Disney's New Haunted Mansion Trailer Showcases A Slew Of Familiar Spirits
On May 16, Disney released a new star-studded and surprisingly scary "Haunted Mansion" trailer, giving fans of the company's signature spooky ride their first look at the latest project it inspired. This upcoming "Haunted Mansion" movie is Disney's second attempt at adapting the longtime Disneyland staple to film, following a critically-reviled 2003 Eddie Murphy vehicle.
While that prior "Haunted Mansion" nods to the ride of the same name at various points, this latest trailer for the new film showcases a preponderance of ghosts, ghouls, and more adapted directly from the iconic Disneyland attraction, suggesting the re-do will draw far more heavily from the property's roots than its predecessor.
LaKeith Stanfield stars in the new "Haunted Mansion" as Ben, a paranormal expert of sorts, investigating the titular mansion that Gabbie (Rosario Dawson) and her son Travis (Chase W. Dillon) call home. Just 13 seconds into the May 16 trailer, Ben explores the building's attic, which is a location those familiar with the ride will recognize. Behind him looms the ghost of Constance Hatchaway in her trademark bridal gown, who likewise appears in the mansion's attic in the scene's source material. Fortunately for Disneyland devotees, the inclusions of a ride-accurate attic and the ghost that resides is just one among many new versions of classic ride moments showcased in the trailer.
The new Haunted Mansion film looks a lot like the Disneyland ride
After Disney's 100th anniversary logo and a couple of establishing shots, at the 28-second mark of the new "Haunted Mansion" trailer, the Duelists, recognizable from a couple of paintings in the original ride, lurk behind LaKeith Stanfield's Ben. Then, 36 seconds in, Constance Hatchaway reappears but in a manner more closely resembling the Beating Heart Bride version of the character from a prior incarnation of the Disneyland ride. The film, then, will seemingly pull both from the attraction in its current state and its history as well.
At the 41-second mark, Ben sits in what park connoisseurs have nicknamed the Donald Duck chair, suggesting that not just its ghosts but various ephemera from throughout the ride will influence the film. Then, 54 seconds in, Madame Leota — the psychic trapped in a crystal ball — appears for the first time, portrayed here by Jamie Lee Curtis. In another key reference, just after the words "take the ride" appear at the 1:05 mark, psychic medium Harriet (Tiffany Haddish)'s spirit-possessed chair moves in a manner akin to the vehicle that transports Disneyland guests through the attraction.
A series of major ghost sightings closes out the trailer, including the ride's alligator painting brought to life at 1:11, the Hitchhiking Ghosts from the ride's conclusion at 1:14, and the iconic Hatbox Ghost at 1:12, whose likeness is recreated in a sketch at the trailer's end, rounding out this lengthy procession of familiar sights.