Disney’s underwhelming box office streak continues withHaunted Mansion, which faced the impossible task of scaring up a strong showing at the box office against the “Barbenheimer” wave. In its third week, the live-action adaptation based on the famous ride has finally surpassed $76 million globally, with $53 million coming from the domestic box office, and a $23 million international haul. The feature is directed byJustin Simienand stars a stellar cast but even with an impressive -39% hold in its third weekend,Haunted Mansionis in an uphill battle against blockbusters likeBarbie,Oppenheimer, andTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.
What to Expect fromHaunted Mansion?
Based on a famous Disney ride, the feature follows the story of a single mother Gabbie (Rosario Dawson), and her son, who buys a new property at a pretty cheap price. Things change when they find out the house comes alive at night with various spirits haunting the mansion. Gabbie enlists the help of numerous specialists including a priest, a psychic, a paranormal investigator turned tour guide, and a college history professor to get rid of the spirits.
While the feature has an interesting premise and good performances, it still has a long way to go to make back its estimated $150 million budget. Along with a number of factors limiting its box office haul, the actors weren’t able to promote the feature giventhe SAG-AFTRA strikeand a summer release against tentpole films likeBarbieandOppenheimer, despite being much more suited for spooky season, setHaunted Mansionup for an underwhelming box office haul.
When compared to similar Disney releases, likeHalle Bailey’sThe Little Mermaidwhich saw a global debut of $163 million earlier this summer to become a sensation at the global box office, andJungle Cruisewhich earned $90 million on its opening weekend alone,Haunted Mansion’s run is certainly lower than anticipated. The feature is the second live-action adaptation of the ride-based IP and has been long in the making. Nonetheless, despite its issues, the individual performances and references to the ride have been praised by fans and critics alike.
Along with aforementioned talents, the movie also featuresOwen Wilsonas Father Kent,LaKeithStanfieldas Ben, a paranormal tour guide,Tiffany Haddishas Harriet, a psychic,Danny DeVitoas Bruce, the historian,Jamie Lee Curtisas Madame Leota, and young actorChase W. Dillonas Gabbie’s son Travis. Further rounding out the cast isJared Letoas the Hatbox Ghost, along withWinona Ryder,HasanMinaj, andDan Levyin minor roles.
Haunted Mansionis in theaters now. Check out our interview with Curtis and Haddish, conducted prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike, below.
