christian movie reviews haunted mansion

Haunted Mansion

Reviewed by: Alexander Malsan CONTRIBUTOR

Too dark for a family film

What is the Occult ?

The Occult —What does the Bible say about it?

What does the Bible say about ghosts ?

What is a NECROMANCER ? and what does the Bible say about this practice?

What is a soothsayer ?

Learn about spiritual darkness versus light

What is DEATH? and WHY does it exist? Answer in the Bible

What is the FINAL JUDGMENT? and WHAT do you need to know about it? Answer

What is ETERNAL LIFE ? and what does the Bible say about it?

What is ETERNAL DEATH ?

About the final judgment

O h boy this is going to be a short review. Okay, here we go…

Ben Mattihas was an astrophysicist, a really good one in fact. During a work party one night he found the love of his life, Alyssa. She thinks he’s a bit goofy, and he thinks she is too, but together they can conquer the world. Eventually, the two decide to get married

Fast forward some time later. Alyssa is gone. In fact, she was killed in a car accident while picking up some items for her and Ben. Alyssa’s death changes Ben in all the wrong ways. He has given up the field of astrophysics, apart from creating his revolutionary and ever-popular Ghost Camera. Instead, he has taken to giving walking tours in downtown New Orleans.

As in all good movies, a visitor comes knocking on Ben’s door with an opportunity. This particular visitor is a priest named Father Kent ( Owen Wilson ). Father Kent informs Ben that a local family, Gabbie ( Rosario Dawson ) and her son Travis, have been receiving ghostly visitors and that these unwelcome guests are terrorizing the two. Father Kent tells Ben that he needs him to come to the mansion and take pictures using his Ghost Camera to try and figure out what’s going on. Ben is hesitant at first but once he hears the lady is offering $2,000, Ben decides to head to the mansion.

Gabbie greets Ben at the door but warns him, “Once you step through that door, there’s no going back. Your life will be changed forever.” Ben proceeds anyway and Grace is right… his life will never be the same.

Happy haunting…

A long time ago Disney used to stand for something. Disney was a standard that other production companies would look to. Disney offered clean, wholesome entertainment that rarely offended anyone. Parents could safely take their young ones to a Disney film and not worry what they were going to have to shield their children from. Those days feel like a distant memory.

Now we have Disney films that promote homosexual relationships, transexual relations and characters, where every film has to be as diverse and accepting as possible; darn to creating a historically accurate representation of the stories from which they draw (don’t even get me started on the Marvel films and their unfaithfulness to the original comics). Now, Disney films are getting darker and darker.

During my viewing of the “Haunted Mansion” and as I left the theater, all I could think of was what would Walt Disney think if he could see how far his company has fallen in almost 100 years. Well Alex, how dark can a film like “Haunted Mansion” get? Surely there must be limitations!

“The Haunted Mansion” has no limitations; everything is possible. “The Haunted Mansion” is absolutely smothered in incredibly dark occultic practices . There are multiple séances, one of the film’s main characters is a MEDIUM ! Not only do these scenes occur, but they are praised in the film. They are shown as the ONLY solution to grief, to fighting demons and spirits, such as the use of a medium to fight the villain at the end of the film. Disney is sending a message: it’s okay to associate with mediums, psychics, reach out to the dead, conjure spirits. This is an INCREDIBLY dangerous message. Even Christianity is thought of as a joke in this film and mocked. The priest is of no use because, as it turns out *MINOR SPOILER* the Father is a big old fraud. *SPOILER END* Can you tell how angry I am about the film?

Content of Concern

VIOLENCE: A ghostly knight is shown chasing a mom and her son. There are two scenes where a character is tossed backwards (in one case a spear lands near his head). A flood occurs in this character’s house later, and he is tossed outside and almost hit by a car. We hear some victims were chopped up and beheaded by someone. We also hear about how two brothers shot each other and were killed. We hear about how someone was convinced to commit suicide inorder to be with his departed loved one again. Later, in a flashback, we witness a corpse lying flat on the ground after having committed suicide by poison. A ghost drags people in a chair out of the mansion (this occurs twice). A hatchet is thrown at a character twice. There is a conversation about how a dog was hit by a car and how it looked after being hit. We hear about Ben’s wife dying in a car accident. There is a story about how a man killed his guests at a party by poisoning their drinks and how the man himself was killed in revenge by others. An alligator chases two people. A ghost is seen being sent to Hell . Someone discusses someone’s else’s organs being on the outside of body.

OCCULT: Very Heavy to Extreme. The film starts with Madame Leota’s (a medium) voice telling the audience about the tale that is about to depicted (there’s also an image of tarot cards and a Ouija board). The group (the priest, Ben, Grace and Travis) hire a medium to help out. The group is later seen performing a séance (the priest included). There are a couple more séances. Some astro-projection occurs around the room (this is where a spirit supposedly leaves the body and floats around this limbo-like place watching what goes on below). A ghost possesses two different people. There are pictures and images of a man who used dark magic before he killed his guests. There is a third possession. There are discussions of spectral photography.

LANGUAGE: “Oh my g*d” (2), God’s name is misused several other times, “D*mn P*ssed” (1), and “Sh*t” is almost muttered by someone.

SEX: A tour guide is effeminate in behavior. She also references a cane in the corner of the room and says it is for very personal reasons (it could be because she has trouble walking, but I think this is likely a wink to the adults in the audience).

ALCOHOL: There are a couple scenes where characters are drinking.

NUDITY: A man’s shirt is seen slightly open

OTHER: Some of the ghosts and ghouls are very frightening in appearance. A priest says “money talks but don’t tell the big man.” A guy deceives someone for money. A ghost is seen writing on paper. A man has a heart attack.

At one point a character states that, “Ghosts aren’t real. We are dirt. I am dirt.” Indeed characters make little mention of the truth, that we are more than just dirt and bones. We are creations of the Almighty God designed for His purpose. Yes, there is something after this life we live. For those who believe and live for God and his son Jesus, that SOMETHING is eternal life in Heaven, where we will sit at the feet of Jesus and praise Him, where there is no more weeping or suffering or hunger—none of it. Jesus stated,

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life .” — John 3:16

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment , but has passed from death to life .” — John 5:24

“For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life , and I will raise him up on the last day.” — John 6:40

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” — John 10:28-30

Final Thoughts

Well I think I’ve pretty much said all that needs saying about “The Haunted Mansion” There are many reasons to stay far away from this film apart from the occultic practices in play: the acting is average at best, the jokes are terrible, and it felt like “classic Disney faire.”

In case it isn’t clear, DO NOT take children to see the “Haunted Mansion.” It is a spiritually dangerous film for youngsters and teens, as well. In fact, I’d go as far as saying it’s spiritually dangerous for all viewers, especially Christians. Find something much more edifying with your time.

• Occult: Very Heavy
• Violence: Heavy
• Profane language: Moderately Heavy
• Sex: Moderate
• Drugs/Alcohol: Moderate
• Vulgar/Crude language: Minor
• Wokeism: Minor
• Nudity: None

Learn about DISCERNMENT —wisdom in making personal entertainment decisions

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers .

PLEASE share your observations and insights to be posted here.

Should Christians see this Movie about the Supernatural?

I debated seeing this movie. From the previews, it is about ghosts and the paranormal, but there is also talk of possession, seances, and summoning the dead. These are things that the Bible says to have nothing to do with. In this Disney Haunted Mansion Christian Movie Review & Parent Guide, I give you the information you need before viewing this movie with your children.

Years ago, even after I was a Christian, I did not fully understand that we should be set apart from the things of this world. I knew not to play with a Ouija Board, but I didn’t understand about the spiritual implications of rides such as Haunted Mansion. One year, when my husband and I went with our children to Walt Disney World, we rode the Haunted Mansion. Before this point, I thought it was cute. As I rode with my children, I thought about “bringing home” spirits.

I know that we are all on a spiritual journey, and hopefully, as Christians, we grow closer to God each year. Maybe you have not been convicted to avoid playing with spirits, so I write this review so you know the content before seeing the movie with your family. Although, my husband and I did view this movie, it was only after prayerful consideration.

Disney Haunted Mansion Christian Movie Review

Studio synopsis: .

Home is where the haunt is. 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.

My Synopsis:

When “foolish mortals” buy a delipidated but stately manor in New Orleans, strange things happen. A mom (Gabbie) and her son (Travis, played by Chase Dillon), move to a deserted mansion near New Orleans. When they hastily leave their new home, they are warned, “You’ll be back.” They get a priest, an astrophysicist, and a Professor of local history to help them in their quest to make their home free of spirits.

Disney Haunted Mansion Christian Movie Review What Parents Want to Know

Overall, the language is pretty tame for a PG-13 movie. God’s name is taken in vain. Additionally there is the use of d-mn, and p-seed.

While there are only a few actual “fights,” ghosts chase the humans, and they do so with spears, guns, and hatchets. Many of the souls died gruesome deaths, and those are detailed. 

The bride ghost who carries an axe is incredibly creepy, she has killed several husbands by cutting off their heads (she “chopped up 5 of her husbands”), and she is after the humans. 

Furthermore, the previous owner of the mansion was an evil man. People disappeared from his dinner parties, but their bodies were never found. He was beheaded, and his hat and head were never found.

The stretching room turns into quicksand, and an alligator aggressively goes after people. Someone talks about a person with organs on the outside.

Spiritual Content:

The spiritual content in this movie is where I have the most problem. Especially during a seance when a person is then inhabited by a spirit . How this is done is unsettling. Additionally, the participants of the seance are told that  if things get too bad with the person that has had the spirit enter them, ring the bell, and this will break the “spell.” 

Obviously, if you know the Haunted Mansion ride at Disney, you know the content of the ride. There are 999 ghosts (the line from the ride is “We have 999 happy haunts, but there is room for 1000.”)

In this movie, they attempted to cram the entire ride into the movie from props, lines, songs, characters, the outside graveyard, a nod to the doom buggies, and more. 

One person says in the afterlife; ghosts are unhappy souls. The people that died are at peace and they have moved on to a better place. Someone talks about “ghost winks” and how people who are happy in the beyond can send signs to us.

Even More Spiritual Content:

Additionally, doors open mysteriously; screams can be heard with no one there, there is talk about spectral photography, the ghost particle, banging on doors, an entire ocean in a house, burning sage, blood sacrifice, conjuring up a ghost army, and a spear thrown. One character says, “The power of Kent complies you…”

Then, they enlist the aid of a psychic who says she is a Medium to talk with a ghost. Also, the medium talks about crystal balls, recharging her crystals, seances, a reverse seance, Ouija board is shown, and other psychic mumbo-jumbo. A character says, “You need an exorcism.” 

Floating objects often appear, and there are sounds of knives, Madam Leota appears in a crystal ball. By the use of magic, she is released. There is a book of incantations.

Additionally, someone talks about having a seance at midnight every night for a year which opened the floodgates of the beyond. “We had summoned a terrible evil.” 

We have the ability to cast out demons, and we will live with Christ in the afterlife.

I believe in demons just as I believe in Jesus Christ. I know, based on Mark 3:15, “and have authority to cast out demons,” that as believers, we are to have nothing to do with them. That includes movies that depict ghosts as “friendly.”

Furthermore, this movie gives you the idea that the people who have died are living peaceful lives (unless they are haunting people). The Bible says in Romans 6:7-8 For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.”

Adult Content & Other Content:

Several scenes depict people in a bar drinking. One character is depicted as “drowning his sorrows” and is completely drunk.

Some of the jokes are adult oriented. One person makes a comment about a cane and she says she uses it for “personal reasons.”

When trying to get the 1000 ghost, it is mentioned that the person must die willingly. The implication is suicide. 

Deception & Lying:

More than one character lies. One character pretends to be someone he is not. Another takes a person’s money and pretends to help. 

Additionally, one character pretends to help out but does nothing.

Many of the “lying” is done tongue in cheek, for example, when the priest says, “I have a bad back from all the feet I clean in Calcutta,” he obviously was not telling the truth.

Positive Content:

A priest says: The treasures I seek are in heaven. 

Disney paid attention to detail and most of the elements of the ride can be found in the movie.

Disney Haunted Mansion Christian Movie Review Viewing Recommendations

First, you will probably read reviews that tell you this latest version of Disney Haunted Mansion isn’t that scary. And I would agree with the statement that this isn’t a particularly scary movie. On the scariness level, it is pretty tame. While this movie isn’t something that should cause an adult to stay up at night, it has a spiritual element that is unbiblical and ungodly. Therefore, as a Christian, I cannot recommend viewing this movie.

With talk of seances and possession, I prefer to steer clear of any spiritual entanglements or confusion, especially with children. In conclusion, this is not a movie for any children, and it is not a movie for Christian adults.

About Disney Haunted Mansion Movie 2023:

Rating: PG-13 for some thematic elements and scary action

Release Date: July 28, 2023

Runtime: 2 hours, 3 minutes

Genre: Supernatural Horror Comedy

Director: Justin Simien

Screenplay by: Katie Dippold

Editor: Phillip J. Bartell

Music by: Kris Bowers

Produced by: Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich

Distributed by: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Based on The Haunted Mansion ride by Walt Disney

Budget $157.8 million

Director Justin Simien is known for his film Dear White People (2014 and Bad Hair. 

Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich, who recently teamed on Disney’s live-action adaptation of “Aladdin,” produced the film through their production company Rideback.  Screenwriter Kate Dippold was a writer on the sitcom Parks and Recreation. She also wrote The Heat and the Ghostbusters remake.

Cast of Disney Haunted Mansion 2023

Jared Leto is Alastair Crump (The Hatbox Ghost)

LaKeith Stanfield is Ben Matthias

Tiffany Haddish is Harriet

Owen Wilson is Kent (The Priest)

Jamie Lee Curtis is Madame Leota

Winona Ryder is Pat (a New Orleans tour guide)

Danny DeVito is Professor Bruce Davis

Dan Levy is Vic

Charity Jordan is Alyssa

Rosario Dawson is Gabbie

Chase W. Dillon is Travis (Gabbie’s Son). Chase is a 13-year-old. However, in the film, he plays a 9-year-old.

Hasan Minhaj is a sketch artist

Frequently Asked Questions:

Where can i watch disney haunted mansion.

When Disney Haunted Mansion releases on July 28, 2023, it will only be available to watch at movie theaters.

Is there an end-credit scene for Disney Haunted Mansion?

Unfortunately, there is not an end-credit scene for this movie.

