New Disney Movie Bombing at the Box Office

Disney’s latest release is in danger of bombing. The Haunted Mansion is speculated to bring in about $25 million at the box office this weekend. Previously, industry experts had tabbed Justin Simien’s movie for about $30 million. However, it feels like Barbie and Oppenheimer are just going to be too much for the spooky season flick. Adding to that frustration is the fact that The Haunted Mansion has a reported budget of $150 million. Now, as Elemental proved to audiences earlier this year, maybe it can earn that total back. But, it’s going to be an uphill battle as Barbie continues to climb at the box office and shows no signs of slowing down.

Here’s how Disney describes the movie this weekend: “Inspired by the classic theme park attraction, ‘Haunted Mansion’ is about a woman and her son who enlist a motley crew of so-called spiritual experts to help rid their home of supernatural squatters.”

Haunted Mansion’s Director Really Cares About The Project

ComicBook.com’s Brandon Davis spoke to Justin Simien at San Diego Comic-Con ahead of the movie’s release. He clearly loves everything about The Haunted Mansion. When it comes to the feel of the iconic building, New Orleans, Louisiana provided the basis for everything you see on the screen.

“It’s definitely the New Orleans one for this film anyway. Katie set the movie in New Orleans and my family’s actually from Louisiana,” Simien explained “And my only tiny critique about The Haunted Mansion in Disneyland is that you go to New Orleans Square and it’s just a little, let’s say whiter than the New Orleans that I understood from my life and times.” 

“And I felt like, gosh, I think actually if you root The Haunted Mansion, that original one even deeper in an authentic New Orleans, it actually becomes more itself because that’s the birthplace of jazz and spooky jazz and funny jazz and Cab Calloway and these people who were already blending horror and humor and sexiness and fun,” he continues. “And so that was kind of the goal for me. And you definitely get a sense that there’s a wider universe and other mansions perhaps out there and other kinds of ghosts that could come in and out of the story. But the heart of this one is certainly the New Orleans mansion.”

Is Haunted Mansion Actually Good?

The Haunted Mansion might be up against some tough opposition. But, ComicBook.com’s Charlie Ridgely enjoyed his time with the movie. It feels like other critics are basically in agreement too. Our critic gave it four out of five stars.

“Unlike the 2003 take on Haunted Mansion, Simien and Dippold’s version actually makes great use of the New Orleans setting. Whether it’s as a tool to get more supernatural elements into the story or to focus on the city’s stunning architecture, New Orleans is made to be a part of this film down to its very foundation,” Ridgely said about the new release.

The writer continued, “The design of the actual house takes its nods from that architectural style, as well as the Disneyland ride, allowing it to feel like something both spooky and tactile. It would’ve been easy to simply make a few random rooms that are supposed to exist in a creepy old haunted house, but Haunted Mansion‘s design team clearly put a lot of love and effort into creating something that would feel different than what we’ve seen on screen before.”

Will you see The Haunted Mansion this weekend? Let us know down in the comments!