Not far from the actual Haunted Mansion ride in Disneyland, Disney fans got their first look at the ghoulish new trailer for The Haunted Mansion at D23. Directed by Justin Simien (Dear White People, Bad Hair) and written by Katie Dippold (The Heat, Ghostbusters), the film follows a single mom named Gabbie, played by Rosario Dawson, who purchases a suspiciously affordable mansion for her and her son in New Orleans. Of course, even in a housing market like today, an incredibly affordable mansion means it's either the fixer upper of the century, or... it's haunted.

It doesn't take long for Gabbie to realize that her time in the Big Easy is not going to be easy at all. She enlists the help of a priest played by Owen Wilson, a psychic played by Tiffany Haddish, a historian played by Danny DeVito, and a paranormal expert played by Lakeith Stanfield to deal with the house. In the trailer shown at D23, we got a first look inside the titular haunted mansion and lovers of the theme park ride will spot a few familiar faces. From the pictures that show a disappearing spouse to familiar ghosts and séance rooms, visually, we are instantly drawn back to the iconic, spooky Disney ride.

In the trailer, we learn that the mansion appeared fully built after a fire in 1788. There were paranormal attacks, explosions, and yellow fever, to name just a few tragedies. The house itself is full of hidden secrets and a hidden chamber that we see our heroes enter. The group investigating the house feels reminiscent of the game Clue. And while there are definitely creepy moments in the trailer, it feels a lot like a mystery with splashes of humor.

haunted-mansion-disney
Image via Disney

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The main cast is instantly recognizable in their own distinct costumes with Wilson's character and Stanfield's character prominently featured in the trailer. But, they are not the only recognizable faces. Cameos from actors like Winona Ryder, Hasan Minhaj, and Dan Levy appear throughout the trailer, with Simien adding that the movie will feature Jared Leto as the Hatbox Ghost. The film will feature the familiar face of Madame Leota, the floating head inside a crystal ball in the séance room, played by Jamie Lee Curtis, who was not in the trailer but arrived on stage at D23 in a Doom Buggy of her own!

Fans of the ride will spot familiar ghosts in the trailer but Simien promises oodles of Easter eggs from the actual attraction in the park. The film itself is a reboot of sorts, although it is based on the ride, Disney previously released a movie in 2003 based on the ride with the same name. The Haunted Mansion (2003) featured Eddie Murphy, Terence Stamp, Nathaniel Parker, Marsha Thomason, and Jennifer Tilly. Given the Easter egg promise and the cameo-packed movie, might we also see familiar faces from the 2003 movie?

This is obviously not the first time that Disney has turned one of its rides into a movie, with Pirates of the Caribbean being one of the biggest examples and successes. While currently it seems that The Haunted Mansion will be a standalone story, there is certianly always more story to tell when you have a mansion that is brimming with ghosts. The trailer promises a wealth of characters, each with unique and colorful personalities, which could offer more opportunities for future installments.

The Haunted Mansion is currently scheduled to be released March 10, 2023.

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