Why is Disney Haunted Mansion rated PG-13?

It is rated PG-13 because of the scary images and talk of demon possession. Additionally, there are seances, ghosts, and violent scenes with talk of death, dying, and how people met their death.

Will Disney Haunted Mansion stream on Disney+? 

Disney Haunted Mansion released into theaters on July 28, 2023. It is expected to release onto Disney+ in October 2023 in time for Halloween viewing.

Will Disney Haunted Mansion stream on Peacock?

No, Disney Haunted Mansion will not stream on Peacock. It also will not be streaming on Paramount+ or Max.

You will be able to find it on Disney+ when it leaves theaters.

How much did it cost to produce Disney Haunted Mansion?

Disney Haunted Mansion cost $157.8 million dollars.

How many Haunted Mansion Movies are there?

2003 The Haunted Mansion which starred Eddie Murphy, Marsha Thomason , and Marc John Jefferies .

2021 Muppet Halloween special entitled “Muppet Haunted Mansion

2023 Disney Haunted Mansion

How many Haunted Mansion rides are there?

In Disneyland, CA, Haunted Mansion is in New Orleans Square

In Walt Disney World, Florida, Haunted Mansion is in Liberty Square

Additionally, in Disneyland, Tokyo, Japan, Haunted Mansion is in Fantasyland

Finally, in Disneyland, Paris, France, the Haunted Mansion ride is in Frontierland 

What is the Haunted Mansion ride?

This Disney theme park ride is a dark attraction that has “guests of the haunted house” take a tour of the stately manor in vehicles called Doom Buggies. When guests first enter the queue, the outside depicts a graveyard, ghostly sounds, and a musical crypt. When you walk into the house, you are treated to a room that changes before your eyes. As you enter your slow-moving vehicle, your Ghost Host guides you through the chilling scenes of manor filled with 999 spirits.

This is a popular attraction and usually has a longer wait time. While it is not a scary ride, it is dark and can frighten young children.

The ride also features a snappy tune entitled Grim Grinning Ghosts:

“When the crypt doors creak and the tombstones quake

​Spooks Come out for a singing wake

​Happy Haunts materialize 

and begin to vocalize

Grim Grinning ghosts come out to socialize…

What other Disney films were based on rides in the theme park?

While most of the Disney rides with a Disney film were created after the movie, there were a few movies modeled after rides or attractions. One of the most famous movie franchises created after the movie is Pirates of the Caribbean, starring Johnny Depp. 

Other feature films include The Country Bears, Tower of Terror, Mission to Mars (this attraction was located in Disney World and Disneyland and closed in the 90s), and Jungle Cruise. Additionally, the Jungle Cruise inspired the 2021 film of the same name starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

What are some of the product placements in Disney’s Haunted Mansion movie 2023?

First, a man is seen eating Burger King. Moreover, there is mention of Amazon, Costco, and CVS. A Mercedes symbol is shown on a car. A U-Haul trailer is seen beyond a vehicle.

What is spectral photography?

Spectral imaging uses multiple bands across the electromagnetic spectrum. Can spectral imaging capture ghosts? That question hasn’t been answered definitely.

Who is the Hatbox Ghost?

First, the Hatbox Ghost is an animatronic character that first appear at Disneyland, CA, before the movie opened. It was removed shortly after because the special effect was not working.

While Hatbox is an older gentleman ghost with a top hat, he can be seen leaning on a cane, and carrying a hatbox. 

Additionally, he was added back the ride in 2015. At the D23 Expo, it was announced that the Hatbox Ghost character would be added to the ride in Walt Disney World Resort in 2023.

What is the actual line from Disney Haunted Mansion? Room for one more, or room for 1000?

While this line is quoted often, it is often quoted wrong. Many people say, “We have 999 happy haunts here, but there is always room for one more.” 

However, the actual Walt Disney World Haunted Mansion says, “They have all retired here to the Haunted Mansion. Actually, we have 999 happy haunts here, but there’s room for one thousand. Any volunteers? If you should decide to join us, final arrangements may be made at the end of the tour.”

Quotes from Disney Haunted Mansion:

When talking about Dr. Frankenstein, it is said, “One man’s monster is another man’s Halloween costume.”

“My job is having faith. I have faith in you.”

“The Lord moves in mysterious ways.”

“God give us a break. We don’t want to be haunted. There are so many bad people in the world. Haunt them.”

“The living and the dead belong in different places. I believe that souls can send signs from beyond.”

“Not today Satan.”

Reviewing movies for parents from a Christian perspective since 2005. Know Before You Go!

Christian Homeschooling mom – 30 years and counting

Autism Mom & Disney enthusiast

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Schooling with disney’s pinocchio movie plus review, 1 thought on “disney haunted mansion christian movie review (2023)”.

Look, I’m a Christian myself and my review on Haunted Mansion is, that it feels like a Disney Movie those emotions you get from watching a Disney Movie are in fact Happy, Sad, Laughter and most importantly Fear,

(Example) Pixar’s Inside Out features a bunch load of emotions throughout the film involving Joy, Sadness, Disgust, Anger & Fear

Haunted Mansion Explorers 4 of those emotions especially mine Joy, Sadness, Laughter and Fear. What made this movie special is that it paid homage to a creator of the ride itself Rolly Crump

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• DVD & Streaming

Haunted Mansion

• Comedy , Drama , Horror , Kids , Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Content Caution

In Theaters

• July 28, 2023
• LaKeith Stanfield as Ben; Rosario Dawson as Gabbie; Tiffany Haddish as Harriet; Owen Wilson as Kent; Danny DeVito as Bruce; Chase W. Dillon as Travis; Jamie Lee Curtis as Madame Leota

Home Release Date

• October 17, 2023
• Justin Simien

Distributor

• Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Movie Review

Welcome, foolish mortals.

Step in. Don’t be shy. I am your host. Your … movie host. Mind the stretching walls. Pay no attention to the floating candelabra. We must meet some people. Some … living people. Living, at least, for now .

BWAHAHAHA … er, sorry. Something caught in my throat. I’m fine now. Moving on.

Do you see that woman over there? By the curiously disturbing gargoyle light fixture? That’s Gabbie. Yes, she looks kindly, doesn’t she? She bought this lovely New Orleans mansion to provide her and her boy—that’s him, Travis, cowering in the corner—a fresh start. A new beginning. They hope—or, should I say, hoped —to turn this genteel estate into a bed-and-breakfast. But Gabbie could have no way of knowing that most of the rooms were already … occupied.

Now, I’m afraid, it’s merely a dead -and-breakfast.

BWAHAHAHAHA … oh, forgive me. Allergies.

Hmmm? What’s that , you ask? Who’s that man over there? By the curiously shuffling suit of armor? That’d be Ben, a brilliant inventor turned disgruntled tour guide. That strange, bulky device he’s holding in his hands is called a camera .

But it’s not just any camera. No, Ben invented a camera that could take pictures of the spirit world . He was hired by that fellow in the clerical collar—Kent, I believe—to either confirm or disprove Gabbie’s suspicions that the mansion might be … haunted .

Curiously, Ben doesn’t—or, should I say, didn’t —even believe in spirits. Why, he simply intended to take a few pretend pictures, declare the property ghost-free, collect an exorbitant fee and leave—never to return. (I suspect was the assumption of many of the mansion’s permanent residents, as well. To leave , that is.)

But this house, it gets under your skin, even if you no longer have any. Ben discovered just what Kent, and Gabbie, and Travis, have learned: If you leave the mansion, ghostly forces will follow you home and … encourage your return.

Why , you ask? Well that , I’m afraid, is one of our little secrets. All I can say that certain forces within the mansion enjoy a bit of life in its living rooms, a little pep in its parlors. A little more spirit , if you will. And even though that life is oh-so fleeting, and even though the house is stuffed to its antebellum rafters with ghosts, there’s always room for more.

What? You’d like to leave, you say? Oh, I’m so sorry. You crossed the threshold, too. You’re stuck here—strapped in as if this was an amusement park ride—until you finish reading this review. So sit back and relax.

I know you’re just … dying to continue.

Positive Elements

Let’s begin with Gabbie. She not only looks kindly, she is kindly—especially when it comes to her little boy, Travis. He’s had a hard go of it lately, and Gabbie’s care and concern for him are heartwarming.

Ben slowly becomes something of a father figure to Travis as well. He plays with the boy and gives him strong advice. Even when Ben makes an error in judgment, it’s done to keep Travis as safe as possible. And he eventually shows a willingness to sacrifice for both the boy and others.

But Travis is a pretty brave kid in his own right. When he’s the only one who’ll fit in a secret tunnel, he doesn’t hesitate. (Well, OK, he hesitates a little . But you would, too.)

Spiritual Elements

The title Haunted Mansion probably tips you off that the film has plenty of spiritual elements in play (999 of them, in fact). You’re liable to see them floating down the halls or zipping through a graveyard or, in one case, possessing a candle.

But the movie uses its ghostly activity as a kind of foil to the unbelieving, despairing Ben. He believes that his ghost camera was a failure, and now he thinks (much to his deep grief) that death is the end of the road. “Ghosts don’t exist, life is dust, we’re all dust!” he shouts at a tour group hoping to hear about New Orleans’ ghostly sites.

In the movie’s theology, ghosts are a good thing, because they prove that life doesn’t end with death. Moreover, we’re told that those who died happy and at peace don’t wind up as ghosts. The fact that mediums can’t communicate with certain folks proves that they’re happy and at peace, that they have successfully moved on to some sort of fulfilling afterlife. The only exception, the medium Harriet tells us, is the “ghost winks” that loved ones make beyond the grave. She talks about how her own father loved tinkering with model trains. Often when she’s missing him a lot or down in the dumps, she’ll hear a train whistle, and she’ll know it’s a wink from her father.

About those mediums: We meet two of them. Harriet is a normal, everyday medium who, like everyone else, gets trapped in the house. She’ mainly known for her readings at Bar Mitzvahs, but Kent insists she has a “very solid Yelp score.” Madam Leota—reportedly the most powerful medium in New Orleans’ history—is mainly a disembodied head floating in a crystal ball. (She tells us that it’s surprisingly roomy.)

Seances are a huge thing here, and repeated seances in the mansion apparently opened a door to something far more evil than had been native to the house. (We also see a Ouija board in one scene.) Harriet occasionally burns sage as some sort of supernatural deterrent.

Now, on to “Father Kent.” He wears a clerical collar and a cross around his neck, albeit one that also has a rabbit’s foot attached. He had been hired to conduct an exorcism that was, obviously, ineffective. He is a font of none-too-convincing Bible verses and spiritual clichés.

For instance: when he hires Ben and Ben asks him what he gets out of the deal, Kent says, “the treasures I seek are in heaven.” He then adds to Ben, “It’s my job to have faith, and I have faith in you .” He tells us that the “Lord works in mysterious ways” and quotes “Amazing Grace.” He “prays” at one point. “God, give us a break,” he says. “We don’t want to be haunted.” Ben suspects early on that he’s a fraud.

[ Spoiler warning ]: Kent is. The priestly outfit is a Halloween costume, and he hoped to make a few extra bucks from the “exorcism.” (Imagine his surprise when he discovered the place was truly haunted.) But the guy does like giving away stuff and caring for the needy, and we learn in a bit of a postscript that he becomes a priest for real.

A couple of characters experience a sort of possession. Certain mysterious, glowing cracks in the ground suggest portals to a dismal hell-like place. We see a church or two in the background of some scenes. There’s a reference to astral projection. There’s talk about blood sacrifices and deals with the devil.

Sexual Content

When a visitor to another mansion asks if a cane in the corner belonged to the home’s previous owner, the guide says it’s hers, which she uses for “very personal reasons.” Those “personal reasons” could be an indication that she’s ashamed of a weak leg, but I suspect the joke was intended as a wink toward something far more crass.

We see a bit of Ben’s relationship with his (now departed) wife, including when they first met and when he first showed her his special camera. Later, Ben brings flowers to Gabbie, suggesting that they might also have a fledgling relationship.

An effeminate tour guide speaks to guests.

Violent Content

Where there are ghosts, there were dead bodies—ones that met their ends in violent ways. We’re told that the ghosts of the haunted mansion all died horrifically (and with curious specificity), and we see and hear how a few met their ends.

One hatchet-toting bride apparently beheaded several guys (we see their headless portraits in the attic), and she attacks the living with the axe as well. Two brothers fought a duel in one of the mansion’s hallways. We see their specters recreate the fight, and the ghost bullets apparently hurt humans, too. (Gabbie mentions that when she walks down a specific part of the hallway, she suffers mysterious pains in her side.) Several phantoms walk about with obvious mortal injuries.

We also hear about another mansion owner who was incredibly evil. He killed scads of people at his dinner parties (we don’t see their actual deaths, but rather paintings where the victims vanish), and we learn that his own servants murdered the owner—beheading the guy. (That act of violence is seen, but only as stylized shadows on a wall.)

A ghost harries Ben with a meat cleaver. Reality bends in a New Orleans house—meshing with the briny deep. The subsequent flood threatens someone’s well-being (and, presumably, does a lot of property damage). An alligator nearly snaps off someone’s foot. Glowing crevasses imperil the living. A ghost essentially tries to encourage a suicide. We hear how another ghost or two took their own lives.

Someone’s nearly impaled by a harpoon. Chairs sometimes speed off with people. One person is almost hit by a car. We hear about a character’s heart condition.

One other thing to note: Haunted Mansion can be quite startling and scary in places. Younger and/or sensitive kids who see this might be sleeping in their parents’ bedrooms for a few nights afterward.

Crude or Profane Language

One use of “d–n” and several misuses of God’s name. And while I don’t think the full spoken word makes it into the movie, it sure looks like Harriet mouths the s-word during one scene.

Drug and Alcohol Content

When we first meet Ben, he’s drinking heavily. We see him blearily at a bar, and his home seems festooned with empty and half-full bottles.

Other Negative Elements

At first, Ben seems perfectly content to swindle Gabbie out of a $2,000 fee for doing next to nothing. One ghost masquerades as someone dearly departed for his own nefarious purposes.

Let’s talk about the Hatbox Ghost—the movie’s dapper, dastardly do-badder—for a minute. Because his real backstory is, I think, more interesting than the one he’s given for the film.

The Hatbox Ghost was among the original spooks in Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion when it opened in 1969. It featured a head that would vanish from where, well, heads should be, and rematerialize in a clear hatbox. Nifty trick that.

