet of other summer blockbusters such as Greta Gerwig’s mega-successful Barbie (2023) and Christopher Nolan’s World War II epic, Oppenheimer (2023).

Lindsay Lamb as The Bride in Disney's HAUNTED MANSION
Credit: Disney

Related: ‘Haunted Mansion’ Sets up New Disney Trilogy

There’s also the matter of its tumultuous production, which reportedly required extensive third-act reshoots and a longer-than-expected time in the editing chair for Justin Simien. Haunted Mansion also had the frightful luck of opening smack-dab in the middle of the current WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, which prohibited its actors from attending the premiere at Disneyland Resort.

And as Barbie barrels towards the $1 billion mark, it seems like Haunted Mansion is already looking to lock in its at-home release date on Disney+. While speaking on the film’s box office woes (earning a meager $24 million domestically in its opening weekend), Variety reported that the thriller-comedy could be heading to Disney+ sooner than expected.

haunted mansion feature
Credit: Walt Disney Studios

With Disney tending to release its new films on VOD storefronts and streaming somewhere between 45 and 90 days after their theatrical debuts, this puts Haunted Mansion‘s Disney+ release window between late September and early October, seeing that it released on July 28. However, Disney’s streaming timeline for the film could be moved up from what the studio had initially planned, given that it wasn’t the box office darling they’d hoped it to be.

If this report is correct, that means Haunted Mansion‘s arrival on Disney’s streaming service will coincide with a particular holiday: Halloween. If this seems like a coincidence, it’s almost certainly not—this was likely Disney’s game plan since day one, with the company perhaps even banking on its streaming success by releasing it on Disney+ right in time for the spooky season.

(L-R): Chase Dillon as Travis, Rosario Dawson as Gabbie, LaKeith Stanfield as Ben, Owen Wilson as Father Kent, and Tiffany Haddish as Harriet in Disney's HAUNTED MANSION.
Credit: Jalen Marlowe/Disney

Considering Disney typically releases new content onto their streamer on Wednesdays, either October 11 or 18 feels like a natural fit for Haunted Mansion to debut on Disney+, putting it at least a couple of weeks from Halloween day. Perhaps, getting people in a ghoulishly festive mood might finally get some more eyes on the film, which has unquestionably suffered from lackluster reviews and “Barbenheimer’s” box office domination.

'Haunted Mansion' (2023) cast gathered together
Credit: Disney

Hopefully, audiences will be more willing to give Haunted Mansion a chance when it inevitably arrives on the streaming service in the not-so-distant future. While Disney+ has yet to confirm this rumored Fall 2023 release window, it seems a sure bet that the company would attempt to bank off of its at-home release as the Halloween season kicks off in just a matter of weeks.

Have you gotten the chance to see Haunted Mansion yet? If so, what did you think? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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