Guillermo del Toro Offers Haunted Mansion Update

Steve Barton   |  

Jul 13, 2014

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We’ve been talking about Guillermo del Toro creating a film based upon Disney’s Haunted Mansion attraction for four years now, and we still are trying to forget that awful half-assed Eddie Murphy flick. Unfortunately things aren’t exactly heating up in terms of progress.

Del Toro recently took part in a Reddit AMA, and the film was brought up.

“Well… 2 weeks ago, I went back to Disneyland with the executives with whom I am developing the screenplay. It’s a hard screenplay to crack. We’ve done it a few times. We are on our third or fourth draft, with 2 different writing teams, and I think the main thing is to try to combine everything that is great about the ride into the movie, and to make it really intense but with a sense of fun – just like the ride. It’s a tough balance, and I would be happy to report if we had the screenplay. We always feel like we are very close, but not yet. We have developed 50-60 pieces of art.”

Del Toro continues, “We’ve developed maquettes of the Hat Box Ghost, over the body and face of Doug Jones, but we have not succeeded yet in cracking the screenplay. I have to believe that Disney will make this movie as soon as we crack the screenplay, but until then we cannot tackle it. It is a movie I would love to direct, but I would be happy to just produce it if the timing is not right. I, by the way, was named Guest for the Day for the Haunted Mansion the last time I did, which gave me unlimited access to ride the mansion several times during the day. Unfortunately it was just the moment my left knee decided to bust and I had to go back home with a busted knee.”

Keep the faith, kids.

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