Only problem was, it didn’t work. Disney yanked the ghost from the ride and kept him in mothballs for 45 years.

But, somewhat appropriately, the ghost wouldn’t stay buried. Because he was such a prominent part of the ride’s initial marketing push, the Hatbox Ghost became something of a mysterious legend amongst Disney aficionados. Rumors started circulating that the ghost was just too scary for Disney—that it had actually given some (or several someones) a heart attack. When Disney reintroduced the (now-working) Hatbox Ghost to the ride again in 2014, he was greeted as a returning king, with fans conjuring up all manner of backstories to who he was and why he was at the mansion.

In some ways, the appeal and legend surrounding the Hatbox Ghost tells us a lot about what makes something creepily fun: It’s the unknown. For 45 years, the Hatbox Ghost went unseen, and yet his legend grew.

Indeed, what we see can indeed bother and even horrify us. But what we don’t see leads to, if you will, more satisfying scares. That’s one of the reasons why Haunted Mansion, the ride, works—and why Haunted Mansion , the movie, doesn’t.

The movie tells us all about the Hatbox Ghost and the history of the Haunted Mansion. It shows us that ghost—and honestly, the CGI turns this frightening figure into something more akin to Dr. Seuss’s Grinch. Instead of keeping us in the dark, it turns up the lights.

And what do we see in those lights? A bit of a mess.

Oh, certainly, some of the images might frighten younger kids. These ghosts can be scarier than is strictly responsible. But it’s all bluster. The jokes, likewise, feel forced and uneven. A dozen people allegedly had a hand in the script—and the confused multiplicity of voices shows.

And while the Haunted Mansion ride is satisfied with one eerie séance scene, the 2023 film seems smothered in them. Mediums, not priests, appear to be the strongest warriors against evil ghosts here. And it treats these seances a little like gummy bears: Sure, too many of them is a bad idea. But in moderation? Seances are just fine. Sometimes even necessary.

That gives Haunted Mansion a far darker spiritual vibe than I think even its makers intended. When your kids’ movie features rumors of blood sacrifices and strange rites, you’re probably on the wrong track. And all the forced yuks can’t wipe that occult ook away.

Haunted Mansion does try to keep superficial content concerns out of its cobwebbed halls. Sometimes unexpected issues pound on the doors, but most are kept locked in the closets.

But it seems in this latest cash grab that Disney hasn’t yet remembered what made it such an entertainment powerhouse—and such a beloved purveyor of family-friendly fare. It’s not about seances or CGI specters; it’s about story. And sometimes in storytelling, what you leave out is just as important as what you put in.

In the original Disney ride, guests are met by a ghost that fans call “Little Leota.” “Hurry back!” she tells riders. “And be sure to bring your death certificate.”

I don’t think many moviegoers will hurry back to see Haunted Mansion a second time. And perhaps the film is itself dead on arrival.

Paul Asay has been part of the Plugged In staff since 2007, watching and reviewing roughly 15 quintillion movies and television shows. He’s written for a number of other publications, too, including Time, The Washington Post and Christianity Today. The author of several books, Paul loves to find spirituality in unexpected places, including popular entertainment, and he loves all things superhero. His vices include James Bond films, Mountain Dew and terrible B-grade movies. He’s married, has two children and a neurotic dog, runs marathons on occasion and hopes to someday own his own tuxedo. Feel free to follow him on Twitter @AsayPaul.

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Movie Review: Haunted Mansion

Disney’s second theatrical attempt to turn this creepy fan-favorite ride into a movie is haunted by a legion of spiritual problems. 

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When it comes to cinema, October is usually dominated by films that exploit the spooky vibe of the season. It’s a prime month for studios to dump their horror films onto their allied streaming platforms. As such, there’s not much out for children at the moment. It’s difficult to find family-friendly content, let alone something that can safely scratch that Halloween itch for young viewers, should one wish to engage with the holiday.

Disney is a brand that’s usually associated with family-friendly content, although the company has faced extreme criticism as of late. The Star Wars franchise is uninspired, the MCU has been accused of succumbing to identity politics, while the constant live-action remakes of classic films has caused many to see the act as not a creative endeavour, but rather a lazy cash grab.

Enter Haunted Mansion . It’s in a weird category in that it’s not exactly original content, yet it’s not as painfully overdone as some of Disney’s other IPs and franchises. Given the company’s latest stumbles, is this yet another slip towards total decline, or is it a step in a positive direction?

Content Guide

Violence/Scary Images: This is a film adaptation of the titular Disney theme park ride; it features a haunted mansion filled with ghosts, some good, some evil, but tonally it’s not aimed at adults but for a slightly younger audience. Frequent discussion about death, sometimes hinting about the topic of suicide. Ghosts are cartoonish but some appear more ghoulish than others. Multiple jump scares. Characters are thrown in front of traffic. A ghost tries to repeatedly decapitate others with an axe. Characters are hunted down throughout the house by an evil spirit. A crocodile tries to bite people. Some gun violence. No blood; gore is light.

Language/Crude Humor: No course language, aside from expressing some anger. Sometimes characters will mock each other.

Drug/Alcohol References: Alcohol is consumed by some characters, some to build “courage”, whereas others abuse it as a way to cope with trauma/depression.

Sexual Content: None.

Spiritual Content: One character calls himself a priest, although there is no Christian content outside of that Catholic position. There are plenty of occult references, with some characters specialising in communing with the dead, using spells, performing seances, and there’s a reference to a Ouija board. The entire film is about the afterlife and ghosts, taking on a Pagan/secular perspective.

Other Negative Content: Characters initially lie and deceive each other.

Positive Content: The film offers a decent look on the topic of grief and suggests healthy ways to engage and unpack those heavier emotions.

The theme parks are a big part of Disney’s identity. If you’ve never been to one, then they’re not your typical adrenaline-junkie attraction filled with g-force building, blood-draining, bone bashing, rough rollercoasters that litter many other theme parks worldwide. Instead, the Disney theme parks are insanely popular because they master a niche in the market; they offer smooth, first-class immersive experiences. With a lot of the attractions in the park, when you hop on a ride, it’s like you leave the real world and for a moment pop into the realm of somewhere else.

When it comes to classic Disneyland, there are number of rides that explore Disney’s early filmography, most of which are located in Fantasyland, one of the themed sections of the park map. But then are some classic, long-standing popular rides that aren’t based on a movie at all. Such as Frontierland’s Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, or Tomorrowland’s Space Mountain, to name a few. Since they already have the ride, it makes logical sense when searching for fresh movie ideas that they simply take what they already have and build a film narrative that’s inspired by the attraction. Like a comic book or game adaptation, these are ride adaptations, which correct me if I’m wrong, seem to be unique to Disney at this stage. They found wild success when it came to adapting Pirates of the Caribbean, but only mediocre returns for their films based off Tomorrowland and Jungle Cruise (and then there are the absolute failures like The Country Bears ).

This is the second time they’ve tried to adapt the Haunted Mansion into a movie, the first being in 2003 starring Eddie Murphy. It’s a film that doesn’t stick out in my mind and actually might be worthy of a revisit, but suffice to say, it was very average and didn’t have any staying power unlike the Pirates of the Caribbean films. But it’s easy to see why the Haunted Mansion attraction has earned itself two film adaptations—it’s one of the best rides in the park! It offers an incredibly immersive experience that stuns visitors with its visual illusions and entertains with it catchy theme song, supplying a wonderful mix of creepy yet fun. It’s a relatively fast-loading yet satisfyingly lengthy ride that is filled with so many iconic moments; there’s the pre-show—the stretching room, the ballroom, the graveyard, the hitchhikers, the bride, the head in the crystal ball, the statues that follow your movements, the floating candlestick… there’s so much to visually soak in and enjoy.

It’s clear the 2023 film is a faithful adaptation of the ride, as it tries its best to marry in as many references to the attraction as possible. Yet it’s also one of its flaws, since all the fan service leads to a bloated narrative. The 2003 The Haunted Mansion movie also made the same mistake. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl succeeded because it merely adopted the vibe of the ride and directly referenced only a handful of things, as opposed to these Haunted Mansion movies where there’s seemingly greater pressure to cram in as much as possible, as though dropping an element or two will incite anger from fans.

There are a few side effects as a result. While it’s true that 2023’s Haunted Mansion doesn’t tell a simple story, the narrative that it does weave ultimately feels rather epic. If its mission is to include everything in the ride, then it tells the best story that it possibly can. If Salem’s Lot is a lengthy vampire tale touching upon every piece of lore you could hope for in one sitting, then Haunted Mansion feels like the haunted house equivalent.

The haunted house subgenre is rather lacking at the moment, with only a few standouts over the past few years, including Mike Flanagan’s The Haunting of Hill House (which really only made a name for itself due to one particular episode that impressed viewers with its creepy use of predestination). Otherwise, this subgenre is very stock-standard with its tropes. Doors slam shut. Noises are heard. Items move on their own. It’s the third act where these films really start to differ from each other, and most stumble at the end. Haunted Mansion does struggle throughout its runtime, mostly because it lacks the finesse to build the proper tension to deliver decent jump scares (I mean, did we really believe that Disney could produce a horror film?). But unlike others in the genre, once it gets going and finds its footing with the tone, the less it tries to follow the cliches, the better.  

Haunted Mansion , while flawed, must be commended for doing something a little different. It displays more creativity as to why people must come back to the house (as opposed to literally being locked inside). It’s a refreshing conundrum that inadvertently allows its cast more freedom and more settings to explore outside of a dreary mansion. Yet it still ticks a lot of the cliché tropes of the subgenre, if that’s what you’re looking for as well. In many ways it operates as a spoof, much like how Scream parodied slashers whilst still being one itself.

A lot of critics have slammed the film for its rather convoluted plot and its runtime that enjoys its own ability to keep running, but I honestly had fun watching this one. The actors are all having a blast! Owen Wilson delivers the same type of performance he always seems to phone in, but he is still entertaining anyway. Danny DeVito and a surprise appearance by Jamie Lee Curtis is always welcome, while the rest of the cast, including lead actor, LaKeith Stanfield, easily carry the rest of the narrative on their shoulders. Coming in at over two hours, Haunted Mansion feels like a breeze considering it’s a longer than average film, thanks to the rapport that is developed amongst the cast.

Yet despite its source material and goofy and parodic nature, it’s not exactly child friendly. The stakes are still pretty high, and characters are frequently placed in tense life and death situations, such as suddenly being flung in front of high-speed traffic. One scene in particular plays out like that of an adult horror film, where a ghost actively tries to decapitate a character with an axe. It’s a level of malicious violence that is not typically seen in a family-friendly context, so viewer beware.

It’s not the greatest Disney film in existence, but it’s a shame that it has been largely overlooked as it truly is a fun romp. Its lack of box office attention is ironic given that Haunted Mansion delivers what a lot of people said they wanted; an original tale with proper racial representation. For once Disney made decent casting choices that made sense for the story, as opposed to inserting identity politics in a narrative that made such tokenistic motivations painfully obvious and detrimental to the project.

As such, Haunted Mansion is a fine film.

At least, that’s what my inner film critic would say…

Haunted Mansion is also one of the few movies out there that has me split between film appreciation and my Christian beliefs.

As a Christian, I actually cannot recommend this film.

In Haunted Mansion , the group of characters operate as an Avengers-esque ragtag team that’s representative of the subgenre. For instance, Owen Wilson plays Father Kent, a Catholic priest—a role that’s usually present in these types of ghostly movies. Then there’s the scientist, the historian, the exasperated owner, the spirit medium, and so forth. Each have their archetypal role to play.

Except it’s clear that Disney has no idea what to do with Father Kent. He doesn’t rebuke the spirits, say prayers, reject the occult, or do anything in the name of Jesus. He’s basically just Owen Wilson being Owen Wilson. It’s as though the screenwriter wanted the presence of a priest but still wanted to keep things secular, but that’s not how things work when it comes to battling the forces of evil. To be fair, there is a very good reason provided within the plot as to why Father Kent takes a laid-back approach, except it still doesn’t absolve the fact that the story is literally pretending to have Christian representation when there actually isn’t any at all.

It’s this type of representation which is the most dangerous. If it was instead overtly anti-Christian, then at least in that scenario it’s more obvious to viewers where the bias lands and therefore audiences can appropriately discern and pushback against incorrect lessons. Yet Haunted Mansion lulls with its sense of innocence and good-natured humour. Father Kent seeks out the help of spirit mediums, agrees with the performing of occult practices, and even takes part in seances and other activities that would be otherwise egregious to those with his faith. Adult Christians that have walked for a while in their faith will know this is not right, however, Haunted Mansion is targeting a younger demographic; an age group that won’t have had the chance to develop enough worldly wisdom to know what is acceptable in spiritual battles, the importance of the armour of God, and how not to approach those things that prowl in the darkness. Haunted Mansion shows a man of God participating and even condoning a séance, and that’s not okay.

It puts Christian parents in a tough spot. If your child is old enough to handle the scarier elements of the film, it feels like overkill to ban watching the movie entirely, as when they inevitably do view the film as a rebellious act, the story is innocuous enough to create confusion as to why it’s a problem in the first place—all that will be gained is a rift between the child and parent bond. Instead, if a child is of the right age, a better approach might be to watch the film alongside them, then use the material to engage in a discussion. Help them in their walk of faith to discern the good lessons from bad, and equip them with the skills needed for adult life. Unless this approach is taken, I cannot in good faith recommend this film for younger audiences, as there’s a good chance they won’t have the experience needed to unpack the film and discern what’s a humorous piece of fiction, and what’s a detrimental viewpoint on the afterlife.

Haunted Mansion : it’s a fun film, but watch at your peril.

+ Faithful adaptation of the ride. + Fun cast. + Gets a bit epic.

- Not really suitable for kids. - Christian misrepresentation. - Bloated narrative. - Fails to build tension when required.

The Bottom Line

Haunted Mansion is far from the best movie in Disney’s catalogue, but provided viewers use discernment regarding its treatment of the supernatural, it can be a fun ride.

Juliana Purnell

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Haunted Mansion Reviews

Haunted Mansion comes to audiences 20 years after the Eddie Murphy led version. Although curiously debuting in the summer, the film’s cast and script bring the necessary topic of grief and how to work through it to the forefront, all in an unabashed way.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Jan 1, 2024

One of the biggest duds of the year.

Full Review | Original Score: C- | Dec 4, 2023

A movie based on a theme park ride is always going to be a marketing exercise, but what’s remarkable about Haunted Mansion is how uninterested it is in pretending to be anything more.

