Justin SimienDirector of the 2023 film adaptation of the famous Disney ride, Haunted PalaceSimien shared his perspective on why the film was so heavily influenced by the decision to release it during a difficult time in Hollywood. It was released on July 15, 2023, two days after the SAG-AFTRA strike officially began. Of course, the premiere did not feature anyone from the film, as no actors were allowed to promote their films in any way. Simien now shares his perspective on the release strategy: “I have some mixed feelings about this, to be honest.”
2023 version of Haunted Palace It was based on a script written by Katie Dippold (Parks and Recreational Resorts2016 Ghostbusters, KidnappedThe film tells the story of a single mother and her son who decide to seek help from a skeptical astrophysicist in order to cleanse their newly acquired home of spirits that do not want to leave. A psychologist, a priest, and a historian also join the party and do their best to exorcise the spirits living in the abandoned Gracie Mansion. Despite grossing over $100 million at the box office, the film failed to live up to Disney's expectations. Critics were not kind either, with the film receiving a 37% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Speaking to Collider about his new documentary series, Hollywood BlackSimin spoke about how difficult it was to promote the film during the strike:
“I'm really proud of myself, as a person, in this process. It was very difficult. When the release came out, there were a lot of conversations that were difficult to engage in.”
The film’s red carpet was held at Disneyland, and its stellar cast was supposed to include Rosario Dawson, Lakeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Chase W. Dillon, Owen Wilson, Jamie Lee Curtis, Danny DeVito, Dan Levy, and Jared Leto. Instead, those lucky enough to attend had to make do with being in costume at the park for the premiere. Simien went on to talk about what the film means to him now:
“I’m so proud to have a film that’s about a relationship between a black man struggling with his feelings. It’s about him being able to feel his feelings and connect with a child who doesn’t have a father, who needs someone to care for him and nurture him. It may sound so cheesy, but this is not a common story, and this speaks to my heart and soul and the things I need from stories. I’m not in any way afraid of a budget of this size and a production schedule of this length.”
History of Disney Movies Converted into Movies
Disney has tried the “bringing toys to the big screen” idea in the past, with mixed results. Pirates of the Caribbean This was their most successful effort to date, with a huge franchise created by Gore Verbinski. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black PearlThe key to this film was the perfect balance of adventure, fantasy, and family-friendly horror, as well as Johnny Depp's box office appeal at the time. Other Disney park ride adaptations include: Tomorrow's LandA trip in the forest, Country Bears and of course both. Haunted Palacefilms.
The first adaptation of the scary element in Disney parks was the 2003 film. The palace is haunted.
Starring Eddie Murphy, the film is loosely based on the idea of the trip. While it received mostly negative reviews, the film grossed nearly $200 million at the box office. The new film was a box office flop and spent years in development hell. While the film has been a hit on Disney+ since its release, it’s probably best for fans not to expect a sequel anytime soon.
Haunted Palace(2023) Available to stream on Disney+.
