For a Disney PG-13 movie, it has to be based on something other than horror. There has to be an element of fantastical wonder to all of this. Fortunately, Simien absolutely understood that. Speaking further on the subject, she explained that comedies with a genre twist also played a big role in shaping her vision:
“Then there are the fantasy comedies, particularly the ones with wacky production design and practical effects. ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ was a big one. ‘Ghostbusters,’ absolutely. But definitely ‘Beetlejuice,’ too. Also, even ‘Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure. These movies that are ostensibly made for kids, but are absolutely subversive and become different movies as you watch them growing up. That was the sweet spot for me. So it’s in between 1963 and 1993”.
Added Simien: “There were a lot of movies in that area that we watched over and over again. ‘The NeverEnding Story’ is another, ‘Return to Oz’ is another. Lots of movies that do the same horror/comedy/family balance.” It’s an impressive and varied list with many beloved classics. If you’re going to throw a bunch of movies into a blender to get something new out of the other side, this is an intriguing batch of options.
The film’s cast also includes LaKeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, Chase W. Dillon, Dan Levy, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jared Leto, and Winona Ryder. Katie Dippold (“The Heat”) wrote the script.
“Haunted Mansion” hits theaters on July 28, 2023.