Full Review | Nov 4, 2023

... "Haunted Mansion" succeeds by being a thrill ride from start to finish, utilizing aspects of the ride naturally while telling a story of rejection, grief, and acceptance, even if it’s a little long and predictable.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Oct 26, 2023

A story that mainly serves as an excuse to publicize the attraction ride, from which countless details and characters are extracted. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Oct 5, 2023

Yet another Disney movie based on their Magic Kingdom dark ride will inevitably feel like kiddie fare, but considering the talent in front of and behind the camera, it didn't have to be this way.

Full Review | Oct 2, 2023

While there's a modern twist and a less than rosy view of the world in the beginning, there's a happy ending to this tale of a paranormal tour guide while teams up with a psychic, a priest and a historian to help the hapless owner of the titular house.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Sep 25, 2023

The rules surrounding everyone’s ultimate survival seem contrived and arbitrary, and the ghosts are central casting stock, from Desiccated Bride to Knights Templar to Miscast Mummy. We don’t know where the ghosts come from so everyone is confused.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Sep 23, 2023

Disney’s Haunted Mansion is a fair enough choice for a family night in, experienced from the comfort of your couch, where the flaws are less glaring and the price of admission for Disney+ is cheaper.

Full Review | Sep 16, 2023

Where “Haunted Mansion” fails to generate laughs, it does evoke feelings of terror — mostly the fear that Disney will trot out this IP again in 20 years.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/4 | Sep 10, 2023

I really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, totally, really, really, really, completely, really, really, really, really, really, really, really wanted this one to be good.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.15/5 | Sep 2, 2023

Sorry Disney. No sale. Again.

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5 | Sep 1, 2023

No central theme emerges beyond a blandly generalised one about moving on from the past, which is to say that overtly at least, this Haunted Mansion plays it even safer than its 2003 predecessor.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Aug 31, 2023

On a TV, I'm not sure I would have appreciated Haunted Mansion. But on a cinema screen, with a proper sound system pouring the noises in from all angles, this film really pops.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Aug 31, 2023

A marked improvement over the similarly-titled 2003 film, 'Haunted Mansion' nevertheless falls at too many self-imposed hurdles to make the most of what should have been a self-sufficient recipe.

With some amazing special effects and a story a lot darker than I expected I found Haunted Mansion to be a film that certainly captures the vibe of the attraction. It really surprised me with its tone but that is what made me fall in love with it the most

Sporadically creative, but mostly a tragic waste of talent and potential, Haunted Mansion should’ve been a much smoother ride than what is encountered here.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/5 | Aug 31, 2023

It’s just unrelentingly flat in tone, and never really excites or engages the viewer in ways the filmmakers might have hoped for.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Aug 31, 2023

I found it to be a pleasing, enjoyable movie, with a great cast, some funny jokes, some menacing ghosts, and a delightful production design that brought back fond memories of the Disneyland ride.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Aug 25, 2023

Owen Wilson is a priest who may be a man of the con rather that the cloth. He does manage to exorcise a few jokes out of a demonically unfortunate predicament.

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5 | Aug 25, 2023

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Haunted Mansion – Disney+ Review (3/5)

Posted by Karina "ScreamQueen" Adelgaard | Oct 4, 2023 | 4 minutes

HAUNTED MANSION (2023) on Disney+ is a new take on a movie inspired by the Disneyland ride of the same name. It’s a horror-comedy for the whole family but do stay with your kids while watching – at least the first time. A great cast and story. Read our full 2023 Haunted Mansion  movie review here!

HAUNTED MANSION (2023) is now on Disney+ and it really is a horror-comedy for the whole family. Releasing it on Disney+ in October is brilliant and I can easily imagine younger viewers managing to watch this quite a few times before Halloween is over. The story is dark in dealing with deep grief, but the paranormal horror and the comedy keep it from getting too dark.

With a runtime of just around two hours, it is too long. If a good 15 minutes had been cut, it would definitely have made for a tighter and stronger overall experience. Having said that, I could still see myself watching this again during Halloween. Especially when wanting to introduce the wonders of horror to the next generation.

Continue reading our 2023 Haunted Mansion movie review below. It was in movie theaters this past summer and is on Disney+ (and VOD) from October 4, 2023.

From Disneyland ride to a movie

Most will probably know that this isn’t the first time the Disneyland theme park attraction “Haunted Mansion” has been adapted into a movie. 20 years ago (in 2003), Eddie Murphy starred in The Haunted Mansion . However, this new 2023 version isn’t simply a remake. Instead, it’s a completely new story and movie.

One that has quite a lot of depth and layers that will hit differently for viewers of various ages.

While this 2023  Haunted Mansion  movie is for the whole family, it is also a  horror -comedy at its core. We’re talking ghosts trying to kill living people and lots of scary moments. Also, there’s the subject of grief and even depression.

The core story in this new version features a woman (Rosario Dawson) and her son (Chase Dillon) who are looking to start their lives in a new setting. Unfortunately, the place they plan on living in  and  creating a cute Bed and breakfast is the house this movie is named for. Once realizing it’s a very haunted place, mother and son enlist a motley crew of experts to help them get rid of the paranormal squatters.

Yes, I’m oversimplifying – obviously – but you need to experience all the details firsthand.

As a treat, I can tell you that if you’ve ever tried the Disneyland ride this is based on, you should feel right at home. There are plenty of direct references to the ride, so even if it’s been a while, it’ll probably ring a bell.

So many fun characters

If there’s one character who isn’t supposed to be fun, it’s Ben Matthias. He is a scientist and doesn’t really believe in the paranormal or supernatural. Of course, all this is supposed to change, and LaKeith Stanfield plays the role of Ben perfectly. He also works really well with Rosario Dawson and Chase Dillon as the mother and son in dire need of help at the haunted mansion they’ve just purchased.

Personally, I also loved that there was never much of an issue of whether the mother, Gabbie, believed her son, Travis when he said something was off. The moment she felt something was off, she took her son and ran. A small detail, but one that matters after seeing so many  movies where parents ignore both the worries of their children  and  things happening around them.

I’m always happy to see both LaKeith Stanfield ( The Changeling series ) and Rosario Dawson ( Calls ), so it was no surprise that they worked so well in this Disney movie. However, the young Chase W. Dillon was a welcomed surprise. Kid characters can be written as over-the-top, but Chase W. Dillon ( Saint X ) manages to portray Travis in a way that made me wish he was in every scene. Some amazing talent in that kid!

Aside from the three above-mentioned actors, we have a true all-star ensemble cast in Haunted Mansion  (2023). This includes Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson , and Danny DeVito with small key roles (sometimes cameo-like) played by Daniel Levy, Winona Ryder , Jared Leto , and Jamie Lee Curtis .

Watch the 2023 Haunted Mansion  on Disney+ or VOD now!

Justin Simien is the director of  Haunted Mansion in this 2023 version and I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected. Sure, as a horror-comedy for the whole family, I knew it would be solid entertainment. However, the story in this movie goes a lot deeper in surprising ways. Previously, Justin Simien worked on  Bad Hair  (2020) , a Hulu movie he both wrote and directed.

The screenplay for  Haunted Mansion comes from Katie Dippold who has worked on a lot of solid comedy productions. Including horror and comedy hybrids such as the 2016 Ghostbusters   movie. A movie I still insist on was a brilliant movie and one I enjoy re-watching every now and then. As a little treat.

Along with watching this new 2023 movie as part of your Disney+ subscription, you can also buy it digitally from all major digital retailers including Prime Video, Apple TV, and Vudu. If you do that, you’ll be getting exclusive behind-the-scenes bonus content. With this amazing cast, it might be worth considering if you enjoy that sort of thing.

Haunted Mansion (2023) is on Disney+ from October 4, 2023. 

Director: Justin Simien Writer: Katie Dippold Cast: LaKeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, Rosario Dawson, Chase W. Dillon, Daniel Levy, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jared Leto, Winona Ryder

Haunted Mansion is the story of a woman and her son who enlist a motley crew of so-called spiritual experts to help them rid their home of supernatural squatters.

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'Haunted Mansion' is a skip, but 'Talk to Me' is a real scare

Justin Chang

From left, Rosario Dawson, Tiffany Haddish, LaKeith Stanfield and Owen Wilson in Haunted Mansion. Jalen Marlowe/Disney hide caption

From left, Rosario Dawson, Tiffany Haddish, LaKeith Stanfield and Owen Wilson in Haunted Mansion.

After a family trip to Disneyland last year, my daughter told me that her favorite ride was the Haunted Mansion. It's long been a favorite of mine, too, an oasis of spooky-silly fun at the so-called Happiest Place on Earth. Given how popular the ride has been since it opened in 1969, it's perhaps unsurprising that it's inspired not one but two live-action Disney movies. Neither movie is particularly good, although the new one, directed by Justin Simien of Dear White People f ame, is at least an improvement on the dreadful Eddie Murphy vehicle from 2003.

The always excellent LaKeith Stanfield stars as a moody physicist with an interest in the paranormal. He's one of a team of amateur ghostbusters investigating the weird goings-on at a manor house not far from New Orleans. Rosario Dawson plays a doctor who's recently moved into the house with her 9-year-old son. And there's Owen Wilson as a shifty priest, Danny DeVito as a cranky professor and Tiffany Haddish as a bumbling psychic.

Haunted Mansion has a busy, forgettable plot that exists mainly to set up all the macabre sight gags you might remember from the ride: the walking suit of armor, the self-playing pipe organ, the walls and paintings that mysteriously stretch like taffy.

An amusement park Haunted Mansion delivers summer screams and lifelong memories

None of this is even remotely scary, or meant to be scary, which is fine. It's more bothersome that none of it is especially funny, either. And while the house is an impressive piece of cobwebs-and-candlesticks production design, Simien hasn't figured out how to make it feel genuinely atmospheric.

The movie's saving grace is Stanfield's affecting performance as a guy whose interest in the supernatural turns out to be rooted in personal loss. I don't want to oversell this movie by suggesting that at heart it's a story of grief, but Stanfield is the one thing about it that's still haunting me days later.

Sophie Wilde in Talk to Me. A24 hide caption

Sophie Wilde in Talk to Me.

If you're looking for a much, much scarier movie about how grief can open a portal between the living and the dead, the new Australian shocker Talk to Me is in select theaters this week. A critical favorite at this year's Sundance Film Festival, it stars the superb newcomer Sophie Wilde as Mia, an outgoing teenager who's recently lost her mom.

One night at a party with her friends, Mia gets sucked into a daredevil game involving a severed hand, embalmed and encased in ceramic. This hand apparently once belonged to a mystic. Anyone who grips it and says "Talk to me" can conjure the spirit of a dead person and invite it to possess their body — but only for 90 seconds, max. Any longer than that, and the spirit might want to stay.

The possession scenes are terrifically creepy, all dilated pupils and ghoulish makeup. But it's even creepier to see the effect of this game on Mia and her friends, as they start filming each other in their demonic state and posting the videos on social media. Talk to Me is the first feature directed by Danny and Michael Philippou, twin brothers who got their start making horror-comedy shorts for YouTube, and they've hit on a clever idea in turning this paranormal activity into a kind of recreational drug. But the high wears off very fast one night, when one of the spirits they're talking to claims to be Mia's mother — a development that leaves Mia reeling and turns this party game into a full-blown nightmare.

As a visceral piece of horror filmmaking, Talk to Me can be ruthlessly effective; even on a second viewing, there were scenes I could only watch through my fingers. The Philippou brothers have a polished sense of craft, though they're not always in control of their narrative, which sometimes falters as Mia herself begins to unravel. But Wilde's performance more than picks up the slack. She makes a great scream queen, but she also pinpoints the emotional desperation of someone held captive by grief. The movie takes something most of us can relate to — what it means to lose someone you love — and pushes it to its most twisted conclusion.

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Haunted Mansion (2023) Parent Guide

For a movie that tries to be scary, this flick is surprisingly lifeless..

Theaters: A woman enlists a motley crew to help rid her home of ghosts, one of whom has a terrifying goal.

Release date July 28, 2023

Run Time: 122 minutes

Get Content Details

The guide to our grades, parent movie review by kirsten hawkes.

On New Year’s Eve, Ben Matthias (LaKeith Stanfield), an astrophysicist with a promising career, bumps into Alyssa (Charity Jordan), a vivacious young woman who leads ghost tours in New Orleans. Romance kindles between the two, but soon we see Ben, drunk and disheveled, living alone in a decrepit little house. He now has a job leading historical tours through the city, but there’s a mysterious camera tucked away in a box at home that partially explains the change in his circumstances.

Returning to Louisiana for a fresh start, Gabbie (Rosario Dawson) and her son Travis (Chase Dillon) drive up to the house she purchased online. The physician hopes to turn the mansion into a bed and breakfast but soon discovers that the house is haunted. Aggressively haunted. If she and Travis are going to have a safe place to live, they’ll need some help.

Let me begin by saying that I do not object to Disney using its theme park rides as fodder for movies. The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, for instance, offers entertaining films that expand the world of the beloved ride. This film, however, is an unmitigated disaster. It lacks the madcap excitement of Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion, featuring instead two agonizingly long hours of boring ghosts, ineffective jump scares, and product placements. I noted mentions of Burger King, Costco, Amazon, Baskin & Robbins, and Yankee Candles in the script and was annoyed each time. When I’ve paid good money for a ticket, I don’t want to have Disney slip mini-ads into the film script. (It’s not as if the studio needs the money.) Whether or not that bugs you as much as it irks me is an open question, but, don’t worry, there’s plenty here to dislike.

Ironically, for a tale that bounces between mortality and the afterlife, this movie feels strangely lifeless. The cast are doing their best – LaKeith Stanfield’s puppy dog eyes get a real workout as he emotes with grieving sincerity – but the story is hollow. As one predictable jump scare after another popped up on screen, and one shrieking ghost followed another, I just felt bored and surprisingly sleepy. It’s not just me, either – the screening I attended was very quiet, with little in the way of laughter or stifled screams. For a comic ghost story, this is a very bad sign.

Parents with a passion for ghost stories should take note of the PG-13 rating: this is not a film for six year-olds. Although the violence isn’t bloody, there are multiple scenes of supernatural violence, including physical attacks, use of weapons, and attempted poisonings. Characters discuss murder and suicide and mention a character who practices dark magic and blood sacrifice. Religious parents should also note the frequent séances where the medium summons the spirits of the dead and one séance in which a character’s soul leaves his body and wanders around the house.

