14 DAY TRIAL // When Disney rush released “Haunted Mansion” in 2003, reportedly hoping to capitalize on the “Pirated of the Caribbean” frenzy, fans were not exactly pleased with the result, with critics thrashing it for compromising story for money. Now, years later, Disney is again working on a film based on the popular ride, with famed director Guillermo del Toro at the helm, as del Toro himself revealed at Comic-Con, IGN Movies informs.
Those thinking that this will be yet another lame remake may as well forget about that already. For starters, this is visionary del Toro we’re talking about, fans are saying on dedicated forums. Secondly, we already have his promise that the film will be in the spirit of the original ride, meaning all the stuff that needs to be scary will actually be scary. If that’s not enough to get people interested, then there’s always the fact that the new “Haunted Mansion” will come in 3D.
“Del Toro talked about his love for the ride, which he has been visiting regularly since it first opened in 1969. ‘This, for me, is one of the few Holy Grails in life, because to me the Haunted Mansion is the most precious real estate on Earth,’ del Toro told the audience. Referring to the previous Haunted Mansion film released in 2003, del Toro said, ‘We are not returning Eddie Murphy’s calls. We are not making it a comedy’,” IGN writes of del Toro’s brief statement at Comic-Con.
“The film will be in live action, and (what did you expect?) 3D. Del Toro promised an E-ticket ride that will be ‘true to the spirit and art and aesthetic of the original imaginers that created the Mansion.’ He said it will be scary and fun at the same time, ‘but the scary will be scary.’ The story will revolve around the character of the Hatbox Ghost, as seen in the attic portion of the ride. A new mythology centered on the mansion as the most haunted place in the world, will revolve around this pivotal character,” the same movie-oriented publication further says.
Del Toro will not only direct the film, but he’ll also act as producer. The script has been penned by him as well, which probably why he says of the upcoming production that it’s the closest he’s ever come to having a dream come true.
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