Not only is Guilleremo Del Toro NOT involved, but they're going the comedy route again. She has done stuff with Parks & Rec, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Spy, The Heat and Ghostbustbers (2016). A Mixed bag to say the least, but none of it makes me excited for this project.
Haunted Mansion (2023)
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After the 1st film bombed with the comedy route, going back to the comedy route is not the news I wanted. I wanted something more on the gothic and macabre side, which was right up GDT's wheelhouse.
I know Katie Dippold has done some great work with Parks & Rec and Brooklyn Nine Nine, but I'm not sure a HM movie is up her alley.
I know Katie Dippold has done some great work with Parks & Rec and Brooklyn Nine Nine, but I'm not sure a HM movie is up her alley.
I think the only way to make a Haunted Mansion movie work would be to genuinely allow it to be creepy. It can still have humor, it can still be fun, but I think at least some of the ghosts (the Hatbox Ghost, for instance) should be played "straight" and as genuine threats. I'd pitch the tone at the level of a spooky adventure, not as an outright comedy.
They were going to go the creepy/horror route with Del Toro slayed to direct for years. That fell apart and now we’re getting this thing, which just seems like it will probably be cringe. Unless they go for smart/witty humor over it being an outright comedy.
I think a “creepy comedy” can work, but it has to be executed perfectly.
I think the original GHOSTBUSTERS is a great example. There's some actually scary stuff in that movie, and the humor never totally undercuts it.
Unfortunately, Disney's hired the writer of the wrong GHOSTBUSTERS movie.
I feel like a movie in the same vein as Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark with a few genuinely creepy scenes/elements alongside a lot of fun Halloween-y scenes would be a good mix, but I think even that might be a bit too far for Disney. They probably want it to be more in the style of Goosebumps which I can understand, but I wouldn't really be into.
There definitely is a niche for "Baby's First Horror Flick" that can be filled with a movie like this.
There definitely is a niche for "Baby's First Horror Flick" that can be filled with a movie like this.
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I recommend checking out R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour, that wasn't afraid to get boldly scary (and downright disturbing) for that type of series.
- Feb 15, 2012
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Considering this is who we're talking about...
I'm not too worried.
Also you know, not like the HM doesn't have a ton of comedic elements y'all.
I'm not too worried.
Also you know, not like the HM doesn't have a ton of comedic elements y'all.
Nobody's saying "no comedy." But we did already get the "full comedy, no scares" version of the Haunted Mansion with Eddie Murphy... and it's not good.
Honestly, in the absence of GDT, Sam Raimi is the sort of filmmaker who I think would bring exactly the right energy to this. He knows how to do "fun scary," rather than "scary scary."
Honestly, in the absence of GDT, Sam Raimi is the sort of filmmaker who I think would bring exactly the right energy to this. He knows how to do "fun scary," rather than "scary scary."
Obviously the ride has a comedic/spooky hybrid feel to it. But that's far easier to pull off in a ride than in film, especially when Disney insists on being family friendly. We saw how the Eddie Murphy family friendly eerie comedy brought to the table and it wasn't all that good.
I'm just very skeptical, although having writing credits on both Parks & Rec and Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a very good thing in my book. A second writer on this movie who can balance her comedic writing with some horror leaning stuff would probably make me feel a bit better.
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- Jul 18, 2008
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Obviously no one is expecting straight horror from Disney. I'm just saying please don't make the same mistake of making it practically a straight comedy like with the 2003 version.
His Evil Dead homage in Spiderman 2 made me so giddy
I think he would be great
I do believe Del Torro is doing a Pinocchio movie at some point
I actually think (and I know it won't happen) that having this be a co-production with Blumhouse would be one of the best routes to take. They know how to keep a film cheap and it's within their wheelhouse. Give Blumhouse control as far as picking the director and Disney would just need to over-see the project to make sure it's staying in the bounds they want. If there's money to be made, Blumhouse will take it and there's A LOT of money to be made here.
Honestly, I was going to bring up Amblin's Eli Roth film, The House with a Clock in It's Walls.
I find it as a charming film that while has comedic elements--doesn't shy away from the darker elements. I am fine with the writer so-far, but the director is going to be key to my own take. For now, I can see a film that while has it's fair share of comedic moments..doesn't shy away from the source material's darker tone.
That's actually a great example of what this movie should be. I remember when that movie came out, it gave me some Haunted Mansion vibes.
- Feb 15, 2012
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Maybe the lady who dressed as the Babadook for Halloween and wrote for Brooklyn 99 can offer that balance! Honestly, seeing that tweet and how it's composed makes me more positive on a HM movie than one from GDT.
I still remain skeptical until we know who the director is. A script could be great and the wrong director could come in and make a horrible movie out of it still.