As scary ghost stories go, this isn’t too gory, but it isn’t exciting either. In fact, I think Disney has misfired with this flick. After sitting through the movie, I feel far less motivated to wait in line for the Haunted Mansion on my next trip to a Disney theme park. The movie has taken the shine off the ride for me. I can guarantee that’s the kind of reaction that’s going to send a shiver through the Mouse House.

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Kirsten hawkes, watch the trailer for haunted mansion (2023).

Haunted Mansion (2023) Rating & Content Info

Why is Haunted Mansion (2023) rated PG-13? Haunted Mansion (2023) is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for some thematic elements and scary action.

Violence: There are frequent scenes of supernatural violence. People are chased by ghosts and attacked with a hatchet. There is an attempted assault with a candlestick.  Characters are trapped in a room with alligators snapping at them as they try to escape. There are scenes of possession. A possessed character tries to poison his friends. A man has a heart attack. A home experiences a flood caused by supernatural forces. A man is hit by a bus (off-screen) and is shown in hospital with no visible injuries. There’s mention of a fatal car accident in which a person dies and another in which a dog is killed. Someone tells a historical story of a person being beheaded: the murder is depicted in animated silhouettes. A woman in the same era is reputed to have decapitated five husbands with a hatchet. An evil character apparently had a past that involved dark magic and blood sacrifice. A child sees his dead mother in her casket and is purportedly punished for weeping. Suicide is mentioned. A dead man is seen holding a bottle of poison. Objects are tossed around rooms by invisible ghosts. Two ghosts shoot at each other in a duel and hit another character. Sexual Content: There’s mention of a man’s mistress. Profanity:   The script contains a handful of terms of deity and a minor profanity. Alcohol / Drug Use:   Adults consume alcohol in social situations. A main character gets drunk and is shown hungover.

Page last updated July 27, 2023

Related home video titles:

If you’re looking for a scary movie for kids that has better writing and editing, you can try The House with a Clock in its Walls. Described as “gothic horror” for kids, this movie manages to be both scary and funny. And it stars Jack Black, which is a plus.

If it’s ghost movies you’re after, you can try Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters: Answer the Call and Ghostbusters: Afterlife . Darby and the Dead has an even lighter touch with its tale of a teen who helps ghosts pass over to the other side.

For a less frightening haunted house tale, you can watch the animated Monster House . If you want to terrify yourself with haunted house horror stories, check out The Night House or His House.

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors, haunted mansion.

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From the original ride to now-three of film adaptations, Disney's Haunted Mansion is properly cemented into the company’s spooky canon. This installment is in line behind 2003’s nostalgic Eddie Murphy chapter and 2021’s Muppets edition. Justin Simien (“ Dear White People ,” “Bad Hair") directs this return to a Black-led live-action iteration of the story. 

The simple plot lends to simple execution across the board. Single mother Gabbie ( Rosario Dawson ) has moved into the antique house of her dreams with her nine-year-old son Travis ( Chase Dillon ). But not long after stepping into the home, they become blatantly aware of the spirited tenants occupying the creepy abode. Enlisting the help of grieving astrophysicist Ben ( LaKeith Stanfield ), priest Father Kent ( Owen Wilson ), medium Harriet ( Tiffany Haddish ), and haunted house expert Professor Bruce Davis ( Danny DeVito ), the gang hopes to put their heads together to rid the house of its supernatural tormentors.

“Haunted Mansion” is star-studded but shoddy at best. Despite the talent of writer Katie Dippold (“ The Heat ” “Parks and Recreation”), the script’s punchlines are forced and flat. Everyone is doled their share of one-liners, but Wilson and Haddish carry most of the weight. While Wilson often runs dry, Haddish delivers in her classic tone and cadence, executing flimsy jokes to her best ability. The script does toe the line of Disney’s boundaries, tossing in some light innuendos in a somewhat concerted effort to draw in more mature audiences.

Simien's film does display its fun-loving origins in how the house can transform into a surrealist landscape. Halls that never end, ceilings that extend into impossibility, gargoyles, hidden rooms, and the ever-so-classic ghost-inhabited portraits recall nostalgia for the film’s classic Gothicism. “Haunted Mansion” boasts a handful of playful chases and spooky sequences, but they’re fleeting and soon bring us back to the film’s stuttering pace. It's hard to find any true tension in "Haunted Mansion" until the climactic faceoff in the third act. 

Perhaps the greatest letdown of Simien's movie is how little the cast delivers. The ensemble is brimming with lively, prolific candidates, yet the script hardly seems to keep this in mind. Their talents are either underused or misdirected. Stanfield’s Ben mourns the loss of his wife, his grief becoming a cornerstone of the story. Yet while we’ve seen Stanfield display emotional depth in other roles, every tearful moment feels like a soap opera, not on account of sentiment, but performance. There’s a sense of watered-down contrivance across the board. The forced, postured will-they won’t-they romance between Stanfield and Dawson showcases this also. And with seasoned comedic actors in Wilson, DeVito, and Haddish, too few of their comedy efforts actually hit. 

“Haunted Mansion” is constructed with the familiar bricks of a Gothic tale, down to the theme of grief that runs throughout. There’s a thoughtful examination of how grief makes us vulnerable while also being able to harness the power of that love to connect with one another and appreciate the lives we lead. There’s also value for family audiences in the nostalgic spookiness that rides along the surface. But with a repeated sourness in the film’s comedic efforts and a tragically misused ensemble, “Haunted Mansion” misses the chance to become a Halloween classic. 

In theaters now.

Peyton Robinson

Peyton Robinson is a freelance film writer based in Chicago, IL. 

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Film credits.

Haunted Mansion (2023)

Rated PG-13 for some thematic elements and scary action.

123 minutes

Rosario Dawson as Gabbie

Chase W. Dillon as Travis

LaKeith Stanfield as Ben Matthias

Owen Wilson as Father Kent

Tiffany Haddish as Harriet

Danny DeVito as Bruce Davis

Jamie Lee Curtis as Madame Leota

Winona Ryder as Pat

Jared Leto as Crump / Hatbox

• Justin Simien
• Katie Dippold

Cinematographer

• Jeffrey Waldron
• Phillip J. Bartell
• Kris Bowers

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Disney held its world premiere of Haunted Mansion without actors due to the SAG-AFTRA strike and the first reactions of the Justin Simien-directed film are coming in.

Inspired by the classic ride at the Disneyland Resort theme park. The story of the film 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.

Steven Weintraub from Collider praised Simien and screenwriter Katie Dippold saying they “did great work” in the adaptation.

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Happy to report #HauntedMansion is one of those family films that will spook kids, make adults laugh (a lot), and fans of the ride will keep pointing at the screen because it’s loaded with Easter eggs. Director Justin Simien & screenwriter Katie Dippold did great work. pic.twitter.com/07MfbUUCFC — Steven Weintraub (@colliderfrosty) July 16, 2023

POC Culture editor noted on Twitter that they saw Haunted Mansion before the strike and called the film “a love letter to the iconic Disney ride & a family-friendly thriller.”

“The cast, led by LaKeith Stanfield, is outstanding & hilarious. Full of fun cameos, references to the ride & a healthy dose of jump scares,” they added.

I got to watch the #HauntedMansion (before the strike). It’s a love letter to the iconic Disney ride & a family friendly thriller. The cast, led by LaKeith Stanfield, is outstanding & hilarious. Full of fun cameos, references to the ride & a healthy dose of jump scares. pic.twitter.com/rj92ujOMU7 — POC Culture (@POCculture) July 16, 2023

Although the founder of Nightmarish Conjuring was still gathering their thoughts on the film, she said, “the amount of heart it has couldn’t have been achieved without the writing of Katie Dippold. She weaves together a story that tackles death/grief in a palpate way while riding a fine line btwn humor/horror.”

I’m still gathering my thoughts on #HauntedMansion but I will say this, the amount of heart it has couldn’t have been achieved without the writing of Katie Dippold. She weaves together a story that tackles death/grief in a palpate way while riding a fine line btwn humor/horror. pic.twitter.com/hgaLAIS5hK — Shannabelle Come Home (@shannon_mcgrew) July 16, 2023

Screenrant’s Joseph Deckelmeier tweeted that Haunted Mansion was “an entertaining movie for your whole family can enjoy. There’s some fun scares for the kids and a lot of Easter eggs for you eagle-eyed #disney parks fans.”

Journalist Laura Sirikul said Haunted Mansion “should have been a Halloween release instead of a summer release. It makes [no] sense. It’s up against Barbie & Oppenheimer .”

To be honest, #HauntedMansion should have been a Halloween release instead of a summer release. It makes so sense. It's up against BARBIE & Oppenheimer. Is Disney depending on parents to bring their kids to Haunted Mansion (since Barbie & Oppenheimer are not meant for children)? — Laura ลอร'า 劳拉 🍥 (@lsirikul) July 16, 2023

The cast of the film includes LaKeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, Rosario Dawson, Chase W. Dillon, Jamie Lee Curtis as Madame Leota, Jared Leto as Hatbox Ghost and Winona Ryder. Hasan Minhaj and Dan Levy also make an appearance in the film.

Haunted Mansion opens in theaters on July 28.

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‘Haunted Mansion’ Review: A Disney Ride to Nowhere Fun

Starring LaKeith Stanfield and Rosario Dawson, this movie plays like a feature-length ad for Disney’s theme-park attraction of the same name.

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By Manohla Dargis

There is a mansion, it is haunted, boo, blah, the end.

That’s pretty much all there is to say about “Haunted Mansion,” a live-action branding opportunity from Disney “inspired by” its theme-park attraction of the same name. The first of these opened in 1969 in Disneyland , in Anaheim, Calif., where it’s in the “Music-Lovin’ New Orleans Square,” as the park’s website puts it. That’s the site of another fan favorite, the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, which spawned a multibillion-dollar film franchise for Disney. “Haunted Mansion” is unlikely to do the same.

This is the second feature based on the “Mansion” attraction. (A 2021 Halloween special, “Muppet Haunted Mansion,” is streaming on Disney+.) The first film, “ The Haunted Mansion ” (2003), starring Eddie Murphy, was widely panned but made millions. In his review, the New York Times critic Elvis Mitchell wrote that it was “only a matter of time before “‘Parking Lot: The Movie’ and ‘People-Mover: The Motion Picture,’” an observation that feels more true and less funny now that this year has brought us other I.P.-based branding opportunities about all kinds of stuff, including sneakers (“ Air ”), games (“Tetris,” “The Super Mario Bros. Movie”), junk food (“Flamin’ Hot”) and, of course, a doll (a.k.a. “ Barbie ”).

The new “Haunted Mansion” was directed by Justin Simien, whose first feature, “Dear White People” (2014), is an incisive, sharply funny satire about a political firestorm at a college that earned him a lot of attention and led to both a book and a well-received Netflix show of the same title. I hope that Disney paid Simien truckloads of money to direct “Haunted Mansion,” and that he had more fun making it than I had watching it. He keeps things moving along, more or less, and the appealing cast hit their marks, but it’s dispiriting to see him directing what is effectively a feature-length Disney promotion. I hope it’s his last big-studio ad.

It stars LaKeith Stanfield (“Atlanta”), who imbues his generic role — a brainiac with a tragic story and busy tear ducts — with more emotional intensity than the movie calls for, which is its only surprise. His character, Ben, has developed a camera that can take photographs of ghosts, equipment that you’d expect the paranormal investigators in the (non-Disney) Ghostbusters series to have. And, wouldn’t you know it, the screenwriter here, Katie Dippold, also co-wrote the female-led “Ghostbusters” (2016) reboot. Like that movie, “Haunted Mansion” features a ragtag group of likable eccentrics battling digital ghosts, but it’s fright-free and far less funny. It’s all setup and no payoff.

The cast includes Rosario Dawson, whose unwaveringly fixed smile suggests that she decided to just grin and bear it to play Gabbie, a single mother with a predictably cute moppet, Travis (Chase W. Dillon). Gabbie wants to open a bed-and-breakfast in the mansion, which she found on Zillow, one of a number of product brands invoked throughout the movie. (For a cross-promotion stunt, the mansion has been listed on Zillow in the real world.) Also onboard is an oddball priest (Owen Wilson), a ditsy medium (Tiffany Haddish) and an excitable scholar (Danny DeVito). Jamie Lee Curtis pops in, too, for a turn that made me want to rewatch her genuinely scary performance in “The Bear,” a show on the Disney-owned streamer Hulu. I’d watch Curtis in just about anything, including “Parking Lot: The Movie,” which I assume is already in development.

Haunted Mansion Rated PG-13 for very mild ghost action. Running time: 2 hours 2 minutes. In theaters.

Manohla Dargis is the chief film critic of The Times, which she joined in 2004. She has an M.A. in cinema studies from New York University, and her work has been anthologized in several books. More about Manohla Dargis

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THE HAUNTED MANSION

What You Need To Know:

(OOO, AB, H, LL, N, V, A, MM) Very strong occult worldview with anti-Christian and humanist messages about a family trapped in a haunted mansion, with abhorrent theology such as tarot cards playfully used in opening credits, Gypsy medium (headless woman in crystal ball) prophesies and calls up evil spirits, “devil’s curse” forces good ghosts and bad ghosts to walk the grounds eternally, murder plot to kill children’s mother to lift the curse, possession after her death and resurrection by the “good” ghost, belief expressed by main character that “you only go around once, so live full out,” sinister ghost dressed as and takes on role of priest at wedding then threatens others with Purgatory, and evil ghost dragged to Hell by fiery dragon while all other ghosts (good and bad) allowed to go to Heaven (even ghost who jokingly curses); 10 mild obscenities and one strong exclamation of “Oh my God”; often scary, comical violence includes man being thrown out high window and crashing onto his car, fighting with disembodied knights, ghosts, and decaying skeletons crawling from crypts, two women die from poison drinks, man shown suicide-hanging from rafters, man sees a frightful decaying version of himself in mirror, intensely frightening scenes of children being terrorized by scary creatures and spiders, one scene shows spiders all over young boy who has a fear of spiders, ghosts “playfully” being beheaded and shot in head with arrow, and ghosts moving around headless; artwork nudity (both male and female nude drawings) and some kissing; some alcohol use; and, joke makes light of divorce, lying, betrayal, husband rebuked for working too much, son’s language rebuked by dad immediately after father curses.

