‘Haunted Mansion’ Could Still Be A Success For Disney

Although it was fairly well received by critics and fans alike, Disney’s Haunted Mansion struggled mightily in its opening weekend, bringing in a ghastly $24 million.

Based on the popular Disney attraction, Haunted Mansion was the company’s second attempt at translating the iconic ride to the big screen.

Photo: Disney

Helmed by Justin Simien, the film boasted a star-studded cast that included Rosario Dawson, LaKeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Danny DeVito, Jamie Lee Curtis and Jared Leto.

A Tough Opening Weekend

Unfortunately for Disney, due to the onset of the SAG-AFTRA strike, the film’s cast was unable to promote Haunted Mansion.

Photo: Disney

This lack of promotion was exasperated by the fact that Mansion was going up against the twin powerhouses of Oppenheimer and Barbie, which had opened the week before.

When the dust settled, Mansion only brought in $24 million. Not great for a film with a $150 million budget.

Photo: Disney

Why Disney Released The Film in July

Following the films lackluster opening critics and fans alike accosted Disney for choosing to release the film in July.

While the film’s subject matter would obviously have been a more natural fit for the Halloween season, Disney may have had an ulterior motive.

Photo: Disney

If Haunted Mansion follows the same release schedule as Disney’s previous films, the movie should land on Disney+ just in time for the lead up to Halloween.

Family Halloween movies have traditionally done much better on television and streaming than the box office (Exhibit A: Hocus Pocus), and Disney+ is constantly in need of new content.

Photo: Disney

When viewed through the lens of streaming, Disney’s Haunted Mansion release makes more sense. Should the film have been a box-office success, great. But, no matter what, Disney would have a high-end Halloween movie to promote Disney+ with.

A Box-Office Milestone

Although clearly a box-office disappointment, Haunted Mansion has finally surpassed $76 million globally. In its third week, the film had an impressive -39% hold, and has brought in $53 million at the domestic box office vs. $23 million internationally.

Photo: Disney

While the film still has a tough road towards profitability, Haunted Mansion continues to chug along. With the promise of a spooky season Disney+ release on the horizon, however, the film could still be a success for Disney after all.

Haunted Mansion is in theaters now.

Photo: Disney

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