Tower Of Terror Movie - What We Know So Far
Disneyland parks in their current incarnation are comprised of a unique blend of movies-turned-rides and rides-turned-movies. At Disneyland's Anaheim, California park, for example, visitors can ride both Indiana Jones Adventure, based on the "Indiana Jones" film franchise, and Pirates of the Carribean, which spawned the Johnny Depp film series of the same name.
Disney's slate of upcoming films currently includes "Jungle Cruise" starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, which is based on a classic Disneyland ride. Upon its release, Disneyland will be down one ride once untethered to a film franchise, leaving the likes of Matterhorn Bobsleds and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad among the shortening list of stand-alone theme park experiences.
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror originated as a ride themed around but not tied directly to popular TV series "The Twilight Zone" at Disney's California Adventure park. While the original ride has since been replaced with a similar experience called Guardians of the Galaxy — Mission: BREAKOUT!, versions of the Tower of Terror are still active in Orlando, Paris, and Tokyo.
In 1997, the Tower of Terror served as the inspiration for an original TV movie starring Kirsten Dunst, which was met with a middling reception (via Rotten Tomatoes). Now, however, Disney is working on its successor, the first details of which were revealed in an exclusive report by Collider.
When will the Tower of Terror movie be released?
The upcoming "Tower of Terror" movie is currently in the earliest stages of development, so a release date will most likely not be revealed until the film is considerably further along in production.
According to Collider, a new movie based on the Tower of Terror ride has been in development since 2015. Back then, the film was going to be based on a script by John August. His past screenwriting credits include "Big Fish," "Corpse Bride," and the live action "Aladdin" movie released in 2019 (via IMDb).
The project was revitalized thanks to the newly-announced involvement of an A-list actor, who has signed on to both star in and produce the film (more on them in just a moment). August no longer appears to be involved in its conception.
The "Tower of Terror" movie looks to be a major Disney release. Given the considerable amount of time it takes to produce a blockbuster movie at Disney's level, fans should expect the "Tower of Terror" film to come out late 2022 at the absolute earliest, or more likely during 2023 or even 2024.
Who is going to star in the Tower of Terror movie?
As detailed in Colldier's report, Scarlett Johansson will star in the upcoming "Tower of Terror" film. In their own words, the movie will "be developed as a starring vehicle for the studio's 'Black Widow' actress."
Disney has yet to announce who will appear alongside Johansson in the film. Collider did, however, announce two additional members of the team working on the movie behind-the-scenes: Josh Cooley and Jonathan Lia.
Cooley has notably worked in the past as a screenwriter for Pixar projects. His filmography includes writing credits on "Inside Out" and "Toy Story 4." He also performed as a voice actor in "Inside Out" and "Up." Cooley is currently the only confirmed screenwriter for the "Tower of Terror" film.
Lia, meanwhile, will produce in conjunction with Scarlett Johansson's company, These Pictures. His past credits are primarily comprised of music video production, including work on Beyoncé's "Lemonade" video/film and the video for David Bowie's "Valentine's Day," taken from his penultimate album "The Next Day."
According to Collider, Disney will "aim high" during its search for a director. Presumably, Disney will likewise look to introduce big names into its cast to appear alongside Johansson.
What will be the plot of the Tower of Terror movie?
Details from Josh Cooley's script for "Tower of Terror" are currently being kept under wraps. That said, the story once in-development for a "Tower of Terror" film in 2015 by John August purportedly chronicled the disappearance of five guests at a luxury hotel after an elevator they rode with one another was struck by lightning.
The Scarlett Johansson "Tower of Terror" movie will most likely include similar plot elements, even if the end result differs from August's story. The Tower of Terror ride is rooted more or less in this premise, meaning that August's film would have functioned as something of an origin story relative to the fiction of the Disneyland ride.
The upcoming "Tower of Terror" film, then, could either recount the history of the hotel, explaining how it became haunted, or tell a story that takes place during the same timeline as the ride, about a hotel with a haunted elevator that caused the disappearance of five of its guests in the past.