GENRE: Comedy/Horror

More Detail:

The opening credits of THE HAUNTED MANSION introduce viewers to a little history of a once colorful estate. A foreign woman loves the owner of the house, but mysteriously dies from a poisoned drink. Unable to live without his love, the master hangs himself rather than live without her.

Across town years later, workaholic real estate agent Jim Evers (played by Eddie Murphy) concludes another successful sale in his fast-growing family business. Later that day, he misses an important anniversary dinner because another selling opportunity arises. When his business partner wife, Sara (Marsha Thomason), is summoned to an old estate for a sales consultation, Jim sees a huge windfall coming their way. This frightful HAUNTED MANSION resides in swampy Louisiana and has a massive cemetery for a back yard. The Evers and their two children arrive with a promise from dad that this is “just a 20 minute detour” from their weekend vacation plans.

The family is met by a creepy butler named Ramsley (Terence Stamp) and introduced to mansion owner Master Edward Gracey (Nathaniel Parker). A predictable storm whips up, a swollen river floods their way out, and the Evers family is forced to stay the night in this haunted place.

Master Gracey is more than mesmerized by Sara, because she is a dead-ringer for his dearly departed love. Meanwhile, Jim and the children discover secret passageways in the haunted mansion, good and evil spirits, and a plot to take Sara’s life in order to lift a centuries’ old curse. An evil ghost plans to kill her first so that she can rightfully marry Master Gracey. To rescue Sara from this grave danger, her family must battle frightening creatures, face down their fears, retrieve a key from a crypt, and bring the hidden truth to light. Along the way, the children and dad experience nightmare-inducing hours and learn to face their fears directly. Helping them are “friendly” ghosts and a headless Gypsy medium guiding them from her crystal ball.

Jim’s bravery and determination stops the wedding in time, but fails to prevent Sara’s poisoning and death. An evil ghost of THE HAUNTED MANSION calls on more evil spirits to attack the family, but instead finds himself dragged down to Hell. Then, a good ghost possesses Sara’s dead body, tells Master Gracey the true story, then resurrects Sara. In the end, the “devil’s curse” is broken, and all the remaining lost souls are allowed to ascend to Heaven.

The Disney execs must have sold their own souls to get a PG rating for THE HAUNTED MANSION. Though the language is toned down, the scare-factor of this movie easily exceeds THE PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN (another Disney theme park ride turned blockbuster movie). The movie has high production values, but this mouse-house suffers from plot rot and it should be condemned. The greatest abomination is that this movie is marketed to families and children. The heavy-handed occult worldview, along with the intensely scary scenes of THE HAUNTED MANSION, make this a lousy ride for all.

Please address your comments to:

Michael Eisner, Chairman/CEO

Buena Vista Distribution Co.

(Walt Disney Pictures, Caravan, Hollywood, Miramax, and Touchstone Pictures)

Dick Cook, Chairman

Walt Disney Pictures

500 South Buena Vista Street

Burbank, CA 91521

Phone: (818) 560-1000

Website: www.disney.com

SUMMARY: THE HAUNTED MANSION, based on a theme park ride and starring Eddie Murphy, is about a family trapped overnight in this creepy place and forced to rescue their mother from the clutches of evil ghosts. The heavy-handed occult worldview, along with intensely frightening scenes, make this a lousy ride for all.

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Movieguide encourages parents to avoid ‘haunted mansion’ due to ‘strong occult worldview’.

An organization that serves as a resource for parents seeking to provide their children with faith-based and family-friendly entertainment is urging parents to steer clear of one of Disney’s latest movies because it contains “unbiblical” content that dabbles in the occult.  

Movieguide , a renowned organization that seeks to “cultivate a better media landscape” for children, is warning parents that the newly released Disney movie “Haunted Mansion” is “to be avoided” because of “intentional blasphemy, evil, gross immorality, and/or worldview problems. The review assigned “Haunted Mansion” a rating of “-4,” the lowest possible score on Movieguide’s “ Acceptability Ratings .”

“HAUNTED MANSION has a strong occult worldview and false occult theology,” a Movieguide review of the film states. “This unbiblical content is slightly mitigated by some positive moral, redemptive elements. For instance, it has a strong mother figure in the boy’s mother. However, HAUNTED MANSION’s ending is too occult and unbiblical. Hollywood would do better if it takes a Christian, biblical approach to the supernatural, like the movie NEFARIOUS .”

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The review elaborates on concerns about the movie’s content, specifically highlighting the “strong occult worldview and false theology, with images of ghosts and references to seances and people speaking to the dead.” Throughout the film, “the protagonists defeat the demonic ghost villain and serial killer by tricking him and performing an occult incantation.” According to Movieguide, “The movie has two medium characters and dead people can decide to stay on Earth as friendly ghosts.”

“Theologically, HAUNTED MANSION doesn’t make much sense,” the review added. “It has a strange, false occult worldview whereby some ghosts, or spirits, of dead people, can just hang around the world for as long as they want. Meanwhile, the movie suggests that good spirits go to some occult kind of Heaven, while evil spirits go to some occult kind of Hell.”

The review concludes by explaining that “although the protagonists in HAUNTED MANSION are trying to defeat an evil, demonic villain, they solve the plot problem in the movie’s climax by using occult means and trickery.” It maintains that “like much of the world, Disney has never had a proper biblical theology about ghosts and the occult.”

“As with all sin, dabbling in the occult is rebellion against God and, ultimately, demonic. Horror movies, even comical ones, that don’t link ghosts to demons lead people far astray. The ending to HAUNTED MANSION is just too occult.”

“Haunted Mansion,” a remake of a 2003 movie starring Eddie Murphy, hit theaters July 28. The film features a cast of well-known actors, including Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, Rosario Dawson, Jamie Lee Curtis and Jared Leto.  

Movieguide attributed the movie’s lackluster performance at the box office to concerns about its content. In an Aug. 1 article titled “Disney’s Haunted Mansion Bombs at Box Office Due to Occult Themes,” Movieguide described the film’s opening weekend sales of just over $24 million as “one of the lowest starts among Disney’s live-action remakes or reimaginings of theme park attractions.”

Movieguide’s review of “Haunted Mansion” expressing concern over the demonic aspects of its content and its focus on the occult comes as other films receive a positive reception from the moviegoing public. “ Sound of Freedom ,” produced by Angel Studios, beat the widely anticipated and Hollywood-backed “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” in ticket sales on its July 4 opening day. The independent film has now surpassed $100 million at the box office.

“Haunted Mansion” is not the only Disney production to face pushback by faith-based and conservative organizations and underperformed at the box office for including content that does not meet the definition of “family-friendly.”

Last year, the advocacy group One Million Moms issued an “ urgent warning ” to parents about the animated series “Little Demon.” Produced by the Disney-owned FXX, the series features a plot line involving Satan impregnating a woman who gives birth to an Antichrist daughter.

Last Thanksgiving, “ Strange World ,” an animated movie with a subplot about a gay 16-year-old boy, earned less than $19 million against a $180 million budget on opening weekend. A report from the Financial Times revealed that the Walt Disney Company, Netflix, Comcast and other large media companies lost a combined half-trillion dollars in market value in 2022, suggesting that the embrace of “woke” ideology that alienates those yearning for family-friendly entertainment hurt their bottom line.

Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: [email protected]

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‘Haunted Mansion’: Not just confused but inconsequential

Disney’s ghost-themed film based on the amusement park ride is a boring mess

If you had high expectations for “Haunted Mansion” — the movie based on the Disneyland theme park ride of the same name — I have some bad news. With muddy CGI, far too much story for even its two-hour run time and an emotional heart in cardiac arrest, “Haunted Mansion” simply doesn’t hold together. What should have been a light summer romp is rarely funny, never scary and a boring mess.

The film centers on Ben (LaKeith Stanfield), an astrophysicist turned New Orleans tour guide who is particularly skeptical of ghosts. He’s approached by Father Kent (Owen Wilson) to help single mom Gabbie (Rosario Dawson) and her 9-year-old son Travis (Chase Dillon) with a small problem in their new home: an old manor infested with poltergeists. Persuaded by the promise of $2,000, Ben agrees, taking along a camera said to be able to capture “the ghost particle.” After humoring Gabbie and Travis, Ben goes home, just as convinced that ghosts do not exist as he was before. But it’s not long before the spirits Ben so cavalierly ignored begin to haunt him. He returns to the titular mansion, finding Father Kent, Gabbie and Travis waiting. Eventually, the team recruits a medium (Tiffany Haddish) and a ghost historian (Danny DeVito) to try to rid the place of its many ghoulish inhabitants.

From there, the film loses momentum. Like a Disney ride running on a backup generator, “Haunted Mansion” is a low-energy experience, featuring too many stops and starts to ever keep a viewer’s attention. Despite repeating some names and gags from Disney’s shorter (and superior) “The Haunted Mansion,” the new film is neither a sequel nor a true retread of that 2003 movie, and viewers should feel no need to preface their viewing with the original.

Director Justin Simien (“ Dear White People ”) seems to have taken inspiration from Tobe Hooper’s “ Poltergeist .” (This was equally true of Simien’s “ Bad Hair ”). The filmmaker uses similar setups and camera tricks to reference the 1982 masterpiece of PG-rated horror. It’s not a bad idea. Tasked with adapting family-friendly scares into a widely appealing film, “Poltergeist” is an understandable touchstone. But Simien hasn’t mastered the tonal juggling act here: “Poltergeist” was both funny and scary; “Haunted Mansion” is neither. While Hooper’s film used the suburban California setting to critique consumerism and the promise of early Reagan-era America, Simien’s film plays like an extended advertisement for an amusement park attraction.

And isn’t that what it really is?

Needless to say, “Haunted Mansion” isn’t the only ride Disney has tried to spin off into a motion picture. 2003’s “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” spawned four sequels (for now), creating what’s widely regarded as one of the better modern film franchises. Brad Bird’s “ Tomorrowland ” was a less successful attempt at creating franchise entertainment. More recently, “ Jungle Cruise ” tried to capitalize on not only the success of the Disney brand, but also the star power of Dwayne Johnson.

This latest effort is not all bad. DeVito’s professor makes for a nice wild card, energizing the film at its slowest points. (You’ll breathe a sigh of relief whenever he’s on-screen.) The film is also highlighted by several comedic cameos; those scenes change the tone of the film and shift the focus away from a below-average main story. While they are ultimately just diversions, you won’t really mind.

Here’s the bigger problem: Who is “Haunted Mansion” for? It’s too dark for a family film, too weightless and juvenile for grown-ups. In a season notable for high-level action spectacle and important auteur projects , “Haunted Mansion” is not just confused but inconsequential.

PG-13. At area theaters. Contains some mature thematic elements and scary action. 122 minutes.

Haunted Mansion Review

In 2003, Disney proved they could make a hit movie based on one of their theme-park rides with the first  Pirates Of The Caribbean . They followed up with an Eddie Murphy vehicle (remember them?) based on another Disneyland attraction,  The Haunted Mansion . That scared up reasonable business but didn’t become a major film franchise.

Twenty years on, ignoring the warning bells sounded by big-ticket items like  Tomorrowland  and  Jungle Cruise , Disney greenlit this  Haunted Mansion , which is neither a sequel nor a remake but throws together the same set of ingredients. Talented cast, CGI phantasms all over the show, open-mouthed comedy, Easter eggs for theme-park obsessives, needlessly complicated supernatural mystery, and an air of being in too much of a hurry to deliver on a promise of shivers.

Haunted Mansion  is the sort of watchable product which fills out streaming services – though in that category it’s less fresh than Christopher Landon’s recent Netflix offering  We Have A Ghost ,  and on Disney+ rubs shoulders with deep backlist titles like  Blackbeard’s Ghost  or  The Gnome-Mobile . Director Justin Simien made the smart indie satire  Dear White People  and followed up with a pointed hip-hop fable about vampire hair extensions called  Bad Hair . He’s a canny choice to step up to mainstream studio directing, but it’s a shame he doesn’t get chewier material to work with. Katie Dippold (of  The Heat  and the 2016  Ghostbusters  reboot) assembles a script as if deluged with notes about the plot beats which had to be included and the trick effects from the Disneyland original which couldn’t be left out.

Rosario Dawson inherits the Eddie Murphy role but is sorely underused in a regulation Mom part.

Well-acted but rote talks about grief and ‘moving on’ are layered between scenes of Danny DeVito prowling haunted corridors in his underwear or Tiffany Haddish screaming as a haunted chair tips her into mud. LaKeith Stanfield plays a troubled hero with a low-key, likeable intensity, which is admirable — but less on point than Owen Wilson’s usual spacey act (he’s a failed exorcist) and Haddish’s spieling as an overconfident medium.

As the owner of the haunted mansion, Rosario Dawson inherits the Eddie Murphy role but is sorely underused in a regulation Mom part. As Madame Leota, Jamie Lee Curtis earns bonus points for one astonishing silent-movie-star outfit but is mostly stuck in a crystal ball as a disembodied head – and fails to match Jennifer Tilly’s reading of the role (the most memorable thing in the 2003 film). Jared Leto’s Morbius cheekbones get a CGI workover so he can play a head in a hatbox big bad. The funhouse illusion of corridors becoming impossible geometries is spun out via CGI, which doesn’t dispel a feeling that we’ve been here before and aren’t as spooked this time round.

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Disney's Haunted Mansion Features 'Strong Occult Worldview,' Movieguide Warns

• Milton Quintanilla CrosswalkHeadlines Contributor
• Updated Aug 09, 2023

Movieguide, a faith-based family entertainment organization, is warning parents to avoid the latest Disney film, Haunted Mansion, due to its “unbiblical” content that deals with the occult.

The film, released on July 23, is a remake of a 2003 movie starring Eddie Murphy, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, Rosario Dawson, Jamie Lee Curtis and Jared Leto.

“HAUNTED MANSION has a strong occult worldview and false occult theology,” a Movieguide review of the film states. “This unbiblical content is slightly mitigated by some positive moral, redemptive elements. For instance, it has a strong mother figure in the boy’s mother. However, HAUNTED MANSION’s ending is too occult and unbiblical. Hollywood would do better if it takes a Christian, biblical approach to the supernatural, like the movie NEFARIOUS.”

As reported by The Christian Post , the review argues that the movie features a “strong occult worldview and false theology, with images of ghosts and references to seances and people speaking to the dead.”

