Disney Taps Justin Simien To Direct Haunted Mansion Film
It looks like Disney’s live-action Haunted Mansion film is one step closer to becoming a reality! According to a recent report in Deadline, Justin Simien has signed on to direct the film which we are told will be largely based on the beloved Disneyland and Magic Kingdom attractions.
We also know that Dan Lin and Jonathan Elrich, the production team behind the live-action hit Aladdin which went on to gross over $1billion at the box office will be returning to produce. Nick Reynolds has signed on to executive produce and the script was penned by Katie Dippold (Ghostbusters (2016.) .


Comedy Converstion with Justin Simien – photographed by SHAYAN ASGHARNIA on May 14, 2018 in Los Angeles, CA
As Deadline tells us, Simien has been a rising star in Hollywood since his critically acclaimed film Dear White People which he wrote, produce and director. It resulted in a Netflix TV series where Siemen serves as executive producer.
The Haunted Mansion ride first debuted in 1969 and has been a first favorite with Disney fans on both coasts. This isn’t the first adaptation of Haunted Mansion into a film. A film came out in 2003 directed by Rob Minkoff and staring Eddie Murphy. It had a lukewarm reception at the box office unlike other films based on attractions like Pirates of the Caribbean which went on to become a HUGE success.
Though Disney remains pretty tight-lipped about the script, some insiders have said that the film will be very different from the Eddie Murphy version.
As a HUGE Haunted Mansion fan, this is a story that I will be following closely. Readers are encouraged to keep checking back with us for further news and updates.
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Source: Deadline