Another "Haunted Mansion" Movie

[Gemini Cricket]

In his first move since deciding not to direct "The Hobbit" movies, Guillermo del Toro has decided to bring Disney's Haunted Mansion ride to the big screen. Del Toro announced his involvement in the project today at Comic-Con in a surprise appearance at the end of the "Tron" session. Before his appearance, he offered The Hollywood Reporter an exclusive account of how the project came together.

Del Toro, who checked out of "The Hobbit" in May because of ongoing production delays, will co-write and produce the movie, to be called "The Haunted Mansion." He may direct the film as well.
"It's going to be a thrill ride for the whole family but it's definitely going to be scary," he said. "(Walt) Disney is one of the creators of some of the scariest images in my childhood. People forget that he not only made sweet images but also images of nightmare. We need to honor that side of the legacy."


Specific plot details -- as well as what kind of creatures will be featured -- are being guarded as if shut in a coffin, but one ghost that will appear is the Hatbox Ghost, who is dressed in a cloak and top hat, and whose head disappears and reappears in a hatbox the ghost holds in his hand.

"There are several mansions around the world and he is the spider in the center of the web of these mansions around the world," said del Toro. "He will be a pivotal figure in the screenplay."
Story here (http://heatvision.hollywoodreporter.com/2010/07/guillermo-del-toro-to-bring-disneys-haunted-mansion-ride-to-the-bigscreen.html)

[Melonballer]

If anyone can make a really cool Haunted Mansion movie, Del Toro can.

[keith - SuPeR K!]

This sounds very promising. The first HM movie was such a joke... It was terrible!

[DreadPirateRoberts]

He's a disney geek:

So he and Disney started up talks again. The ride has long been one of del Toro's obsessions. He was three the first time he rode it and even now uses it as a form of therapy. "When I'm depressed or when I have a problem, I ride the Haunted Mansion ride to clear my head," he confessed.

He even has a room dedicated to "Mansion" in his home -- filled with secret bookcases, wallpaper from the original ride, and original art from Imagineer and "Mansion" ride co-designer Marc Davis -- something at which Bailey and Taylor marveled when they went over on a Saturday for a brainstorming session.

[alphabassettgrrl]

Hehehhe... I have a strange mashup in my head imagining this. I hope he makes a good one!

[Cadaverous Pallor]

He's a disney geek:The article makes me feel really good about this!

[innerSpaceman]

I feel ok about the movie (only if he directs); but terrible about what might happen to his "beloved" attraction if the movie is a hit.

[Alex]

Personally I think being too big of a fan is just as big a handicap when adapting something to a movie as not being a fan at all.

But I wish him luck. And if it is a hit I'll get years of pleasure from watching Disney geeks whine about the changes made to the actual ride. And what's more fun than whining?

But I have now reminded myself that I gave the last movie a mildly positive review (though sitting here now I remember absolutely nothing about it other than that Eddie Murphy, Wallace Shawn, and Jennifer Tilly are in it). In my defense, CP said it a "was cute. [She] smiled through the whole thing.." but "it didn't wow [her]." So there were at least two mildly positive reviews!

I'll have to keep this in mind every time I slam something and get the emails telling me I just don't know how to like stupid movies.

[innerSpaceman]

Green Screen!

[Ghoulish Delight]

And computers!

[Cadaverous Pallor]

In my defense, CP said it a "was cute. [She] smiled through the whole thing.." but "it didn't wow [her]." So there were at least two mildly positive review!
Bwahaha! Yeah, that's how I deal with cutesy lame films. I am easily amused at the time, and the glow fades quickly after that.

Green Screen!Is THAT how they did it?? :D

[Alex]

Good thing I wasn't reviewing yet when Country Bears came out or I might have a really embarrassing positive review on my record (I've never seen it so can confidently conform with the crowd and hate it).

[Alex]

Oops, just noticed that he's not directing, just co-writing and producing. Interest level flags appreciably.

[innerSpaceman]

Yep, only mildly interested to the extent he was personally directing. Another piece of crap on the way to screens near you ... but if it sucks, at least the attraction will be spared further indignity.

[Kevy Baby]

But I want three Animatronic Johnny Depp's in HM!

[JWBear]

...While we're at it, lets take out several of the rides iconic lines of dialog and replace them with ones from the movie. And for added effect... replace a portion of the ride's wonderfully moody music with a jarringly unrelated segment from the movie soundtrack.

[SzczerbiakManiac]

Ooo, how about the pop song which plays over the closing credits!

[Chernabog]

Green Screen!

LMAO I remember that... was awesome.

[€uroMeinke]

I just hope Wally Shawn is in it

[RStar]

And Johnny Depp!

Wait, wrong movie.....

[LSPoorEeyorick]

My interest doesn't flag. He's writing it - that's a big deal, it means whoever directs is working with quality writing. And he's produced (not directed) a film in the past that is, in fact, one of my favorite horror films of all time. Maybe my very favorite.

[innerSpaceman]

Which is that?

[LSPoorEeyorick]

The Orphanage.

[innerSpaceman]

oooh, yes, LOVE that movie!

[keith - SuPeR K!]

oooh, yes, LOVE that movie!

As do I! :)

[flippyshark]

A Haunted Mansion movie with even a fourth of the atmosphere and intrigue of The Orphanage would be an extraordinary thing. (I can still feel the shivers from that movie even now.) The article says it won't be scary, but I do hope they will allow it to be more than just superficially spooky.

[Alex]

I hope it isn't a movie that relies on horror, because then I'll find it boring. At least so far as I've experienced over the last 28 years or so there's no such thing as a scary movie.

I was kind of bleh on The Orphanage. There was much I liked about it, but also much that bored me.