As the film progresses, “the protagonists defeat the demonic ghost villain and serial killer by tricking him and performing an occult incantation. The movie has two medium characters, and dead people can decide to stay on Earth as friendly ghosts.

“Although the protagonists in HAUNTED MANSION are trying to defeat an evil, demonic villain, they solve the plot problem in the movie’s climax by using occult means and trickery,” Movieguide concluded. “Like much of the world, Disney has never had a proper biblical theology about ghosts and the occult.”

Overall, Movieguide gave Haunted Mansion a “-4” rating, the lowest possible score on Movieguide’s “ Acceptability Ratings ” chart, and told readers that Haunted Mansion is “to be avoided” because of “intentional blasphemy , evil, gross immorality, and/or worldview problems.”

In an article published on August 1, Movieguide argued that Haunted Mansion ’s lackluster performance at the box office had to do with its content. On opening weekend, the film made just over $24 million, which Movieguide described as “one of the lowest starts among Disney’s live-action remakes or reimaginings of theme park attractions.”

Photo courtesy: ©Disney, used with permission.

Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for CrosswalkHeadlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.

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Haunted Mansion

Overall Score

Rating overview, rating summary.

Based on the Disneyland ride of the same name, this Haunted Mansion is the second adaptation of the half-century-old attraction.

Set on the outskirts of New Orleans, mother and son duo Gabbie and Travis and an ever-expanding cast of characters find themselves at the center of a hundreds-year-old mystery, a mystery they must solve. For if they do not, one of them will become the next permanent resident of the Haunted Mansion.

Rosario Dawson stars as Gabbie, a medical professional and recently single mother trying to get a fresh start with her son. Dawson, always a capable performer, does about as much as one can with her character. Like the rest of the cast, she has to contend with vanilla and pedestrian dialogue as her character navigates a story of endless clichés that feels as preprogrammed as the ride for which it is named. That being said, she seems to never fully commit to the role.

There’s very little sense of visible panic for her 9-year-old son when he’s repeatedly placed in life-and-death situations. Rather, she reacts much the same as she does when having difficulty making breakfast in another scene. Her character’s stoicism is such that, in one particular instance, she calmly reminds her son to fasten his seat belt before they speed away after their first “terrified” confrontation with the undead. Marcus Aurelius would be proud.

However, virtually all of the known performers are muted versions of what we’ve seen in other pieces. Owen Wilson plays Owen Wilson without the pizzaz, and Danny DeVito plays a less casaba-banging variation of his It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia character. Still, muted reactions could very well have been a conscious decision on the part of the filmmakers to help keep the film from being too frightening for its intended audience.

Along those lines, while Haunted Mansion is in no danger of keeping adults up at night, it largely foregoes its 2003 predecessor’s farcicality (though it does try and fail at comedy on multiple occasions). Instead, it leans much more heavily into horror and to much greater effect, offering up one or two moderately impactful, if telegraphed and unoriginal, jump scares.

The studio’s sanitized and safe approach is evident in every scene, bit of dialogue, and plot point. Whereas movies like 1990’s Witches benefited from risk-takers like Jim Henson (producer), 2023’s Haunted Mansion feels very much as though it was written by 2016’s Lady-Ghostbuster’s Katie Dippold (it was), focused-grouped, punched up by a room full of writers, rinsed and repeated.

All in all, Haunted Mansion isn’t a terrible film. The action is serviceable even with its sporadic and awkward attempts to squeeze a three-dimensional block into a two-dimensional hole with LaKeith Stanfield’s character Ben’s unnecessary and momentum-killing backstory flashbacks. The plot (which isn’t revealed until almost an hour in), performances, and dialogue, while predictable and clichéd, are mostly sufficient to keep you from playing World Series of Poker on your phone while your kids enjoy the movie.  At least it has a plot, unlike this summer’s inexplicable hit, Barbie .

INAPPROPRIATE ELEMENTS FOR CHILDREN in HAUNTED MANSION

• This is a movie only appropriate for a very select age group. The plentiful scares are too frightening for the very young yet too unremarkable and immature for anyone over the age of 12.
• There are a handful of times in which God’s name is used in vain (ex: “my God,” “oh God,” etc.).

WOKE ELEMENTS

Earning the movie back some non-woke points, one of its key plot devices is dependent on the implicitly understood and explicitly stated importance of having a stable and loving father in the home.

Also, I didn’t ding it for the “diverse” nature of the bulk of its main cast for a good reason: It’s not based on a work of fiction with long-established caucasian characters that have been DEI swapped (unlike The Little Mermaid and the upcoming Snow White).

• Christianity is repeatedly used as a joke (to the point of out-and-out blasphemy) and is impotent in the face of evil, while conversely, science and black magic are shown to be good, true, and effective against the undead.
• Every white person is either an evil ghost, a con man, or a goofball, while every person of color is thoughtful, a genius, or yet to realize their full and tremendous potential.
• The primary antagonist is a ghost with the last name Crump and while he is likely named after the last living Imagineer to have worked on the original Disney ride, Rolly Crump, it is no small coincidence that the father of the ghost whose last name happens to rhyme with a particular former American president reviled by the Hollywood Left was an evil and heartless real estate tycoon whose love of money in conjunction with his mental and emotional abuse drove Allistor to even greater heights of evil. Dippold’s arm must still be sore from patting herself on the back for that one.
• One of the main characters who happens to be black makes a crack about never having thought that he would ever say “call the police.” Do you get it? All police officers are racist. Hilarious.

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James Carrick

James Carrick is a passionate film enthusiast with a degree in theater and philosophy. James approaches dramatic criticism from a philosophic foundation grounded in aesthetics and ethics, offering insight and analysis that reveals layers of cinematic narrative with a touch of irreverence and a dash of snark.

The Witcher (season3 vol 2)

Teenage mutant ninja turtles: mutant mayhem, 21 comments.

July 31, 2023 at 9:43 am

Hey Man, I just wanted to say how grateful I am for this site! I’ve been thinking about a site kinda like this for a long time! PluggedIn can sometimes be a good resource, but they can kinda be squishes (or at least bamboozled) on feminist messaging and the like.

July 31, 2023 at 2:07 pm

I agree with Plugged In. However, they’re still a reliable review site.

This is weird

October 6, 2023 at 2:00 am

You need some one to tell you something is woke. 😂 This website has to be the most LGBTQ thing I’ve seen around,

August 2, 2023 at 9:55 am

I’m so glad something like this has finally been created. We’re constantly Googling new movies to see how many woke check boxes they’re going to have, and often it is quite a few scrolls later until we can find an honest review.

What I like about this site is you list the woke elements instead of just calling woke, which really helps to decide if we’re going to skip it or ignore the woke and enjoy the mindless entertainment.

We’re probably going to take the kids to see this one.

Thanks for the work you’re doing and suffering through some of the most ignorant/ brain dead garbage so we don’t have to.

Matt Zielke

August 2, 2023 at 1:03 pm

Love the site!! I think you are stretching it a bit with the Crump Trump comparison though, I know you acknowlege t 2 other characters are named after Imagineers, and another 2 were named after the same characters in the ride which we also named after Imagineers…

August 2, 2023 at 1:18 pm

My gut says that Katie Dippold was told to name the bad guy after the Imagineer, and she decided that, since the character was an evil rich white man, she’d have a little “fun” with it and make his father a Trump allusion.

In fairness, I only marked the non-wokeness score down half a point for it.

August 15, 2023 at 8:00 pm

Love the Trump. Great website.

August 2, 2023 at 4:55 pm

Well, this film sounds instantly forgettable. Thanks for the great review!

ChoketheWoke

August 4, 2023 at 12:05 am

It’s Woke. Directed by a DEI hire, who got the job because he’s black, gay and hates white people.

That’s too damn Woke for me.

August 4, 2023 at 9:36 pm

There’s also a small jab from Keith Stanfields character about police officers, you should add that to the woke tally

August 4, 2023 at 10:55 pm

100%. You’re right. Forgot about that.

August 5, 2023 at 1:48 pm

I love this site, and generally agree with the reviews of the movies that I’ve seen. My wife and I did like this movie, shortcomings aside, and didn’t find it overly woke to the point we couldn’t enjoy it. It did seem to emphasize the importance of a traditional family, something sadly missing in most modern movies. As for downplaying the power of Christianity, that is true of nearly every ghost story, or they wouldn’t have a story. At least the characters gave Owen some measure of respect when they thought he was a priest. And at the end, the main character didn’t give in to a very strong temptation to embrace the dark side, a noble Christian concept. I’ll admit my bar may be set low after the many years of left-wing trash being pushed in movies and shows, so something that isn’t too overt is at least a step in the right direction.

August 8, 2023 at 1:37 pm

“Haunted Mansion” 2023 is completely forgettable–actually forgot I watched it last week. This movie is labelled as a horror/comedy but comes off as neither. You’re infinitely better off watching “The Haunted Mansion” 2003 starring Eddie Murphy.

This pointless remake features a bloated cast (there honestly aren’t that many actors, yet only half of them are relevant) and a plot that meanders to an unsatisfying close long after you’ve stopped paying attention. While the mansion is haunted, there’s no charm to it (see the colourful excess of the 2003 movie) and precious little time is actually spent in the house, aka the suppposed star of the film. The characters are bland and only Owen Wilson and Tiffany Haddish show a spark of personality (but I think they just play themselves), and the Hatbox Ghost’s goals are easily forgotten. Was honestly hoping to see more of the Attic Bride, but oh well. Finally, you’re supposed to feel for the main characters’ tragic backstories, but everyone is so poorly written they can’t earn your interest, much less your sympathy.

Being forced back to the mansion because the ghosts haunt you wherever you are is an interesting idea, but it just comes across as a reason to spend more money skipping arbitarily between locations. CGI is used haphazardly and artlessly, lighting is the standard ugly “natural” gray no matter where you are in the movie, and the “climax” of the film features everyone standing around in front of a greenscreen talking.

Also please tell me in what world a poor single mother with a young son can scrape up enough money to buy a dilapidated mansion in the middle of nowhere Louisiana with serious plans to create a successful and profitable B&B? That’s some Hallmark movie logic that is undeserved and basically irrelevant in this messy story.

Again I say: watch the 2003 version instead. It has its failings but you’ll enjoy it much more.

October 5, 2023 at 9:29 am

I wouldn’t consider a Doctor who typically makes 6 figures “poor”.

Willie Fidler

August 9, 2023 at 1:39 pm

England is not a communist country. I wish braindead Americans would stop commenting on things they obviously know nothing about

August 13, 2023 at 2:00 am

I found it interesting they spent good 30 seconds showing his half covered black power fist tattoo on his chest.

August 13, 2023 at 5:37 pm

I honestly have no memory of that. Otherwise, I definitely would have mentioned it. But that’s why we keep the comments open.

September 23, 2023 at 6:06 pm

“…the father of the ghost whose last name happens to rhyme with a particular former American president…” Let’s state the obvious. You are paranoid.

October 5, 2023 at 9:34 am

Gods name is not “God” there are many “god’s. His name is Yahweh or Jehovah (Exodus 6:2-3 And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the Lord: And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name Jehovah was I not known to them.) Nobody says Oh My Jehovah. But people will say anything to fit their narrative. There’s no reason that any show or movie should “ding” for Diversity. I wonder if diversity would be a cause of concern for Jesus 🤔 there is no Christianity in this movie. There is though a Catholic “priest” who really isn’t a priest. Father Kent. There’s OBVIOUSLY going to be black magic in a movie called Haunted Mansion. It’s obviously not a Christian movie thus it won’t show the religion as useful in it. No point in getting into the racism of what race is what when there’s never ANY mention of people of color being portrayed as thugs, murderers, gang affiliates etc. boohoo their portrayed as geniuses or people with tremendous potential here. How dare they!!! Too bad that Rolly Crump’s last name is Crump. If it rhymes with Trump oh well🤷🏼‍♀️ it’s a fact that NOBODY would want to call the police. But like I said, people will say/see anything that fits their narrative.

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Hitchhiking ghosts come out to socialize (and terrorize) in full Haunted Mansion trailer

"We got down to the point where we were obsessing over the angle you first see the mansion when you walk onto the ride in Disneyland," director Justin Simien tells EW of translating the ride to film.

There's always "room for one more" happy haunt in director Justin Simien 's Haunted Mansion film, and it could be you.

Disney unveiled Tuesday the first full-length trailer for the Dear White People creator's movie adaptation of the beloved Disneyland ride, and the extended preview suggests that the film is just as entertaining (and slightly horrifying) as the experience it's based on.

The film follows Rosario Dawson as a single mother who moves herself into a New Orleans manor, only to realize it's infested with spiritual squatters. She enlists a team of paranormal experts ( LaKeith Stanfield , Owen Wilson , Tiffany Haddish , Jamie Lee Curtis ) to help get rid of them, but they put up a menacing fight.

In the new preview, Dawson and her crew confront the inhabitants of the house, including a particularly harrowing run-in with Jared Leto 's Hatbox Ghost. Also spotted: a doom buggy and the trio of hitchhiking ghosts that appear inside riders' vehicles near the end of the ride at both Disneyland and Disney World .

Simien previously told EW that Leto's take on the fan-favorite Hatbox Ghost ride animatronic is a "menacing and terrifying" interpretation of the storied character .

"We got down to the point where we were obsessing over the angle you first see the mansion when you walk onto the ride in Disneyland, when we see it through the gates and we see the pillars," he explains of framing the physical set for the film. "That angle has to hit. That's how specific we were. When you first glide through the dining hall and you see the waltzing dancers, that angle had to be right, because that's the one where you gasp on the ride."

Haunted Mansion — also starring Danny Devito , Dan Levy , and Winona Ryder — releases July 28 in theaters. Watch the full trailer above.

Sign up for Entertainment Weekly 's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.

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Is Haunted Mansion Appropriate for Kids? - Movie Review

N ot only did we send our writer, Movie Myla to review this film, but my daughter and I will also be seeing this together! Are you wanting to know if you should take your entire family to the movie? We did too so we asked Movie Myla, “Is Haunted Mansion Appropriate for Kids?” She answered! This post contains affiliate links.

If you are a regular reader of our blog and also in my city, we gave away over 100 tickets to see the movie before anyone else during our Haunted Mansion Advance Screening , so be sure to check local reviews.

Be sure if you also read our list of the best Haunted Mansion Movie Quotes .

Is Haunted Mansion Appropriate for Kids?

