Del Toro Rebooting Disney's 'Haunted Mansion'

So here's the score card: Guillermo del Toro is not directing The Hobbit and he is producing Disney's reboot of Haunted Mansion. Well...that's...something. The announcement came at Comic-Con on Thursday, and he told The Hollywood Reporter how it all happened. "(Walt) Disney is one of the creators of some of the scariest images in my childhood. People forget that he not only made sweet images but also images of nightmare. We need to honor that side of the legacy," del Toro said. And, it turns out he's something of a fan; apparently, he has a Haunted Mansion room in his house "filled with secret bookcases, wallpaper from the original ride, and original art from Imagineer and "Mansion" ride co- designer Marc Davis." I wonder if Eddie Murphy ever comes by to mail it in. Del Toro promises the new version will be scary, even while maintaining a welcoming tone for families, and he's not under contract yet to direct, he may do that, as well. He's also co-writing, and we all know how prolific he is in that capacity. There's no indication when this might happen, and let's be honest, del Toro has attached himself to way too many projects to possibly get to them all. The Hobbit was his first priority, but he had to abandon it because of other commitments, so I'm not sure how adding one more to the pile helps him any. But we'll see. The one thing del Toro hasn't really accomplished yet is a major hit, and an adaptation of a Disney ride certainly could do the trick. Of course, so could The Hobbit.

Comments

[M. Myers]

I'm sure a re-boot of Haunted Mansion will be a milestone of film making, right up there with the Hobbitt! But seriously, I was actually relieved he dropped the Hobbitt, otherwise his creatures would resemble the mostrosities in Pan's Labyrinthe and Hellboy, not the the already established ones that Peter Jackson's Weta Workshop amazed us with. Jackson was the clear choice after all. Del Toro needs to stick to serious film making and give up on his childhood fantasies (unless they are as dark as Pan and Devil's Backbone).

[Jeremy H]

"I wonder if Eddie Murphy ever comes by to mail it in." - And that's why I frequent this site....

[rk]

Screw the haters, this is a dream come true.

[paul]

the remake should be great.haunted mansion is a good and popular disney attraction.knowing del is a huge fan of the mansion it will be scary but also at a family tone.just the idea of this done in 3d has to be a great idea.