Disney really needs its new Haunted Mansion adaptation to be a hit.
Following up disappointing box office returns for Lightyear, Strange World, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, The Little Mermaid, Elementals, and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, the Mouse House is likely tired of seeing Warner Bros. and Universal eat its proverbial lunch in weekend grosses — and terrified of shareholders who’ve read headlines saying the company is close to losing a billion dollars over its most recent projects.
Unfortunately, Haunted Mansion‘s reviews thus far aren’t exactly stellar, and while some genre films are definitely critic-proof, there doesn’t seem to be much excitement in the zeitgeist for another movie based on a Disney ride.
Still, the film’s director, Justin Simien (Dear White People, Bad Hair), sees a future franchise if the first one can make a profit. Speaking recently with Comic Book.com, Simien said the film “definitely leaves the door open for more and for other spaces where, you know, ghosts might materialize.”
We hope Simien isn’t reading early reviews, which range from tolerant to scathing. Considering the latter, Lucas Trevor at the Washington Post said:
“It’s too dark for a family film, too weightless and juvenile for grown-ups. In a season notable for high-level action spectacle and important auteur projects, Haunted Mansion is not just confused but inconsequential.”
Yikes.
At least Haunted Mansion star Rosario Dawson can relax, as she has another Disney project coming out in August that people seem to be far more excited to watch: the new Mandalorian spinoff/live-action Clone Wars sequel Ahsoka.
Dawson recently described pivoting from her Haunted Mansion role to playing Ahsoka Tano as a “roller coaster of a different direction.” We’ll see how much money this roller coaster movie — okay, fine: slowly moving attraction movie — can scare up when Haunted Mansion hits theaters July 28.