Like the rides at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, Disney’s Haunted Mansion is appropriate for all ages.  There are some jump scares and scary elements, but it could be argued that it is actually less scary than the ride.  Just remember that just because kids CAN see it, doesn’t mean that all children should.   Kids who scare easily should maybe sit this one out.  It is rated PG-13 for scary action.  The child in the movie is 9 years old, so maybe that would be a good rule for age appropriateness. 

What is Haunted Mansion About?

This isn’t a remake or a sequel to the 2003 movie of the same name.  The new movie is about a single mom (Rosario Dawson) and her young son (Chase Dillon) who move into a house outside of New Orleans.  While trying to make the house into a bed and breakfast, they find the house to be haunted by many spirits and phantom beings.  They enlist Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, Tiffany Haddish, and the always wonderful LaKeith Stanfield for help.

Will Kids Actually Want to See Haunted Mansion?

Kids will definitely want to see Disney’s Haunted Mansion.  It’s fun and fast and very entertaining.  The film is very much like being on a ride in one of the theme parks (without the long lines, of course).  You do not have to be this tall to ride this Haunted Mansion.

There are several jump scares and flashing lights. If your child is sensitive to these you might want to reconsider. 

The movie is rated PG-13 for the fact it is scary-ish and also because of the theatrical effects.

Will Adults Want to See Haunted Mansion?

The movie is very entertaining for adults as well (especially for those who love the original ride).  It also gets to the heart of why something is actually haunted.  This movie deals with death and grieving in a way that is not horribly overwhelming for children.  This movie would make a good jumping-off point for adults to talk to the younger generation about death. 

Is the movie too long for kids?

The movie is only two hours and three minutes you might need a potty break.

Is Haunted Mansion Controversial?

No. The movie is fiction.  

About the movie:

When single mom Gabby (Rosario Dawson from The Book of Boba Fett) and her son move into an oddly affordable New Orleans mansion, they realize they’ve gotten much more than they bargained for. Desperate for help, they contact a priest ( Owen Wilson  from  Loki ) who, in turn, enlists the aid of a widowed scientist-turned-paranormal-expert, a French Quarter psychic (Tiffany Haddish from Girls Trip), and a crotchety historian (Danny DeVito from  Jumanji: The Next Level ) to help exorcise the mansion.

Watch the trailer:

When is the release date.

 It is July 28th! 

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Where to Watch 'Haunted Mansion': Showtimes and Disney+ Release Date

"This mansion is unhinged."

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Featuring an all-star cast, Haunted Mansion is a much-awaited supernatural horror comedy that hit the big screen this summer. Based on the popular Disney Park ride by Walt Disney, the movie follows a mother and her young son as they settle into their new home: a sprawling, gothic-style mansion, which just so happens to be haunted by a group of terrifying, undead ghouls. Determined to destroy the ghosts once and for all, the family hires a quirky group of helpers to assist them in their mission. Joined by a paranormal investigator, a priest, a psychic, and a history professor, Gabbie and her son Travis take on a hair-raising yet hilarious battle with the spirits that torment their home. As one of the most anticipated releases of the year , Haunted Mansion is a must-watch for fans of the ride and spooky comedies in general, which is why we at Collider have put together this helpful guide about when and where you can watch the movie.

The cast includes Rosario Dawson and Chase Dillon as Gabbie and her son Travis, LaKeith Stanfield as the paranormal investigator Ben Matthias, Owen Wilson as Priest Kent, Tiffany Haddish as psychic Harriet, and Hollywood icon Danny DeVito as college history professor Bruce. Two Oscar-winning actors are taking on some of the iconic roles from the ride with Jamie Lee Curtis playing Madame Leota, and Jared Leto playing the Hatbox Ghost. Keep reading to find out how to watch Haunted Mansion .

Editor's Note: This article was updated on October 4.

Haunted Mansion

Despite a few scheduling changes, Haunted Mansion was finally released on July 28, 2023. Fans in different parts of the world had to wait a little longer though as Haunted Mansion was given a staggered release across the globe, with the movie landing in the United Kingdom and Canada on August 11, 2023, and coming to Japan on September 1, 2023.

Haunted Mansion is now streaming on Disney+, just in time for spooky season. Disney+ is home to many classic favorites and Hollywood blockbusters , with plans starting at $7.99 per month.

Watch on Disney+

Jamie Lee Curtis Says 'Haunted Mansion' Hits "Sweet Spot" of Scary and Funny

Unfortunately, Haunted Mansion is no longer available in theaters, so you're only option is to watch it via a physical release or through digital and streaming.

Walt Disney Studios released a trailer for Haunted Mansion on their official YouTube channel on May 16, 2023. The video currently sits at around 1.5 million views and begins with the paranormal investigator Ben arriving at Gabbie and Travis' mansion. Before he crosses the threshold, Gabbie warns Ben that entering the house in question could change the course of his entire life. Ben assures Gabbie that he isn't afraid of a couple of ghosts - however, he quickly realizes he may have spoken too soon. Throughout the trailer, we see brief clips of some of the ghosts adapted from The Haunted Mansion ride attraction; the axe-murdering bride, the Hatbox Ghost, and Madame Leota. The final scene of the trailer shows Danny DeVito as Bruce and LaKeith Stanfield as Ben at their comedic best as they describe a "mugging" by one of the ghosts to a perplexed detective. It's clear to see that as well as bringing the scares, Haunted Mansion is set to be laugh-out-loud funny.

Rosario Dawson and Owen Wilson Explore the 'Haunted Mansion' in New Image

Haunted Mansion is a big-screen adaptation of the ride attraction The Haunted Mansion, which has locations in Disneyland in California, Magic Kingdom in Florida, and Tokyo Disneyland. Although experiences differ depending on location, the premise is the same: guests must make their way through the spooky mansion which is haunted by a group of undead beings. Additionally, 2023's Haunted Mansion movie adaptation is not the first of its kind. Directed by Rob Minkoff , the first adaptation titled The Haunted Mansion was released in 2003, and stars actors Eddie Murphy and Jennifer Tilly .

The Haunted Mansion (2003) - Differing from the premise of the upcoming 2023 adaptation, The Haunted Mansion follows husband and wife Jim (Eddie Murphy) and Sara Evers ( Marsha Thomason ) and their two children. When workaholic Jim misses an important anniversary, he attempts to make amends by taking his family on a vacation. Soon, Jim and Sara find what they believe to be the perfect vacation spot: Gracey Manor, located at a nearby lake. Together, the family travels to the manor to scope it out and meet the owner ( Nathaniel Parker ), but when a rainstorm leaves them unable to travel home, the Evers experience a night they'll never forget.

Hocus Pocus (1993) - Set in Salem, Massachusetts, Hocus Pocus begins on Halloween night in 1693, with Thackery Binx ( Sean Murray ) witnessing the kidnapping of his younger sister. The three witches responsible for the kidnapping, Winifred ( Bette Midler ), Sarah ( Sarah Jessica Parker ), and Mary Sanderson ( Kathy Najimy ), transform Thackery into an immortal black cat, cursing him to live with an eternity of grief and guilt. Three hundred years later, on Halloween night 1993, teenager Max Dennison ( Omri Katz ) and his sister Dani ( Thora Birch ) meet up with Max's crush Allison ( Vinessa Shaw ) whilst out trick or treating. The three decide to visit the legendary Sanderson sisters' former cottage, where Max accidentally resurrects the witches, and sets them loose upon the people of Salem. A sequel to Hocus Pocus was released on Disney+ last fall.

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Disney's Haunted Mansion remake already looks to be improving on the Eddie Murphy movie from 2003. Based on everything we know about the Haunted Mansion reboot , Justin Simien's spooky tale is based on Disney's creepiest attraction and follows Gabbie (Rosario Dawson), her son Travis (Chase Dillon), a psychic (Tiffany Haddish) and a crew of paranormal pals with the star power of Jamie Lee Curtis, Jared Leto, Danny DeVito, Dan Levy, and more as they rid her home of ghosts. More recently, the House of Mouse has been focusing on live-action remakes of their animated classics, but their Disney theme park rides have always provided a wellspring of creative inspiration.

As evidenced by the Jungle Cruise movie and of course, the popular Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Disney fans love the chance to see their favorite rides brought to life with compelling narratives, but the 2003 Eddie Murphy movie failed to live up to expectations. In the Haunted Mansion trailer , it's clear that Disney has put a lot of effort into capturing the magic and mayhem of one of its most beloved attractions. If it does well, and rumors of a new Tower of Terror movie are true, it could kick off a Disney Parks Cinematic Universe.

10 Haunted Mansion Leans Further Into Horror Elements Than Eddie Murphy’s Movie

Given Eddie Murphy's roots in comedy, it's not surprising that his Haunted Mansion leaned into a humorous tone rather than being very scary, and while the Disney ride certainly has its own jocularity, it's not one punchline after another. The new movie is a refreshing return to the ride's roots with a few classic horror elements like wandering alone down dim hallways and jump scares involving ghosts in mirrors that make it feel creepy and sinister. The eerie soundtrack (including a version of the ride's theme song "Grim Grinning Ghosts"), ubiquitous candlelight, and the feeling of being watched by unseen specters only add to the underlying sense of dread.

9 The New Haunted Mansion Is Less Reliant On Comedy

Eddie Murphy's Haunted Mansion felt like a vehicle for the star to flex his comedic muscles, and since it was made around the same time as Dr. DoLittle and his other family-friendly films, it had a similar vibe. The new movie is much less reliant on comedy, with the trailer highlighting a few amusing quips here and there from LaKeith Stanfield, Owen Wilson, and Danny DeVito without slapstick gags in every other scene. Preventing a joke from punctuating every scary scene helps maintain the tension and the concept of the ride's original designers Marc Davis and Claude Coats, which included both foreboding and mischievous entertainment.

8 Owen Wilson’s Character Better Adapts The Ghost Host’s Humor

In the ride, the Ghost Host is responsible for a lot of the humor, with puns and one-liners meant to cause giggles and shivers alike. The Ghost Host in the trailer is much more sinister sounding, leaving Owen Wilson's priest to fill in the gap. The Ghost Host narrates all the ride's scariest stuff with dark humor, and it seems like Wilson's character is present to make commentary on what's happening around the group. As long as his lines (and anyone else's) don't have the side effect of making everything seem safe, the new Haunted Mansion movie can maintain its momentum just like the ride.

7 The New Haunted Mansion Digs Deeper Into The Gothic Aesthetic

From taking place near swamp land to the Spanish moss draping over the eaves and overgrown weeds in the yard, there's a distinctly Southern Gothic aesthetic to the haunted mansion itself. Given that the ride is situated in New Orleans Square in Disneyland, it makes sense that it would pay homage to the stately homes of antebellum Louisiana. The entire set bursts with candelabras, ornate chandeliers covered in cobwebs, towering floor mirrors, gallery walls, and other elements in dark hues that add to its gothic appeal, as opposed to the bright color palette used in the Eddie Murphy movie.

RELATED: The 10 Best Haunted Mansion Movies, According To Reddit

6 Hattie The Hatbox Ghost Is More Accurate To The Haunted Mansion Ride

The Hatbox Ghost, or "Hattie" as he's affectionately called by Disney fans, was originally part of the Haunted Mansion ride when it opened in 1969, but the spirit's head wasn't convincing enough, so he was removed until 2015. Eddie Murphy's movie featured a substitute character for Hattie, but he's back with a vengeance in the new movie and looks accurate to the original character. A fun gag involving a sketch artist drawing his likeness at a police station gives a little nod to how the character came into being in the first place.

5 Danny DeVito’s Character Seemingly Links Another Disney Theme Park Franchise

Of the ragtag group of misfits that help Gabbie (Dawson) and her son, Danny DeVito's character looks to be a professorial type that could allude to the Society of Explorers and Adventures. SEA is a group that links several of the Disney parks rides together, including The Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, Indiana Jones, and more. SEA was name-dropped in the Jungle Cruise movie, and if it's mentioned in Haunted Mansion , then it could lend more credence to Disney's plans for an interconnected universe of movies based on its theme park rides.

RELATED: The Haunted Mansion Cast & Character Guide: Who Plays Who In The Disney Park Ride Reboot

4 The New Haunted Mansion Has Better Practical Effects

The '00s were full of films capitalizing on the creative innovation of CGI, and Eddie Murphy's Haunted Mansion movie really utilized them to the fullest extent, for better or worse. 2023's Haunted Mansion seems to not only have superior CGI visual effects but an increased amount of practical effects, creating a happy blend of the two. The Haunted Mansion ride has remained timeless thanks to its blending of old and modern technology, from 1800s theatrical techniques using multiple mirrors and projection mapping effects to digital graphics, and the new movie seems to reflect that amalgamation.

3 New Haunted Mansion’s Locations Are More Faithful To The Ride

Fans of the Haunted Mansion ride will be excited to see all their favorite locations brought faithfully to life, including the Séance Room with Madame Leota (Lee-Curtis), and the Stretching Room from the walk-through portion of the attraction. In the Haunted Mansion trailer, eagle-eyed fans may spot the Hatbox Ghost even taking all the doors and windows out of the Stretching Room just like in the line from the ride, "This chamber has no windows and no doors." The attention to detail with the set design really helps transport fans directly into the ride and almost makes it seem like they're experiencing it all over again.

2 New Haunted Mansion’s Ghosts Are Far More Terrifying Than Eddie Murphy’s Movie

Rather than keep the generic bride character from when the ride first opened in 1969, Constance Hatchaway, a serial killer who married men and killed them for their wealth was added to The Haunted Mansion in 2006. She can be seen terrorizing the cast several times in the new movie's trailer, particularly LaKeith Stanfield as he goes wandering around the house alone. Along with Constance, Hattie, and the Hitchhiking Ghosts, the other spirits seen in the trailer look infinitely more terrifying than in the Eddie Murphy version, where most of the spirits were cartoonish.

1 Haunted Mansion Adapts More Theme Park Lore Than Eddie Murphy’s Version

While the Eddie Murphy movie did incorporate some unused visual elements from the original ride that never made it into the finished concept in 1969, the new movie looks to be adapting more of the theme park lore in unexpected ways. In the trailer, there's a scene featuring a car driving backward in reference to an unused portion of the ride when a Doom Buggie encountered the bride (not yet renamed as Constance) and got pulled out a window and down into the cemetery. Little references to Disney theme park lore will have fans hunting Haunted Mansion for Easter eggs while they watch it from between their fingers!

Key Release Dates

The haunted mansion.

• The Haunted Mansion (2003)