Good news for all the happy haunts out there: Disney’s upcoming Haunted Mansion movie is progressing brilliantly, according to Jamie Lee Curtis. In an exclusive interview with Entertainment Weekly. Curtis praised how well director Justin Simien has managed to balance what she calls the “sweet spot of scary, funny and adventure.” The movie’s production is moving along steadily, ahead of its release date of August 11th in the United States.
Of the progress, Curtis said: “You know, it's cooking. I barely cook, I attempt cooking all the time, and it's all ingredients, and then the mix and the time, and it's always hard to know, are you going to make something yummy? And from what I'm seeing, and what I've heard, Justin has made something yummy."
The Halloween actress was not able to elaborate much on the story beyond that. But she was able to provide some other teasing insights into the movie. "It's modern, fresh, old-fashioned, and scary, but not scary like a monster movie. It's scary like a Disney ride, and funny. If you go on that ride, there's a lot of humor as well as the scary, ghost-y stuff." She also had nothing but praise for the work of the film's costume designer Jeffrey Kurland, describing his work as some of the most beautiful she has ever worn.
Originally written by Guillermo Del-Toro, Katie Dippold was hired to write a new screenplay following fears his script was too inappropriate for family audiences. Based upon Disney’s theme park ride of the same name, Justin Simiene was hired to direct the project in July 2021. The film is set to be produced by Dan Lin and Johnathon Eirick. Curtis is to be joined by a star-studded cast, including Dawson, LaKeith Stanfield, Owen Wilson, Winona Ryder, Jared Leto and Danny DeVito. Disney’s previous attempt to make a film based upon the ride starred Eddie Murphy and was released back in 2003. Previously scheduled for a March 10th release date, the movie was delayed. It is unknown whether it will receive a theatrical release.
Haunted Mansion will be released on August 11th, 2023. Check out the trailer for the original movie below: