Summary
- Director Justin Simien hasn't had any talks with Disney about a potential Haunted Mansion 2, but he is inspired by the experience of making the first movie for future stories.
- While the first movie received poor reviews and was a box office flop, the recent release on Disney+ could potentially boost viewership and convince Disney to consider a sequel.
- The success of Disney's Hocus Pocus sequel on Disney+ is an example that gives hope to the chances of a Haunted Mansion 2, as a passionate cult following and streaming success led to further sequels for that franchise.
Despite having plans for the future, director Justin Simien is offering a disappointing update on a potential Haunted Mansion 2. The horror-comedy marked the second movie adaptation of the iconic Disneyland ride, with the first being the Eddie Murphy-led 2003 critical flop. Despite having an ensemble cast featuring the likes of LaKeith Stanfield, Owen Wilson, Rosario Dawson, Danny DeVito and Jamie Lee Curtis, Haunted Mansion was met with poor reviews from critics and was a box office flop.
While speaking exclusively with Screen Rant for the movie's home release, Simien was asked about the chances for a Haunted Mansion 2. The director admitted to having had no talks with Disney about producing a sequel since it hit theaters, though teased feeling "inspired by the experience" of making the first movie for future stories, be they in the franchise or something original. See what Simien shared below:
No, no talks. I have no idea what they want to do with the future of the franchise, if there is a franchise. I have no clue, but I certainly was really inspired by the experience. And I've been spending a lot of time in my strike sort of tending to my own garden with regard to writing, and I think you'll see the influence of this experience in the next things I do, no matter if it's another Haunted Mansion movie, or if it's something original that I write. We'll see what the future holds.
How Haunted Mansion 2 Could Still Happen
Prior to the movie's release, Simien was very eager about the chances for a Haunted Mansion follow-up, teasing that there are "plenty more mysteries" to discover in the eponymous location and noting that the characters never fully explored the location. Given the movie ended on a happy note with Stanfield's Ben and his team successfully exorcising the malevolent Hatbox Ghost and Dawson's Gabbie and her son, Chase W. Dillon's Travis, living in harmony with the remaining spirits, it's unclear if any evil lingers in the mansion to explore for a sequel.
Though the movie may have fallen well short of its $157.8 million production budget, the door isn't entirely closed for a potential sequel to be produced. The adaptation recently landed on Disney+ in time for the Halloween season, a period which many initially believed the movie would aim to release for rather than its summer release. A big boost in viewership on the streaming platform could go a long way to convincing the House of Mouse to bring Simien back for another ghost-filled adventure.
There is even a recent example working in Haunted Mansion 2's chances with 2022's Hocus Pocus 2. Though not a box office failure, the 1993 horror-comedy was viewed as a disappointment by the studio, though with it gaining a passionate cult following in the years that followed on home media and streaming, Disney moved ahead with a sequel specifically made for Disney+, which garnered better reviews and set multiple viewership records, leading to the ordering of a Hocus Pocus 3. While it's unclear if a Haunted Mansion sequel would go for a theatrical or Disney+ release, a successful streaming release could prove beneficial for Simien's hopes to return.