Justin Simien, the director of horror flick “Bad Hair” and the coming of age, “Dear White People,” has been tapped to direct Disney’s “The Haunted Mansion” remake. Based off the popular attraction from the company’s theme parks, the Haunted Mansion has been a hugely popular destination for years at Disneyland and Disney World. If all goes well, Simien‘s version of the “Haunted Mansion,” will be coming to a theater near you in the not-too-distant future. Justin Simien Set To Direct Disney’s ‘Haunted Mansion’ Remake
Although the plot details for the remake have been kept under wraps for the upcoming live-action movie, the theme park ride, which first opened in 1969, takes guests through a ghostly manor, where strange sounds and deceased inhabitants make themselves known.
Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich, who recently teamed on Disney’s live-action adaptation of “Aladdin,” are producing the film through their production company Rideback. Nick Reynolds of Rideback will serve as executive producer. Justin Simien Set To Direct Disney’s ‘Haunted Mansion’ Remake
Katie Dippold, a writer on the sitcom “Parks and Recreation” who later penned “The Heat” and the “Ghostbusters” reboot, wrote the most recent draft of the screenplay.
Disney tried to take advantage of the popularity of the Haunted Mansion ride for the big screen in 2003, when the movie starred Eddie Murphy, grossing $180 million from a $90 million budget. Several other theme park rides have inspired films and televisions shows, including “Pirates of the Caribbean,” “Tower of Terror” and the upcoming action adventure “Jungle Cruise” with Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson.
Simien is best known for writing the satirical comedy “Dear White People,” which premiered to acclaim at Sundance Film Festival in 2014. It was later adapted into a television series at Netflix. He returned to Sundance in 2020, one of the last major Hollywood events prior to the pandemic, to debut “Bad Hair.” The film, starring Jay Pharoah, Lena Waithe and Kelly Rowland, was acquired by Neon.
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